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Our Blog
Guiding and supporting parents with information to help kids navigate life's difficult moments.


How to Find the Right Mental Health Professional for Your Child
If you notice a decline in their school performance, regular worry or anxiety, hyperactivity, aggression, or sadness , learning how to...
Carissa Menard, CCLS
Mar 3


Hearts Connected Is Bridging the Gap in Child Mental Health Care
Mental health is a big deal, no matter your age. For little ones, mental health is incredibly challenging to navigate because their minds...
Carissa Menard, CCLS
Feb 21


How to stay healthy during cold and flu season: Helping kids with taking medicine
Tips and tricks to help your child take their medicine when they are resistant. We share strategies to make medication taking stress-free!


Positive Discipline and Effective Strategies for Managing Child Behavior
Raising children comes with countless joys but also challenges. From the toddler years to adolescence, behavioral issues can test even...
Carissa Menard, CCLS
Jan 30


A Parent’s Guide for Supporting Child Anxiety
With around two billion young souls worldwide , children form the heartbeat of humanity. Each child navigates a complex world of...
Carissa Menard, CCLS
Jan 16


How To Help Children Cope With Loss
Grief is complex for people of all ages, but it can be especially challenging for children. Unlike adults, children have less experience...
Carissa Menard, CCLS
Nov 18, 2024


How To Help a Child With Separation Anxiety
Children aged six months to three years often struggle with separation anxiety. In this developmental stage, they can feel distressed...
Carissa Menard, CCLS
Oct 15, 2024


Effective Strategies for Children With Challenging Behaviors
Dealing with challenging behaviors in children can be a daunting and stressful experience for parents and caregivers. It’s common to feel...
Carissa Menard, CCLS
Oct 14, 2024


Playful Coping Skills To Empower Your Anxious Child
As parents, we want to see our children happy and confident. However, when anxiety creeps in, even the simplest of challenges can feel...
Carissa Menard, CCLS
Oct 7, 2024


How To Develop Resilience in Children
For children, resilience is a vital skill that helps them navigate life’s ups and downs, fostering emotional well-being and overall...
Carissa Menard, CCLS
Oct 1, 2024


Video Games - What to know and how to protect your kids!
Learn video game ratings and how to decide which games are best for your child. Learn gaming benefits and how it can actually be supportive!
Leslie Manjarrez, MA
Jul 16, 2024


Home for the Summer: Sensory Activities to Implement
Summer break often leaves children with less sensory input at home. Here we share sensory activities to help them stay regulated!
Darcy Rinaldo, MS
Jun 7, 2024


Helping Your Child Navigate Friendships and Peer Relationships
Learn how to support your child with developing social skills and navigating peer relationships.
Darcy Rinaldo, MS
May 20, 2024


How Child Life Specialists are Enhancing Pediatric Mental Health
Learn how child life services enhance pediatric mental health and why these clinicians should be viewed as crucial mental health providers.
Suzan J. Watkinson, M.A., CCLS, CPMT, RWWP
May 8, 2024


Teaching Children How to Process and Manage Anger
By employing these strategies with some patience and practice, parents can equip children toward healthier ways to handle anger.
Yifan Wang, MA, CCLS, RWWP
Apr 24, 2024


Highlighting Child Life Beyond Hospital Walls: Happy Child Life Month!
March is recognized by the Association of Child Life Professionals as Child Life Month. As child life specialists aim to maximize coping...
Yifan Wang, MA, CCLS, RWWP
Mar 23, 2024

Calming Sensory Activities Before Bed for Sensory Seekers & Avoiders
As many caregivers know, children thrive off consistency and routines, and bedtime is no different. A bedtime routine is especially...
Katelyn Kieleszewski, MEd, CCLS
Feb 28, 2024

Tapping for Kids: Why and How
All children have unique needs when it comes to experiencing something stressful, uncomfortable, or painful. By helping your child...
Katelyn Kieleszewski, MEd, CCLS
Feb 13, 2024

Winter Wellness: Promoting Emotional Health in Cold Weather
A list of ways to promote emotional health and well being, and activity ideas for your kids during the winter months.
Yifan Wang, MA, CCLS, RWWP
Jan 16, 2024


From Milestones to Memories: Honoring the Year That Was
It’s always exciting as we countdown the final days of December and welcome January 1st as a chance for a new start. Often we are quick...
Yifan Wang, MA, CCLS, RWWP
Dec 27, 2023


Flush Away Frustration: A Comprehensive Guide to Stress-Free Potty Training
First and foremost, for optimal success wait until your child is ready. There is no single “right age” to start potty training. Remember,...
Katelyn Kieleszewski, MEd, CCLS
Dec 20, 2023


Coping Tool Stocking Stuffers!
Coping skills are strategies we use to manage feelings and handle stress. Coping is not something we are born knowing how to do; it’s...
Katelyn Kieleszewski, MEd, CCLS
Dec 4, 2023


The Power of Play: Developmentally Appropriate Play By Your Child's Age
Play is not just an enjoyable pastime for children; it is a fundamental aspect of their growth and development. As parents, educators,...
Katelyn Kieleszewski, MEd, CCLS
Nov 18, 2023


Children's Grief and the Year of Firsts
For many, there are seemingly endless questions, thoughts, and worries surrounding how to approach the year of firsts after the death of...
Katelyn Kieleszewski, MEd, CCLS
Nov 3, 2023


Explaining Mental Illness to Kids and Teens
Mental illness is an important, yet often a difficult discussion to tackle with children. Since mental health is an essential component...
Yifan Wang, MA, CCLS, RWWP
Oct 23, 2023


