Holiday Harmony: Stress Less, Thrive More
The holiday season can be magical—but let’s be honest, it can also feel overwhelming. From family dynamics to packed schedules, stress often sneaks in when we least expect it.
Join us for our final Thrive Together webinar of 2025, where we’ll explore:
- Why holiday stress happens and how it impacts your well-being and relationships
- Physical and emotional signs of stress you might be missing
- Practical strategies to manage stress and navigate family conflict
- Ways to find connection—even when feeling lonely
You’ll walk away with real-world tips you can use immediately to make this season more joyful and less stressful. Plus, we’ll celebrate the webinars in 2025’s Thrive Together series, share highlights, and invite your ideas for 2026 topics and speakers.
Don’t miss this chance to recharge, reflect, and set yourself up for a calmer, more connected holiday season!
Please note: this webinar is not eligible for Hoos Well rewards, because the reward earning period for 2025 ends on November 30. Reward-eligible webinars will resume in February 2026.
Learning Objectives
- Learn strategies for managing holiday-related stress, such as mindset shifts, time & energy management, and emotional regulation.
- Experience a simple, guided practice of breathing exercises and mindfulness techniques to help you stay calm, connected, and centered—no matter what the holidays throw your way.
- Identify FEAP and Hoos Well resources to support emotional and social well-being during the holidays
- Learn how to access recordings of past webinars and provide ideas for future webinars in our Thrive Together series.
About Your Presenters
Mary Sherman, LCSW, CEAP is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in Virginia and a Certified Employee Assistance Professional. Ms. Sherman has extensive experience with coaching, short-term problem solving, management consultation, mediation, and facilitation on a range of personal and workplace issues. She has additional expertise helping employees improve communication skills, balance work and home, manage stress, increase happiness, in domestic violence work, and in helping employees deal with anxiety and depression. Member of the Employee Assistance Professionals Association and the College and University Work Family Association.
Matthew Fritts, MPH, PMP®, E-RYT 500 is a Well-Being Specialist with 20+ years of professional experience implementing and evaluating large-scale programs for wellness promotion, health education, disease prevention, and public health. He has 15+ years of experience conducting and leading clinical research projects on contemplative practices and integrative medicine modalities, resulting in 10 peer-reviewed publications. He completed a two-year Presidential Management Fellowship at the National Institutes of Health and is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP®). In 2018 Matt returned to his alma mater and joined the Hoos Well team to apply these skills and experience toward supporting the mental and emotional well-being of UVA faculty, staff, and team members. He is a student in UVA's Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) program, focused on contemplative education.
An experienced yoga teacher (E-RYT 500) and Yoga Alliance Continuing Education Provider, Matt has been practicing and teaching yoga, meditation, and other contemplative practices for 25+ years. He serves on the Board of Directors for two non-profit organizations dedicated to bringing contemplative practices into the contemporary world in accessible and relevant ways, to increase individual and societal flourishing.