Pricing: CSCSW Members - $30 | Non-Members - $60 | Students - $15
Summary:
Grief is a neurobiological, relational, and embodied experience that affects both those who are grieving and the professionals who support them. Although clinicians and helping professionals receive training in cognitive and emotional models of grief, many are not taught how loss impacts the autonomic nervous system, attachment systems, and long-term stress regulation.
This two-hour continuing education training presents a trauma- and grief-informed somatic framework grounded in contemporary neuroscience, attachment theory, and polyvagal theory. Participants will examine the neurobiology of loss, including limbic system activation, autonomic nervous system responses (sympathetic activation, dorsal vagal shutdown, and ventral vagal regulation), and shifts in the window of tolerance. The training will explore how attachment patterns influence grief responses and relational dynamics in clinical and caregiving settings.
The session will also address professional grief, cumulative exposure to loss, compassion fatigue, and burnout through a nervous system lens. Participants will learn how chronic stress and repeated grief exposure narrow the window of tolerance, impact executive functioning, and affect therapeutic presence and decision-making.
Participants will be introduced to three applied somatic frameworks: vagus-nerve-informed regulation strategies, bilateral movement and rhythmic integration practices, and contraction/expansion pendulation. Practical tools will be demonstrated to support client stabilization, relational safety, and clinician resilience.
This training integrates theory with applied practice, equipping professionals with evidence-informed, body-based interventions to support grief integration while reducing burnout and enhancing sustainable clinical presence.
Describe how grief affects the nervous system.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this presentation, participants will be able to:
- Identify at least three somatic practices that support regulation and healing following loss.
- Explain how Polyvagal Theory helps illuminate common physiological responses to grief and apply this understanding to support emotional regulation and connection in individuals experiencing loss.
- Apply the SAGE Framework (Somatic Awareness, Autonomic Regulation, Grief Integration, and Embodied Connection) to better understand and respond to grief in themselves and others.
- Analyze the neurobiological and physiological impact of grief, including autonomic nervous system responses, and integrate this knowledge into trauma-informed, grief-responsive practice.
- Evaluate how embodied, Polyvagal-informed, and somatic approaches complement traditional grief interventions while promoting resilience, connection, and culturally responsive care across diverse populations.
About the Presenters:
Amy Pickett-Williams, LCSW, RYT is the Founder of LIGHT Movement (Love In Grief Held Together), a volunteer-run nonprofit dedicated to transforming how individuals, professionals, and communities understand and support grief through evidence-informed, body-based education. A licensed clinical social worker with more than 25 years of experience, Amy has worked in pediatric oncology, bone marrow transplant, pediatric burn care, hospice, schools, community mental health, and private practice, supporting children, adults, families, and interdisciplinary healthcare teams through grief, trauma, serious illness, and life transitions.
Amy is a nationally recognized speaker who has presented for organizations including the American Psychological Association (APA), the Association of Professional Chaplains (APC), the Pediatric Chaplains Network Conference, the Association of Oncology Social Workers (AOSW), the National Alliance for Children's Grief (NACG), the National Organization for Victim Assistance (NOVA), the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS), the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE), and more. She is the author of the forthcoming New Harbinger Publications book, Embodying Grief: Somatic and Polyvagal-Informed Practices for Finding Peace After Loss. Through her work, Amy is committed to helping people understand grief not only as an emotional experience, but as one that lives within the body and can be met with compassion, connection, and hope.
Katie Mattei, PsyD, is a licensed clinical psychologist, grief specialist, and member of the Board of Directors for LIGHT Movement. She specializes in grief, trauma, attachment, and nervous system regulation, bringing extensive experience working with children, adolescents, adults, families, and healthcare professionals. She is also faculty at Chidlren's Hospital, Denver. Her work integrates evidence-based psychology with compassionate, trauma-informed care to help individuals and communities navigate life's most challenging experiences.
Dr. Mattei, also a nationally recognized speaker, speaks alongside Amy Pickett-Williams for organizations including the American Psychological Association (APA), the Association of Professional Chaplains (APC), the Pediatric Chaplains Network Conference, the Association of Oncology Social Workers (AOSW), the National Alliance for Children's Grief (NACG), the National Organization for Victim Assistance (NOVA), the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS), and the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). She is the author of An Ocean of Grief: Surviving the Loss of a Child. Together, Amy and Katie bring an interdisciplinary perspective that combines psychology, clinical social work, neuroscience, Polyvagal Theory, and somatic practices to provide engaging, evidence-informed education that supports both professionals and the communities they serve.
Will this workshop be recorded?
Yes, we will be recording this workshop. The recording will be shared with everyone registered for the event. We can only issues CEU certificates for live attendance.
Student Discount Requirements:
Current social work students may attend for a discounted rate after submitting proof of student status (copy of valid student id, current course schedule from registrar, etc).
Cancellation Policy:
Full refunds will be offer for cancellations made at least 24 hours in advance. No refunds will be offered for day of cancellations. If you need to cancel your registration, please contact Elizabeth Conover at admin@coclinicalsocialwork.org.