Your questions, answered — before you ever have to ask them

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What exactly is parent coaching? Parent coaching is an educational service that translates pediatric behavioral science and clinical preparation principles into practical strategies families can use at home — before blood draws, dental visits, vaccinations, imaging appointments, and other medical encounters that trigger anxiety or refusal.

It is not therapy. It is preparation — and preparation is often the missing piece.

Is this only for blood draws? No — and this is important. Poke Pals was built by a phlebotomist, but the framework applies to any medical or dental procedure that involves sensory input, restraint, unfamiliar environments, or anticipatory fear. Families come to Poke Pals for support around:

• Blood draws and lab visits
• Dental cleanings, exams, and procedures
• Vaccinations and injections
• MRI and CT imaging
• Ear, eye, and sensory exams
• Any medical visit their child dreads

If your child struggles with healthcare appointments — whatever kind — this program was built for them.

Is this therapy? No. Parent coaching through Poke Pals is educational support focused on medical preparation and coping strategies. It is not psychotherapy and does not replace medical, psychological, or behavioral health treatment. If your child is working with a therapist or BCBA, Poke Pals is designed to complement that work — not compete with it.

Do you need to meet my child? Not necessarily. Most sessions focus on coaching caregivers directly, equipping you with strategies you can implement right away. If it's helpful, your child may join part of a session so I can observe their responses and offer more targeted guidance.

What if my child's appointment is coming up soon? Even a single session can make a meaningful difference. If you have an upcoming procedure, book a discovery call as soon as possible. I can provide focused, timeline-specific preparation strategies — and resources you can use immediately.

My child doesn't have a diagnosis. Can coaching still help? Absolutely. A diagnosis is never required. If medical or dental appointments are stressful for your child — regardless of why — preparation strategies can reduce fear, increase predictability, and improve cooperation. Many of the families Poke Pals serves have neurotypical children who have simply had one too many difficult experiences in a clinical setting.

What ages do you work with? Most families I support have children between the ages of 2 and 12. Strategies can be adapted for teens and young adults with anxiety or developmental differences. If you're unsure whether your child's age or needs are a fit, we'll figure that out together on the discovery call.

How quickly will we see results? Some families notice a shift after the very first session. Others see gradual improvement across a short series. Families who complete a preparation series consistently report three things: their child arrives calmer, cooperates more readily, and recovers faster after the procedure. That pattern compounds across every future healthcare visit.

I'm a business owner or organization — is this page for me too? This page is primarily for families, but you're welcome here. If you're a pediatric dental practice, ABA clinic, school district, or community sponsor exploring what a Poke Pals partnership looks like, the best next step is a 15-minute exploratory call. You can also visit the [For Organizations →] page for details.

Have a question that isn't here? Email franchesca@pokepalskids.com — I answer personally.

IMeet Franchesca Kelly

I've spent nearly a decade working with children during the procedures they fear the most.

I've sat on clinic floors earning trust before a needle appeared. I've watched a child who was labeled "impossible to draw" hold still for the first time because someone finally took ten minutes to prepare them. I've seen parents cry with relief in the parking lot afterward — not because it was painless, but because their child made it through with their dignity intact.

That experience is the foundation of everything Poke Pals does.

I am a certified pediatric phlebotomist (PBT, ASCP), a Registered Behavior Technician (RBT, BACB), and a Medical Laboratory Assistant (MLA, AMT). My work sits at the intersection of clinical laboratory medicine and behavioral science — two fields that have always belonged together and are rarely in the same room.

I created Poke Pals because I kept seeing the same gap: children were being asked to participate in procedures — blood draws, dental work, vaccinations, imaging — without being given what they needed to succeed. The clinical skill was there. The preparation wasn't.

Poke Pals is the preparation.

It is grounded in published research, shaped by real clinical experience, and designed for the children who have been told they're too anxious, too sensitive, or too difficult — when what they actually are is under-prepared.

My approach includes:

• Nervous-system–aware preparation
• Predictable procedural language children can hold onto
• Child-led involvement and graduated exposure
• Neurodiversity-affirming strategies (autism, ADHD, SPD, anxiety)
• Comfort-first, evidence-informed frameworks
• Tools that transfer across procedure types and settings

Published work:

• Contemporary Pediatrics — Bridging Health Care and Behavioral Science for Neurodivergent Children
• ASCP Critical Values — Enhancing Pediatric Care with Pediatric Phlebotomy Training (2024)
• ASCP Critical Values — Addressing Needle Phobia in Phlebotomy (2025)
• ASCP Critical Values — When No Specimen Exists: A Pre-Analytic Blind Spot in Pediatric Care (April 2026)
• Clinical Lab Products — The Pediatric Testing Problem Labs Aren't Measuring

For families: If medical or dental appointments leave your child anxious, resistant, or overwhelmed — you don't have to figure this out alone. One conversation can change what the next appointment looks like.

SCHEDULE A FREE PARENT DISCOVERY CALL

Clinicians and organizations seeking staff education should visit the “For Organizations” page.