Grief and Bereavement Counselling

Grief looks different for everyone, and this bereavement counselling course explores those unique journeys. You’ll learn about:

• The difference between grief and bereavement.

• How people process grief over time.

• Common emotional responses and coping behaviours.

• How children, teens, and adults grieve differently.

Learn How to Offer Real Support

This course offers a solid starting point for anyone interested in developing skills in grief support or for those who want to support others in their personal lives. You’ll explore practical communication and listening skills that can make all the difference when someone is grieving. The course shows you how to hold space, respond with empathy, and offer support without overstepping your role. It also covers:

• Ways to support people after sudden or traumatic loss, including suicide.

• The emotional impact of miscarriage, stillbirth, and fertility grief.

• Pet bereavement and its underestimated emotional weight.

• Navigating loss in the context of mental health conditions.

This is a good first step for anyone looking to develop their understanding of grief and bereavement support, and it offers a helpful foundation in listening well and providing compassionate care.

Caring for Yourself While Supporting Others

Supporting someone in grief can be rewarding, but it can also take a toll. This section helps you:

• Recognise signs of compassion fatigue and vicarious grief.

• Set clear, healthy boundaries.

• Explore holistic practices that support both your wellbeing and others'.

A Flexible, Insightful Learning Experience

With our grief counselling course, you can learn bereavement counselling entirely online, at your own pace, with no deadlines or pressure. It’s designed to fit around real life while still giving you the knowledge to start supporting others in your personal life.

This accredited course suits a wide range of learners, whether you're exploring grief support for the first time or looking to deepen knowledge you already have:

• Qualified counsellors, coaches, and therapists who want to deepen their grief-related knowledge and add to their CPD record.

• Those supporting loved ones through loss and looking to understand the emotional effects of bereavement and how to care for wellbeing.

• Anyone drawn to grief and bereavement support as a future direction, who wants an accessible place to build their foundations before pursuing accredited counselling training.

• People interested in non-clinical support roles who want to learn bereavement counselling approaches to help others in their community or workplace.

Whichever route brings you here, if you plan to support people professionally we'd encourage you to build practical experience, find mentorship or supervision and secure professional indemnity insurance alongside your studies.

As with all online studies, we recommend gaining practical hands-on experience where possible to enhance your understanding and confidence. This course offers a comprehensive overview of grief and bereavement, and we encourage further reading, training, or mentorship for those wishing to apply these principles in a professional or clinical setting. Always work safely, ethically, and refer people to qualified healthcare or mental health professionals where appropriate. This course should never be used as a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment from a qualified healthcare professional. If you're grieving yourself and finding it hard to manage day to day, please know that support is available, and it's always worth speaking to your GP or contacting a bereavement service.

Please note: "Counsellor" and "Psychotherapist" are not legally protected titles in the UK; however, the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) and the United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP) set recognised professional training standards for those wishing to practise in these fields. This CPD-accredited course does not meet those requirements and is not equivalent to BACP or UKCP accreditation, membership or registration. Anyone wishing to practise as a counsellor or psychotherapist will need further, separately accredited training and supervised experience. Always refer clients presenting with significant trauma or mental health concerns to a qualified mental health professional.