The impact dementia has on a couple cannot be summed up in a few words and is very specific to those individuals and their relationship. Combining my wealth of personal and professional experience of dementia with my counselling training I am now offering couples therapy to people where one partner has recently been diagnosed with dementia. Please note that this is a separate service to Pathways Through Dementia:
Dementia Support – Sara Mayhew Wilcox – Couples Therapy
More and more people are turning to couples therapy as a healthy alternative to letting resentments fester and conflicts remain unresolved: I feel that the way we live now does not always provide a nurturing environment that supports us as we go through life’s ups and downs (the ‘sandwich generation’ for example was a term coined decades ago when researchers identified a large group of people who were often working and caring for elderly parents and sometimes had their own children to raise all in the mix creating stress and burn out). Hence the need to speak confidentially with a professional who can empathise with your situation and suggest coping strategies for both partners.
In a safe space my dementia therapy allows couples to speak about the diagnosis, their current and/or projected concerns for the future, and gives them a chance to reconnect and support one another. I have worked in this area for over 20 years in various roles from home care to providing training on the law which can also assist the therapeutic process in terms of planning ahead to mitigate anxiety. My counselling qualifications include:
An Introduction to Counselling and Psychotherapy (Westminster Pastoral Foundation)
Level 2 Counselling (BACP)
A Diploma in Conflict Resolution (NAOS, Ealing)
Certificate in Mediation (Align Mediation)
I am currently finishing my Level 3 Counselling Certificate, a Diploma in Couples Therapy with NAOS and have completed my Practicum 1 with the US based Relational Institute founded by the author and therapist Terry Real which focusses on couples becoming more relational with one another: Home – Relational Life Institute
Please reach out to me if you feel your relationship could benefit from dementia tailored couples therapy. Sessions can be held on Zoom or face to face if you live in the vicinity of Richmond and Twickenham (Surrey):
enquiries@sarawilcoxcouplestherapy.co.uk
07540982161
