Innovative Interventions in Child Life Series
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- Non-member - $329
- Member - $109
- Student - $44
The Innovative Interventions in Child Life Series is comprised of four presentations and a Q&A panel discussion. Beginning in July 2025, one presentation will become available each week for viewing at your convenience. After viewing a presentation, we highly encourage participants to add questions they have for presenters into the discussion section as these questions will be asked during the Q&A panel. The four presentation titles are listed below:
Impact of Facility Dog and CCLS Dyad on Children's Pain and Anxiety During Needlestick Procedures (1.0 PDU; Suggested Domain: Intervention)
Enhancing Pediatric Inpatient Care with Robin the Robot: Improving Emotional Well-being through AI-Powered Companionship (1.0 PDU; Suggested Domain: Intervention)
A Cohort Model Used Across Intensive Care Units (1.0 PDU; Suggested Domain: Intervention)
Bridging the Gap: Supporting High Risk Youth and Families in Mental Health Services (1.0 PDU; Suggested Domain: Intervention, Assessment)
The recordings in this series are currently available only as a full set and cannot be purchased separately.
Please note: All series content and its related certificates will expire on 8/1/2028 regardless of when it is purchased, accessed, or completed. At that point, contents will no longer be available in any form, including as an archive or as a PDU certificate. It is the responsibility of the learner to complete the contents and download and save the certificates for their records before 8/1/2028.
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Contains 5 Component(s), Includes Credits
Child life specialists at this facility have begun utilizing a technologically advanced device as part of their interventions to encourage innovative play that aids in education, preparation, distraction and isolation when faced with challenging medical experiences and hospitalizations. 1.0 PDU; Suggested Domain: Intervention
Child life specialists at this facility have begun utilizing a technologically advanced device as part of their interventions to encourage innovative play that aids in education, preparation, distraction and isolation when faced with challenging medical experiences and hospitalizations.
Suggested Domain: Intervention
Credits: 1.0 PDU
Learning Objective(s):By the end of this presentation, participants will be able to share about a new technologically advanced device that is revolutionizing how to connect with pediatric patients in a hospital setting.
By the end of this presentation, participants will be able to detail how this new technology follows hospital compliance regulations and how to maintain to this technology.
By the end of this presentation, participants will be able to describe case studies on how the device is being used as an intervention to help prepare children for procedures and coping with their hospitalization.
Please note: All series content and its related certificates will expire on 8/1/2028 regardless of when it is purchased, accessed, or completed. At that point, contents will no longer be available in any form, including as an archive or as a PDU certificate. It is the responsibility of the learner to complete the contents and download and save the certificates for their records before 8/1/2028.
Micaela Cotas (Moderator)
MS, CCLS
UMass Memorial Children’s Medical Center
Micaela Cotas, MS, CCLS – Micaela is a Certified Child Life Specialist with 16 years of experience supporting children and families through medical challenges. For the past 8 years, she has served in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at UMass Memorial Children’s Medical Center. Micaela specializes in integrating technology—such as social robots—to improve the hospital experience for pediatric patients and has a particular interest in grief and bereavement support. Outside of work, she enjoys traveling and spending time by the ocean with her husband and two children.
Kendra Frederick (Moderator)
Manager of the Child Life, Music Therapy and Animal Assisted Therapy
UMass Memorial Health- Children’s Medical Center
Kendra Frederick, MS, CCLS - Kendra currently serves as the manager of the Child Life, Music Therapy and Animal Assisted Therapy programs at UMass Memorial Health- Children’s Medical Center. A Certified Child Life Specialist with over two decades of experience, Kendra has been passionately helping children and their families navigate challenging medical experiences with empathy, creativity, and evidence-based care. Kendra leads a dedicated team of professionals focused on reducing the physical and emotional stress associated with hospitalization through a wide variety of developmentally appropriate and non-pharmacological interventions. Kendra is an advocate for individualized and family-centered care. Her meaningful contributions to the field include collaborating on a system-wide initiative to reduce the pain and fear associated with needle sticks, implementation of a human-assisted artificially intelligent robot for inpatient care, spearheading a community-based teddy bear clinic providing education through play and assisting in the development of a pediatric behavioral health response team to meet the needs of children admitted in mental health crisis. Recognizing the ever-changing landscape in pediatric healthcare, Kendra has had the distinguished honor of being named innovator of the year by UMass Memorial Health for three consecutive years.
