Jessica S. Pierce, PhD

Get to Know Me

Growing up in Florida, I volunteered at a camp for children with diabetes. That’s where I first experienced the interplay of psychology and medicine and realized what I wanted to do with my life. I trained at Nemours in Delaware. Afterwards, I was excited to stay in the Nemours system and return to my home state.

Why I Treat Children

During my volunteer days with children living with a chronic medical condition, I saw their day-to-day difficulties firsthand. It still amazes me how much children and teens are capable of handling with grace. When emotional and behavioral support is necessary, the best approach is teamwork. My job is to help children and families work together effectively.

What I'm Passionate About

I’m passionate about helping children and teens with chronic and acute medical conditions. I strive to provide complete family-centered care. This means partnering with other providers and supporting patients and their families emotionally through various stages of adjustment — which may include diagnosis, ongoing treatment, difficulties with medication compliance, the social impact of a medical condition and transition to adult care.

Make A Difference

It is a privilege to help patients and families cope with and adjust to having a chronic or acute illness. I try to use my knowledge, experience and abilities to connect with families, normalize their experience, recognize individual and family strengths, and build trust.