ACTing Through Loss & Grief in Dementia

A 6-week therapy-based course to help you develop new understanding and learn practical tools to manage your mental health and navigate the complexities of grief and loss in dementia.

Saying goodbye without leaving..

The Kind of Grief Dementia Brings is Different...

Grief in dementia is not like other types of grief. It is complex and unique.

It often begins long before any physical passing and can stretch over months or years. You may find yourself mourning parts of the person that seem to disappear over time.

This type of grief, sometimes called "ambiguous loss," is ongoing and complex. It can feel invisible to others, making it harder to talk about or get support for. And because the person is still here, you’re expected to carry on caring, making decisions, and holding it all together, even when you're quietly grieving every day.

It is a grief that no one prepared you for.

This Course is for You If....

You are grieving someone who’s still here but no longer quite the same

You feel like your grief is invisible or overlooked

You are grieving the loss of shared memories, future plans and connection

You are grieving a loss of your role and identity as a partner, child, other relative or friend

You mourning the future you thought you’d have together

You feel emotionally and physically drained or burnt out

You are constantly adjusting to new changes without time to breathe or to stop and process all you have lost

Introducing

ACTing Through Loss and Grief in Dementia

This course has been developed using an evidence-based psychological model, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and is informed by years of clinical work, research, and direct feedback from carers and families.

"Finding Meaning in the Unchangeable"

What You will Learn

Understand what grief looks like in dementia – including unpacking your own grief story
Learn the purpose and role of emotions and how to make way for painful emotions like grief, guilt, anger and sadness
Identify common stories our mind tells us and learn new skills to step back from these stories so they don’t take over
Recognise the traps we can fall into when we try and rid ourselves of difficult emotions and build skills to allow painful thoughts and feelings to be present without letting them control your actions or decisions .
Reconnect with your values and identity to guide how you live and care, even as things continue to shift
Learn how to turn values into practical, realistic actions that protect your energy, align with what matters, and help you move forward without burning out.

How it Works

6 pre-recorded modules delivered by Dr Sarah - ideally to be completed on a weekly basis
I know how busy carers can be so the modules are pre-recorded rather than live to ensure you can access and complete the work at a time that is best for you. It means you can dip in and out if you need to and also go at your own pace.

PDF Workbooks
These workbooks have been thoughtfully designed to help you apply what you have learned in the recorded session to your own life and personal experiences. They are a way to reflect and consolidate your learning and it means you can always revisit them in the future.

Audio Files
Some of the strategies I teach you will be recorded on to audio files. This means you can download them to your device and practice.

Worksheets
You will be able to download worksheets to continue to put into practice what you have learnt.

Lifetime Access
You will be given lifetime access to the course. This means you can go back and return to any of the modules, strategies, workbooks and audio files any time you like.

About me

Hi, I'm Sarah. I am a UK-trained, HCPC-registered Consultant Clinical Psychologist with over 20 years experience working in mental health. I specialise in ageing and dementia care. In my career, I have worked across a whole spectrum of dementia services including memory clinics, Young Onset Dementia Teams, dementia inpatient wards, community mental health teams and specialist care home teams supporting those living with dementia, carers and families and staff.

I am the founder of Mind Growth Psychology, which was born out from seeing gaps in services and those needing support not being able to access what they need and when they need it. I also enjoy being able to provide support in a broader way via courses and workshops, which can means more people can access support, which does not always mean having direct psychological therapy which can also be costly for many.

Loss and grief in any capacity can be one of the most challenging experiences we face and can come with overwhelming pain. Losing my own mother unexpectedly to a major stroke along with years of working with dementia carers navigating repeated and ongoing loss and emotional pain motivated me to create this course. I want to use my knowledge and skills and expertise in any capacity to support others find a way to move forward at a time of immerse difficulty.

My approach is values-led, compassionate, and grounded in ethical practice. I am deeply committed to protecting dignity, autonomy, and wellbeing for both carers and people living with dementia.

Dr Sarah

TESTIMONIALS

What others are saying

"Working with Sarah has genuinely been life changing for me and I’m so grateful to her"

"I can't recommend Sarah highly enough. I've struggled with chronically low self-esteem for years and had tried everything - talking therapies, medication, CBT, psychotherapy, you name it! Then I found Sarah."

- Natalie

"I would heartily recommend Sarah as a clinical psychologist"

"With Sarah I have managed to achieve incredible clinical and personal improvement with my anxiety and panic which had limited my life previously."

- Gregor

"Great training"

"I learned so much. I now know so much more about trauma and how to support those who have experienced trauma and loss in their life. I have learned about the effects of loss for older people and I feel more confident in my role supporting them"

- Care Home Staff

enrol now!

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is this course for?

This course is for dementia caregivers and families who are experiencing the losses and grief that come with dementia. It is primarily aimed at those who are still continuing their journey but the skills you learn may also be helpful for those who have lost someone.

As a carer, I'm really busy. What if I don't have time to keep up?

The modules are all pre-recorded. This means you can access and complete the modules and the work at times that suit you and at your own pace. You can dip in and out as you need to.

Do I need to be in therapy to do this course?

No. This course is based on therapy models, but it’s designed as a stand-alone programme. You’ll learn evidence-based tools from ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy), delivered in a supportive and structured way.

Will this take away my grief?

No and that’s not the aim. Grief is a normal human response and isn’t something to be fixed. This course helps you understand your grief, particularly in the context of dementia, reduce unnecessary suffering, and find ways to live alongside it without it consuming you.

How is this different from other online support?

This course has been developed and delivered by a HCPC registered Consultant Clinical Psychologist with 20+ years of experience. It’s rooted in ethical, evidence-based care and not just personal experience or generic advice.

Is this course suitable if I’ve already had a bereavement?

This course focuses specifically on the ongoing grief that comes before bereavement. This is the kind that’s often invisible and ongoing when caring for someone with dementia. If you're grieving the passing of a loved one, the tools may still help, but the content is designed around pre-loss and ambiguous loss.

Are You Ready to Invest in yourself?

£250

6 therapeutically informed modules

PDF workbooks to consolidate your learning

Audio files

Additional work sheets for ongoing practice

The programme costs around £40 per week. That's less than half the cost of a individual therapy session and will a whole lot less than ongoing emotional pain and burnout. This is prioritising your needs and putting on your own oxygen mask!