DISCOVER
The Child Life and Creative Arts Therapy Department
Isai’s Heart Transplant Journey: A Multi-Disciplinary Approach to Coping
Meet Isai, a 9-year-old boy whose life took an unexpected turn when he was admitted to the hospital awaiting a heart transplant. During this time, Isai was connected to a Berlin Heart, an external device that did the job of his heart until he had his transplant. For seven months, Isai's journey became intertwined with the dedication of a multi-disciplinary team determined to infuse creativity into his complex medical journey. Isai’s days were filled with procedures, therapies, and creative bedside activities to normalize his hospital experience. Due to Isai being confined to the four walls of his room for a prolonged period in the pediatric intensive care unit, art therapy, music therapy, animal assisted therapy, drama therapy and child life became a vital role in his coping throughout his hospitalization.
While Isai’s medical needs had many layers during the seven months, child life specialists highlighted his good days by offering therapeutic bedside activities such as making slime, medical play, playing board games, science projects and making his own “mailbox” for staff to write letters to him. To normalize Isai’s environment in the pediatric intensive care unit, Abby Patch, Certified Child Life Specialist, provided an opportunity for Isai to personalize his room using a nonprofit organization called “Dec My Room. “Without hesitation, Isai chose a “Hot Wheels” theme for both the décor of his room and personalization of his door with paint markers. Isai used every opportunity to leave his room when feeling well enough including attending Zone groups, hosting two KidZone TV shows, and watching a movie in the Lion’s Den. These moments offered a unique healing opportunity for Isai in a medical setting.
Visits from facility dog, Moby, were a highlight of Isai’s day. Throughout his admission, these sessions varied depending on what goals Isai was working towards and how he was feeling. Kaleigh Bieling, Certified Child Life Specialist, worked with Moby to provide co-treatment sessions alongside physical therapy to motivate Isai to walk in the hallway and strengthen his motor skills. Moby was also included in co-treatment sessions with art therapy and music therapy. Some of Isai’s favorite sessions with Moby were moments of resting and snuggling in bed.
Beyond child life, art therapy and music therapy offered a safe space for emotional expression and relaxation when Isai found it challenging to connect to his environment. Child life specialists and creative arts therapists found many opportunities to collaborate throughout Isai’s admission to foster emotional well -being and improve his coping skills. From hosting his own KZTV shows, walking in the halls with Moby to playing video games in the Zone, Isai’s story inspired many throughout his journey from the pediatric intensive care unit to home.
Family Togetherness Enjoyed During Belly Painting
A family of four enjoyed a special bonding activity in the Child Life Zone. Mom, who was approximately 30 weeks pregnant at the time, was joined by her husband and two sons, ages seven and six, for a belly painting family bonding session. Ilana Lotan, art therapist, and Yevonne Kiim, KidZone TV Patient Media Producer, collaborated on hosting this incredible family moment. Ilana set up the room with a mat on the floor, colorful body paint and other crafts. The boys were ecstatic about the opportunity to paint their mother’s belly. There was plenty of laughter and silliness, all while the boys shared their thoughts and hopes about their baby sister. The boys also decorated a wooden frame and drew a picture of what they thought their baby sister will look like. Yevonne captured this family session with beautiful photos and video so one day the family can look back on this precious time.
Clay Provides Medium for Patient Expression
Our creative arts therapy staff support patients of all ages, including children, teenagers, and their families. It provides a creative outlet for self-expression, coping and developmental growth. During May, in honor of National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Month, Shawna Clarke, Licensed Creative Arts Therapist, collaborated with Chelsea, one of our talented patient artists, to explore the benefits of Model Magic as a tool for mindfulness. Kneading and shaping the material engages multiple senses, encouraging focus on the present moment and the feeling of the material in your hands. There is no right or wrong way to use Model Magic, allowing for a space of playfulness, exploration and acceptance.
Ellie Grace had a memorable time at the hospital, meeting members of the NYC Ballet and even getting an outfit to match them. She and her grandma enjoyed being in the KidZone TV studio audience where they learned ballet moves together. After the show, the dancers visited patients on the unit, spreading joy to those who could not attend.
Staff Accomplishments
Jessica Portalatin, Administrative Coordinator / Patient and Family Support Specialist, makes daily coffee cart visits to the pediatric emergency department to provide caregivers a cup of coffee or tea and a snack. Patients receive ageappropriate coping kits filled with coloring books and stress balls. These offerings help everyone cope with the stress of the ED environment.
Diane Rode, Senior Director, Patient and Family Centered Care, presented a full day intensive in clinical supervision and reflective practice at the annual Association of Child Life Professionals conference in San Antonio.
Todd O’Connor, Program Coordinator / Creative Arts Therapy Supervisor, joined the adjunct faculty for NYU’s graduate Music Therapy Program.
Lauren Keyes, ED Child Life Specialist and Olivia Centonza, ED Creative Arts Therapy Coordinator, Centonza presented on music therapy in the pediatric emergency department at the Annual Association of Child Life Professionals conference in San Antonio.
