Unseen at the Table
Loneliness and the Holidays
Mark Mayfield, Ph.D., LPC, LPC-S, NBCC
Thursday, December 3rd, 2026
6:00 – 8:30 PM ET
Level: TBA
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Continuing Education
Continuing Education Accreditations applicable to this workshop:
Live: TBD
On Demand: Approved for 2 NBCC and IBCC Credits*
Summary
The holidays promise gathering, belonging, and joy. For many clients, they sharpen the ache of being alone. Loneliness is the state of being unseen or unnoticed relationally, mentally, emotionally, physically, or spiritually (Mayfield, 2021). In December that gap shows up at every table, in every church service, and on every social media feed. Some examples of clients struggling with loneliness during the holidays are a widow facing her first Christmas alone, the estranged adult child, the college student home but disconnected, and the pastor who serves everyone and is known by no one all carry a loneliness the season can magnify.
In this workshop, participants will examine the current research on loneliness, social isolation, and health. Furthermore, participants will separate what the evidence says about holiday-season distress from popular myth. Psychologists, licensed mental health professionals and ministry leaders will learn how to spot who is most at risk, assess what is driving a person’s disconnection, and respond with care that is clinically grounded and biblically rooted. Drawing on Isaiah 61, Elijah’s story in 1 Kings 19, and the SEEN–SAFE–SOOTHED–SECURE evidence-based framework from Dr. Dan Siegel, this webinar provides practical tools for walking with others through the holidays, and for helpers to tend their own hearts so they have something sustainable to offer.
Learning Objectives
Participants will:
- Summarize current peer-reviewed research linking loneliness and social isolation to mental and physical health outcomes, and describe evidence-based holiday risks apart from common myths, such as the assumed Christmas surge in psychiatric emergencies.
- Identify people who are especially vulnerable to holiday loneliness (the bereaved, the estranged, older adults, young adults, and ministry leaders) and assess whether their disconnection comes mainly from emotional or social contributors.
- Apply the evidence-based SEEN–SAFE–SOOTHED–SECURE framework, grounded in a faith informed theology of suffering and theology of care, to build practical holiday care plans for clients and congregants.
- Develop evidence-informed strategies to reduce holiday loneliness: intentional limits on social media, meaningful faith-community engagement, grief-sensitive rituals, and helper self-care.
Continuing Education Statement
Live: TBD
The American Association of Christian Counselors (AACC) offers some psychologists, therapists, counselors, social workers, and play therapists Continuing Education (CE) credit due to good standing with certain states and a limited number of professional organizations. It remains the responsibility of each participant to be aware of state licensure and CE requirements. Participants should check their state and/or local regulations regarding required Continuing Education hours. *For Professionals needing Live CE Credits, Webinars Must be watched live. Webinars will remain Live until 12 am ET. Psychologists
- The American Association of Christian Counselors (AACC) is approved by the American Psychological Association (APA) to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. AACC maintains responsibility for this program and its content.
Licensed Mental Health Professionals
- The AACC is approved in multiple states to give Continuing Education to licensed mental health professionals. When requesting CEs, please indicate in which state you are licensed in on the Continuing Education Form. If this is not indicated, you may receive the wrong CE certificate for your state.
- The American Association of Christian Counselors (AACC), #1400, is approved as a provider for social work Continuing Education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB), www.aswb.org, through the Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. ASWB Approval Period: (09/06/2023 to 09/06/2026). Licensed social workers should contact their individual regulatory boards to review current Continuing Education requirements for licensure renewal. Any presentation that is less than 50 minutes in duration is not approved by the ASWB for Continuing Education credits.
American Association of Christian Counselors has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 7543. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. American Association of Christian Counselors is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs.
On-Demand: NBCC & IBCC
Learn more about our Continuing Education Policies
Presenters
Dr. Mark Mayfield is the Owner of Dr. Mayfield, L.L.C. in Colorado Springs, CO, and an Assistant Professor of Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Colorado Christian University. Dr. Mayfield revived his B.A. from Colorado Christian University, his M.A. from Denver Seminary, and his Ph.D. from Walden University. Dr. Mayfield is an executive leadership coach, helping churches and organizations navigate the complexities of their mental and emotional health and the Director of Practice and Ministry Development and Editor of Marriage and Family: A Christian Journal with the American Association of Christian Counselors. Dr. Mayfield is the author of three books, “HELP! My Teen is Self-Injuring: A Crisis Manual for Parents,” “The Path Out of Loneliness: Finding and Fostering Connection to God, Ourselves and One Another”, and “The Path to Wholeness: Managing Emotions, Finding Healing, and Becoming Our Best Selves.” Dr. Mayfield is a sought after speaker on the topics of family cohesion and loneliness in teens.
