Hello, and welcome to Building Bravery! My name is Leslie Alexander, and I am a Certified Child Life Specialist with over 13 years of experience supporting children, teens, and families through life’s most challenging moments. My passion for this work is deeply personal, at six years old, I was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes, an experience that shaped my understanding of how profoundly medical events, uncertainty, and fear can impact a child and their family.

Building Bravery was created to be a safe, compassionate space where families can access support, practical tools, and evidence-informed guidance during times of grief, illness, anxiety, and major life transitions. What started as a Child Life centered practice has grown to include Exposure Coaching for anxiety and OCD, as well as Eating Disorder Coaching, allowing me to support children and young adults across a wider range of emotional and behavioral health needs.

Whether helping a child understand their illness, guiding a family through the loss of a loved one, preparing a child for a medical procedure, coaching someone through an exposure hierarchy, or supporting a young person navigating the complexities of an eating disorder, my mission remains the same: to build resilience, reduce fear, and empower families with hope and clarity.

I hold a degree in Developmental Psychology from The College of New Jersey and developed my expertise through work in inpatient pediatric rehabilitation and at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) @ Virtua Health. Throughout my career, I’ve supported patients and families in general pediatrics, pediatric emergency departments, outpatient radiology, and adult intensive care units, helping children and caregivers cope, communicate, and find emotional grounding in even the most overwhelming situations.

When I’m not working, you can find me with my husband, our two children, and our pitbull Bogey, or doing home projects, refinishing furniture and decorating for every season.

Thank you for being here. I look forward to supporting you and walking beside you on your journey toward healing, understanding, and bravery.