Past Engagements
2025 Engagements:
February | Youth Mental Health First Aid
Location: Brookfield Public Library This training provides foundational skills to recognize, understand, and respond to signs of mental health challenges in youth.
February | Building Inclusive Community Conference
Location: Lyons Township High School This conference brings together community members to foster inclusion, connection, and supportive school environments.
May | School-Based Mental Health Roundtable
Hosted by: Sustainable Mental Wellness & Cicero District 99 This roundtable creates a collaborative space for educators and mental health professionals to strengthen school-based systems of care.
June | Impact of Grief on the School Community
Location: Lawrence Hall This presentation explores how grief impacts students, educators, and school culture while offering strategies for support.
August | International Grief Awareness Day
This global observance raises awareness, fosters understanding, and supports individuals experiencing grief.
September | Understanding Grief and Building Resilience
Presented by: OptWell Hosted by: The Community House This presentation for high school students and adults focuses on grief education and building resilience.
September | Postvention is Prevention: Grief-Informed Care After Suicide Loss
This training provides guidance on compassionate, grief-informed community response following suicide loss.
Sept–Dec 2025 & Jan 2026 | Support Group: Understanding and Living With Grief
Location: Township of Lyons – Community Room This monthly support group offers education, discussion, and therapeutic activities to normalize grief and foster resilience.
October | Grief in Community: Honoring Loss, Fostering Connection
Event: NAMI Illinois Statewide Conference Location: Benedictine University Presented by Michelle Halm, LPC, FT, and Lauren Raney, LCPC, with Hope Forest Therapeutic Art Studio, this session explores communal grief as a pathway to healing and connection.
November | Children’s Grief Awareness Month
This national observance highlights the importance of supporting grieving children, with Children’s Grief Awareness Day recognized on November 18.
November | Navigating Grief During the Holidays
Location: Thomas Ford Memorial Library This presentation offers compassionate guidance for understanding and coping with grief during holidays and significant dates.
November | Grief and Trauma: Supporting Children After Loss
Event: Illinois School Counseling Association Annual Conference This session examines grief and trauma in children, identifies key indicators, and introduces evidence-based approaches with attention to developmental needs.
December | Navigating Grief During Holidays in Schools
Location: West40 Intermediate Service Center This presentation supports school communities in helping students navigate grief during holidays and significant times in the academic year.
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2024 Engagements:
January | Grief Sensitive School Initiative
In partnership with Eagle Strategies and New York Life Foundation This initiative supports the development of grief-sensitive school environments through collaboration, training, and strategic planning.
April | 8th Annual School-Based Mental Health Roundtable
Hosted by: Sustainable Mental Wellness & Cicero District 99 This annual roundtable brings together school and community partners to strengthen mental health supports and collaborative care models for students.
June | National Fallen Firefighters Foundation Engagement
Location: Indianapolis In partnership with the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation, this engagement focused on supporting grief and loss within first responder and family communities.
June | National Alliance for Children’s Grief Annual Symposium
Hosted by: National Alliance for Children's Grief This national symposium convenes professionals dedicated to supporting grieving children and families through education, research, and best practices.
October 17 | Creating a Grief-Informed School
Event: Illinois Association of School Social Workers Conference Location: Tinley Park Convention Center Presented by Michelle Halm, MA, M.Ed, FT, and Amy Jakubiak, LCSW, this session explores how schools can effectively support students and staff navigating grief.
October 18 | Better Together: Building Coalitions and Partnerships Across the Continuum of Care
Event: NAMI Illinois Annual Conference Location: Moraine Valley Community College Presented by Michelle Halm, MA, M.Ed, FT, and Kristin James, LCPC, this session highlights collaboration across systems to strengthen community mental health care.
October 19 | Creating Grief-Informed
Communities
Event: NAMI Illinois Annual Conference Location: Moraine Valley Community College Presented by Michelle Halm, MA, M.Ed, FT, this session focuses on building compassionate, grief-informed communities.
November 8 | Better Together: Building Partnerships & Compassionate Communities
Event: Illinois Counseling Association Annual Conference Location: DoubleTree by Hilton Lisle/Naperville Presented by Michelle Halm MA, M.Ed, FT and Kristin James, LCPC, this session explores how partnerships strengthen compassionate community care.
November | Poster Presentation: Supporting Grieving Students and Staff
Event: Illinois Counseling Association Annual Conference Presented by Sara Buttita, LSW, Michelle Halm, MA, M.Ed, FT, and Liz Otto Haskins, this poster presentation highlights strategies for creating grief-informed schools that support both students and staff.
