The Psychology of Loss, Transience and Grief - NEW!
The postgraduate program in the Psychology of Loss, Transience, and Bereavement aims to equip participants with the specialized knowledge and practical skills necessary to work with individuals experiencing various forms of loss—from the loss of a loved one, through health-related grief, to existential crises related to transience and death. The program covers the psychological, social, and therapeutic aspects of the grieving process, preparing participants to provide professional crisis intervention and therapy for bereaved individuals.
PROGRAM CONTENT
The postgraduate program places particular emphasis on:
- understanding the psychological mechanisms of loss and mourning, including complicated and pathological mourning,
- developing therapeutic competences in working with people in crisis related to loss,
- preparation for crisis intervention in situations related to the death of a loved one, suicide, infertility, chronic and terminal illness,
- strengthening communication skills in conversations about death, transience and the meaning of life.
- counteracting burnout in working with bereaved people through a therapeutic and support group for specialists, which allows for personal experience of psychotherapy in the context of one's own losses.
KNOWLEDGE
- psychological and neurobiological mechanisms of loss and mourning,
- the specific nature of experiencing loss by children, adolescents, adults and the elderly,
- the dying process, acceptance of the end of life and the role of spirituality in coping with loss,
- therapeutic approaches to working with bereaved people (CBT, ACT, narrative psychotherapy, psychodynamic psychotherapy),
- effective methods of psychological intervention in situations of loss, suicide and trauma,
- the impact of working with grief on the mental condition of specialists and methods of protecting one's own mental resources.
SKILLS
- recognizing various forms of grief and diagnosing the need for psychotherapeutic support,
- using appropriate therapeutic techniques depending on the type and stage of grief,
- conducting supportive conversations and interventions with grieving people,
- support for families and caregivers of terminally ill people,
- counteracting burnout through participation in supervision and support groups,
- using one's own experiences of loss in a constructive way in therapeutic work.
COMPETENCES
- sensitivity and empathy in contact with mourning people and their loved ones,
- the ability to conduct conversations on difficult topics related to death and transience,
- maintaining professional boundaries in contact with patients,
- awareness of one's own emotional reactions when working with the subject of loss and mourning,
- the ability to take care of one's own mental well-being and use support groups and supervision.
THERAPEUTIC AND SUPPORT GROUP FOR SPECIALISTS
The LISTENER will experience their own work on the topic of loss, which will increase their ability to support patients in deeply emotional situations.
The postgraduate program is aimed at specialists working with people experiencing loss, including::
- psychologists, psychotherapists and crisis interventionists who want to deepen their knowledge and skills in grief and trauma therapy,
- doctors, nurses and healthcare workers working with terminally ill patients and their families,
- employees of hospices, palliative care and senior homes, supporting patients at the end of life and their loved ones,
- educators and therapists who work with children and young people experiencing loss,
- clergy, counselors and existential coaches who support people in experiencing grief and existential crises,
- employees of social organizations, foundations and associations that provide assistance to bereaved people and their families,
- suicide prevention professionals who want to gain skills in working with families after a suicide loss,
- specialists who have experienced emotionally difficult situations related to loss and want to work through their experiences within a therapeutic group for professionals.
COOPERATION AGREEMENT
The University of Health in Gdańsk will educate its students in close cooperation with Pomerania for Children Hospice Foundation, represented by the President of the Management Board, Ewa Liegman, with whom she signed a cooperation agreement in the areas of, among others: evaluation of the program and educational concept, consulting activities, increasing opportunities for practical education, undertaking activities aimed at activating students and providing them with access to professional knowledge and acquiring skills.
GRADUATE PROFILE
Graduate and Postgraduate Studies Graduate in the field of The psychology of loss, transience and mourning will have the knowledge, skills and social competences that will enable him to professionally support people in mourning, both in individual and group work.
LECTURERS INCLUDING:
Ewa Liegman, M.A.
She is the CEO of the Pomerania Children's Hospice, the Tulipani Perinatal Hospice, and the eMOCja Holistic Center for Support after Loss. She specializes in designing models for continuity of care in the home setting, a support system between hospitals, primary care providers, and hospices, and in educating medical professionals on how to cope with the dilemmas of death and loss. She is a writer, organizer, and creator of numerous educational programs on topics such as building mental resilience, preparing for crises, and ultimately, death, and mourning for medical professionals, prisoners, managers, corporate teams, teachers, and students.
Dr. Katarzyna Sanocka-Szulc
Doctor of Social Sciences, Master of Science in Psychology and Sociology at the University of Wrocław, coach, systemic psychotherapist, president and founder of the Kobieta z Brzuszkiem Foundation
Dr. Anna Hildebrandt-Mrozek
A PhD in economics, she is the owner of the training company MOVUS MOVERE. She is an experienced educator, coach, trainer, and advisor to teachers, principals, parents, and employees. She is also a researcher combining economics, sociology, philosophy, and positive psychology in her practice.
A certified Career Direct® career coach. A member of the Polish Society of Positive Psychology and the research team for the "Science & Society – Bilateral Initiative in Social Sciences, Arts & Humanities" grant, she also led the first Polish study on teacher well-being, in collaboration with the Jagiellonian University: Teacher Well-being. She initiated the National Happiness at School Week and the "Happiness at School: Inspirations, Research, and Practice" project.
