A virtual course for family carers of people living with Huntington's disease.

We are pleased to invite you to our virtual course for family carers of people living with Huntington’s disease. The course will be run by Sarah Gunn, a clinical psychologist and researcher at the University of Leicester, and will be based on the principles of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy.

What is Acceptance and Commitment Therapy?

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy is a therapeutic approach which focuses on learning to manage difficult thoughts and feelings, and to live a life which feels valuable and meaningful despite the struggles we encounter.

This is an opportunity to explore the difficulties that can be associated with being gene positive for Huntington’s disease, to identify the values that matter most to you, and for you to think about how to move towards a more rich and valued life than you may have now.

Course outline

This is an eight-week course running from Wednesday 8th October 2025 to Wednesday 26th November 2025. The sessions will be on a Wednesday morning from 10-11.30am, with the opportunity to join a follow up support group.

Although things can come up, we would ask that you can commit to at least seven of these sessions.

There will be the opportunity to join a follow up support group.

Here is a brief session outline:

  • Week 1: Introductions: To ACT, to the programme, and to each other
  • Week 2: Impacts of Huntington’s on the “carer”* and wider family
  • Week 3: Psychological wellbeing when supporting a person with Huntington’s
  • Week 4: Coping and adjustment: Living with, not battling against
  • Week 5: What matters to you: Finding your values
  • Week 6: Moving forward: Taking steps to align with your values
  • Week 7: Living a valued life alongside Huntington’s: Plans and coping strategies
  • Week 8: Reflection and ending: What’s next?

*Note: Some people don’t like this term, so here we’re using it in quote marks. During the course, we will discuss which term would be preferred by the people attending.

Book your place

A Zoom link will be sent with pre-course information.

Please note that this course is also forming part of a wider research study into the effectiveness of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and there will be questionnaires sent to complete at various points during the course as part of this. One of our advisers will be in touch prior to start of the course to discuss this further, and will be able to answer any questions you might have.