LOVE, LOSS & LIVING
Managing the Emotions of Being Separated From Your Child
A free, interactive, 6-week online course with additional in-person training sessions to help you understand and manage the grief of being separated from your child(ren).
The course is split into three sections
Love
Exploring the love you have for your child, the neuroscience of love, and the loving-kindness meditation
Loss
Exploring loss, the impact of your emotions, others' emotions, the culture of loss, and psychological models of loss
Living
Exploring healthy coping strategies, the power of self-care, and setting goals for the next 12 months to help you think positively
The training was developed by Jan Montgomery, an Edinburgh-based accredited Psychotherapist, in Autumn 2022.
We ran a 6-session in-person course in October and November with about 10 participants, and the feedback of these sessions has informed the development of this online training programme.
You can find out more about Jan here.
In-person training sessions will be delivered by Heather Boyle BSc, MSc, MBACP.
Heather is a qualified Psychotherapist, and registered member of the British Association for Counsellors and Psychotherapists. (MBACP).
She is trained in Person-Centred Therapy, Cognitive Behaviour Therapy and High-Conflict Resolutions. She has worked for the NHS, Police Scotland and 3rd sector Mental Health Charities. She also runs her own private practice and further information can be found here.
what pARENTS SAY
"It has helped me focus on the importance of my own wellbeing. For me, fear and anxieties still surface going through events and difficulties that occur due to loss of contact, but I see my situation in a more fluid manner now."
– Quote From Father on Pilot Session
"I found the space that was created and held within the meetings allowed me to relax and there is a positive process now underway for me."
– Quote from Mother on Pilot Session
"I appreciate that now is a time to nurture a deeper acceptance of my situation"
– Quote from Father on Pilot Session
course contents
UNIT ONE - LOVE
- The Loving Kindness Exercise
- Examples of the type of love you have for your child
- Thinking about how the love for your child manifests
UNIT TWO - LOSS: The Impact Of Loss
- The impact of loss on your emotions
- Physical impact
- Emotional impact
- Cognitive impact
- Behavioural impact
- Exploring what emotions you see in yourself
UNIT THREE - LOSS: Parental Alienation
- What is Parental Alienation
- Elisabeth Kübler-Ross five stages of grief timeline activity
- Dual Process Model of coping activity
UNIT FOUR - LOSS: Supporting Yourself
- Regulating yourself through the loss/alienation
- Gilbert's Emotional Regulation System
- What is stress?
- Stress/Destress and stress prevention videos
- Breathing exercise
- Assertiveness & Resilience
UNIT FIVE - LIVING: Part One
- Helpful Coping Strategies
- Exploring S.E.L.F C.A.R.E
- Sleep; Energy; Learning; Food; Connection; Activity; Reflection on reality; Environment
UNIT SIX - LIVING: Part Two
- Looking to the future