Why EmpoweringKidz?

I  I recently moved back to San Diego from New York where the whole idea of EmpoweringKidz started. While in New York, I was thinking about my next career move and what I had learned from working in an outpatient clinic setting. One of the biggest things that stood out to me was the abundance of requests to address patient needs beyond those that came up at clinic. For example, providers would refer patients who needed help with pill swallowing or needed more education on what to expect with an endoscopy procedure. I would have to initially connect with these families by email or phone because they either weren’t able to meet me during their clinic visit or needs would arise afterwards. That’s when I realized we had a gap in care. These children and families had coping needs that I was having a hard time addressing because I couldn’t work with them face-to-face. I found myself doing more coaching with parents rather than working with the child and parent together which wasn’t the standard of care I wanted to provide.  

   EmpoweringKidz was established so I could provide Child Life services in the home and in the community. I could serve as an extension to the services families were receiving in the hospital but could also be a support to families who were on their own navigating different medical journeys.  

  Now that the business is up and running, I decided a blog was much needed. After a few months of being back in the San Diego community, I quickly realized that many families and mental health professionals aren’t familiar with the Child Life field. Honestly, it’s surprising that a profession can be around for about a century and still be so unknown. But, only recently have Child Life Specialists found ways to advocate for roles within the community. If you don’t know someone who works in pediatrics or haven’t had to endure a hospitalization with your own child, it’s likely you haven’t come across a specialist of this kind.  

  This blog will be a dedicated forum to helping caregivers of all kinds. I will be discussing various acute and chronic diagnoses, therapeutic interventions, and how a Child Life Specialist supports the entire family system. I will be providing helpful tips, education, and resources that can be utilized to help you navigate various hurdles. Due to the nature of this work and how individualized the support is, you may find connecting with me directly is most ideal. 

 I look forward to meeting you!