What happens behind hospital doors when a child receives a life-threatening diagnosis? For many families, the fear, confusion, and emotional overload can feel impossible to navigate. That’s where Child Life Specialists step in, not just to explain what’s happening, but to empower kids and families through every moment of the journey.

In this episode of The Mindful Haven Podcast, host Lori Griffith welcomes Julie Millar, Certified Pediatric Child Life Specialist, and Danielle Williams, Child Life Officer Supervisor at Palm Beach Children's Hospital. Together, they shine a light on one of the most essential and overlooked parts of pediatric care: emotional wellness, therapeutic play, and whole-family support.

This isn’t just about teddy bears and coloring books. It’s about building trust, reducing fear, and helping kids reclaim their sense of safety and self, even in the face of illness.

To connect with our guests, Julie Millar and Danielle Williams: Palm Beach Children's Hospital

To connect with our host, Lori Griffith: Email: [email protected] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chasinadreamfoundation Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chasinadreamfoundation

To connect with our podcast producers or for media inquiries: Email: [email protected]

ABOUT: Chasin A Dream Foundation is a 501(c)3 non-profit based in Jupiter, FL and supporting families across South Florida. Founded by Lori Griffith, Chasin A Dream is dedicated to providing critical resources, including financial help, emotional and mental health support, and community programs for children battling life-threatening illnesses, disabilities, and trauma.

HOW YOU CAN HELP: If this episode helped you or someone you know, please leave a positive review, share it, and help us grow The Mindful Haven Podcast; where mental health, advocacy, and real support come together.

To make a donation to Mindful Haven and Chasin A Dream, visit: https://www.chasinadream.org

The Mindful Haven Podcast is produced by Hype Boss and PodPlus Studios in Jupiter, Florida. Learn more: https://www.podplusstudios.com

KEYWORDS: child life specialist podcast, pediatric emotional support, trauma-informed care, chasin a dream foundation, hospital preparation for kids, south florida nonprofit, caregiver mental health, therapeutic play, family trauma healing, pediatric care podcast, mindful haven podcast, locals helping locals, warrior families, support for sick children, nonprofit podcast series

When Charity DeLeon’s son Tobias was diagnosed with leukemia at just 18 months old, life as she knew it changed forever. What followed was 850 days of hospitals, chemotherapy, medical trauma, and the unthinkable: her son coding and needing to be resuscitated after total organ failure.

In this deeply moving episode of The Mindful Haven Podcast, host Lori Griffith sits down with Charity to talk about the emotional, physical, and spiritual toll of pediatric illness, not just on the child, but on the entire family. Charity shares what it was like to shut down her business, manage full-time care for two children with life-threatening conditions, and fight to stay afloat mentally while everything around her was collapsing.

She also opens up about the miracle of her son’s survival, his near-death spiritual experience, and the healing she found through therapy, food, sunlight, and community. From dark nights of the soul to breakthroughs through Mindful Haven’s programs, Charity’s story is one of grief, growth, and profound transformation.

Charity also shares the deeper “why” behind her passion for plant-based nutrition, how she’s building Charity’s Vegan Kitchen, and why food is more than just fuel—it’s a tool for healing.

To connect with our guest, Charity DeLeon:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/charitysvegankitchen Website: https://charitysvegankitchen.com

To connect with our host, Lori Griffith:

Email: [email protected] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chasinadreamfoundation Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chasinadreamfoundation

To connect with our podcast producers or for media inquiries: Email: [email protected]

ABOUT: Chasin A Dream Foundation is a 501(c)3 non-profit based in Jupiter, FL and supporting families across South Florida. Founded by Lori Griffith, Chasin A Dream is dedicated to providing critical resources, including financial help, emotional and mental health support, and community programs for children battling life-threatening illnesses, disabilities, and trauma.

HOW YOU CAN HELP: If this episode helped you or someone you know, please leave a positive review, share it, and help us grow The Mindful Haven Podcast; where mental health, advocacy, and real support come together.

To make a donation to Mindful Haven and Chasin A Dream, visit: https://www.chasinadream.org

The Mindful Haven Podcast is produced by Hype Boss and PodPlus Studios in Jupiter, Florida. Learn more: https://www.podplusstudios.com

KEYWORDS: mindful haven, chasin a dream, caregiver trauma, pediatric leukemia story, warrior mom, nonprofit podcast, childhood cancer, trauma recovery, caregiver wellness, breathwork healing, vegan healing journey, charitys vegan kitchen, locals helping locals, podcast for moms, family healing, south florida nonprofit

In this episode of The Mindful Haven Podcast, host Lori Griffith sits down with therapist & single adoptive mom Diana Gelfand for a deeply personal conversation about trauma, resilience, and what really happens to parents caring for medically complex children.

Diana isn’t just a licensed therapist, she’s a warrior mom with lived experience. After adopting three children from the foster care system, all with significant medical needs, she found herself navigating the overwhelming realities of caregiving, identity loss, emotional burnout, and chronic grief. Today, she’s the founder of DLG Therapy, a virtual counseling practice created specifically for parents like her.

Lori and Diana unpack what happens after the diagnosis, when the world moves on but the trauma lingers. From the PTSD many parents silently carry, to the isolation, guilt, and implosion of family systems - they explore why mental health support for caregivers is urgently needed, and what practical steps can help.

This episode is a must-listen for any parent, caregiver, or supporter who has ever felt invisible in the fight to keep their family afloat. It's honest, validating, and packed with practical wisdom from someone who's lived it.

