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The Body in Grief: Why Traumatic Loss Requires More Than Talk Therapy

Amy Pickett-Williams LCSW, RYT
Katie Mattei
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Date & Time

Description

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.

Learning Objectives

Participants will be able to:

  • Describe how grief affects the nervous system.

  • 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.

Educational Goal

The educational goal is to increase participants’ understanding of the neurobiological and attachment-based mechanisms underlying grief, including autonomic nervous system responses, window of tolerance shifts, and relational dynamics that influence grief expression and integration.

Target Audience

  • Addiction Professional
  • Counselor
  • Marriage & Family Therapist
  • Social Worker

Presenters

Amy Pickett-Williams LCSW, RYT
Amy Pickett-Williams, LCSW, RYT is a licensed clinical social worker, yoga teacher, and founder of LIGHT Movement (Love In Grief Held Together), a nonprofit organization dedicated to bringing somatic approaches to grief support and education. With more than 25 years of experience as a psychotherapist specializing in grief and trauma, Amy has worked extensively with families experiencing the death of a child, as well as individuals navigating complex losses including illness, infertility, injury, relationship loss, and loss of identity. Amy’s work bridges psychotherapy and embodied practice. Drawing on contemporary neuroscience, polyvagal theory, attachment theory, and yoga-based somatic practices, she teaches individuals and professionals how grief and trauma manifest in the nervous system and how movement, breath, and sensory awareness can support regulation and integration. Through LIGHT Movement, Amy leads trainings, workshops, and community programs that reach thousands of participants. Her work focuses on helping people understand that grief is not only a psychological experience but also a deeply embodied one, and that healing requires approaches that engage both the mind and the body. Amy provides continuing education trainings for mental health professionals, healthcare providers, chaplains, educators, and community leaders. Her work centers on creating compassionate spaces where grief can be understood, supported, and integrated within community.
Katie Mattei
Katie Mattei , Psy.D. is a licensed Clinical Psychologist with over 30 years of expertise in treating children and families affected by trauma, burn injuries, child loss, and developmental challenges, as well as adolescents struggling with anxiety and depression. She completed specialized training in Infant Attachment at Columbia University and earned her Doctorate from the University of Denver. Dr. Mattei serves as a medical staff provider at Children's Hospital Colorado and maintains a thriving private practice in Denver. She also consults for several Denver Metro schools and is a nationally recognized speaker on grief, child development, and burn injury prevention. Her book, An Ocean of Grief, provides guidance for parents navigating the profound loss of a child. For the past decade, Dr. Mattei has focused on somatic healing, burnout prevention, and trauma recovery, particularly among healthcare providers, first responders, and other high-stress professionals. She integrates evidence-based approaches to enhance well-being, resilience, and the mind-body connection. Committed to supporting professionals in high-pressure fields, she provides practical strategies to mitigate stress, prevent burnout, and promote both personal and professional sustainability.

Financially Sponsored By

  • LIGHT Movement