Ashleigh Schopen MS, CCLS, FT has been providing psychosocial support to children and families since 2008 and is currently located in the suburbs of Philadelphia, PA. She has a Master of Science degree specializing in Child Life studies and has extensive clinical experience at various children’s hospitals in Springfield, Massachusetts, New York City, and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
The majority of her clinical experience has been at the #1 children's hospital in the mid-Atlantic as a clinical expert in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU). Ashleigh is especially passionate about her work in PICU and has developed an expertise in working with families experiencing trauma and bereavement. As a result of this work, she is now a Fellow in Thanatology (death, dying and bereavement) and is certified as a Death Doula.
Having identified a great need of psychosocial support for children outside of the hospital setting, she now provides in-home and virtual support for children and their families as they navigate medical encounters, loss, transition, trauma, and bereavement. She has a lengthy history of supporting families through a great range of experiences and navigates each unique situation with clinical expertise and compassion.
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Ashleigh is a fierce advocate for families, which can be seen through her patient care, community work, and professional presentations. In 2020, she was selected as a top ten nominee for the Delta (Airlines) Child Life Specialist of the Year award and was featured in an article published in Parents Magazine and Parents Latina providing guidance to parents on the topic of death and supporting bereaved children. She is an active member of her community, enjoys volunteering, and educating others about the field of child life. Most recently, Ashleigh co-presented virtually at the Al Qassimi Women's and Children's Hospital International Pediatric Conference held in Dubai as well as the Crossroads4Hope Conference on Cancer "Getting Comfortable with the Uncomfortable: Supporting Grieving Children". ​
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Ashleigh is a proud member of
The National Alliance for Children's Grief
Association of Death Education and Counseling
Association of Child Life Professionals
Ashleigh’s greatest priority is to create safe & inclusive environments for all families regardless of (but not limited to): race, ethnicity, gender, age, religion, language, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, abilities/disabilities, socioeconomic status and geographical region.
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