To connect with our guest, Diana Gelfand:

IG: https://www.instagram.com/dlgtherapy

Website: https://www.dlgtherapy.com

To connect with our host, Lori Griffith:

Email: [email protected]

IG: https://www.instagram.com/chasinadreamfoundation

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chasinadreamfoundation

To connect with our podcast producers or for media inquiries:

Email: [email protected]

ABOUT: Chasin A Dream Foundation is a 501(c)3 non-profit based in Jupiter, FL and supporting families across South Florida. Founded by Lori Griffith, Chasin A Dream is dedicated to providing critical resources, including financial help, emotional and mental health support, and community programs for children battling life-threatening illnesses, disabilities, and trauma.

HOW YOU CAN HELP: If this episode helped you or someone you know, please leave a positive review, share it, and help us grow The Mindful Haven Podcast; where mental health, advocacy, and real support come together.

To make a donation to Mindful Haven and Chasin A Dream, visit: https://www.chasinadream.org

The Mindful Haven Podcast is produced by Hype Boss and PodPlus Studios in Jupiter, Florida. Learn more: https://www.podplusstudios.com

KEYWORDS: mindful haven, chasin a dream, family mental health, caregiver support, pediatric illness, trauma healing, financial assistance for families, caregiver burnout, childhood disability, warrior families, advocacy, nonprofit podcast, donate today, post-traumatic growth, resilience

When Alexis Bleiler’s son was diagnosed with a rare, aggressive tumor at just 18 months old, her world came to a halt. In this powerful episode, Alexis shares what it was like to process the diagnosis, uproot her life, and advocate fiercely through surgery, treatment, and recovery.

From the raw moments in the hospital to the mental toll of constant caregiving, Alexis opens up about grief, survival mode, and what it truly means to start over. She also talks about how writing, media, and community helped her find purpose again, and how she's now helping other families find their voice too.

This is a must-listen for anyone who’s ever been a caregiver, lost themselves in the chaos, or fought for someone they love with everything they had.

To connect with our guest, Alexis Bleiler: Email: [email protected] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jaxelmedia Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lex_bleiler

To connect with our host, Lori Griffith: Email: [email protected] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chasinadreamfoundation Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chasinadreamfoundation

To connect with our podcast producers or for media inquiries: Email: [email protected]

ABOUT: Chasin A Dream Foundation is a 501(c)3 non-profit based in Jupiter, FL and supporting families across South Florida. Founded by Lori Griffith, Chasin A Dream is dedicated to providing critical resources, including financial help, emotional and mental health support, and community programs for children battling life-threatening illnesses, disabilities, and trauma.

HOW YOU CAN HELP: If this episode helped you or someone you know, please leave a positive review, share it, and help us grow The Mindful Haven Podcast; where mental health, advocacy, and real support come together.

To make a donation to Mindful Haven and Chasin A Dream, visit: https://www.chasinadream.org

The Mindful Haven Podcast is for anyone looking for:

• Comfort from real stories of parents navigating pediatric illness
• Caregiver mental health and resilience
• Financial survival tips during medical crisis
• Support for siblings and whole-family healing
• Inspiration, empowerment, and community connection
• Advocacy and healing through storytelling, writing, and media

The Mindful Haven Podcast is produced by Hype Boss and PodPlus Studios in Jupiter, Florida. Learn more: https://www.podplusstudios.com

KEYWORDS: mindful haven, chasin a dream, locals helping locals, caregiver story, pediatric cancer, trauma recovery, warrior mom, financial support, caregiver wellness, childhood illness, warrior families, family healing, mental health matters, nonprofit podcast, donate today, supporting local families, resources for pediatric cancer

What happens to your finances when your child is diagnosed with a life-threatening illness?

In this powerful episode of Mindful Haven, Lori sits down with Terra Brown – Executive Director at J.P. Morgan Private Bank and Chasin A Dream board member – to break down the real financial impact families face when a child becomes seriously ill or disabled.

From hospital parking fees and out-of-network bills to lost wages and depleted savings, the financial hit is immediate and overwhelming. But this conversation offers clarity, guidance, and hope.

Terra shares:

• Practical budgeting tips for families in crisis
• The importance of organizing documents and passwords
• What expenses may be tax-deductible (spoiler: it’s more than you think)
• Low-barrier financial tools like money market accounts
• How to involve your kids in budgeting and financial literacy
• Resources for families living paycheck to paycheck
• The one financial move every parent should make before their child turns 18

This episode is packed with tangible advice—whether you're in the thick of a crisis, recovering from one, or trying to prepare for the unknown. It's a must-listen for parents, caregivers, and anyone supporting families through medical hardship.

Most importantly, Terra and Lori remind us: you are not alone.

To connect with our team or access resources mentioned in this episode, visit chasinadream.org.

For financial questions, contact Terra directly at [email protected].

If this episode helped you or someone you know, please share it and help us grow the reach of Mindful Haven — where community, mental health, and financial support come together to serve families when they need it most.

Follow Chasin A Dream Foundation: https://www.instagram.com/chasinadreamfoundation

The Mindful Haven Podcast is produced by Hype Boss and PodPlus Studios in Jupiter, Florida.

KEYWORDS:

#mindfulhaven #chasinadream #financialhelp #childhoodillness #medicalcrisis #caregiverresources #southflorida #mentalhealthsupport #financialliteracy #localshelpinglocals #warriorfamilies #budgetingtips #taxdeductions #moneymindset #podcastformoms #caregivingjourney