Our story began in 2013 as a vision to transform the experience of hospital care for babies, families and healthcare professionals; to expand the scope of care to embrace our shared humanity and heal the hurt that often goes unnoticed in the fast-paced, technologically oriented business of healthcare.

Who We Are

Our Just Cause

Our story began in 2013 as a vision to transform the experience of care for babies, families and healthcare professionals.


The concept of trauma-informed care, a well established paradigm within behavioral health for decades, was essentially unknown to the NICU in 2013. However, with irrefutable biologic relevance for babies and families in crisis, Caring Essentials pioneered this concept as a champion for the mental and emotional health of those that do not have a voice.


Today, the concept of a trauma-informed approach to care transcends all settings and invites health and human service professionals to cultivate meaningful practices and routines that reduce distress and suffering for themselves and those they serve.  This broader view of trauma-informed care has driven Caring Essentials Collaborative to expand all ways of serving.


Caring Essentials Collaborative is now the internationally recognized leader in trauma-informed developmental care education for those who serve babies, children and their families across all settings.

Developmental Care Icon - Caring Essentials

Our Why

We at Caring Essentials Collaborative believe that there is a better way and it begins with you.


Being trauma-informed is rediscovering our own story to connect authentically and compassionately with the stories of others.  Stories matter and we believe by embracing our collective stories each of us can and does make a difference in the lives of others and ourselves every day. 


Through the journey of becoming trauma-informed, leaders emerge and cultural transformation takes shape as a caring collective of energized, empowered and engaged professionals. 

 

Our role is to support and serve you through this journey and transformation with our expertise, comprehensive education programs, organized evidence-based frameworks and our unfailing commitment to help you create more compassionate, nurturing and mindful caring experiences for babies, children, families, colleagues and yourself.

Our Mission

To create a kinder, more connected and compassionate world, one moment at a time

JOIN OUR MOVEMENT

I think the part that stood out for me the most is "become a part of someone's life history".


People often remember the big moments in their life the most or events that bring them joy, or sadly trauma. I think this ties into being trauma-informed by gaining a deeper understanding that one's use of compassion can have a huge impact on that person's history. I am drawn to Maya Angelou for this - “At the end of the day people won't remember what you said or did, they will remember how you made them feel.” And now armed with this "reawakening" I seek to go forth with this in mind and enter each shift with the reminder that today I will be a part of someone's history so make it meaningful, making it sincere and bring joy.

- TIP Scholar

Faculty

Mary Coughlin - Founder of Caring Essentials Trauma Informed Organization

Mary

Mary E. Coughlin, MS, NNP, RNC-E, is a global leader in neonatal nursing and has

pioneered the concept of trauma-informed, age-appropriate care as a biologically

relevant paradigm for hospitalized babies, families, and professionals.


A seasoned staff nurse, charge nurse, neonatal nurse practitioner, administrator, educator, coach and mentor, Ms. Coughlin has over 40 years of nursing experience beginning with her 7 years of active duty in the U.S. Air Force Nurse Corp and culminating with her current role as president and founder of Caring Essentials Collaborative.


Ms. Coughlin is a published author with credits that include the seminal paper introducing the concept of core measures for developmentally supportive care, Clinical Practice Guidelines for Trauma-Informed, Age-Appropriate Care in the NICU (endorsed by the National Associations of Neonatal Nurses and Neonatal Therapists [NANN and NANT] as well as the Council for International Neonatal Nurses [COINN]) and the recent Position Statement for NANN on Trauma-Informed Care in the NICU.


In her role as president of Caring Essentials Collaborative, Ms. Coughlin has educated, inspired, and empowered close to 20,000 interdisciplinary NICU clinicians from over 15

countries to transform the experience of care for babies and families. From speaking engagements and keynote presentations to individual coaching, masterclasses, and unit-based/organizational quality-improvement initiatives, Mary leads the team at Caring Essentials Collaborative.


The mother of six and grandmother to eleven beautiful children, Mary and her husband, Dan, live in Boston, Massachusetts, with their dog, George.

