2026 April CL Discover

DISCOVER April 2026

The Child Life and Creative Arts Therapy Department

NICU Team Meets the Needs of Family Katie Messina, Certified Child Life Specialist, provides support to patients and families in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). From her focus on developmental interventions to coping mechanisms, Katie and the NICU team strive to normalize the environment of the NICU. For patient Malka, this means a lot of developmental playtimes with her parents, visits from her big sister, and celebrating every holiday.

Malka’s parents and Katie have discussed and implemented a variety of developmental activities including having her feel textured books, using contrast cards and a mirror to support visual tracking, tummy time on her playmat, and grabbing at an Oball, a flexible ball with ridges. Katie and Malka’s mother have also had frequent bedside check-ins about the ups and downs of the NICU and have found moments of calm and fun through decorating picture frames and making Olympic medals. (Malka is the gold medal winner of Best Reader and Chubbiest Cheeks awards.) Malka’s big sister, Zehava, loves to visit her baby sister in the NICU. Katie and Zehava have discussed how the NICU is a like a “school for babies.” Zehava loves to play with Malka by building towers and drawing window art. Most recently, Malka and her family dressed up for Purim.

Katie and Zehava passed out treats to all the nurses and doctors.

Katie and the NICU team strive to meet the unique needs of patients and families in this intensive care unit. Using creative intervention tools, Katie brings care and compassion to the patients and families of the NICU. Malka holds her book in the NICU.

Staff Wellness Team Travels to Mount Sinai West Animal-assisted therapy dog, Muffin, recently made a successful first visit to Mount Sinai West, bringing comfort and connection to staff across multiple departments. The visit was part of the Care for Clinical Teams program aimed at supporting staff in high-stress environments. Muffin was able to make rounds in the cancer center, meet with social workers for a special event and spend time with staff and residents in the radiology department, Robin O’Hare, Muffin’s primary dog handler, explained.

Muffin partnered with the Take 10 Program at a special event for Social Work Month. This program supports staff well-being across the health system by providing aromatherapy, herbal teas, calming music and healthy snacks directly to work areas. During the visit, Muffin offered moments of relief and quiet companionship to staff. Many employees took a few moments out of their day to engage, smile, and recharge with her.

The positive response from staff highlighted the meaningful impact that facility service dogs can have on workplace wellness. The visit reinforced the value of incorporating service dogs into healthcare environments to support those who care for others every day.

Muffin poses for a photo while spending time with the radiology department at Mount Sinai West.

LB 2019

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The Director’s Desk: Celebrating Child Life and Creative Arts Therapy Month A hospital stay can be unsettling at any age, but for children and families, the experience can feel especially overwhelming. During Child Life and Creative Arts Therapy Month, I am proud to pause and celebrate the extraordinary work of our dedicated team at Mount Sinai Kravis Children’s Hospital.

Our Certified Child Life Specialists and licensed creative arts therapists bring expertise in child development, therapeutic play, education, music, and art to every interaction. Through play, creativity, preparation, and emotional support, they help children better understand their medical experiences, express their feelings, and maintain a sense of normalcy during hospitalization.

These moments, whether at the bedside, in play spaces, or in the Zone, are powerful and deeply meaningful.

Equally important is the way our team works in partnership with families and alongside nurses, physicians, and social workers to provide developmentally appropriate, family-centered care. By reducing anxiety, supporting coping, and encouraging family participation, they help children preserve their independence, confidence, and sense of security during some of life’s hardest moments.

I am deeply grateful for the commitment, creativity, and heart our team brings to this work every day. Their impact extends far beyond the hospital walls, shaping experiences of care that children and families will carry with them long after discharge.

Director, The Child Life and Creative Arts Therapy Department

Lauren Keyes, Certified Child Life Specialist, volunteered at Lake Luzerne’s Double H Ranch adaptive winter sports family weekend. This program offers family sleepover weekends for children and families dealing with chronic and serious illnesses the opportunity to participate in adaptive alpine skiing and snowboarding free of charge. Lauren has volunteered since 2018 as a family pal, acting as a counselor over the weekend for the qualifying camper and their family members.

Recently, she started as a ski instructor, helping new skiers gain confidence on the slopes.

The Child Life and Creative Arts Therapy Department hosted child life students from Syracuse University, The Children’s Hospital at Montefiore, and Hackensack Medical Center to share the incredible work our department provides to children and families. They explored the Zone playspace and the KidZone TV studio, gaining a firsthand look at how these environments support connection, creativity, and therapeutic engagement. Students also learned how our team integrates music, art, and drama therapy into programming to meet individualized patient goals and enhance the overall hospital experience.

