On today’s episode of the podcast, Katie interviews Rylee Neal who decided to become a Child Life Specialist from her past experiences being hospitalized with a heart condition called tetralogy of fallot.  An experience with a Child Life Specialist during one of her hospital stays lead her to pursue the field of Child Life. Katie and Rylee have some great conversation about scars, our feelings and how as Child Life Specialists or parents we constantly are looking to better ourselves. You will leave this episode with a heartfelt perspective from Rylee as she shares pieces of her journey as patient and clinician.

[3:23] Rylee introduces herself

[4:41] First memory of her diagnosis

[5:45] Realizing her diagnosis was serious at age 13

[6:45] Aversion to medical care

[8:01] Reading consent forms at a young age

[10:00] How preparing ahead would have helped Rylee

[12:07] Wanting to know more the Child Life Specialist who helped her

[14:30] How she fell in love with the Child Life field

[16:50] How her parents get sappy hearing about her work

[19:00] Rylee shares about her scars

[21:18] Kids say what they feel

[22:26] Being able to relate with the children

[24:07] Not letting worse case scenarios creep into personal thoughts

[26:33] Feeling your feelings and decompressing

[28:42] Continual betterment

[30:35] Creating a virtual diversion wall

[33:01] Getting patients out of bed

Connect with Rylee by sending her a message here!

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