FAQ

Anywhere you have Internet access. Thriving Play is proud to provide telehealth appointments to all clients via the HIPAA-secure platform doxy.me.

For those who live in San Antonio and would like to receive in-person services, I can work with you either at your house or a park, depending on your needs.

Parents and kids are very busy with many different activities and commitments, so I offer a variety of hours to meet each family’s needs.

Looking for a morning slot on Tuesday? I’ve got you covered. Prefer an evening time on Friday? No problem. The only time that works for you is Saturday afternoon. You’re on my calendar.

You can see full availability by clicking here.

Sessions can last anywhere between 30 to 90 minutes, depending on your family’s specific needs.

I accept all major credit cards, checks, Flexible Savings Accounts (FSA), Health Savings Accounts (HSA), and cash.

Payments are due at the time of service.

Unfortunately, insurance companies are not very invested in your physical and mental responses to difficult life experiences. Their focus is on the medical bills you receive when you get sick. This means that I cannot bill your health insurance company directly for the services I provide.

The good news is I can accept FSA and HSA cards. Additionally, you can have peace of mind that you are supporting your family by taking control of their health and well-being.

And because insurance rules and regulations do not apply to our relationship, I can work with your family as often as you need without time or frequency limits.

You will still receive the same level of care and support, but you’ll also enjoy the protection of your personal information, HIPAA-compliant communication systems, and care provided by the collaborative efforts of my professional expertise and your personal preferences and goals.

Very easily! Simply click here to schedule your free 15-minute consultation at your convenience.

I have a 24-hour cancellation policy. When you schedule an appointment, I reserve that time specifically for you and cannot see other families during that time.

Families who do not cancel more than 24 hours in advance are subject to the appointment’s full fee.

But, of course, life happens. Should you have an extraordinary emergency and be unable to cancel before 24 hours, I will waive the cancellation fee.

Before our first session, I’ll send you a few digital documents to sign, including my informed consent, privacy policy, and intake questionnaire.

During our first session, I’ll take the time to get to know your family and help create goals and a customized plan for you.

I will dedicate most of that time to listen to you to develop a good idea of what has or hasn’t worked well so far.

We might also play a game or do an activity depending on your family’s needs. At Thriving Play, I truly believe that play is not only an educational tool, but the best way to understand life.

Every family’s needs are different.

Some families need a session or two to help them manage the anxiety around a stressful experience.

Other families may have just received a terminal diagnosis and will need more sessions to process and grieve.

During our first session, we’ll discuss the length and frequency of visits. As we progress, we’ll continue to assess and adapt as necessary.

Here’s the one-sentence version:

Child Life focuses on promoting the normal growth and development of infants, children, and teens during stressful or difficult life experiences.

And many people still ask, “But what is it?”

We use developmental and family dynamic theories to help educate and support families in crisis. After first assessing what is already available to the family, we teach about the body, the mind, the situation, and appropriate self-care and coping techniques.

Because it’s easier to plan than to do something, we also coach families through difficult experiencing by creating action steps and sometimes even being present during a stressful event as a guide and advocate.

We act as a bridge that helps a family over a stressful life experience.

If your child or teen is experiencing a difficult medical diagnosis, procedure, or treatment plan, Child Life can help.

Furthermore, Child Life can assist your family in its struggle with a stressful event – perhaps a divorce, a natural disaster, a death, or even just a change in the way you do things. If a child or teen is dealing with an experience or an event, I’m here for you.

If you’re still not sure, schedule a 15-minute phone or video call with me, and we can chat about what you need to support your family. Our conversation will give me a good idea of whether I can help or allow me to provide direction to someone who can.

Schedule a Chat

I received my Master’s Degree in Family and Child Studies from Texas State University while also completing my certification as a Child Life Apecialist. I trained at both Children’s Health in Dallas and California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco.

I had the privilege of working as a Child Life Specialist in all areas of Primary Children’s Hospital in Salt Lake City, which has given me a very diverse background of experiences.

From there, I spent over five years at The Children’s Hospital of San Antonio – assisting with the Nitrous Oxide Sedation program, providing expert support to families experiencing medical procedures, and overseeing part of the Child Life student education program.

For the past six years, I’ve also worked closely with the Arthritis Foundation, strengthening many of their pediatric programs.

As an avid performer, I enjoy sharing my knowledge of stress and coping with others by presenting at multiple regional and national conferences.

Myself. It’s amazing how you can redirect a patient by a well-timed song, dance, story, joke, or even “peek-a-boo.”

But if we’re talking about physical tools, it would have to be my light spinner. That toy works for everyone!

Vanilla cinnamon. What’s yours?

Hmmm. Define “free time.”

I love to perform, so I spend much of my time outside work focused on my current performing arts project. One month you might find me dancing in the park, and the next, I’ll be on stage singing and dancing my heart out.

I enjoy sharing the arts with others, so I often teach dance and acting to local younglings or rehearse with San Antonio Dance Fringe.

But I always make time for reading, cooking, and watching epic movies (I speak fluent Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, and Star Trek, to name just a few).