Mental Health & Joy Speaker for Healthcare and Faith-Based Organizations

Go Play: Unlocking Joy Through Intentional Play

Go Play: Unlocking Joy Through Intentional Play illuminates the

profound impact of integrating play into adult life. We'll explore how

prioritizing play isn't a luxury but a crucial investment in your well-

being, fostering enhanced creativity, stronger connections and

stress reduction.

You'll learn the vital distinction between True Fun, which combines

playfulness, connection and flow to leave you energized, and Fake

Fun that ultimately depletes. We'll explore diverse play personalities

and share a practical roadmap to support you in intentionally

weaving in genuine fun into your daily routine.

By consciously designing more play into your life, you can unlock and

cultivate authentic joy, boost your mental health and enrich every

aspect of your existence. It's an empowering call to action to

rediscover what truly makes you feel alive.

Kelly brought the Joy and Play session to life by pairing clear theory with practical, engaging exercises. She created space for participants to experience play in real time, then connected it back to why play matters, especially for adults who are often moving at full speed.

After her session, I found myself looking for simple ways to build play into my day. It was rewarding and energizing to remember that play is available to me and does not have to be complicated to be meaningful.

If you’re considering inviting Kelly to speak, I would absolutely recommend her.

Kelly is focused, prepared and brings strong attention to detail. We met once in advance to confirm the session format and timing. She arrived with clear, well-designed slides and a plan that flowed smoothly from start to finish. She also made space for interaction, building in opportunities for questions, answers and comments so participants felt included and were fully engaged.

She is a confident, thoughtful guest speaker who delivers a professional, genuinely enjoyable and educational session.

-Aderonke Bademosi Wilson, MA, PMP, Owner of ABWilson Consulting

ALERT: See the Signs, Make the Time

ALERT: See the Signs, Make the Time is a practical, one-hour mental health awareness training designed to help communities recognize distress early, respond with confidence, and support one another with care.

In this session, participants learn how to:

Identify early signs of mental health challenges or crisis in everyday conversations and behavior.
Listen with presence, using simple, compassionate skills that help someone feel heard and not judged.
Use clear, supportive language that encourages help-seeking rather than shame or withdrawal.
Offer reliable referrals—from crisis lines to local mental health resources—so they can guide someone to the next step.
Follow up with care, learning the importance of checking back in after the initial conversation.
Care for their own wellbeing, with tools to manage emotional load and set healthy boundaries.

ALERT equips participants—not to diagnose or fix—but to notice, connect, and guide.
It builds a culture where mental health struggles are met with compassion, time, and support.

Dr. Kelly D. Holder speaking on joy and mental health at a faith-based organization

Joy and Play - Go Play: Unlocking Intentional Joy through Play. Six Weeks of Joy. ABWilson Consulting Group. February 7, 2026.

From Crisis to Care: Suicide Prevention and Response in Medical Schools and Training Programs. AAMC Learn Lead Serve 2026 Conference. San Antonio, TX. November 2, 2025.

Beyond Burnout: Partnering for Change – Individual Practices, Organizational Solutions. Brown

University Health Advanced Practice Provider (APP) Council Grand Rounds. Brown University Health.

Providence, RI. September 23, 2025.

Hope Takes Root: Faith, Mental Health, and Thriving in Uncertain Times. Workshop Series. Hershey

Seventh-Day Adventist Church. Hershey, PA. September 5 & 6, 2025.

Leadership In Action: Creating a Culture of Wellbeing. Healthcare Leadership Collaborative. John

Hopkins University Bloomberg Center. Washington, DC. March 18, 2025.

Thriving Under Pressure: Managing Stress and Demands on the Road to Medicine. Program in

Liberal Arts Medical Education, Brown University. Providence, RI. February 28, 2025.

Cultivating Care: ALERT as Our Guide to Wellness Dialogues. Roger Williams Medical Center

Graduate Medical Education. Providence, RI. February 24, 2025.

When Work Kills: Partnering for Change—Individual Practices, Organizational Solutions.

Gastroenterology Fellowship. Brown University Health. Providence, RI. February 21, 2025.

Cultivating Well-Being Through Rewarding Relationships. Strength, Love, Motivation 2024 Ladies

Retreat. Poconos, PA. November 9, 2024.

Cracking the Burnout Code. Greeley Physician & Hospital Leadership Seminar. San Antonio, TX. October 16, 2024.

Leading on Mental Health for the Healthcare Workforce [Panel Presentation]. American Psychiatric Association Mental Health Services Conference. Baltimore, MD. September 26, 2024.

Beyond the Books: Well-Being Strategies for Step 1 Success. Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Buffalo. Buffalo, NY. July 19, 2024.

Winter Wellness Webinar for Physicians. Panel. Division of Biology and Medicine Advancement. Providence, RI. February 28, 2024.

Breaking Barriers: Navigating Alcohol Use Disorders Among Women in Healthcare. Panel. Office of Women in Medicine & Science, Warren Alpert Medical School. Providence, RI. January 18, 2024.

The Power of Listening & Cooperative Action for Well-Being. Mass General Brigham Well-Being Summit 2023. Boston, MA. November 9, 2023.

Beyond the Pandemic: Building Resilience in Healthcare. Clinical Grand Rounds Speaker Series on Innovations in Clinical Research. Lifespan Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health. Providence, RI. November 3, 2023.

Burnout in Healthcare Providers: A Call to Action for Patient and Provider Safety. Panel Presentation. Yale Healthcare Conference. New Haven, CT. April 21, 2023.

Go Play: Prioritizing Fun! Brown Medical SchoolJustice, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion (JEDI) Faculty Meeting. Providence, RI. March 8, 2023.

Finding Balance: Practical methods to support individual, peer, and systemic well-being. Neurosurgery Grand Rounds, Rhode Island Hospital, Department of Neurosurgery, Warren Alpert Medical School. Providence, RI. February 27, 2023.

Women’s Health: Stress and Self-care: A Community Conversation with Kelly D. Holder, PhD. Go Red for Women, Festival of Red. Providence, RI. February 10, 2023.

The Environment is Making Me (un)Well. 1st Annual Virtual Learning Environment Conference. Warren Alpert Medical School. Providence, RI. November 1, 2022.

Community wellness.Higher Ground Breast and Cervical Cancer Conference. Providence, RI. July 30, 2022.

Resiliency in Education: Preparing for an Uncertain Future. Health Professional Network Annual Conference. Newport, RI. April 25, 2022.

Resiliency in Education: Role of a Chief Wellness Officer. Psychology Department. Providence College. Providence, RI. April 22, 2022.

Mental Health in the Pandemic Era. PRO Wellness, Penn State Health. Hershey, PA. April 4, 2022.

I was Already Fried: Wellness in the Pandemic Era. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Women and Infants Hospital. Brown University. Providence, RI. February 3, 2022.

Self-care: The Elephant in the Room. Office of Women in Medicine and Science Annual Virtual Conference. Brown University. Providence, RI. June 10, 2021.

Self-care: The Elephant in the Room. Social Work Education Series: Celebrating Social Work, Penn State College of Medicine. Hershey, PA. 2021.

Contact Me

Joy-informed. Science-driven. People-centered.

Speaking on Mental Health, Joy, and Resilience for Those Who Care for Others

ALERT: See the Signs, Make the Time

Past Events

I look forward to hearing from you!

Joy-informed. Science-driven. People-centered.

Speaking on Mental Health, Joy, and Resilience for Those Who Care for Others

ALERT: See the Signs, Make the Time

Past Events

I look forward to hearing from you!

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