Navigating the
labyrinth of grief
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Dr. Diana Sands is the author of a number of academic publications, journal articles and book chapters, and is author of a book and film resource, the Red Chocolate Elephants: For Children Bereaved by Suicide. This resource is used in schools, charities, and community services throughout Australia and Internationally. The Red Chocolate Elephants book offers practical ways to sensitively engage with children about the loss of a loved one to suicide.
I acknowledge the Traditional custodians of the land on which I work, and pay my respects to the Elders, past and present.
Counselling and Workshop Programs
Dr. Diana Sands is the Director of the Bereaved by Suicide Centre for Intense Grief, Lower North Shore, Sydney, providing counselling for loss and grief following sudden, violent and traumatic death, and in particular individual, couple and family counselling for those who have lost a loved one through suicide.
This kind of grief is so intense it can shatter a person’s world. Together we create a safe haven to support the process of putting together the pieces and telling their story, with the loved one as a valued resource and comfort to assist in coping with grief.
Dr. Diana Sands is an experienced family, and narrative therapist, bringing together a number of counselling modalities and creative, experiential arts processes, in her counselling practice and workshops, drawing on her doctoral research into suicide grief and the ‘Tripartite Walking in the Shoes Model of Suicide Bereavement’. The workshops provide a space for a community of grievers to meet, gain support, resilience and understanding with others who are also bereaved, as they rebuild their life.
Dr. Sands is a Clinical Member of the Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia, and has provided a range of loss and grief training programs for professionals, community, and International, organizations. Diana is involved in activities to improve education, awareness, and understanding of grief, loss and bereavement. She is a member of the International Work Group Death, Dying and Bereavement, a planning committee member Perth 34th IWG meeting 2025 and a Co-Convenor of the International Association of Suicide Prevention (IASP) Postvention Special Interest Group. She is also a member of the Leadership Group for the College of Creative and Experiential Arts (CCET), and a past Convenor of PACFA NSW Leadership Group. Diana is the past Deputy Chair of Postvention Australia, and served for a number of years as Honorary Advisor to the Wings of Hope Charity. She has served on the NSW Executive Committee, National Association Loss and Grief, and as the NSW representative with Suicide Prevention Australia.
Client Wisdom
Red Chocolate Elephants
Red Chocolate Elephants is a remarkable resource for children bereaved by suicide. In a world where children are forgotten mourners, this unique combination of text, pictures, and voices - all in the words of bereaved children themselves - is a treasured safe haven for young people to hear their fears, questions, and difficulties put into works by other children just like them.
Talking to children
about suicide
When a loved one dies by suicide there will be lots of confusing and different feelings that are hard to find the words for. Children need reassurance that they are loved and that nothing they did caused the death. Most children will have a limited understanding about what suicide means and will look for information from adults that they trust, to help them make sense of this raw and painful experience. Your readiness to listen, talk and support will assist their understanding and help them develop the resilience to cope...
Open to Hope Foundation
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The Open to Hope Foundation provides an online forum with information and support so that people who experience loss can learn to cope with their pain, heal their grief, and invest in their future.