Description & Objectives

Continuing Education Hours: 2 CEs for LPC, SW, LMFT, and Psychologists - NBCC Approved

Description: The holiday season, often portrayed as a time of joy and togetherness, can feel particularly heavy for women who have experienced domestic violence and for those who support them. Amid the celebrations and high expectations, this time of year can bring waves of grief, anger, loneliness, and painful memories to the surface. This workshop creates a compassionate and supportive space for survivors and mental health professionals to come together and explore how to navigate the emotional intensity of the holidays. When gratitude and hope feel out of reach, we’ll uncover ways to find small moments of peace, hope, and healing.

Learning Objectives:

  • Participants will learn to identify and understand the range of emotions—including grief, anger, and isolation—that may surface during the holiday season and develop strategies to hold space for both difficult and hopeful feelings. 
  • Participants will create personalized coping plans to manage common holiday triggers, such as family gatherings, traditions, and heightened expectations, while setting healthy boundaries and maintaining emotional well-being. 
  • Mental health professionals and supporters will gain tools to cope with vicarious trauma and emotional burnout during the holidays, fostering resilience and self-care practices to sustain their well-being while helping others.

Instructor

Kerri Newman

Kerri Newman (she/her) is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and the Program Director at Journey of Hope Grief Support Center, where she has been supporting families who are grieving since 2013. As Program Director since 2015, she oversees peer grief support groups, anticipatory grief support, community grief support, and school-based grief support groups. Kerri also provides individual and family therapy at Wellspring Counseling Center in Plano. She earned her Master of Science in Marriage and Family Therapy from Texas Tech University.