Family and Child Life
Lecturer
Director, Child Life Undergraduate Program

Contact:

E-mail: Katy.Tenhulzen@cwu.edu
Office: Michaelsen 225
Office phone: 509-963-2767

Current CWU students can schedule an appointment with Prof. Tenhulzen. Prospective students, please e-mail Prof. Tenhulzen to schedule an appointment.

Education & Certifications:

M.S., Family and Child Life, Central Washington University 
B.S., Human Development and Family Studies

Certified Child Life Specialist

Courses I teach:

* offered online

About me:

As a Certified Child Life Specialist since 2001, I had the privilege of working with patients and families at Seattle Children’s Hospital for over a decade. During this time, I co-authored the book “Upside Down and Backwards: A Sibling’s Journey Through Childhood Cancer” which was published through the American Psychological Association. As a Certified Parent Coach, I taught at Lake Washington Institute of Technology as a Parenting Educator prior to coming to CWU. My academic interests include interpersonal neurobiology, social justice and equity, stress and coping, and emotional and social development. My research interests include the efficacy of child life services, coping in health care settings, siblings of chronically ill patients, and patients’ reentry into the school system after hospitalization.

I am the director of the undergraduate Child Life program. Please contact me with any questions about the program.