Child life support

Child life is a distinct profession from psychotherapy. Certified Child Life Specialists work in children’s hospitals and in the community, helping children understand and cope with medical procedures, diagnoses, hospital stays, and the stress and change that come with them. Kayla Cialini, CCLS, offers child life sessions at our St. Catharines office.

Sessions use the tools of child life: play, preparation, simple honest explanations, and coping plans a child can actually use, matched to the child’s age. Parents and siblings are included, because a child copes better when the whole family knows what is coming and has a plan.

Child life sessions are not psychotherapy and most extended health plans will not reimburse them. Please check with your plan before you book. Receipts are issued in Kayla’s name and describe the session as child life support. If your child needs psychotherapy, our registered therapists work with children from age four, and Kayla can work alongside them.

Often helpful for

• Preparing for a procedure, surgery or hospital stay
• Coping with a new diagnosis in the family
• Medical fears and needle anxiety
• Big feelings around change
• Support for siblings
• Helping parents explain hard things