Tara DeWolfe - certified in newborn developmental care

Tara

Tara DeWolfe, PT, DPT, CNT, CLC, is a dynamic leader integrating trauma informed care into the field of physical therapy.  Tara’s passion is providing a holistic approach to creating nurturing experiences for babies and their families and supporting her colleagues to align with their true purpose.


Tara began her career at a children's hospital for serving in both inpatient and outpatient pediatrics. She then  pursued specialization in developmentally supportive care and neonatal therapy.  Specializing in newborn developmental care, developmental follow up and early intervention, Tara has a comprehensive knowledge to support the continuum of development.


Tara has completed the Caring Essentials' Quantum Leap Program.  She is certified to reliability in the Newborn Individualized Developmental Care and Assessment Program (NIDCAP) and holds certification in Prechtl’s Method on General Movement Assessment. In 2012, Tara achieved National Association of Neonatal Nurses (NANN) Developmental Care Specialist Designation. Tara has completed Certified Lactation Educator coursework through Childbirth and Postpartum Professional Association  and Certified Lactation Counselor training through Healthy Children Project - Center for Breastfeeding.  She has extensive training in supportive feeding through one on one mentorship including Early Feeding Skills Assessment and Supporting Oral Feeding in Fragile Infant Method training. Tara has additional coursework and mentorship in the areas of newborn intrauterine drug exposure, torticollis and brachial plexus injury support and is a certified neonatal therapist.


Tara has provided collaboration, advancement and quality improvement in the NICU. She has mentored NICU/pediatric clinicians to advance the competence and consistency of developmentally supportive care. Recently, she has co-created the Trauma Informed Professional Certificate program and is a leader in the daily operations of Caring Essentials Collaborative.


The mother of seven babies of her own, Tara and her husband, Ben live in Illinois.

Kristy Fuller - certified neonatal therapist

Kristy

Kristy Fuller, OTR/L, CNT is a passionate leader in the area of occupational therapy, specializing in early eating experiences.  As a certified neonatal therapist, she is passionate about sharing a preventative model to support feeding success. With over thirty years of experience, she has developed and adapted traditional feeding readiness and assessment scales to incorporate the best research and clinical evidence.


Most of Kristy’s career has been in the NICU environment providing developmental care and consultation, and in 2018 she began providing private consultation to hospitals in the Midwest.  She has developed a bedside-training program for nurses and therapists and provides instruction in the use of the Early Feeding Skills Assessment.  She is a graduate of Caring Essentials' Quantum Leap Program.


Kristy is certified to reliability in the Newborn Individualized Developmental Care and Assessment Program (NIDCAP) and holds certification in Prechtl’s Method on General Movement Assessment.  In addition to her NDT training and extensive background in the Early Feeding Skills Assessment, Kristy’s education includes the Neonatal Oral Motor Assessment Scale (NOMAS), Infant Driven Feeding Skills Assessment, and Supporting Oral Feeding in Fragile Infants (SOFFI) method.  She has also completed Certified Lactation Educator preparation through the Childbirth and Postpartum Professional Association.


Kristy has been a national speaker for Dr. Brown’s Medical, NOMAS, NANT and NANN. She assisted in data collection for the Early Feeding Skills Assessment tool and is co-author of two publications: Psychometric Properties of the Early Feeding Skills Assessment Tool (2018) and Establishing a Foundation for Optimal Feeding Outcomes in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (2020).  Recently, she has co-created the Trauma Informed Professional Certificate program and directs curriculum development for Caring Essentials Collaborative.


A mother of two, Kristy and her husband, Ron live in Eastern Iowa with their dog Lucy.


Trauma Informed

PROFESSIONALS

The TIPERS

The following professionals have completed all the requirements for the Trauma Informed Professional (TIP) Certificate Program.