Threads of Care: Caregivers Connect Through Knitting Caregiver Knitting Group offers a warm, welcoming space for connection, creativity, and support within the hospital community. Kyla Ohayon and Sophia Gutierrez Osana, art therapists, along with Olive Loew, Spiritual Care Chaplain, lead this therapeutic offering. Through knitting, participants engage in a tactile, healing art practice that helps reconnect body and mind while providing a meaningful pause from the stress of the hospital environment. This dedicated time away from the bedside allows caregivers to focus on themselves while still creating something special for their child. Over the winter months, families crafted hats and scarves, weaving care and intention into every stitch. Tea and coffee create an added sense of comfort and community. This group continues to grow as a space for reflection, expression, and shared experiences.

Kyla Ohayon and Sophia Gutierrez Osana prepare for the caregiver knitting group.

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KidZone TV Spotlights Child Life Strategies KZTV producers and child life specialists, art, music, and drama therapists continue to collaborate to create meaningful opportunities for patients to form bonds with staff in real time. Through live programming, the team supports coping, connection, and emotional expression during hospitalization. These shows help patients build relationships with their clinical team in a new way, while the excitement of being “KZTV famous” adds a layer of motivation and engagement that invites participation.

In March, the department relaunched “The Child Life Corner,” a show featuring child life specialists Kathleen Burke, Sarah Griffiths, Catherine Rodgers, and Aileen Zhou. The series debuted during Child Life and Creative Arts Therapy Month and highlights the essential role child life Ssecialists play in helping patients adjust to the hospital experience, offering tools and strategies to support coping and resilience. It also creates a welcoming, low-pressure space for patients to get to know their specialists in a friendly and approachable way.

The first episode, “My Cheat Sheet,” was hosted by child life specialist Kathleen Burke. Patients were invited to identify coping strategies for a range of emotions, including feeling mad, sad, or angry. The activity encouraged reflection on what helps them feel better and guided them in creating a personalized list of coping skills they can use throughout their hospitalization.

Aileen Zhou, Certified Child Life Specialist, shared that her first show deeply resonated with the patient who was co-viewing with her in the studio. The connection they built during the show strengthened their relationship and rapport when she later returned to the unit where she works. This interaction highlighted how intentional co-viewing can support therapeutic relationships while also promoting emotional expression and coping skill development.

Movie Goggles Provide Alternative to Anesthesia It has been several months since pediatric radiology received a second pair of MRI movie goggles through a generous donation from The Mount Sinai Auxiliary Board. Now distractions during an MRI scan can be offered to all pediatric patients receiving outpatient scans. Catherine Rodgers, Certified Child Life Specialist, has partnered with radiology schedulers, nurse coordinators, MRI technologists, and MRI leadership to flag pediatric patients to complete scans without anesthesia. In the first quarter of 2026, there have been multiple four- and five-year-old patients who have avoided anesthesia by using the movie goggles.

The movie goggles, like a virtual reality headset, allow kids to watch Netflix, Disney, or YouTube during their scan, almost like their own personal movie theater. Paired with child life preparation and caregiver support, more children have been able to stay still, as observed by the Child Life and Creative Arts Therapy Department. A happy side effect from the new initiative is the large group of MRI technologists who have become fully invested in the initiative. The pride and joy of helping a pediatric patient complete their scan without anesthesia for the first time is extraordinary. "It has been a positive experience for the kids and their caregivers. The goggles help make the MRI less traumatic for the kids and allows them to enjoy the MRI," explained Sunny Jain, Lead Tech in Outpatient MRI.

An Interdisciplinary Moment of Remembrance Every year the Perinatal and Pediatric Bereavement Committee hosts a memorial service to honor, remember and celebrate the children that have passed away. This memorial service is a beautiful collaboration between the Child Life and Creative Arts Therapy Department, Social Work, Spiritual Care, and pediatric medical staff.

This year the service included speeches/readings from some of our bereaved parents, a candlelight ceremony and reading of the name of patients who have passed, poetry read by various interdisciplinary team members, and music performances led by music therapists, physicians, and music therapy students. In addition to this, Sophia Gutierrez Osuna and Kyla Ohayon, art therapists, offered a therapeutic art intervention to honor their loved one. Each personalized origami was displayed on a beautiful art piece in the memorial service.

