2009 Conference Program - Child Life Council

Schedule of Events
Thursday, May 21, 2009
8:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Child Life Professional Certification Examination
The Child Life Professional Certification Examination will
be administered Thursday, May 21, from 8:00 a.m. – 12:30
p.m. A separate application process is required to sit for
this examination. The application deadline for the exam is
March 31, 2009 for those educated in the U.S. and Canada.
For complete information on certification and the application
process, please visit the CLC Web site at www.childlife.org/Certification/.
Examination participants are encouraged to register for the
conference to take advantage of valuable educational and
networking opportunities. Those who successfully complete
this exam may apply PDHs (Professional Development
Hours) accrued during the 2009 Annual Conference toward
recertification.
Pre-Conference Full-Day Intensives (Lunch Included)
9:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
I. Helping Children and Teens Cope with Grief:
A “Companioning” Philosophy of Caregiving
$150 – All Attendees – Limited Space (100)
Alan Wolfelt, PhD, Director, Center for Loss and Life
Transition, Fort Collins, CO
This inspiring workshop will enhance participants’
understanding of the adult helping role with children
and teens in grief. A variety of important sub-topics will
explore how to artfully “companion” children and teens
impacted by death loss. The main theme explored: If
children do not have safe places and people with whom
they can mourn authentically, they are at risk for living
in the “shadow of the ghosts” of grief.
9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
II. A Live Clinical Supervision Group for Child Life
Professionals
$125 – All Attendees – Limited Space (40)
Gloria Mattera, MEd, CCLS, Director – Department of Child
Life & Developmental Services, Bellevue Hospital Center, New
York, NY
Diane Rode, MPS, ATR, CCLS, Director, Child Life and
Creative Arts Therapy Department, Kravis Children’s Hospital
at Mount Sinai, New York, NY
This unique, live-supervision opportunity provides an
in-depth exploration of the importance and value of
clinical supervision in child life practice. Participants
will gain skills to begin developing their own supervision
groups through the information and experience
gathered from this session. Case material from participants
will be used in the groups.
9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
III. The Leadership Journey: Chart Your Course
$150 – Professionals Only – Limited Space (45)
Jerriann Wilson, MEd, CCLS, Retired Director of Child Life,
Johns Hopkins Children’s Center, Baltimore, MD
Sharon McLeod, MS, CCLS, CTRS, Senior Clinical Director,
Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH
Sheila Palm, MA, CCLS, Child Life System Leader, Children’s
Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN
Linda Skinner, CCLS, Professional Practice Chief, IWK Health
Centre, Halifax, NS
Traci Woods, CCLS, Child Life Clinical Coordinator, Florida
Children’s Hospital, Orlando, FL
This full-day intensive will focus on leadership development
for child life specialists in a variety of settings who
are at different stages in their careers. “Leadership is
everyone’s business.” Although it will be useful for
current managers or directors who are new in the field,
it is also designed for those individuals who wish to
grow and develop within their program, whether they
are a one-person program or part of a larger group. The
presentation will use a variety of methods such as
didactic, experiential, assessment, and ice-breakers;
there will be a heavy emphasis in each section on
communication and adapting to or dealing with change.
Vignettes of real-life examples will be used to clarify
different versions of leadership. Some examples are
committee leadership, effective team building, setting
strategic goals both personal and professional, and
presentation skills. Attendees will learn what changes
they can control and what they can only influence.
They will be asked to think about the kinds of skills and
leadership position they want and to come to this
session with a plan including where they are now and
where they want to be. Participants will practice
identifying and understanding the value system in their
own organization and will be more effective at mobilizing
others in their achievements to get things done.
Thursday, May 21
B oston, Massachusetts | May 21 – 24, 2009 | 9