Kim Butny MSN, RNC-NIC, C-ELBW, NTMNC

Mary Beth Lohman OTR/L, CNT, CIMI

Ana Paz PT, DPT, NTMTC

Rebecca Lorey OTR/L, CNT, NTMTC

Terri Sandoval NICU RN

Sara Clarke RNC-NIC, NIDCAP, NTMTNC

Kathryn Carruthers OT and AHP Lead 

Madeline Pawloski OT

Deirdre Masterson BSN, RN,RNC-NIC

Megan Willmert RN

Melanie Peck BSc (Hons) SLT

Rosemarie Piper PT

Amy Wolfinger PT, CEIM

Yamile Jackson PhD, PE, PMP

Emily Hills OT, NIDCAP, CNT, NTMTC

Deanna Gibbs PhD, MOT, BAppSc(OT), GC Res Meth, CNT, NTMTC

Amanda Coffey OTD, OTR/L

Suzanne S. Schneider MS, CCC/SLP, NTMTC, CNT

Jenna Senior Emotional Wellbeing Practitioner

Rose Ann Haines RN

Lisa Dolanc RN

Ramya Kumar MS, CCC-SLP, CNT, BCSS, IBCLC, NTMTC

Brittany Welch NNP-BC

Kaylee Stanley APN

Isabelle Milette NNP

Angie Onion APRN

Nicole Walker MS, CCLS

Staci Olister MD

Claire Ryan RN, BSN

Jessica Fulton APRN, NNP-BC

Molly Rutledge MA, CCC-SLP, MS

Yukiko Norikuni BSN, RN

Katharine Romero MS, CCC-SLP, IBCLC

Chantel Morin RN, BScN

Britt Pados PhD, RN, CLC, FAHA, FNAP

Charisse Ortman-Brockmueller MSN, APRN-NNP

Meegan Snyder Director Preemie Parent Mentor Program

Katie Rogers OTR/L

Shreyas Iyer Musician

Denise McNichol OTR/L

Kristin Aigner RN

Kristine Gehman RN, NIC

Orla Urquhart Neonatal & Children's Occupational Therapist

Shannon Frey MS, CCC-SLP

Victoria Gallagher BSN, RN

Ann Hudson OTR/L

Lindsay Hardy Occupational Therapist

Alyssa Phillips RN

Liz Zimmerman RN, BSN

Jenny Haverly RN

Justin Parsley BSN, RN, CCRN

Joanna James OT/L, SWC, CLE, NTMTC

Sam Sibson Speech Language Pathologist/ Feeding Specialist

Joy Hess APRN, NNP

Sandra Carroll OTR, CLC, C-ELBW, CNT

Megan Laetare RN

Rebeca Aguilar Neonatal Nurse

Shelbe Sundeen MSN, RN

Jacqulin Ashbaugh BSN, RN, CCRN, C-ELBW

Ashley Hedden Occupational Therapist

Emily Spaeth Neonatal Physical Therapist

Paige Hardy DNP, APRN, NNP-BC

Jenny Montgomery RNC-NIC, BSN

Kimberly Bean RN

Lisa Glasgow OTR/L, CNT

Carissa Rowberry Physical Therapist

Elizabeth Alley BSN, RNC-NIC, C-NNIC, C-ELBW

Karen Kelsch Perinatal Social Worker

Puja Padbidri Physical Therapist

Keri Parker PT, DPT, CNT, NTMTC

Jennifer Hendrikse OTR, MOT, CNT, CLC

Kristi Leutzinger Speech-Language Pathologist

Alison Sheppard BSc, DipPhys, DipMTA, CNT

Casie Phegley Speech Language Pathologist

Marissa Ulm CCC-SLP

Elise Kelley Occupational Therapist

Lauren Culberson MD

Diane Allen OTR/L,NTMTC, CNT

Jessica Hoffman RN, BSN, CCRN

Sarah DePalma MS CCC-SLP

Michele Jones BSN, RNC, CE

Jo Burgess MSPT, CNT, NTMTC

Hannah Corsa RN, BSN

Margaret Miller Occupational Therapist

Traci Iverson MS-CCC-SLP

Melody Wilbur DNP, APRN, NNP-BC

Rachel Mosser RN, BSN

Allie Vance RN

Suzanne Steffen PT

Peggy Adams M.Ed., CCLS

Holly Flynn RN

Charlotte Edwards RN

Sheri Kimmey MS, RN-NIC

Laene Keith MA, CCC/SLP, IBCLC

Barbara Smith MSN-ED, RNC-NIC

