Hearts Connected LLC

This is our first HCAN sponsored webinar! Our Hearts Connected Affiliate Network (HCAN) offers an exclusive opportunity for Certified Child Life Specialists to start or enhance their own private practice using our business model and expertise. Your practice can be up and running in as little as 2 weeks! HCAN members get free access to this webinar. For all others interested in attending, please read webinar description below. Webinar Objectives: 1. Emergency Preparedness, 911 Protocols, and Mandated Reporting: Prepare you with the knowledge to manage crisis situations in each state. 2. Child life skills before, during and after disclosure of suicidal/homicidal ideation: Equip you with the skills necessary to effectively support a child through an in-person or virtual session after disclosure of suicidal or homicidal ideation. 3. Documentation and Communication: Education the community-based CCLS on the legal considerations when communicating with the child and family AND when documenting the session notes 4. Self-care: Educate you on self-care techniques to build resilience after supporting a child or family through a crisis situation. Speaker: Crystal Wilkins, LPC-S, RPT-S, CCLS has been a CCLS since 2003 and is currently a clinical care supervisor at Austin Stone Counseling Center. With over 20 years of experience working with children, teens and families, it is her joy to give back to the child life community by helping equip community-based child life specialists to build their competency and skill set in working with children experiencing various levels of crisis. Crystal worked for 13 years in hospital settings, and then transitioned to a community child life setting, while launching her career as a licensed counselor. With her dual background and expertise, it is her hope that this PDU will give you valuable content to further support your work and also allow you a helpful conversation with like-minded professionals to bolster your sense of confidence and community as you navigate heavy topics, like children in crisis. To register go to https://lnkd.in/gWspXxMe #ChildLifeSpecialist #CommunityBasedCCLS #CrisisIntervention

Did you know you can model emotional regulation as a parent by staying calm in stressful situations and being mindful of your reactions? ?? Emotional regulation is the ability to understand, manage, and respond to our emotions in healthy ways. It's am important skill that helps us stay balanced, even when life gets tough. ?? Benefits of emotional regulation? ? ? Improved communication ? Stronger relationships ? Better decision-making ? Enhanced resilience AND MORE! Parenting tip: Start small, be patient, and celebrate progress! ?? Let’s work together to raise emotionally intelligent kiddos! ?? Drop a comment below with your favorite tip for emotional regulation! ?? #EmotionalRegulation #ParentingTips #MindfulParenting #EmotionalIntelligence

Want to help your kids practice mindfulness this spring? ?? Just like washing the windows and letting in fresh air, you can help your little ones organize their emotions, open the windows to new possibilities, and wash away negative thoughts! Try these activities with your little ones and share how they’re feeling afterward in the comments! ???? ?? Click the link in our bio to schedule a free call with a child life specialist today! #SpringCleaning #MindfulnessForKids #MentalHealthMatters #ParentingTips

It is with excitement and gratitude that we share our CEO and Founder, D.D. Fritch , is included in the Marquis Who's Who publication! ?? Marquis Who's Who publications feature the most renowned and accomplished individuals from around the world! DD is being included for dedicating her career to advancing pediatric mental health and wellness through the Hearts Connected virtual model. It is an honor to be included in this publication and we are so grateful that bridging the gap in children's mental health is receiving the recognition it deserves. To view the full press release with DD's feature, go to https://lnkd.in/ea5BZY7a #MarquisWhosWho #ChildrensMentalHealth #MentalHealthIsHealth

? When disaster strikes, children are left with big emotions and even bigger questions. In the past six months, so many families have lost their homes to natural disasters, and countless children are left wondering—what happens next? How do we rebuild a sense of safety when everything familiar is gone? ?? That’s why Hearts Connected is offering a FREE support session for parents and caregivers to help you guide your children through the emotional aftermath of a natural disaster. ?? Saturday, Feb 22nd ? 12PM-1PM EST ?? Virtual & Free This session is tailored for families impacted by the LA fires and Hurricane Helene, but all families affected by natural disasters in the past year are welcome. In this session, we’ll cover: 1. How to tell if your child is coping well or struggling 2. How to talk with your child about the event and prepare for the future 3. Easing your child’s fears about the “what ifs” after a traumatic event 4. Activities to build coping skills as a family 5. Resources for ongoing support and information 6. Discussion prompts and open Q&A Register now at https://loom.ly/i4HFF-0 ?? #ParentSupport #DisasterRecovery #HurricaneHelene #LAFires #PalisadesFires

