Individuals experience and react to grief differently. There are multiple different ways individuals grieve. Some are more extrovert, while others are more introvert. What type of griever are you? How do you express grief? Do you express grief in a healthy way or a detrimental way? Please also review AIHCP’s Grief Counseling Courses and see if they offer the training you need to become a better griever but also a better grief counselor. The program ultimately leads to a four year certification for qualified professionals
grief counseling certification
Grief Counseling Video on Romantic Loss
Beyond the loss of a person due to death, many suffer the pain of breakups and divorces throughout life as well. The loss of a person or a relationship can be very emotionally painful and take much time to fully adjust to life without that person. From simple breakup to messy divorce, the loss and adaptation varies on the connection and bond between the couple.
Please also review AIHCP’s Grief Counseling Certification Program and see if it meets your academic and professional goals. The program is online and independent study and open to qualified professionals seeking a four year certification as a Grief Counselor. The video below reviews the problems and issues facing those dealing with romantic loss
Please review the video below
Grief Counseling Certification Video on Suicide
Suicide is a tragic loss. It is not only a stigmatizing loss but it is also one that many feel can be prevented. Those who survive suicide, or family members who deal with the after loss all have enormous grief. The wake of suicide can be devastating. Grief Counselors and Crisis Counselors need to be able to help individuals through issues to prevent suicide or future attempts and help families cope with a successful suicide of a loved one
Please also review AIHCP’s Grief Counseling Certification video on suicide
Grief Counseling Certification Video on Complicated Grief
Complicated Grief is a result of not naturally processing through the grieving cycle. It can result in Prolonged Grief, or turn into a Clinical Depression. Complications in grief are due to the nature of the loss, the subjective uniqueness of the person experiencing grief, or other supporting factors or lack of. Please also review AIHCP’s Grief Counseling Certification
Please review AIHCP’s Video on Complicated Grief
Grief Counseling Certification Article on Complicated Grief
Grief is natural but sometimes it can go wrong during the adaptation process. Individuals can fall into grief complications. Prolonged Grief is one type. Usually complications to loss are due to a variety of reasons regarding the nature of the loss, a persons own coping abilities and support. Prolonged Grief can turn into Depression if not careful. When complications in the grieving process manifest beyond normal grieving, it is important for individuals to find help from a licensed counselor who is certified or well versed in grief counseling.
The article, “What Is Complicated Grief?” by Markham Heid takes a closer look at the nature of Complicated Grief, its symptoms and how to deal with it. He states,
“Complicated grief is now called ‘prolonged grief disorder,’” says M. Katherine Shear, MD, the author of the study in The New England Journal of Medicine and the Marion E. Kenworthy professor of psychiatry at Columbia University in New York, who studies grief and bereavement. “The difference between normal or healthy grief and prolonged grief is related to whether certain defensive responses that are a normal part of early grief become persistent and overly influential in mental functioning.”
To read the entire article. please click here
Please also review AIHCP’s Grief Counseling Certification and see if it meets your academic and professional goals. The program is online and independent study and open to qualified professionals seeking a four year certification as a Grief Counselor.
Grief Counseling Certification Program Article on Disenfranchised Grief
Those who are unable to properly express their grief due to belittlement, stigma, social indifference, or ignorance experience Disenfranchised Grief. Examples include pet loss grief, loss of a loved one who died under stigmatic circumstances, or those who are not considered close enough to the loss to deserve attention. The belittlement or total disregard of those who grieve for certain reasons is a big problem in society. All loss and grief from that loss should be treated with empathy and love.
The article, “Disenfranchised Grief: How to Cope & When to Get Help” by Hart Haraguchi takes a closer look at the nature of Disenfranchised Grief. She states,
“Disenfranchised grief, sometimes called hidden grief, occurs when a loss is not publicly acknowledged or validated through traditional norms and rituals. Those experiencing disenfranchised grief feel isolated, stigmatized, and ashamed. While it can feel overwhelming, there are ways to support yourself through your grief including creating a mourning ritual, connecting with others who understand, and talking with a therapist.”
