When a child faces medical procedures, chronic illness, or hospitalizations, it impacts the entire family. Parents often feel overwhelmed—unsure how to ease their child’s fear, explain what’s happening, or cope with their own guilt and grief. In our latest Empowered by Hope podcast episode, we’re joined by Brittany Luther, a Certified Child Life Specialist with nearly two decades of experience helping families navigate these exact moments.
🎧 Listen to the episode here:
Empowered Parenting in Hard Moments with Child Life Specialist Brittany Luther
The Power of Wonder and Pause
One of Brittany’s most impactful insights is the importance of practicing “wonder” and “pause”—simple but profound tools parents can begin using immediately. Rather than rushing to fix a problem or explain away discomfort, Brittany encourages caregivers to wonder out loud with their child. This creates an unhurried space for connection and curiosity, allowing children to express themselves in their own way and time.
It’s not about having all the answers—it’s about showing up with presence, compassion, and openness. That’s what creates safety.
Helping Children Process Medical Trauma
Brittany explains that children often process trauma not through words, but through play. Whether it’s medical-themed toys, role-playing with dolls, or simple exploration using everyday objects, play helps kids express what they’re feeling and regain a sense of control.
In the episode, Brittany shares the story of a young girl named Maren who was terrified of her stoma care. Through consistent communication, empathy, and developmentally appropriate distraction techniques, her parents transformed a painful routine into a moment of empowerment and even joy. It’s a beautiful example of how, with the right tools, we can support our kids even in the hardest of moments.
Encouragement for Parents in the Fire
If you’ve ever had to perform a medical procedure on your child, or hold them down for a blood draw or MRI, Brittany offers something essential: validation. She reminds us that these acts of care, while painful, are also deeply loving. And they can actually strengthen the parent-child bond when approached with honesty, support, and the right guidance.
Most importantly, asking for help—whether from child life specialists, therapists, or other parents—is not a failure.It’s part of building a supportive circle around your child… and yourself.
📚 Recommended Resources from Brittany Luther
Here are some of Brittany’s go-to books for children, teens, and parents navigating emotions, medical experiences, anxiety, and mindfulness:
For Kids (Feelings, Anxiety, and Medical Play):
- In My Heart: A Book of Feelings by Jo Witek
- The Feelings Book by Todd Parr
- The Way I Feel by Janan Cain
- A Little Spot of Feelings by Diane Alber
- My Body is a Rainbow by Mallika Chopra
- A Boy and a Turtle by Lori Lite
- Sitting Still Like a Frog by Eline Snel
- Hey Warrior and Hey Awesome by Karen Young
- Be Brave! by Steph Clarkson
- Letting Go! by Dr. Sharie Coombes
- What to Do When You Worry Too Much by Dawn Huebner, Ph.D.
- What to Do When Your Brain Gets Stuck by Dawn Huebner, Ph.D.
- Me and My Feelings by Vanessa Green Allen, M.Ed., NBCT
- Dr. Color Monster and the Emotions Toolkit by Anna Llenas
- What About Me? When Brothers and Sisters Get Sick by Allan Peterkin, M.D.
- The Boo-Boo Book by Rose Harkness
- The Boo Boo Book by Joy Masoff
- All Better! by Bernd Penners and Henning Löhlein
- Good as New by Bernd Penners and Henning Löhlein
For Kids Curious About the Human Body:
- See Inside Your Body by Katie Daynes and Colin King
- Look Inside Your Body by Louis Stowell
- How Your Body Works by Rosie Dickins
- Concise Encyclopedia of the Human Body (Usborne Books)
For Parents and Teens:
- The Emotional Lives of Teenagers by Lisa Damour, Ph.D.
- Simplicity Parenting by Kim John Payne, M.Ed.
- Raising Happiness by Christine Carter, Ph.D.
- Parenting from the Inside Out by Daniel Siegel, M.D., and Mary Hartzell, M.Ed.
- The Whole-Brain Child by Daniel Siegel, M.D., and Tina Payne Bryson, Ph.D.
- The Connected Parent by Karyn Purvis, Ph.D., and Lisa Qualls
We See You. We’re With You.
At Parent Empowerment Network, we know that walking through medical complexity with your child is not just hard—it’s life-changing. Through our podcast, resources, and community, we aim to lift the burden and bring hope.
If this episode resonated with you, we encourage you to:
👉 Share it with a friend or fellow caregiver
👉 Download our free resource guides
👉 Follow us on Instagram or Facebook for daily encouragement
💛 You are not alone. You are exactly the parent your child needs.
📍 Explore more episodes and support at:
www.parentempowermentnetwork.org
🎧 Empowered by Hope is available on all major podcast platforms.
