Personalized Support for Families Facing Medical Illness, Grief, and Trauma

Helping kids, teens, and parents turn difficult moments into better memories.

About me

I am a dual Certified Child Life Specialist (CCLS) and Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC) dedicated to supporting parents, families, and communities navigating medical illness, grief, stress, and life’s most challenging conversations and moments.


As the author and creator of The Method Workbooks series, including The Dot Method—an interactive resource designed to teach kids about cancer—I’m passionate about creating tools that foster understanding, coping, and connection. Learn more at themethodworkbooks.com.

Simple strategies and tools,
Transferable to everyday life.

I believe illness and grief are not problems to fix but circumstances to support. My approach focuses on mental health within the context of illness and grief by using evidence-based strategies, play-based interventions, and a strength-based, mindful approach. These personalized techniques reduce fear, distress, and anxiety while fostering resilience.

I work with families to enhance coping and communication skills, nurture relationships, and build a stronger sense of self. With specialized training, I also coach caregivers on effective language and techniques to support their children through medical challenges, family transitions, and traumatic loss.

Services

  • Child Life Services

  • Therapy for Kids, Teens, and Families

  • Parent Coaching and Consultation

  • Other Professional Services

LEARN MORE

“Thank you for saying all the things I couldn’t. I feel better about the whole situation.”

— PARENT SUPPORTING GRIEVING CHILDREN

Don’t have difficult conversations alone.

Your heart feels heavy, because it is heavy. 🧡 Thank you @links.family for helping me find words. #collectivegrief #collectivetrauma #neveragainisnow
Uncertainty can feel overwhelming for kids and adults alike. When things feel out of their control, kids need honesty, predictability, and reassurance to help them feel safe and supported. Swipe through for simple ways to help your child navigate t
Sometimes kids can’t—or don’t want to—talk about big feelings. That’s okay. Here are a few other ways they can express what’s on their mind. Kids express differently. Some through art, some through movement, and
Talking to kids about cancer genes and risk can feel like an added challenge when you’re already discussing cancer itself. But it can also be empowering and supportive to explain to kids how our genes work, how they can affect our health, and
Grief sometimes looks different for kids. They might play, laugh, or act out in ways that don’t always “look” like sadness—but that doesn’t mean they aren’t grieving. In fact sad isn’t the only emotion that
It’s International Childhood Cancer Day. Something no one wants to imagine, and yet 100s of thousands of families don’t have a choice every year. So let’s work together to imagine it on behalf of the families who don’t have
I once read that if parenting feels hard, it means you’re doing it right. I believe in making difficult moments easier—but that doesn’t mean I don’t acknowledge just how hard it really is. The all-or-nothing thinking, the sho
It’s natural to want to comfort a child when they’re crying. You might even want to stop their heart ache. But saying “Don’t cry” can make them feel like their emotions aren’t okay especially when they’re
As a former PICU child life specialist, I worked with patients facing cardiac surgeries and conditions. I had the most amazing APN partner who would call me in to meet patients in clinic before their surgeries all the way through their line removal
Not sure how to begin a difficult conversation with your child? You’re not alone. The hardest part is often getting started. 💬 Swipe for simple, child-friendly ways to open up conversations about illness, grief, and other difficult topics&m
One thing people may not realize is that kids don’t only need support when they have medical procedures and tests done - but also when medical devices are REMOVED. Getting a central line or arterial line taken out can be uncomfortable for kid