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“Bearing the Unbearable, Speaking the Unspeakable”: How we can work relationally, with profound loss, grief and suicide

Loss and grief takes many forms in the therapy room, from the death of loved ones to relational endings, identity transitions, and anticipated losses.

This intensive CPD course will explore the complexities of working therapeutically and relationally with clients experiencing loss, grief, bereavement, and the aftermath of suicide.

Through a combination of theory, experiential exercises, and small and large group discussion, this course will provide qualified and trainee practitioners with enhanced skills and confidence to work relationally, sensitively and effectively with clients navigating these painful and profound experiences of loss.

Learning objectives

• To better understand how to work with complicated grief and traumatic bereavement
• To consider our therapeutic responses to suicide bereavement and how best to support those left behind
• To consider how to assess and respond to suicide risk with competence, accountability and compassion
• To increase our awareness of cultural and individual variations in grief expression and mourning
• To reflect on our own relationship with loss: countertransference and self-care
• To better understand the challenges of working relationally with clients in acute grief states
• To reflect on how best to support clients through the process of anticipatory grief and life-limiting and terminal illness.

Course Delivery: Live online on Zoom. (Sessions will not be recorded)

Pre-Course Requirements: For qualified or trainee counsellors and psychotherapists. Whilst not a requirement it would be beneficial for participants if they were seeing clients either in placement or in private practice.

There is no pre-course work required.

Recognition: A Link Centre CPD Certificate will be presented.

Maximum number of participants: 16

Tutor: Adena Franses CTA, TSTA

Adena is a Certified Transactional Analyst, a Teaching and Supervising Transactional Analyst and qualified mental health nurse with over 30 years clinical experience in private practice, within the public health sector (NHS) and primary care service.

In 2001, she moved from the UK to Granada Spain, where she has a psychotherapy and supervision practice working with individuals, couples and groups. She is visiting trainer at various UK psychotherapy training organisations.

Adena believes that lasting and profound change, in any area of our lives, can be achieved in relationship, collaboratively, through mutuality, respect, and the acknowledgment of the intersubjective experience. This is at the heart of her work.