WHAT IS A CHILD LIFE SPECIALIST? HOW CAN A CHILD LIFE SPECIALIST HELP MY FAMILY? Children process stress and trauma in many different ways, depending on their age and development, that is very different than adults. Child life specialist understand the developmental impact of trauma and assist children and their families when dealing with an illness, trauma, or loss (death, divorce, or relocation).

What is Music Therapy? How can it help my child or teen? According to the Canadian Association of Music Therapist’s, music therapy is “a discipline in which Certified Music Therapists (MTAs) use music purposefully within therapeutic relationships to support development, health, and well-being. Music therapists use music safely and ethically to address human needs within cognitive, communicative, emotional, musical, physical, social, and spiritual domains.”

Play is the language of children. In play therapy the child is given the opportunity to play out their feelings and experiences. Play therapy can be directive in that the play therapist can provide guidance to the child to meet the child’s goals. It can also non-directive where the child leads and decides on the direction of the play.