Shae Me​llors

I am a Certified Child Life Specialist serving the Southern Vancouver Island Area. My journey started in high school when I was trying to determine my passion for pursing a career in... while on this journey I ended up exploring into the Human Service field and really enjoyed my time with students who had diverse abilities. This slowly progressed into some research of potential job opportunities and I started my post secondary education at Camosun College in the Community, Family and Child Studies Diploma program. This taught me a variety of skills that could be used in this field, but I did not feel like my job or learning was fully complete yet. I had experiences as a youth and family counsellor in the public schools, adaptive recreation, and even some childcare experience... but I was not fully satisfied. While I was studying at the University of Victoria, taking Child and Youth Care- I was awarded an internship opportunity in Edmonton, AB, at Stollery Children's Hospital for the Child Life Specialization designation. I found my deep passion for supporting pediatric patients and their families through unpredictable challenges within the medical field. This is also where I recognized a gap in service within my own community for children accessing health care outside of the hospital. Many children and families were unprepared for the challenges- needles, medicine, environmental factors, and new diagnoses to name a few. With a strong background in child development and the skills gained from working within the hospitals I felt confident in providing children and families with coping tools and psychosocial support to better prepare them for these specific moments. I have worked on call at Victoria General hospital as a Child Life specialist to gain more experience and keep up with my training, however, I created this business to fully support my community and do what I am truly passionate for. 

Outside of my job... I am a mama to a sweet baby boy who has shown me the true meaning of life. So do I know what it's like to be a parent... yes! I can tell you this has changed my practice drastically as I am able to fully understand where parents are coming from now in conversations. More so, it has helped when providing parents support and education as well since I am able to put myself in their shoes easier than it was before having my own. 

As for my own life, I spend a lot of free time watching the growth of my son, hiking trails in the woods, and enjoying the quiet time that life has occasionally. I also spend time on the race track taking cars around the loop, fixing and working on the machines as well as meeting friends socially. Most people would describe me as an outgoing and cheerful person, but also carry qualities to listen and provide support to others. I tend to give 110% into everything I do as I am very passionate, never want to disappoint and truly do wish the very best for everyone as we all deserve so much in this world. If there is anything you can take away from getting to know me... I hope you are able to find a Child Life Specialist that your child is able to feel confident and comfortable around to work on the challenges they may be experiencing in their medical journey.