Individual Healing · by Sharon Mackenzie SpiritRSPrac
The Weight of Parent Guilt
Understanding What Happened, What Belongs to You, and What You Can Finally Put Down
Self-paced · For adults · Ten core modules and one optional Christian faith module · Pause, skip or return at any time
Introductory price $29 AUD (regular price $49 AUD) · One-time · Includes 12 months complimentary access to The Arcanum from your first Institute enrolment, whether you enrol by payment, free access, promotional code or employer code — no renewal or charge.
This is education, not therapy, counselling, legal advice or a parenting assessment. Your reflections in this course are never saved or sent to the Institute. Short knowledge checks are optional and are there to help you, not to judge you. The non-accredited Certificate of Completion records course completion only and does not certify parenting capacity or fitness to parent.
Twelve printable PDF worksheets come with the course, including a reflection journal, a responsibility-versus-blame worksheet, an accountability and repair worksheet, a final integration plan and a support guide.
If a child is unsafe right now, call 000. Support and child protection contacts for every Australian state and territory are in the opening lesson, and include Lifeline 13 11 14 and 1800RESPECT 1800 737 732.
Included with enrolment
Your learning continues in The Arcanum
Every enrolled student receives 12 months complimentary access to The Arcanum — whether enrolment is paid, free, through a discount or access code, or through a workplace code. Institute ebooks hosted in our own reader are also free through your student account.
The 12 months start with your first eligible Institute enrolment; later enrolments do not restart the clock. No automatic renewal or charge. The Arcanum is optional, and public resources remain freely available. Only titles with a loaded reader edition are available; outside-retailer ebooks and paperbacks are not included.
- Sign in at the existing sign-in page with the email or Google account you enrolled with.
- Open The Arcanum from your student account; check your access dates on your membership page.
- Read the Institute reader editions in My Library.
Many parents carry guilt for things they did, things they didn't do, and things that were never in their control at all. This self-paced course helps adults gently sort what happened — illness and genetic inheritance, difficult births, disability and caring, divorce and family circumstances, accidents and bereavement, adult children and estrangement, and harm a parent caused — and decide what belongs to them, what never did, and what they can finally put down.
Each of the ten core modules includes substantive teaching, a clearly labelled fictional composite case study, optional reflective prompts, a private exercise to complete in your own journal, and a short, non-judgmental knowledge check. One optional Christian faith module reads John 9:1–3, Proverbs 20:11, Ezekiel 18:20 and Genesis 2:24 carefully in context, without pressure to reconcile.
The course is disability-affirming, trauma-informed and non-coercive. It never minimises harm: where a parent caused harm, it focuses on real accountability, children's safety and autonomy, and specialist support. Children's current safety always comes first.
Reflections are optional and are never saved or sent to the Institute. A non-accredited Certificate of Completion records course completion only and does not assess or certify parenting capacity or fitness to parent.
This is education, not therapy, counselling, medical or legal advice, a parenting assessment or crisis support. Australian support and child protection contacts are included.
Sharon Mackenzie SpiritRSPrac · Founder & Educator
- Diploma of Counselling
- Accredited Chaplain
- Narrative Practice Practitioner · Health & Harmony Colleges
- Advanced Aromatherapy Practitioner · Health & Harmony Colleges
- Trauma-Informed Care
Sharon Mackenzie is the founder and educator behind Spirit Led Institute. Her work draws on a Diploma of Counselling, narrative practice, accredited chaplaincy, trauma-informed care training. She develops practical education at the intersection of safeguarding, organisational culture, dignity, authority, psychosocial safety and individual healing.
Who this course is for
Adult parents, step-parents, carers and grandparents carrying guilt about a child or adult child, and anyone who wants to understand parent guilt with honesty and compassion.
What our students learn
- Distinguish guilt, shame, regret and grief
- Recognise what was outside your control, partly within it, and yours
- Understand illness, genetics, birth events and disability without self-blame or ableism
- Respect adult children's agency and boundaries, including in estrangement
- Understand real accountability, safety and repair where a parent caused harm
- Release self-punishment while honouring genuine responsibility
- Build caring boundaries and integrate your story with dignity
Course outline
Module 1
Before You Begin
Welcome, how the course works, safety and Australian support.
- Welcome, Safety and Support
Module 2
Module 1: Understanding Parent Guilt
Guilt and shame, regret and grief — four different weights.
- Understanding Parent Guilt· knowledge check
Module 3
Module 2: Illness, Genetic Inheritance and Medical Diagnosis
When a child's health becomes a question about your body, your genes or your vigilance.
- Illness, Genetic Inheritance and Medical Diagnosis· knowledge check
Module 4
Module 3: Difficult Births and Birth Trauma
Emergency caesareans, NICU, complications and prematurity — without hindsight blame.
- Difficult Births and Birth Trauma· knowledge check
Module 5
Module 4: Disability and Caring Without Shame
Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, complex and undiagnosed disability, neurodiversity and carer fatigue.
- Disability and Caring Without Shame· knowledge check
Module 6
Module 5: Divorce, Relationships, Uncertain Paternity and Family Circumstances
When adult relationships change the shape of a child's life.
- Divorce, Relationships, Uncertain Paternity and Family Circumstances· knowledge check
Module 7
Module 6: Accidents, Bereavement and Unforeseeable Events
When something happened that no one saw coming.
- Accidents, Bereavement and Unforeseeable Events· knowledge check
Module 8
Module 7: Adult Children, Agency and Estrangement
When your children are grown and the relationship is not what you hoped.
- Adult Children, Agency and Estrangement· knowledge check
Module 9
Module 8: When the Parent Caused Harm
Real accountability, safety, repair and specialist support — without minimisation.
- When the Parent Caused Harm· knowledge check
Module 10
Module 9: Self-Forgiveness and Burden Release
Releasing self-punishment — not responsibility.
- Self-Forgiveness and Burden Release· knowledge check
Module 11
Module 10: Living and Parenting Beyond Guilt
Boundaries, dignity and integration.
- Living and Parenting Beyond Guilt· knowledge check
Module 12
Optional Christian Faith Module: Scripture, Inheritance and Guilt
John 9:1–3, Proverbs 20:11, Ezekiel 18:20 and Genesis 2:24 — read in context, with no pressure.
- Optional Christian Faith Module: Scripture, Inheritance and Guilt
Please read before enrolling
This is an independent, non-accredited professional development course. Completion provides a Spirit Led Institute Certificate of Completion only. It does not provide an AQF qualification, a Statement of Attainment, professional registration, a licence or government accreditation.
Our goods and services come with guarantees that cannot be excluded under the Australian Consumer Law. Nothing in our terms limits those rights.
Whether any self-education expense is deductible depends on your individual circumstances and its connection to your current work. Please check current ATO guidance or seek independent tax advice.