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Contains 5 Component(s), Includes Credits
Overview of a study measuring the impact of a CCLS and facility dog on patient pain during needlestick procedures in a hematology/oncology outpatient clinic. This presentation explores challenges, successes and takeaways of leading a clinical research study involving an interdisciplinary team. 1.0 PDU; Suggested Domain: Intervention
Overview of a study measuring the impact of a CCLS and facility dog on patient pain during needlestick procedures in a hematology/oncology outpatient clinic. This presentation explores challenges, successes and takeaways of leading a clinical research study involving an interdisciplinary team.
Suggested Domain: Intervention
Credits: 1.0 PDU
Learning Objective(s):By the end of this presentation, participants will be able to examine process and results of research study measuring the impact of a facility dog and CCLS on patient pain during needlestick procedures.
By the end of this presentation, participants will be able to apply findings to larger child life and Animal Assisted Therapy fields to explore impact on current and future work.
By the end of this presentation, participants will be able to demonstrate knowledge of the research process from start to finish, including challenges and successes in leading a multidisciplinary research study.
Please note: All series content and its related certificates will expire on 8/1/2028 regardless of when it is purchased, accessed, or completed. At that point, contents will no longer be available in any form, including as an archive or as a PDU certificate. It is the responsibility of the learner to complete the contents and download and save the certificates for their records before 8/1/2028.
Ali Spikestein (Moderator)
CCLS, MS
Mount Sinai Kravis Children's Hospital
Ali Spikestein is a Certified Child Life Specialist and the Program Manager of the Child Life and Creative Arts Therapy Department at Mount Sinai Kravis Children’s Hospital in New York City. She holds a master’s degree in Child Life from Bank Street College of Education. With a clinical background in pediatric hematology/oncology, Ali currently oversees the hospital’s Paws & Play program and serves as the primary handler for Mount Sinai’s first facility dog, Professor. Her professional interests include animal-assisted therapy, clinical research, and reflective practice. In this presentation, Ali shares findings from a recent research study examining the impact of a facility dog and Certified Child Life Specialist dyad on children’s pain and anxiety during needlestick procedures.
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Contains 5 Component(s), Includes Credits
This session provides education on helping families discover the "why" behind behaviors and therapeutic interventions that can be used to support youth during crisis and work to prevent crisis. Suggested Domain: Intervention, Assessment Credits: 1.0 PDU
Youth mental health is rising daily and often youth are falling in the gaps in society. Youth with mental health often experience home disruptions, social anxiety, school truancy and/or poor school performance, and potential juvenile justice involvement. These youth are often labeled as troubled and high-risk. This session focuses on the realm of youth mental health and supporting families in navigating services and behaviors. This session also supports in helping families identify the "why" behind behaviors through Situational Analysis. This session also focuses on introducing therapeutic interventions to support youth in building their own coping skills and self-monitoring.
Suggested Domain: Intervention, Assessment
Credits: 1.0 PDU
Learning Objective(s):By the end of this presentation, participants will be able to understand the purpose of the Situational Analysis and when to use it.
By the end of this presentation, participants will be able to answer “who/what/when/where” questions when doing a Situational Analysis
By the end of this presentation, participants will be able to think through the “whys” when doing a Situational Analysis.
By the end of this presentation, participants will be able to identify how co-regulation is a key mechanism to address fight, flight, freeze stress responses.
By the end of this presentation, participants will be able to demonstrate and utilize interventions to support co-regulation including developing emotional thermometers, grounding exercises, motivational interviewing, and other therapeutic interventions.
Please note: All series content and its related certificates will expire on 8/1/2028 regardless of when it is purchased, accessed, or completed. At that point, contents will no longer be available in any form, including as an archive or as a PDU certificate. It is the responsibility of the learner to complete the contents and download and save the certificates for their records before 8/1/2028.
Blair Stockton (Moderator)
MS, CCLS, LMFT-A
Youth Villages
Blair Stockton is a CCLS and a LMTA who has worked in the field of Child Life since 2005. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in Child Development from Appalachian State University with an emphasis in Child Life. She obtained her Master of Science degree in Child and Family Studies from the University of Southern Mississippi. She currently works as a Clinical Supervisor for the Intercept program with Youth Villages. Through her current role she provides family-based supportive services for at risk youth within the community of WNC. Blair has worked in many different roles as a CCLS within the hospital and community settings. Her specialties are in child/family trauma, grief and at risk youth.
