General Session 1: “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Crisis: Understanding and Managing Grief Attacks During the Holidays”

Robert Neimeyer, PhD (Professor Emeritus of the Department of Psychology at the University of Memphis and Director of the Portland Institute for Loss and Transition)

Significant holidays, anniversaries and unanticipated reminders of loss often trigger sudden and intense upsurges of grief, leaving mourners hurting and overwhelmed as they attempt to survive the present and move toward an uncertain future without their loved one.  But despite their frequency, little is actually known about such grief attacks, in terms of what they are, why they occur, and how we can best manage them, while also attempting to make a place for those we have loved and lost as a physical presence in our lives.

In this brief presentation, we’ll consider these questions in light of a major new survey of hundreds of bereaved people who describe where, when and how they experience these unexpected and painful surges of emotion and exhaustion, as well as what they’ve found helpful to ride the waves of turbulent emotion associated with them.  We’ll then add some practical advice about how to find islands of respite in the stormy sea of grief, how to include your loved one in a consoling way as you navigate a challenging passage, and how to chart a course toward a changed, but still meaningful future.  We’ll close with a list of the Top 10 Tips for working with grief in what for most people is a season of joy and togetherness, but for the bereaved commonly is a time of bleakness and desolation.

General Session 2: “From Trauma to Transformation: Growing through Grief”

Robert Neimeyer, PhD (Professor Emeritus of the Department of Psychology at the University of Memphis and Director of the Portland Institute for Loss and Transition)

Though we rarely pause to consider it, the loss of a loved one can bring with it a loss of the self as well.  After illustrating the identity-changing impact of bereavement through clinical videos, we will consider research that documents both the devastation of our sense of who we are in the face of traumatic bereavement and the prospect for personal growth that can follow.  We will conclude by practicing a narrative exercise that helps us take perspective on our changing life stories, which can contain our losses without being defined by them.

Breakout Session: “How Do We Know When Grief Is Complicated? Recognizing Prolonged Grief Disorder”

Robert Neimeyer, PhD (Professor Emeritus of the Department of Psychology at the University of Memphis and Director of the Portland Institute for Loss and Transition)

Grief is a normal, if also a painful response to bereavement.  But when does this natural and adaptive reaction to loss become complicated, to a degree that it might call for professional accompaniment?  In this brief presentation, we will summarize the distinguishing features of prolonged grief disorder and consider both risk factors for this condition and its longer-term health and mental health outcomes.  In addition, we will introduce a simple but carefully validated screening measure for life-limiting responses to loss and practice its application to an actual client in grief therapy.

Breakout Session: “Stepping Out of the Shadows: Overcoming Isolation in Grief”

Lucy Henry, LPC, CEAP, RCC, MDiv and EdS in MFT (VP of Business Development, First Sun EAP)

This Session will focus on how those amid grief tend to isolate themselves and hide from others.  We will examine some of those reasons and discuss ways to bring new connections into our lives. We will also examine our values and how they guide us in processing our grief and letting others see our vulnerability.  This session will be activity and connection focused.

Breakout Session: “Music Therapy and Grief: How the Arts Help Process Grief”

DJ Poplin, MT-BC (Music Therapist, Interim HealthCare Hospice of the Upstate)

This presentation will dive into music therapy as an evidenced-based profession, differentiate between music therapy versus music enrichment, and explore common music therapy interventions that are used in hospice care/bereavement. Listeners will get the opportunity to engage in an adaptive songwriting experience, use music as a mindfulness tool, and truly understand why music therapy is a great tool to understand our feelings around grief and loss.

Breakout Session: “The Grief of Gen Z in a Phone-Based World: Canaries in the Coal Mine”

David B. Gladson, BCC, MSW (Bereavement Counselor, Hospice of North Georgia Medical Center)

Today's teens and young adults are already facing unprecedented mental health challenges, which only compound when significant loss knocks on their door. This session explores how the shift from play-based to phone-based childhood has fundamentally changed how they process grief and develop resilience. Participants will learn evidence-based strategies for supporting them, including deep listening techniques and practical tools that acknowledge their unique developmental needs. Essential for anyone working with or caring for today's adolescents or young adults navigating grief in our digital age.

Breakout Session: “Self-Care: A Ritual of Repair After Loss”

Dr. Annie D. Myers, MDiv, CH (Spiritual Care Counselor, Interim HealthCare Hospice of the Upstate)

This 90-minute educational seminar, A Ritual of Repair After Loss, examines the emotional and psychological impact of caregiving through the lens of holistic self-care and spiritual support. Designed for healthcare professionals, clergy, and community caregivers, the session explores the dynamics of burnout, compassion fatigue, and grief across caregiving settings. Participants will engage with evidence-informed strategies for identifying emotional exhaustion, understanding the role of boundaries in caregiver wellness, and recognizing the layered experience of loss in caregiving roles. The seminar integrates lecture-based instruction, case discussion, and reflective insight to support informed, sustainable caregiving practices rooted in emotional awareness and ethical self-maintenance.

Breakout Session: “Navigating the Grief of Pregnancy and Infant Loss”

Susannah Baldwin, LPC, PMH-C (Counselor, Founder, and Director of Reproductive Journey Counseling and Support)

Pregnancy and infant loss changes everything — and often, few know how to talk about it. This compassionate, 60-minute session offers a safe space for reflection, understanding, and gentle healing. Together we’ll explore what makes this type of grief unique, ways to honor ongoing bonds, and how to care for ourselves and others walking this path. 

Breakout Session: “Estate Planning: An Introduction to Wills, Trusts, and Probate”

James Lyon, JD (Associate Attorney, Heritage Law)

This session will provide a general overview of the estate planning process in South Carolina. It focuses on three key topics of estate planning: planning for incapacity, the differences between wills and revocable trusts, and how assets are distributed to beneficiaries upon death. These topics will include a discussion on general power of attorney, healthcare power of attorney, living wills, and how they can help in putting together an effective estate plan.

Breakout Session: “Embracing the Journey: Funeral Planning and Hospice Services”

Janet Turner, LMSW-CP (Area Vice President of Hospice Operations, Interim HealthCare Hospice of the Upstate, Midlands, and Atlanta) and Mike Reynolds, MDiv, Licensed SC FD; Licensed SC Preneed FD (Mackey Funeral Homes and Cremation)

Finding peace and purpose in life’s final chapter. End of life conversations are difficult to navigate, and it is our purpose to provide insight and information about how to start those conversations with loved ones. The focus of our time together will be to help alleviate the angsts and talk about how planning for one’s funeral service and early discussions of hospice care enhances quality of life.