039: Helping Parents to Choreograph Their Own Family-Centered Journey with Jenny Berchtold
As a parent of a child facing a medical challenge, it can be tempting to try to put on as many hats as possible: mom/dad, caregiver, nurse, and sometimes even a medical expert.
We often hear doctors ask patients not to Google a diagnosis, but seeking out as much information as possible in the face of a challenge can feel like regaining some control. However, the problem is that carrying all this information can take parents away from their primary role of just being parents.
That’s why Family-Centered Care, an approach that aims to help parents feel supported and empowered throughout their family’s medical journey, is so important.
I’m delighted to introduce you to Jenny Berchtold. Jenny is a certified Child Life Specialist with a master’s degree in Child Development and a specialization in infancy. Jenny has worked in the NICU but has since taken her passion to the Erikson Institute, a graduate school in child development, and is doing what she loves most. She is preparing the next generation of Child Life Specialists to advocate for kids in the NICU and amplify their voices when they don’t have one.
But her experience doesn’t end there: Jenny’s youngest son, Evan, faced his own challenge with the discovery of a “dot” on his cheek, which proved to be an extremely rare and aggressive tumor. Thankfully, it has since been successfully surgically removed and is being carefully monitored. She knows firsthand the challenges of balancing your child’s medical needs with “just” being present as a parent.
Jenny shares her best advice with us: find a medical team that you trust wholeheartedly so you can let go of some “control” and always know that the medical teams and hospital staff are there to help you so that you can be present for your kiddo.
Her advice is empowering, and I hope you find as much guidance and comfort in her words as I did today.
Key Takeaways with Jenny Berchtold
Show Notes:
Get Full Access to the Show Notes by visiting: MatteasJoy.org/39.
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