Children's Hospital LosAngeles
It is with great pleasure that I write this letter of recommendation for Tim Courtney the founder of the Picture Me Happy organization. I have know Tim for the past two years and have seen first hand how his photography has changed lives and brought such joy and pride into families with chronically ill and disfigured children.
I am Dr. Susan Miller the child and pediatric psychologist for the Division of Plastic and Reconstructive surgery at childrens Hospital Los Angeles. Tim sought me out to ask what he could do to help our children and their families. After looking at Tim’s photos I knew right away that his talent was the missing piece in one of my programs, Girl Talk, as self-esteem program for the patients and their families. Many of our families feel shame and guilt when they give birth to a child with a disfigurement. For this reason they often do not take photos of their precious new babies. This missed opportunity often brings up feelings of unworthiness later when the child is in school and wants to see their baby pictures like all of their friends or siblings have. Tim presented us with an opportunity to photograph the girls and their mother’s after they had a “mother/daughter” make over session. This portrait was the first mother/daughter portrait these families had ever had. The emotions that come out in theses portrait sessions was so overpowering many of the girls and mothers were brought to tears. Tim was so gentle and unhurried with each mother/daughter session that no one felt uncomfortable or embarrassed. What he caught on film was outstanding. We gave theses photos to the girls and their mother’s as a gift at the end of group and the tears of bonding, joy and pride from both mother and daughter was so intimate I did not want to interrupt the moment. Every family called me or sought me out to thank me for this portrait that Tim had done.
It is with great pleasure that I recommend Tim Courtney and his Picture Me Happy organization for any family with a chronically ill loved one. The memories are priceless.
Susan Miller, Psy.D.
Clinical and Pediatric Psychologist
PSY19995