Heading Into the Holiday Season: Holding Space for Grief
December 12, 2025, 9am - 11am
Register for: Heading Into the Holiday Season: Holding Space for Grief
The holidays are often seen as a time of joy and connection, yet they can also bring feelings of grief, loneliness, and emotional exhaustion—especially for those healing from trauma or loss. This presentation offers a trauma-informed look at how to navigate the holiday season with compassion and resilience. We’ll explore emotional exhaustion, the impact of collective stress, and practical ways to hold space for yourself and others during times of overwhelm. Participants will gain tools to recognize stress responses, set boundaries, and cultivate new, meaningful traditions.
Learning Objectives: 1. Understand how stress and emotional exhaustion affect the window of tolerance. 2. Identify factors that contribute to grief and overwhelm during the holidays. 3. Learn coping and self-care strategies to support resilience and connection. Alison Stoll earned her Master of Arts in Forensic Psychology from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology. She spent three years as a Child and Family Therapist at the Children’s Advocacy Center of North and Northwest Cook County and now works in private practice treating children, adolescents, and adults impacted by childhood trauma. She is passionate about presenting and has extensive knowledge of neurodevelopment and the neurobiology of complex trauma. During her internship with Chicago Public Schools, she addressed systemic inequities, built relationships to support social-emotional learning, and helped implement restorative justice practices. She remains active in her community, advocating for trauma awareness and resilience. Her clinical experience includes trauma-informed therapy for sexual and physical abuse, exposure to violence, mood and anxiety disorders, PTSD, attachment issues, and complicated grief with individuals, families, and groups. She is trained in TF-CBT, EMDR, and the Neurosequential Model of Therapeutics (NMT). Alison has presented on topics such as the neurobiology of complex trauma, the ACE Study, vicarious trauma, body safety, and how to talk to children about trauma.
| |