Ribbon-Cutting Unveils a Vision for Adolescent and Teen Space
Thanks to a generous gift from the Garth Brooks Teammates for Kids Foundation, the Child Life and Creative Arts Therapy Department recently unveiled a newly renovated area within the Child Life Zone that is dedicated to adolescent and teen programming. In addition to new cabinetry, furniture, and colorful wall murals, the space features cushioned “pods” where patients can relax and unwind, play video games, and take instant photos courtesy of a built-in camera and printer system. A comfortable seating banquette and specialized audio-visual system provide opportunities for individuals or groups of patients to watch movies on a large screen that drops down from the ceiling. This teen-focused environment has generated great excitement among hospital leaders, frontline staff, and of course the adolescent and teen patients and families who visit the Zone seven days a week. Kicking off a host of celebratory events, the child life team gathered in the space in May for a hands-on exploration of the innovative technology and other therapeutic play resources to be used for patient programming. On June 5, hospital leaders, adolescent and teen patients, donors, and other stakeholders in the Mount Sinai Child Life Zone community gathered for a ceremonial ribbon cutting to commemorate the official opening of the space. Dr. Lisa Satlin, Chair of Pediatrics, spoke for everyone in attendance when she enumerated the many ways that this incredible renovation will enhance the well-being and experience of our adolescent patient population. We are excited to continue providing the best programming for our adolescents and teens and their families.
Ali Spikestein Shares Findings at Child Health Research Day
Ali Spikestein, Certified Child Life Specialist and Program Manager, presented a short talk and poster at Mount Sinai’s annual Health Research Day, delivering her team’s findings in their recently published research study, “Impact of Facility Dog and Certified Child Life Specialist Dyad on Children’s Pain and Anxiety During Needlestick Procedures in a Pediatric Hematology Oncology Clinic Setting.” This study highlights the impact of a facility dog, our very own Professor Bunsen Honeydew, on patient pain and anxiety during painful procedures. Ali’s work was displayed alongside many innovative studies by residents, fellows and trainees. Professor presented alongside Ali and even received a special canine research award to celebrate his dedication to the research community.
Reflections Rounds Offers a Time to Further Consider a Case
Reflection Rounds is a confidential space for the Mount Sinai staff to contemplate challenging cases and the emotional aspects of our work as providers. In April, the Child Life and Creative Arts Therapy Department had the privilege of collaborating with the interdisciplinary team to present on a case titled “Opening the Heart-Shaped Box- A Case from the Pediatric ICU Team.” Bethany Pincus, creative arts therapy coordinator and music therapist, and Chloe Shaffer, art therapy intern, shared their impactful work. Their work with a young patient receiving a heart transplant impacted them powerfully. Bethany and Chloe were joined by the cardiac attending, fellow and social worker to provide a comprehensive look at the multidisciplinary approach to supporting this patient and family.
Music Therapy: An Impactful Way to Support Patients
Music therapy can have a significant normalizing effect for patients like Omari, who receives regular music therapy services when he is not hospitalized.
Music activates cognitive, speech and motor centers in the brain, and it can be highly effective in influencing mood regulation and even pain perception. Music therapists can also affect physiological changes such as lowering heart rate or slowing respiration using techniques like musical entrainment. But what do we mean when we talk about the importance of facilitating “normalizing” experiences during a patient’s hospitalization, and how can music therapy support this?
While music therapy is a novel therapy to most of our patients, we frequently meet patients who receive regular music therapy services outside of the Mount Sinai Kravis Children’s Hospital. For these patients, musical engagement often holds ritual significance. It provides an immediate pathway through which rapport and a working relationship can be built. As a nonverbal modality, music therapy can transcend limitations of verbal comprehension and communication, sometimes touching the innermost parts of an individual and accessing those parts that bolster their sense of health and well-being, even when a person is physically, mentally and emotionally taxed. In other words, musical interaction can often be a direct path to feeling, well… normal.
Using musical engagement to contextualize a wide range of experiences, music therapists aim to support individuals over the course of their medical journey through transformation of the relationship they have to physical hospital space, and by “holding space” for the interpersonal relationships that are an integral part of how every family copes while in the hospital.
Welcome to the Team
Kyla Ohayon, a graduate of Pratt Institute’s master’s program in art therapy and creativity development, recently joined the department as a creative arts therapy coordinator in the hematology/oncology department. Kyla started her career at Mount Sinai as an art therapy intern, transitioned to the Faris Foundation fellowship, and is now a full-time art therapist in the department. Kyla is enthusiastic about using creative mediums to provide emotional support and facilitate coping with pediatric patients of all ages. In her free time, Kyla enjoys quilting at home or surfing the waves at Rockaway Beach.
Erin DiIorio, a graduate from Pace University’s program in Devised and Collaborative Theatre, recently joined the department as a child life specialist. Erin started as a volunteer in 2023 and is excited to continue bringing her background in play to the forefront of her work here at Mount Sinai. Outside of the hospital, Erin volunteers for Experience Camps for Grieving Children, a nonprofit summer camp for kids who have lost a caregiver or sibling, or at a local underground performance venue.
Catherine Messina, a graduate of Emory University and Columbia University, recently joined the department as a child life specialist in the NICU. Katie brings with her experience at Bellevue Hospital, Nemours Children’s Health and New York Presbyterian. She was the fall 2023 child life intern at Kravis Children’s Hospital, rotating through the pediatric ICU and the Emergency Department. When not at work, Katie dances professionally.
Joseph Cooper (he/him),a graduate of Appalachian State University’s undergraduate music therapy degree, piano performance certificate, and Master of Music Therapy, recently joined the department as a creative arts therapy coordinator. Originally from Raleigh, North Carolina, Joseph completed an internship at Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, Missouri. He recently worked as a music therapist with Baystate Pediatric Palliative Care in Springfield, Massachusetts. Joseph was also an adjunct faculty member at Westfield State University, lecturing for the undergraduate Medical Music Therapy course. Out of office, Joseph can be seen making his way through Times Square to watch Broadway shows. He also has a remarkable passion for collecting unique prints for his gallery wall. Joseph’s cat, Persephone, is very excited to have moved to the city for all the #PigeonLife.