Blair is a native of Asheville, NC. She lives there with her husband and 4 children. In her free time she enjoys teaching music, hiking, and spending time outdoors in the beautiful mountains that surround her.
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Contains 5 Component(s), Includes Credits
This session explains how a multidisciplinary cohort model is utilized across the ICUs to promote creativity, continuity of care, and collaboration. The session depicts how this innovative model addresses the current staffing challenges in the field and prevents burnout among clinicians. 1.0 PDU; Suggested Domain: Intervention
This session explains how a multidisciplinary cohort model is utilized across the ICUs to promote creativity, continuity of care, and collaboration. The session depicts how this innovative model addresses the current staffing challenges in the field and prevents burnout among clinicians.
Suggested Domain: Intervention
Credits: 1.0 PDU
Learning Objective(s):By the end of this presentation, participants will be able to share about the flow and referral process of including creative arts therapies within the PICU, NICU, and PCICU.
By the end of this presentation, participants will be able to detail the impact of collaborating as an ICU team to reduce burn out support referrals for other modalities and students and contribute to equitable care.
By the end of this presentation, participants will be able to describe creative opportunities and programming for patients and families across multiple ICU settings.
Please note: All series content and its related certificates will expire on 8/1/2028 regardless of when it is purchased, accessed, or completed. At that point, contents will no longer be available in any form, including as an archive or as a PDU certificate. It is the responsibility of the learner to complete the contents and download and save the certificates for their records before 8/1/2028.
Abby Patch (Moderator)
MS, CCLS
Mount Sinai Kravis Children's Hospital
Abby Patch has been a Certified Child Life Specialist since November 2014 graduating from Bank Street College of Education with her Masters Degree in Child Life in May 2014. Abby completed two internships during her time at Bank Street College of Education at Elizabeth Seton Pediatric Center and NYU Langone Medical Center. Abby joined the Child Life and Creative Arts Department at Mount Sinai in November 2014 and has primarily worked in the pediatric ICU, cardiac ICU, and neonatal ICU. Her focuses have included caregiver support, end of life work, sibling support, and creating therapeutic relationships with patients through play. She has presented at Marymount Manhattan College, CLGNY, and grand rounds. She has also been published through a collaboration with social work and music therapy in the publication Case Studies for Music Therapy Clinicians: Portraits of Daily Practice. Abby continues to find value in collaborating with team members to support patients and caregivers in the ICU environment.
Katie Messina (Moderator)
MA, CCLS
Mount Sinai Kravis Children's Hospital
Catherine Messina, a graduate of Emory University and Columbia University, has been a certified Child Life Specialist since 2024. As a student, she completed rotations at Nemours Children’s Health, New York Presbyterian, and Mount Sinai’s Kravis Children’s Hospital. As a CCLS she has worked at Bellevue Hospital and the Kravis Children’s Hospital, where she is currently the primary specialist in the NICU. Katie’s focuses include Caregiver Groups, milestone celebrations, and interdisciplinary collaboration. Recent work includes presenting for the Health Equity Journal Club, a sibling’s night, a developmental seminar for parents, new nurse education, and planning the first NICU reunion for the unit.
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Contains 4 Component(s), Includes Credits
Innovative Interventions in Child Life Series Q&A Panel Discussion
Innovative Interventions in Child Life Series Q&A Panel Discussion
The Innovative Interventions in Child Life Series is comprised of four presentations and a Q&A panel discussion. Beginning in July 2025, one presentation will become available each week for viewing at your convenience. After viewing a presentation, we highly encourage participants to add questions they have for presenters into the discussion section as these questions will be asked during the Q&A panel. The four presentation titles are listed below:
Impact of Facility Dog and CCLS Dyad on Children's Pain and Anxiety During Needlestick Procedures (1.0 PDU; Suggested Domain: Intervention)
Enhancing Pediatric Inpatient Care with Robin the Robot: Improving Emotional Well-being through AI-Powered Companionship (1.0 PDU; Suggested Domain: Intervention)
A Cohort Model Used Across Intensive Care Units (1.0 PDU; Suggested Domain: Intervention)
Bridging the Gap: Supporting High Risk Youth and Families in Mental Health Services (1.0 PDU; Suggested Domain: Intervention, Assessment)Please note: All series content and its related certificates will expire on 8/1/2028 regardless of when it is purchased, accessed, or completed. At that point, contents will no longer be available in any form, including as an archive or as a PDU certificate. It is the responsibility of the learner to complete the contents and download and save the certificates for their records before 8/1/2028.
