Child Life
Is Child Life Support Right for Your Child?
At The Cultivate Community, we understand that children process experiences in their own way. Our Certified Child Life Specialists provide compassionate, developmentally appropriate support to help children cope with big emotions, medical experiences, and life transitions through play, education, and coping strategies.
Your child may benefit from Child Life Services if they:
Are facing a new diagnosis or managing a chronic illness.
Feel overwhelmed by family changes or stressful life events.
Struggle with anxiety, medical fears, or hospital visits.
Need help processing emotions and building coping skills.
Would benefit from age-appropriate explanations and therapeutic play.
How Child Life Services Help
Our experienced Child Life Specialists create a safe and supportive environment where your child can:
✔ Process emotions through play, creative expression, and developmentally appropriate activities.
✔ Gain confidence and feel prepared for medical experiences or life changes.
✔ Develop coping skills to handle stress, anxiety, and new situations.
✔ Feel understood, supported, and empowered through hands-on guidance.
We tailor every session to meet your child’s unique needs, ensuring they feel safe, informed, and confident in facing life’s challenges. We offer free consultations to help families explore how our approach can support their child’s growth.
Frequently Asked Questions
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A Certified Child Life Specialist (CCLS) is a trained professional who helps children and families navigate life’s challenges through play, education, and coping strategies. They specialize in reducing fear, anxiety, and stress related to medical procedures, hospital visits, and big life changes.
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Child Life Services help children:
Feel less anxious about medical or life transitions.
Understand new experiences in an age-appropriate way.
Develop coping skills through hands-on, engaging activities.
Feel empowered and supported in stressful situations.
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Any child experiencing medical concerns, anxiety, grief, family changes, or emotional stress can benefit. We work with children ages 0-18 to provide individualized support.
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Your first session will be personalized to your child’s needs and may include:
A meet-and-greet with the Child Life Specialist.
Fun, engaging activities to help your child feel comfortable.
An introduction to coping strategies through play-based learning.
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You can tell your child that their Child Life Specialist is a friendly helper who will use play and activities to help them feel more comfortable and understand what’s happening in a way that makes sense to them.
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Child Life Services are provided by Certified Child Life Specialists (CCLS) who have completed specialized education and training in child development, family systems, and therapeutic play. Certification requires rigorous coursework, clinical training, and a comprehensive exam, ensuring they are well-equipped to support children and families during challenging times.