How to
Build a Business
in Child Life
A 3-Saturday summer intensive, live course led by 6 experienced child life specialists who have successfully transitioned out of hospital systems into thriving businesses. Gain the roadmap, tools, and confidence you need to launch your own business.
All sessions are recorded.
"Honestly, this was the first time I felt like building a business was truly possible for me."
Past participant, Spring 2025
Who Is This For?
This cohort is designed for Certified Child Life Specialists who have spent years in the hospital setting and are ready to take the next step in their careers. If you’ve ever dreamed of:
- Feeling confident in creating your own business, private practice, or programming.
- Having a clear roadmap to achieve your goals
- Learning from others who have successfully made the leap.
- Creating a flexible work schedule that works with your life chapter
Then this program is for you.
Unsure of Where to Start?
Transitioning into private practice or considering building your own business can feel overwhelming. You were trained to care for families, not to start and run your own business. Without clear guidance, you may face:
- Lack of Knowledge: Where do you start with business setup and client acquisition?
- Internal Challenges: Like most of us, do you have a fear of failure?
- External Obstacles: Not sure of how to handle the transition and have concerns of unstable compensation?
Here are some great ideas from our instructors on where to start with your first offer:
We’re Here to Help:
As child life specialists who have successfully walked this road, we understand how SCARY this journey can feel. That’s why we’ve brought together 7 accomplished instructors, each of whom has successfully transitioned from hospital systems to building their own thriving businesses. With their expertise, you’ll gain the insight, guidance, and actionable strategies you need to succeed.
%
Respondents recommend this course
Meet our Instructors
Katie Taylor
An accomplished author and speaker, Katie shares her expertise in child life and entrepreneurship through various platforms, including hosting the Child Life On Call Podcast. Her insights highlight the importance of empowering caregivers and enhancing children’s experiences in medical settings.
Katie’s work underscores the critical role of child life services in pediatric care, aiming to provide meaningful support for families navigating the challenges of the healthcare system.
Annie Gunning
Annie Gunning, a Certified Child Life Specialist since 2000 with a B.S. in Human Development and Family Studies from the University of Missouri, has over 20 years of experience across various pediatric and adult healthcare settings, including NICU, PICU, and Hematology/Oncology.
She specializes in grief and healing as a Certified Grief Counselor, facilitates at KinderMourn, leads support groups, and contributes to outreach programs like Helping The Hurt while collaborating with local and international organizations.
Annie is also a Certified Infant Massage Instructor, recently volunteering with Child Life Disaster Relief and Chameleon’s Journey Grief Camp, reflecting her dedication to holistic family support.
Shani Thornton
Shani Thornton is a Certified Child Life Specialist in the Sacramento region of California, with over 20 years of experience supporting children and families through trauma, illness, loss, and medical challenges, including palliative and hospice care.
In 2015, she launched her private practice to provide child life services in homes and offer workshops and training for professionals and parents. Shani has built a strong online presence, sharing valuable resources and expanding services to support families and communities, while forming partnerships with organizations and nonprofits. She holds a Bachelor’s in Recreation Administration and a Master’s in Child Life.
Kelsey Mora
With nearly a decade of hospital experience, including roles in the PICU and other inpatient and outpatient settings, Kelsey also co-founded Pickles Group, a nonprofit supporting children with a parent diagnosed with cancer, inspired by her private child life work with Chicago families.
Passionate about guiding professionals, Kelsey helps emerging private practitioners navigate their roles ethically and thoughtfully, emphasizing impactful family care and a balanced work-life approach.
Jessica Correnti
Holding a BA in Education of Young Children, a minor in Psychology, and an MS in Healthcare Administration and Community Health, Jessica founded Kids Grief Support in January 2022, a private practice offering therapeutic sessions to grieving children and families worldwide.
Jessica collaborates with businesses and individuals, providing expertise in creating grief-related materials and programming, supporting children and families through customized resources and consultations.
Morgan Livingstone
Committed to empowering children, Morgan advocates for their active participation in healthcare experiences as a fundamental human right. Her work emphasizes giving children a voice and ensuring they feel heard and valued in all aspects of their lives.
Morgan collaborates globally to establish sustainable child life programs in low and middle-income countries, inspiring professionals and raising awareness of children’s capabilities and the importance of play both locally and internationally.
What previous participants said after the course:
“Hearing how others made mistakes or shifted their vision gave me permission to think bigger without needing it to be perfect.”
“This course inspired me to grow, told my imposter syndrome to ‘get lost,’ and equipped me with innovative strategies.”
“You gave me a re-established hope for my love of child life and more confidence to move forward with my own private practice.”
“The personal, shared details were so helpful — especially the pricing examples, the real numbers, the software.”
“I really appreciated the opportunity to connect with others who are on the same path. It made me feel less alone in this.”
Your 3-Step Roadmap to Success:
Program Details:
Dates: Saturday July 12, Saturday July 19, Saturday July 26
Duration: 3 Consecutive Saturday’s
Time: Saturday’s, 12:00 – 4:00 PM CST
What You’ll Gain:
Buy early and get May, June & July in the Circle
What Success Looks Like:
By the end of this cohort, you’ll have a roadmap to launch your business with the knowledge and confidence gained from those who’ve done it successfully. Imagine the freedom of working for yourself, building programs you’re passionate about, and making a direct impact in your community.
What Happens If You Don’t Join?
- Stay stuck in the hospital system, missing the opportunity to achieve the balance of personal and professional success you’ve been dreaming of.
- Continue to feel uncertain and unprepared to take the leap.
- Watch others step into independence while you’re still wondering, “What if?”
What you can expect during the 3-daycourse
Lesson 1
Instructor: Katie Taylor
Topic: Defining your North Star and Business Considerations for Starting Your Own Company
Lesson 2
Instructor: Kelsey Mora
Title: Ethics & Safety: Learn how to protect yourself and your patients through scope, service delivery and documentation
Lesson 3
Instructor: Shani Thornton
Title: Home, Office & Virtual Visit Sessions – Learn How to Transfer Your Skills from Hospital to Your Own Private Practice
Lesson 4
Instructor: Annie Gunning
Title: Building Community Relationships and Accessing the Supplies and Resources you Need to Grow
Lesson 5
Instructor: Jessica Correnti
Title: Marketing Your Practice – Learn How to Speak to Your Audience, Gather Leads, and Build Loyal Customers
Lesson 6
Instructor: Katie Taylor
Title: Confidence, reflection & application
Lesson 7
Instructor: Morgan Livingstone
Title: How to take on interns to scale your impact
Lesson 8
Instructor: All Instructors (Panel Discussion & Breakouts)
Title: Present Your Business to Your Peers, Q&A with Instructors
Spots Are Limited – Secure Your Spot!
Early Bird Pricing: Save $100 if you register before May 31, 2025
Use code ‘earlybird’ at checkout
8 Expert Presentations, handouts, tools and support from child life specialists who have successfully transitioned to private practice and built their own business
May-July Access to the Child Life Circle, providing ongoing support, resources, and community as you build your business
Gain valuable insights from experienced professionals, craft a personalized business plan, and access two months of exclusive support in the Child Life Circle.
Sign up by May 31, 2025 to save $100
