Aftercare Coordinator for Bereavement & Sibling Support/Child Life Specialist
UNC Health
Christine is a Certified Child Life Specialist with 20 years of experience supporting children and families to cope through acute and ongoing stressful and traumatic events. Christine currently works as a Psychosocial Coordinator for Bereavement and Sibling Care at UNC Children’s Hospital where she is responsible for supporting families who have experienced and are at high risk for experiencing the loss of a child. Through inpatient and outreach programming, she is able to support siblings as they cope with loss and anticipatory grief, while continuing to build the legacy and connections within their family. She has previously worked in a pediatric hospice program, various pediatric inpatient and outpatient units and clinics, as a home visitor with families at increased risk for trauma, and in academic settings as an adjunct instructor. She has gained extensive training to become skilled at assessing family strengths and needs related to trauma, loss, and grief. In addition to Child Life certification, Christine is an Endorsed Infant & Family Specialist through the Alliance for Infant Mental Health. This unique credential contributes to her depth of knowledge of protective and risk factors that affect social and emotional well-being in infancy, early childhood and across the lifespan. Christine has explored the application of Infant Mental Health competencies and reflective supervision to her practice as a child life specialist to better understand the necessity of connection and relationship to support children, families, and colleagues. She utilizes a child-centered, relationship-focused approach that prioritizes play, connection, and direct communication. As a member of the ACLP Mentorship Committee, Christine utilizes her professional experience to support longevity and continued growth for child life specialists throughout their career trajectories. She has collaboratively worked in the committee to develop educational offerings and to support mentor-mentee partnerships that further the growth of capacity, longevity and leadership opportunities within the field of child life.