Mental Health Distress of Children with Sickle Cell Disease
September marks the end of summer and the beginning of fall. Did you know that September is also designated by Congress as National...
Yifan Wang, MA, CCLS, RWWP
Sep 27, 2023


Preventing Bullying and Negative Body Image in Children with Obesity
Me: “Does your school have a zero-tolerance policy on bullying.” Caregiver: “Yes! I went down to the school, the kids are constantly...
Dr. Stephanie Walsh
Sep 13, 2023


Child Life Decreases Fear and Procedure Time with Non-pharmacological Techniques
Research shows that child life specialists decrease procedure time and fear in children receiving an outpatient lab draws.
Yifan Wang, CCLS
Aug 23, 2023


The Importance of Modeling Emotions for your Kids
It’s not just okay to cry in front of your children – it may be necessary. Show them what it looks like to FEEL.
Carissa Hodgson, LCSW, OSW-C
Aug 16, 2023

Certified Child Life Specialist (CCLS) and Psychologist: What’s the Difference?
According to a recent study, many children and teenagers who seek help for an anxiety disorder receive medication, and not counseling (2023)
Suzan Watkinson, M.A., CCLS, CPMT, RWWP
Aug 9, 2023


Back to School Support Following a Serious Illness or New Diagnosis
Learn how to advocate for your child and support them with the transition back to school after a new diagnosis or serious illness.
Yifan Wang, CCLS
Jul 26, 2023


Supporting the Mental Health of Children with Chronic Illness
Many children living with a chronic illness face various challenges that can impact their overall well-being. Understandably, the journey...
Yifan Wang, CCLS
Jul 10, 2023


What is Child-Centered Play?
What exactly is child-centered play, and more importantly, why does it matter? Child-Centered Play (and language) Play is the natural...
Katelyn Kieleszewski, MEd, CCLS
Jun 26, 2023


How to Prepare Your Child for Surgery
Talking and playing with your child before surgery reduces the stress and fear often associated with the hospital by helping them...
Katelyn Kieleszewski, MEd, CCLS
Jun 14, 2023


Using Books to Support the Healthcare Experience of Children and the Whole Family
Children's books are a developmentally-appropriate way to explain difficult topics like cancer, grief, and emotions to a child.
Yifan Wang, CCLS
Jun 5, 2023


5 Ways to Nurture Your Child's Mental Health
Just like the rest of the body, a child's mental health also needs to be supported and nurtured! Here we have listed 5 easy ways to do this.
Katelyn Kieleszewski, MEd, CCLS
May 10, 2023


7 Ways to Make Shots Easier if Your Child is Scared of Needles
Making shots "easier" does not mean the child does not have an emotional reaction, but rather, it creates an experience that encourages
Katelyn Kieleszewski, MEd, CCLS
Apr 28, 2023


Managing Academic Anxiety
During the school year children may experience feelings of anxiety from academic pressures such as testing, presentations, being called...
Katelyn Kieleszewski, MEd, CCLS
Mar 31, 2023

Toddler Temper Tantrums
What are temper tantrums and why do toddlers have them? We discuss how to manage these difficult moments and ways to support your toddler.
Katelyn Kieleszewski, MEd, CCLS
Mar 23, 2023

Encouraging Healthy Sleep Habits for Kids
Tips for helping kids with good sleep. Getting enough rest is important for mental health and well being. Help your child with good sleep.
Katelyn Kieleszewski, MEd, CCLS
Mar 22, 2023


5 Tips for Parenting Kids with Food Allergy Anxiety
This article gives 5 tips for parents on how to help address and manage your child's food allergy anxiety.
Tamara Hubbard, MA, LCPC
Mar 10, 2023

Accessing Food Allergy & Allergic Disease Mental Health Support
Written by: Tamara Hubbard, MA, LCPC Many have heard the term food allergy, but not everyone knows what that diagnosis actually means....
Tamara Hubbard, MA, LCPC
Mar 8, 2023


Meltdowns, Tantrums, and Outbursts - The Escalation Cycle and Why Connection Comes First
Meltdowns, tantrums and outbursts, oh my! We’ve all been there! You are in the middle of Target and your child falls to the floor...
Carissa Menard, CCLS
Feb 21, 2023

For Parents: Helping Your Child Cope When You Have Cancer
In this blog post we share some ways that parents/caregivers can help a child understand and cope with a parental cancer diagnosis.
Yifan Wang, CCLS
Jan 9, 2023


Children Grieve, Too. Let’s Talk About It.
Statistics in the United States show us that 1 in 13 children will lose a parent or sibling by the time they reach 18 years of age, and...
Yifan Wang, CCLS
Nov 16, 2022


The Forgotten Grievers in Infant and Pregnancy Loss
We discuss ways you can include and support your child in the grieving of their expected or new baby brother or sister.
Carissa Menard, CCLS
Oct 19, 2022

How to Talk to Your Child About Their Mental Health
Do you struggle with knowing how to start a conversation with your child about mental health? This blog post is a guide on how to start.
Katelyn Kieleszewski, MEd, CCLS
Oct 7, 2022


How to Talk to Your Child about Abortion
A guide to help you through tough conversations with a child that's age-appropriate and fosters compassionate thinking.
Hearts Connected CCLS Team
Sep 16, 2022


5 Parenting Hacks for Blissful Back-To-School Mornings
5 tips for parents and caregivers as you help your child transition back to school for a new year.
Amanda Eide
Aug 8, 2022


Easy Grounding and Calming Exercises for Kids
Grounding exercises are helpful to help kids manage anxious thoughts and worries and promote calmness.
Jaylin Alexander-Bradford
Aug 3, 2022
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