Roll Initiative!: How Dungeons and Dragons Can Be Utilized in Child Life Practice - (2024)

Bridgette Danielson has been working with children and families in a variety of capacities for 16 years. More specifically, she has been a CCLS since 2017. She started her child life career at Cincinnati Children's Hospital in an inpatient pediatric psychiatric facility and has since moved back home to be closer to family. She now works in the ER at Bronson Children's Hospital in Kalamazoo, MI. Bridgette has presented on the topic of child life services and behavioral health to several colleges, child life departments, and conferences. She is also a published author in the academic textbook "The Role of Child Life Specialists in Community Settings." In her free time, she loves being with family, reading, and playing board games... which led her to trialing Dungeons and Dragons with her behavioral health population!

Lindsay R. Bedlion, CTRS, is a graduate of Slippery Rock University with a degree in Recreational Therapy and has been working in the field since 2016.  She started her TR journey at Shodair Children’s Hospital in Helena Montana, working with children and youth from all over the state with a variety of mental health diagnoses. It was at Shodair where Lindsay first used theater interventions with the mental health population, collaborating with colleagues to help put on talent shows and theater performances with the kids to give back to the hospital staff. In 2018, Lindsay started working at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital and Medical Center, serving children and adolescents with behavioral and mental health issues in the residential program at their College Hill Campus. At CCHMC, Lindsay has had the opportunity to build on her knowledge and use of Trauma Informed Care and to focus on experiential therapy. In 2020, Lindsay started a therapeutic drama club for her clients, using the therapeutic power of drama in order to help clients learn appropriate social skills and improve self-esteem. She has a wide variety of professional interests, including drama therapy, horse and small animal therapy, the Congressional Award program, trauma-informed care, and working with children and adolescents.