In January of 2024, Katie Fesenmaier, a Certified Child Life Specialist (CCLS), joined the TCCH team to collaborate with our current Wellness Coordinator at Dodgertown Elementary, LaDonna Corbin, to provide behavioral health support to children in need. A CCLS helps children via play therapy navigate stress and learn ways to cope with grief, trauma, illness, and anxiety in their daily lives. Through a nine-week program of one-on-one sessions, Fesenmaier will work with students to help them grow and develop at age level. She will also work with parents and school staff to explain their children’s stressors, create action plans, and potentially make recommendations for additional help to ensure students have the stability to focus and excel in education.

“A healthy mental state is crucial to successful academic outcomes and, overall, every child’s well-being,” Fesenmaier explains. “It can be extremely difficult to learn when dealing with something like trauma or anxiety, and sometimes it can be challenging to identify, explain, and treat these conditions without professional help. We are excited to launch this program and further enrich the lives of students at Dodgertown Elementary.”

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