"Our family was hit hard seven months ago when our daughter was diagnosed with cancer. Shani has been such a wonderful gift to our sweet girl and family. She constantly creates activities and medical play scenarios that empower our daughter and help her process this difficult journey. There are so many positives, but one that stands out the most is how Shani has assisted our daughter in becoming a stronger advocate for herself. We love our Child Life Specialist."

Working with Shani during the most challenging time of our family's life was truly a blessing. Each meeting with her left me feeling lighter and more prepared to face the difficult circumstances we were dealing with. Shani not only helped me find the right words to explain our situation to my 3 and 5-year-old children in a way that they could understand, but she also provided invaluable support as we prepared for our long hospital stay. Her guidance offered me a sense of peace when I needed it most. While I juggled caring for my kids and managing their medical issues, Shani made sure to take care of me too. She went above and beyond by staying in touch while we were in the hospital and having meaningful phone conversations with me during the most challenging times. I am immensely grateful for Shani's compassion, expertise, and unwavering support during such a trying time. She was not just a professional helping me through a crisis; she was a lifeline.

Shani’s child life services have changed not just my son’s life, but mine as well. The tools she has given and taught my son through play have been vital in his healing process after two major traumas in our lives. Through her services, he has learned to express, work through, and communicate his emotions, as well as process his grief by using therapeutic techniques. If your child has experienced any kind of trauma, including grief, Shani’s services are an incredible resource to help guide not just your child, but also you as a parent, through some of life’s most difficult seasons.

"The child life services provided by Shani Thornton were a Godsend for us when we were at our most critical time with our son. Learning how to provide coping skills and advocate for our medically fragile son has given us the confidence to navigate the complicated world of medicine and special needs."

“I meet with Shani weekly over zoom to help me prepare my 3-year-old daughter for her upcoming medical procedures ranging from CT scans, ultrasounds, port accesses, blood draws, general anesthesia, lumbar punctures, overnight hospital stays, moving away from home and into a rental to be close to the hospital. Anytime I have a question about how to help my daughter cope or recommendations for play therapy that I can do, Shani has at least a handful of resources to help me each time. I am forever grateful to her for helping my whole family better cope with my daughter’s fight against leukemia.”

"My 5-year-old with sensory processing challenges was terrified of going to the dentist, let alone brushing his teeth. I called Shani, extremely overwhelmed by the thought of an upcoming dental cleaning. In just a few weeks, Shani equipped my son and me with the tools to conquer the dental visit and make it a positive experience that would leave my child confident of returning. We completed the dental cleaning and x-rays without anesthesia! I highly recommend Shani to anyone parenting a child with anxiety and sensory difficulties who feels overwhelmed by a medical or dental procedure. We will definitely be using her in the future."

"The children absolutely love the hands-on learning. Shani presents the information in a caring and supportive way. It is obvious that she cares deeply about the well-being of children."

"I was so lost and stressed about how to help my child before finding Shani. My 11-year-old's shot phobia had grown so big that it was impossible to get her inside the building for vaccine appointments. Shani worked with her in the most creative and thoughtful ways to face this fear. She built a strong, trusting relationship with my child (in the comfort of our home) and brought tools and toys to the table that were perfect for addressing the issue and building her confidence. When the time came for a vaccine, Shani went with us to the appointment (I was so grateful for this) and worked for over an hour to support my child. Her patience, support, and loving approach was everything we needed."

"Clinical supervision has been incredibly valuable for me. This is my first experience with supervision and it has greatly impacted my practice. Clinical supervision allows me to improve my skills, deepen my self-awareness, consider different perspectives, and uphold ethical and professional standards of practise. It offers a safe environment to explore difficult cases, receive guidance from colleagues, and gain insight into my own emotions, and responses in the hospital setting in which I work."