Program for Professionals:

Grief Support for Continuing Bonds and Holiday Traditions

A virtual program for grief care professionals and end of life caregiving volunteers and professionals including Healthcare workers, Victim Advocates, Therapists, Counselors, Funeral Directors, Hospice Workers

For many grieving people, the holidays can feel overwhelming. Traditions and rituals that once brought comfort can now feel painful or empty, leaving families unsure how to navigate the season. This session is for grief and mental health professionals who want to better understand how ritual can help during times of loss. We’ll look at research on the role of ritual in grief and the concept of continuing bonds, exploring why these ideas matter when supporting clients through the holidays. The session will cover: 

• How grief disrupts familiar traditions—and how new or adapted rituals can help people cope
• Ways to use clients’ own values to guide meaningful holiday choices
• Practical tools to help grievers stay connected to those they’ve lost

   

We’ll also address common challenges like changing or letting go of old traditions and navigating family conflicts around holiday plans.

Tuesday November 4, 2025

8:00-10:00 Pacific / 9:00-11:00 Mountain / 10:00-12:00 Central / 11:00-1:00 Eastern (2 Hour Program)

Suggested donation: $15
Cost to include CEUs: $30

Program for the Community:

Rewriting the Holidays After Loss

 A virtual program for anyone who has experienced a loss or is supporting a grieving loved one through loss.

The holidays can be complicated after loss. The season that once brought connection and tradition can now feel overwhelming, empty, or impossible to face. Or you might be looking forward to the holidays, while feeling guilty about finding holiday cheer without them. Whether your loss happened recently or years ago, you may find yourself asking: How do I get through the season without pretending everything is fine?

This two-hour webinar offers a supportive space to explore those questions. We’ll talk about the unique challenges of grieving during the holidays, from navigating traditions and expectations to handling loneliness, guilt, and the pressure to “celebrate.”

Through guided discussion, reflection exercises, and a downloadable workbook filled with writing prompts, you’ll:

• Clarify your own needs and boundaries for the season

   

• Reconnect with personal values to help guide decisions

   

• Explore ways to honor your loved one and maintain connection

   

• Create a personalized plan to approach the holidays with more steadiness and self-compassion

   

This isn’t about trying to “move on” or feel joyful—it’s about gently reshaping the season to fit your grief and your reality, whatever that looks like for you.

Tuesday November 4, 2025

5:00 Pacific / 6:00 Mountain / 7:00 Central / 8:00 Eastern (1.5 Hour Program)

Suggested donation: $15

About the Presenters:

Eleanor Haley, M.S.
Program Director and Co-Founder
[email protected]
My grandmother’s name was Eleanor. My mother was pregnant with me when my grandmother died of breast cancer at the age of 60. When I was born a month later I was named “Eleanor” after her. Although I never had a chance to meet my grandmother, I am told that she was gracious and kind. My mother spoke about her often and told me that she thought of her every day. My mother’s name was Evelyn. I was pregnant with my first child when she died of pancreatic cancer at the age of 57. It only follows that when I gave birth to a baby girl months later, I named her “Evelyn” after my mother. My mother was compassionate, warm, and nurturing. My daughter never had the chance to meet her, but I talk about her all the time. I think of my mother every day, cry about her once in a while, and dream of her less than I would like. When I started working with grieving families many years ago, I wasn’t sure how the recent death of my mother would shape my ability to help others facing similar circumstances. As is typical with loss, the death of my mother had a profound effect on me, in good ways and bad. I soon discovered that losing her had given me the perspective and strength I needed to help others walking through a darkness that had become quite familiar to me. And thankfully, whatever help I gave to others I have gotten back in kind, for it is only because of the wisdom of other grievers that I have been able to find peace and acceptance for my own loss. My name is Eleanor. I live in Maryland and I received my Masters in Counseling Psychology from Loyola College in Maryland.

Litsa Williams, MA, LCSW-C
Program Director and Co-Founder
[email protected]

My name is Litsa. Litsa Elizabeth Williams. Litsa from my grandmother: my mother’s mother. This is the name for the crazy Greek in me; the loud, passionate, emotional me. The me who hugs people I just met and believes that food is love. The me who was taught that weddings, baptisms, and funerals should include every person you’ve ever met and that 15 minutes late is on time. Elizabeth from my grandmother: my father’s mother. This is the name for the rest of me. The me who was taught that some emotions should be quiet and all problems should be private. Who was taught that there are clear lines between acquaintances, friends, and family and that weddings, baptisms, and funerals are small, intimate events. The me who knows that you should always arrive 5 minutes early.

Williams from my father, who died before my 19th birthday; before I had declared a major in college, bought my first car, first house, or met the person I thought I would spend the rest of my life with. This is the name for the me that was raised on sarcasm, math problems, and college basketball. The me who knows that Mick Jagger was right: you can’t always get what you want. I have taken a winding road, from Britain and a Master’s in Philosophy, to Baltimore and a Master’s in Social Work, to working with adults experiencing homelessness, teens in the foster and justice systems, and bereaved families. It is those individuals who have taught me more than I could ever have hoped to learn in my 20 years of schooling. Though I never imagined myself here I am confident it is where I am supposed to be. I live in a cozy, 9 ft wide Baltimore row house.  And I believe that 5 minutes late is absolutely on time.

For more information about What’s Your Grief, visit their website: whatsyourgrief.com