Meredith Knapp Occupational Therapist

Pamvia Shuga RN/NICU

Alyssa Marie Gumbs-Fells MSN, RN

Melinda Sloan RNC

Piper Bacskai OTR/L, NTMC

Jessi Barnes MSN, RNC-NIC, NPD-BC

Laurie Braswell Occupational Therapist

Lisa James MSN, RNC-NIC, NPD-BC

Donna Mann MSN, NNP

Carrie Ferguson PT, DPT

Barb O'Rourke RN-NIC

Joana Isabel Cordeiro e Carvalho RN

Alice Gair Paediatric/Neonatal Occupational Therapist

Amy Westendorf Neonatal/Pediatric SLP

Stephanie Jimenez RN, NICU Nurse Manager

Louisa Ferrara-Gonzalez PhD, CCC-SLP, BCS-S, CNT, NTMTC

Mandy Hrobak NNP

Cara Iuliano SLP

Annie Stange RN

Jodi Sides RN Clinical Coordinator

Michael Carson PT, DPT

Brenda Gonzales NNP

Myra Joy Quilatan RN

Kayla Stammer RN

Marion Nielson SLP

Katie Sieren Social Worker

Linda Yang MD

Kelly Miller Social Worker

Patreece Engelmeyer RN

Melody Lineburg RN

Rebecca Chuffo Davila NNP

Melissa Smith OTR/L

Cassandra Palasiewicz Nurse Practitioner

Emily Spellmann RN, Associate Director, Neonatal Services

Makenzi Osterhout RN

Lexee Robbins RN

Lisa Koonce NNP

Denise Holida NNP

Melissa Mabon RN

Brianna Mullinnix RN

Amanda Weary RN

Elizabeth May RN

Carmen Fernau RN

Michele Dameron RN, Assistant Nurse Manager

Mandy Karstens RN, Nurse Practice Leader

Emily Martin RN

Jenny Duffy Clinical Social Worker

Brianna Clarahan PT, DPT

Kayla Fobian RN

Kristin Varzavand RN

Codi Robison RN

Jennifer Melloy RN

Autum Yarger Social Worker

Marissa Johnson RN, Clinical Practice Leader

Banba Swicker Lipton PT, DPT

Lily Nichols RN

Audrey Halden Social Worker

Kathy Shey Social Worker

Cara Cimino OTR/L

Kathi Anderson PT, DPT

Katie Zumwalde OTR/L

Anne Nielsen PNP

Julie Skala RN

Gina Rottinghaus NNP

Teresa Proctor RN, NICU Manager

Farrin Moreno NICU Parent/Advocate/M.A. Communication

Kathy Wasion RN

April Castaldi RN, NICU ANM

Ellen Kluck RN, Developmental Nurse Specialist

Angeline Parez RN, Developmental Care Consultant

Daniela Grafe RN, NNP

Sue Horner RN, PhD, Developmental Specialist/Nursing

Ginny Shaffer FCC Program Coordinator- NICU

Nicole Scafura SLP

Keltie Mclean RN

Emily Dumolien RN

Cassie Davis RN

Molly Kosovich RN

Jodie Taylor OTR/L

Laura Pascale Johnson RN, Lactation Consultant

Nancy Sherman Carter Chaplain

Cyndie Homewood RN

Sara Paredes RN

Kristi Haughey RN, Nursing Leadership

Saskia Clayton Harvey RN

Brooke Stamm Speech Language Pathologist

Megan Campbell Occupational Therapist

Courtney Gregory Lactation Nurse

Jennifer Satterfield RN

Molly Polacco Speech Pathologist/NICU Advocate

Erika Banks RN

Vanessa Schneider RN

Ashley Caton RN

Brittany Brown Occupational Therapist

Patricia Padgurskis Physical Therapist

KayLee Greenwell RN

Heidi Walker

Stacey Witzenburg RN Care Coordinator, NICU/Peds

Lauren Aldana Speech Language Pathologist

Kyle Ehrhardt RN

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