Families and staff came together through shared art and remembrance, creating space to honor loved ones and reflect on meaningful memories.

Child life specialists and students also offered a space and therapeutic activity to siblings of these children who have passed away.

These activities included personalizing both a paper bag with a tea light and balloon to process their loss and remember their sibling in a meaningful way. Following the service, families had the opportunity to connect with staff and other family members during the dinner that was provided.

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Collaboration on Filmmaking Method Features Facility Dog

Stop-motion animation features facility dog, Summer.

Sophia Gutierrez Osana, art therapist, hosted Art for the Soul on KZTV with a live stop-motion animation project designed to engage young patients in creative expression. The segment highlighted Child Life and Creative Arts Therapy Month, introducing a character made from Model Magic. The character, inspired by facility dog, Summer, served as the main figure in the animation. With support from the KZTV crew, Katherine Parker, art therapist, Brooklynn Floyd, art therapy intern, and a patient, the project became a collaborative experience. The patient took an active role in directing scenes and creating her own stop-motion sequence, demonstrating imagination and confidence. This hands-on activity encouraged autonomy, selfagency, and storytelling, while also providing a joyful and therapeutic outlet. The live format invited viewers to participate alongside the KZTV crew, showing how art and media can empower patients and foster meaningful connection.

Facility Dog, Icee, Brings Much-Needed Calmness to Clinic Patient Saniya visits the outpatient hematology/oncology clinic to receive iron infusions. As part of her visit, she needs an IV placed before each infusion. To support her during this process, she has found a special source of comfort: Icee, our facility dog.

During IV placement, Kaleigh Bieling, Certified Child Life Specialist and facility dog handler, positions Icee next to Saniya so she can hold onto his paw. This interaction helps her stay calm and still. “Holding his paws and petting him helps me take deep breaths. I can relax because he’s so relaxed,” Saniya explained.

Icee comforts patient Saniya during a visit to the hematology/oncology clinic.

Icee’s presence provides a helpful distraction and supports a more comfortable experience during the procedure. Kaleigh and Icee can provide emotional support and a sense of grounding and security during these visits. Incorporating facility dogs like Icee into clinical settings can be a useful strategy to assist patients during routine but sometimes challenging parts of their care.

Saniya’s visits highlight how this type of support can be integrated into outpatient care in a simple and effective way. “I love how friendly and calm he (Icee) is,” Saniya shared.

Welcome & Staff Accomplishments Nathaly Lopez De La Cruz joined the Child Life and Creative Arts Therapy Department as a Patient Services Liaison Manager.

Nathaly holds a bachelor’s degree in healthcare services administration from New York City College of Technology and a master’s degree in business administration from Metropolitan College of New York. Nathaly will engage in projects that positively impact patients, families, and staff.

Sophia “Sophie” Bernard joined the Child Life and Creative Arts Therapy Department for her child life internship from January – May 2026. She earned her bachelor’s degree in health and human services from the University at Buffalo and master’s degree in child life from Texas Woman’s University. Sophie is passionate about building meaningful connections with patients and families, supporting coping, and promoting positive healthcare experiences through developmentally appropriate care.

Jordana Salomon received a grant from The Toy Foundation to expand sensory-friendly play in The Cohen Center for Pediatric Comprehensive Care.

Kyla Ohayon passed the New York State board exams to receive her licensure to become a licensed Creative Arts Therapist.

Child Life Department Celebrates Teamwork In March, the Child Life and Creative Arts Therapy Department retreat brought staff together to celebrate teamwork, creativity, and camaraderie - core values that also define care within this therapeutic space. The timing of the retreat was especially meaningful, as it coincided with the Zone’s 20th birthday, offering a unique opportunity to honor both our team and the enduring mission of the Zone.

The day began with a catered lunch, giving staff time to relax and enjoy each other’s company in a space with a twenty-year history of fostering meaningful moments and connections. This gathering set a warm, welcoming tone and reinforced the strong sense of community that defines our department. Following lunch, staff participated in the “Ultimate Trivia Showdown,” an engaging group cohesion experience. The retreat strengthened connections across the team and served as a reminder that we do our best work when we support and celebrate one another. We are grateful to the Teammates for Kids Foundation for their continued support of the Zone.

Mountsinai.org/childlife

Facebook.com/MSchildlife

Instagram: @MSchildlife

@KZTVlive

@mountsinai_pawsandplay