A Little About Me - Dr. Stephanie Kirklin

Hi there! I am Stephanie. I just want you to know that you are not alone in this! Whether you are here seeking help for yourself and your own sleep or stress needs or you are here for your newborn or toddler, I am here for you!

I know how much sleep can impact our lives. I've been the sleep deprived mother reaching for the ketchup and adding that to her coffee instead of creamer. I've also been the adult who is up at 2:00 am and simply cannot fall back asleep because her brain just won't shut down.

The thing is, you can read all this amazing literature on sleep hygiene, the benefits of sleep training, and all these "rules" about what you are supposed to do for your sleep and the sleep of your own children. But the challenge is that it is so much information that sifting through it to find something that works for you, in your life, with your specific goals and needs - well, that's maybe where things get more complicated.

That's where I can come in. I have already read the literature (though I still love learning new things), I have taken the courses, and I am ready to help you. I gear my practice towards creating plans that are realistic for you based on your values and what is most important to you.

For my pediatric clients, the work that I do is rooted in attachment and bonds. I developed my own framework that guides my practice as a pediatric sleep consultant, called L.A.U.G.H.

Credentials:

Educational Credentials:

Doctorate of Educational Leadership awarded May 2019 from Edgewood University

Master of Arts in Teaching awarded June 2009 from Brandeis University

Bachelor of Science with a major in Psychology awarded May 2007 from Allegheny College

Credentials from The Newborn Care Solutions Institute:

Newborn Care Specialist Certificate obtained April 2025

Credentials from The Institute of Pediatric Sleep and Parenting:

Certified Pediatric Sleep Consultant obtained May 2025

Certified Newborn Sleep Consultant obtained May 2025

Certified Baby Sign Language Educator obtained December 2025

Credentials from The Spencer Institute:

Certified Sleep Science Coach obtained June 2025

Certified Stress Management Coach obtained August 2025

L - Lead with predictability - same steps, same order, same rhythm

A - Attune before separation - slow down, be present, make eye contact

U - Use joy - a soft song, a whisper, an inside joke

G - Ground the joy - calming not activating, dim lights, gentle voice, steady energy

H - Honor the transition - we don't rush the goodbye, calm endings matter because how we leave sets the tone for sleep

Adults and children alike need sleep to feel safe, supportive, and joyful - not stressful or forced.