How to Navigate Holiday Grief at Work Without Losing Connection

Join us this December for a gentle and grounding workshop designed for anyone carrying grief into the holiday season. In a time of year that often highlights joy and celebration, many people quietly face the emotional weight of loss, whether it’s the passing of a loved one, a shift in identity or routine, the loss of a job, or the heaviness of the world around us.

This workshop offers a safe and compassionate space to acknowledge that grief, understand how it shows up at work and in daily life, and gain real tools you can use immediately. Through reflective discussion and guided exercises, you’ll learn how to:

• recognize the signs of grief in yourself and others
• use the CARE Model to support coworkers or direct reports without overstepping
• apply workplace-safe scripts to ask for support or clarify your needs
• create your own personalized script for a current challenge
• use grounding practices to protect your emotional energy
• honor what or whom you’re grieving in meaningful, gentle ways

Take a step toward emotional clarity and connection this season, and join us for a supportive experience that helps you navigate grief with grace, professionalism, and renewed strength.

Workshop Benefits

Recognize How Grief Shows Up Day-to-Day

Gain insight into the emotional, physical, and behavioral signs of grief — including how it impacts focus, energy, communication, and workplace performance.

Use the CARE Model to Support Coworkers or Direct Reports

Learn a simple, compassionate framework for checking in, acknowledging grief, realigning expectations, and encouraging support without overstepping.

Communicate Your Needs with Confidence and Boundaries

Develop workplace-safe scripts to ask for support, clarify priorities, or request space — without oversharing, feeling unprofessional, or carrying guilt.

Navigate Emotional Weight While Protecting Your Energy

Explore grounding practices and internal strategies to help you stay centered, regulate emotions, and maintain a sense of steadiness during a difficult season.

Honor What You’re Grieving in Meaningful, Healthy Ways

Create intentional rituals and reflective practices to honor a loved one, a job or identity you’ve lost, or the life changes you’re carrying into the holidays.

Strengthen Connection and Compassion at Work

Build the emotional resilience and interpersonal awareness needed to support yourself and others — fostering deeper trust and connection across your team.

• Employees who are grieving whether the loss of a loved one, a relationship, a job, or a former version of themselves
• Anyone whose focus, energy, or performance has been impacted by emotional heaviness during the holidays
• Individuals carrying quiet grief who want support without needing to share details publicly
• Coworkers who want to support others but aren’t sure what to say or how to help without overstepping
• Leaders and managers navigating how to respond to grieving team members with compassion and professional boundaries
• Employees feeling overwhelmed by the emotional pressure of the holiday season
• Anyone seeking guidance on honoring grief while staying grounded, connected, and emotionally steady at work

About Dr. Amber Gunner

Dr. Amber Gunner, Dr. Amber Gunner is a People & Performance Consultant who helps organizations build the relational, psychological, and communication systems that enable high performance. With more than 13 years of experience in education and 5 years partnering with corporations, ERGs, and nonprofits, she specializes in helping leaders and teams navigate the human side of work from psychological safety and conflict to burnout, boundaries, and emotional well-being.

Through her signature frameworks (KVAT, the 4Ps of Conflict, the ASK Framework, and the SCAFFOLD Model for Risk & Failure), Dr. Gunner equips employees and leaders with practical tools to communicate effectively, ask for help, repair trust, and show up with courage in high-pressure environments.

Her work blends research, storytelling, and reflective practices to create spaces where people feel seen, supported, and capable of meaningful growth. She is especially known for her ability to simplify complex emotional and interpersonal dynamics, helping teams navigate difficult conversations, build connection, and maintain performance even in seasons of stress or change.

Whether working with oil and gas executives, hospital teams, or ERG groups, Dr. Gunner’s mission remains the same: to help workplaces become safe, connected, and high-performing by honoring the humanity of the people who power them.