??? Tomorrow, February 15, is International Childhood Cancer Day. ??? Every year, thousands of children face a battle no child should have to fight. Yet, only 4% of federal funding for cancer research in the U.S. is allocated to childhood cancers. This leaves families and researchers striving to find better treatments with limited resources. But childhood cancer care isn’t just about treatments - it's about hope and healing, too. That’s where Child Life Specialists step in, providing emotional support, therapeutic play, and moments of joy in the toughest times. ?? ?? Want to make a difference? Hop over to our Instagram, @heartsconnectedllc, and check out the fundraiser in our bio. Even a small donation can go a long way toward helping these kids and families. Together, we can bring more hope, more joy, and more cures. ?? #InternationalChildhoodCancerDay #MoreThan4 #ChildhoodCancerAwareness #ChildLife

For Child Life month we are hosting 2 free webinars for Child Life Professionals!! We are excited to host Laura Camerona, CCLS, an author, illustrator, and child life specialist. During the first 15 years of her career, she worked as a hospital child life specialist, providing support to families in a variety of units. Laura founded Words Worth Repeating in 2020, as a business that created customized children's books for families. Over time, Words Worth Repeating has adapted and grown its services including: publishing 12+ books that give families the words to have hard and important conversations, developing tools to help families create their own special books about a loved one who has died, and continuing to create customized books for kids coping with a diagnosis or handicap. Words Worth Repeating loves to connect with hospitals, clinics, and nonprofits to spread its mission of empowering families by giving them words to support their kids by putting them an easy-to use and approachable format. Webinar Description: 1. The 'goods and bads' of using books in your work 2. Where to find the books you are looking for 3. Tips and tricks for creating customized books that support your patients 4. How Words Worth Repeating can support your work 5. Where to start to publish your own book! To register go to: https://lnkd.in/gWspXxMe *This webinar will be recorded. If you are not able to attend live, you will be required to complete a post-quiz after watching the recording in order to earn a certificate *This webinar is sponsored by Little Journey! To learn more go to https://lnkd.in/eBu6Q4MA #childlife #chidllifespecialist #bibliotherapy #childlifewebinar

In light of the many disasters our country has endured over the past few months, we partnered with Child Life Disaster Relief (CLDR) to bring you this informative and inspiring webinar! We are excited to welcome Jessica and Erin, child life specialists from CLDR to share how child life can support children and families in disasters and the importance of caring for yourself after providing disaster relief. Speakers: Jessica Goldberg, MPH, CCLS has a Master’s of Public Health with a concentration in Global Health Systems and Development from Tulane University. She has been working as a Certified Child Life Specialist at a large, metropolitan Children’s Hospitals for almost 10 years. Because of her public and community health training, Jessica was drawn to start volunteering with CLDR and Children’s Disaster Services in 2016. Erin Silber, CCLS, CTRS is dually certified as a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist and Certified Child Life Specialist since 2009. She first worked at the Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin in the Child Protection Center, and then moved to Florida to work at St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital in Tampa until 2021. Erin moved back to the midwest in 2021 and currently works as a CCLS on the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit at Children’s Minnesota. Erin has been a volunteer with Children’s Disaster Services and CLDR since 2015 and has been deployed multiple times. Erin currently assists with coordinating deployments as well as providing education and training to CCLSs who are interested in deploying. Webinar Discussion Points: 1. Overview of Child Life Disaster Relief 2. How and who does CLDR serve 3. What is a CLDR Responder and what does deployment look like 4. How to take care of yourself after supporting others in disasters To register go to: https://lnkd.in/gWspXxMe *This webinar will be recorded. You must be registered to receive the recording link #childlife #childlifespecialists #childlifewebinars #disasterrelief

? Busy moms, we see you! ? Emotional outbursts happen, but that doesn’t mean you’re out of control. ???? Try these quick coping on the go strategies to help both you and your child navigate the tough moments: ??♀? Breathing Exercises – A few deep breaths can work wonders for calming emotions. Inhale, hold, exhale! ?? Play Break – Take a quick break to engage in a fun activity with your child to shift the energy and reset! ?? Mindful Snack Time – Take a moment to engage all your senses while enjoying a snack. A quick reset that can make a big difference! Which one will you try first? Share your favorite coping strategy in the comments below! ?? #MomLife #CopingOnTheGo #ParentingTips #SelfCareForMoms

When we casually use emotional descriptions like like "depressed" or "panic attack" it’s easy to forget how this takes away from the gravity of the experience of those who truly suffer from depression or panic disorders. Using these words out of context can actually desensitize these experiences for kids and teens in a negative way, making it harder for children and teens to understand and express what they’re truly going through. Let’s be mindful of the language we use, so we can help kids to better understand and accurately communicate their emotions without minimizing them. ???? Aim to create a safe space where kids can feel heard, supported, and understood. ? Be mindful of how we talk about emotions, and encourage our little ones to find the right words to express themselves. ?? What have you caught yourself casually saying? Share below! No judgement here, we are all learning! #MentalHealthMatters #Depression #SeasonalAffectiveDisorder #PanicAttacks #FamilySupport