Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Certification
Work Experience
Timeline
Generic

Erin Wehrly

Ferndale,MI

Summary

Certified Child Life Specialist with proven expertise in child development and family-centered care. Recognized for compassionate communication, emotional intelligence, and strong problem-solving abilities across diverse clinical and community settings. Skilled in interdisciplinary collaboration to foster therapeutic environments that support children’s coping, resilience, and overall well-being. Adaptable and outcomes-driven, with a consistent track record of delivering measurable results in child life interventions and programs.

Overview

4
4
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification

Work History

PICU/CVICU Certified Child Life Specialist

DMC Children's Hospital Of Michigan
01.2023 - Current
  • Collaborated with interdisciplinary teams to provide individualized psychosocial and developmental support to critically ill pediatric patients in high-acuity units across the care continuum.
  • Specialized in trauma-informed care, legacy-making, end-of-life support, and complex case interventions.
  • Facilitated medical play, expressive arts, and non-pharmacological coping strategies to reduce stress and enhance resilience.
  • Supported siblings and families through grief, bereavement, and crisis situations with family-centered care planning.
  • Educated patients with cancer and chronic illness using developmentally appropriate tools.
  • Supervised and mentored child life interns and practicum students in a Level I pediatric trauma center.
  • Selected to represent DMC at Family Advocacy Day in Washington, D.C.
  • Featured in Make-A-Wish Michigan’s Wish Ball video, showcasing child life impact.

Child Life Intern

Akron Children's Hospital
08.2022 - 12.2022
  • Completed rotations in Outpatient Surgery, Hematology/Oncology, Palliative Care, Adolescent Medicine, and Transitional Care Units.
  • Delivered individualized child life services including procedural preparation, emotional support, therapeutic play, and normalization activities to promote coping and reduce anxiety for patients and families.
  • Developed and implemented a specialized Day of Surgery preparation tool for school-age patients with behavioral disorders, enhancing psychosocial readiness for medical procedures.
  • Facilitated a weekly community-based bereavement support program for children and their families.

Child Life Practicum Student

Connect 123
05.2022 - 06.2022
  • Observed a Certified Child Life Specialist across three pediatric healthcare settings: orthopedics/rehabilitation, oncology, and acute care.
  • Gained foundational clinical experience in child life services, including therapeutic play, emotional support, and patient-family interactions.
  • Strengthened cultural competency by building therapeutic relationships with children and families from diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds within the South African healthcare system

Child Life Practicum Student

UChicago Medicine Comer Children's Hospital
07.2021 - 08.2021
  • Gained foundational experience supporting patients and families in both inpatient and outpatient pediatric settings.
  • Participated in developmentally appropriate play and therapeutic activities to promote coping, normalization, and emotional expression.
  • Provided emotional support, procedural preparation, and bereavement resources in collaboration with Certified Child Life Specialists.

Education

Master of Science - Child And Family Studies Child Life Concentration

Ohio University
Athens, OH
12-2022

Bachelors of Health Sciences And Professions - Child And Family Studies

Ohio University
Athens, OH
05-2021

Skills

    Child Development Knowledge Family-Centered Care Psychosocial Assessment Therapeutic Play Procedural Preparation Medical Play Interventions Grief and Bereavement Support Trauma-Informed Care Coping Strategy Implementation Developmentally Appropriate Communication Interdisciplinary Team Collaboration Child and Family Education Crisis Intervention Nonpharmacological Pain Management Support Techniques Hospital Navigation and Advocacy Electronic Health Records (EHR) Proficiency Infection Control Protocols Empathy and Compassion Active Listening Cultural Competence Emotional Intelligence Public Speaking / Presentation Skills Time Management Conflict Resolution Adaptability in High-Stress Environments Program Development & Evaluation Volunteer and Student Supervision Health Promotion & Education Community Outreach and Engagement Event and Activity Planning Certified Child Life Specialist (CCLS) Association of Child Life Professionals (ACLP) Member HIPAA Compliance

Certification

Association of Child Life Professionals (ACLP) Child Life Certification | 08/2023 - 08/2028


Certified Infant Massage Educator | 2025 - Present


The Ohio Child Care Resource and Referral Association | September 2021 – Current

• Ohio’s Overview of Child

Development

• ODJFS Child Abuse Overview


State of Ohio Autism Certification | 2019 – Current

• Many Faces of Autism

Training

• Foundation of Evidence

Based Strategies – School age

Training

• Foundations of Evidence

Based Strategies – Transition

age Training



Work Experience

Stages Early Learning Center – Infant Classroom Aide | Athens, OH | 08/2021 – Present | Total Hours: 224

  • Ensured the health, safety, and well-being of infants in a classroom setting.
  • Supported the planning, execution, and cleanup of developmentally appropriate learning activities.
  • Maintained clear and respectful communication with parents and guardians regarding daily updates and child progress.


Columbus Parks and Recreation – Outdoor Education Camp Counselor | Columbus, OH | 05/2017 – 08/2020 | Total Hours: 1,500

  • Supervised and ensured the safety of children ages 6–12 during outdoor educational programming.
  • Delivered engaging, age-appropriate lessons on environmental topics including plants, wildlife, water systems, conservation, and pollution.
  • Fostered strong relationships with campers, families, and staff through active listening, empathy, and collaborative teamwork.

Timeline

PICU/CVICU Certified Child Life Specialist

DMC Children's Hospital Of Michigan
01.2023 - Current

Child Life Intern

Akron Children's Hospital
08.2022 - 12.2022

Child Life Practicum Student

Connect 123
05.2022 - 06.2022

Child Life Practicum Student

UChicago Medicine Comer Children's Hospital
07.2021 - 08.2021

Master of Science - Child And Family Studies Child Life Concentration

Ohio University

Bachelors of Health Sciences And Professions - Child And Family Studies

Ohio University

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