Author of over 100 publications in the field of well-being, education, and the labor market, including the books: "No More Work?", "Passion for Life – Life with Passion. Parenthood" (2019), and co-author of "A Handbook on Good Life – Simple Exercises to Enhance Well-Being at School" (2025) published by SWPS University.
www.movusmovere.pl
www.happinessatschool.pl
Magdalena Mikulska, M.A.
Psychologist and psycho-oncologist, graduate of the University of Gdańsk, SWPS University of Social Sciences and Humanities, and Open World 2023 (Congressional Office for International Leadership). Researcher at the Center for Clinical Communication, Ludwik Rydygier Medical College in Bydgoszcz, and Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń. She has been involved in palliative care since 2009. She collaborates with the Pomorze Dzieciom Hospice, which runs the TuliPani Perinatal Hospice, the eMOCja Holistic Support Center after Loss, and as a psycho-oncologist with the Rak'n'Roll. Win Life! Foundation, CMKP. Previously, she was associated with the St. Padre Pio Hospice in Puck, the St. Lawrence Hospice Association in Gdynia, and the Gdynia Amazons Association, among others.
Moreover, she is actively involved in educating medical professionals, especially in the field of supervision meetings and by raising awareness of the psychological and emotional aspects of a sick person.
Emilia Zyra, M.A.
Psychologist and certified CBT psychotherapist. I began my career at a Children's Home, where I supported young people as a psychologist and later as the center's coordinator. Over the years, I also worked in a high school, a Mental Health Clinic, and a Center for Community Psychological and Psychotherapeutic Support, supporting children, adolescents, and their families through emotional difficulties. Collaborating with the Pomorze Dzieciom Hospice and the eMOCja Holistic Center for Loss Support has been a particularly rewarding experience for me. Currently, I combine therapeutic work in several centers – including in private practice – and teach classes for psychology students. In my work, I combine a cognitive-behavioral approach with a holistic perspective on mental health, believing that appropriate support helps everyone find their inner strength.
Dorota Janikowska-Hołoweńko, MD, PhD
Kamila Walicka, M.A.
An experienced nurse, she specializes in family nursing. Her diverse professional experience, from working in a dynamic hospital environment as an anesthesiologist to working with primary care patients of all ages and with a variety of health issues, has allowed her to gain a broad perspective on patient needs. However, working at a children's hospice has become her professional calling and a path she intends to pursue with full commitment. She continually expands her skills to best support patients and their families. She is currently deepening her knowledge by specializing in palliative care nursing. In her daily work, she combines professionalism with sensitivity, guided by the belief that end-of-life care requires not only high competence but also presence, sensitivity, and respect for the patient's dignity.
Małgorzata Szwemin, M.A.
Psychologist, coordinator of the Psychology Team at the Pomorze Dzieciom Hospice, the eMOCji Holistic Support Center for Loss, and the TuliPani Perinatal Hospice. I was involved in the military for fifteen years. I completed numerous training courses for the military and gained experience training soldiers in special units, as well as civilian and military students at the Naval Academy. A military psychologist cares not only for soldiers but also for entire families, so in my work, I encountered various issues and the need for support in difficult areas such as trauma and PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder).
„"I have created a series of original programs for learning how to manage emotions, where we use breathing and inner silence to hear ourselves better and release emotional pain."”
Dagmara Gimenez, M.A.
A psychologist, clinical social worker, and crisis interventionist specializing in suicidology and contextual behavioral therapy (wave III). She is a supervisor of ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy) therapy in the certification process. For over a decade, she has supported individuals in mental health crises, developing community psychiatry and counteracting secondary traumatization. She is a member of the Association for Contextual Behavioral Science (ACBS) – both the global chapter and the Polish section of this international organization. She is a co-creator of support programs such as "Support for Supporters" and "Don Quixote Academy," based on ACT. She works at the eMOCja Center for Holistic Support After Loss, where she provides group and individual support for individuals who have suffered a loss due to suicide or sudden death. She gained experience in India and Spain, among others, working with people affected by trauma and bereavement. She co-leads the European program Cope– Trauma-Informed Care for non-formal educators.
Anna Piekara, M.A.
Dr. Agnieszka Trawicka
Justyna Dąbrowska, M.A.
Form of studies: part-time (classes every 2 weeks)
Classes will be conducted in a hybrid format.
Framework hours of classes: Fridays from 5:00 p.m. to 8:15 p.m. and Saturdays and/or Sundays from 8:00 a.m. to 8:15 p.m.
Duration: 2 semesters
Number of hours: 230 hours (98 hours of lectures, 132 hours of exercises)
The program includes supervised internships and case studies.
The condition for obtaining a certificate of completion of postgraduate studies in the field of The psychology of loss, transience and mourning is to pass the subjects included in the study program and pass the final test.
Are you interested in this field?
Call or write to us: tel.: 58 769 08 01/02/03/04/05
e-mail: rekrutacja@gamns.edu.pl , studia.podyplomowe@gamns.edu.pl