To read the entire article, please click here
Please also review AIHCP’s Grief Counseling Certification Program and see if it meets your academic and professional goals. The program is online and independent study and open to qualified professionals seeking a four year certification as a Grief Counselor.
Grief Counseling Certification Article on Grief, Loss and Identity
Loss alters life. It also changes the individuals who experience the loss. The loss of identity and who one is can be a very difficult phase for the bereaved. Some may struggle with finding new meaning while others will cling to the past. Others will feel who they were is completely gone. Balance and understanding of how loss changes is important for the bereaved. One is different, things change, but identity is critical to keep.
For instance, a person who was a mother and lost a baby, may feel her motherhood has been stripped. Her identity was a mother, now that identity appears gone. These are important discussions for the bereaved to have in understanding their relationship with the loss and how change affects them but also does not steal who they are in the heart. Grief Counselors can help the bereaved better understand the identity loss and properly correlate it with reality.
The article, “Change, Identity Loss, and Grief” by Eleanor Haley from What’s Your Grief presents an excellent insight into loss of identity due to loss. She states,
“But sometimes, life changes are significant enough to cause drastic shifts, like becoming a parent, losing a loved one, getting sober, getting a diagnosis, and the list goes on. These changes can shatter your sense of self and create a web of loss that quickly splinters in and around you.”
To read the entire article, please click here
Sense of self can become loss in the chaos and grief. It is important to maintain it but also understand the changes surrounding you.
Please also review AIHCP’s Grief Counseling Certification and see if it meets your academic and professional goals. The program is online and independent study and open to qualified professionals seeking a four year certification in Grief Counseling.
Grief Counseling Certification Article on Companioning and Sojourning
Grief Counseling looks to help a person through grief. Grief can sidetrack life due to the adjustment period it takes to react to loss. It is not something to be seen as pathological or unnatural but part of life. How well one can adjust and cope is critical. Most times, individuals adjust from grief, but recovery itself is something that never comes. One does not recover from grief but learns to live with it. While some enter into pathological states due to loss with Prolonged Grief, or worst, Major Depressive Disorder, most are able to navigate the troubled waters of loss and adjust. This adjustment though comes with its own pain and emotional cycles.
Grief Counselors who are also licensed counselors can help not only those experiencing grief and loss in normal grief reactions but also pathological, while those who are not licensed are permitted to help those deal with basic human loss. In all cases, grief counselors are there to listen and help. Grief Counselors need to be good sojourners and companions in grief. This is a very pastoral view towards grief counseling and is beneficial in helping someone deal with a loss. It does not look to follow a mere clinical plan but instead to walk with the bereaved.
A sojourner is one who walks with someone in grief. Friends, family, religious or ministers and rabbis can partake down this path with anyone. Professional counselors can also take upon this very important role. A key ingredient in any sojourner is empathy. One needs to have the ability to feel the pain of others and to allow one to share one’s pain with oneself. Sojourning or companioning one through grief is not so much about assessing and analyzing one’s grief but more so listening and being present. This type of healing does not look for time tables but instead looks to help individuals by being present in the moment.
A sojourner or companion has a variety of qualities in how they help others. They are empathetic and full of love and patience. In this patience and love they help others express their grief by listening. They do not attempt to share grief stories but they listen to the emotions of the person. They grant permission to be angry or cry in this safe place.
Sojourners do not look to have the answers but look instead to help one find one’s own answers. They do not use terms such as “I understand” or “You need to do this” but instead listen and react to the emotional state of the person. The person leads the discussion, not the counselor in these cases.
Companioning or sojourning involves being present for the pain but maybe not having the ability to take the pain away. It focuses more so on the spirit than intellect and walking beside one not leading one. In many cases companioning looks respects the disorder of grief and does not seek to immediately find order.
Those who look to help others through grief utilize a companion model or a traditional treatment model. Instead of focus on returning a person to pre-loss status, sojourning respects the now and transformative process of grief. There is a new normal due to the loss and no return to the pre loss is possible. Sojourning does not look to eliminate grief symptoms but instead values the expression of grief as an important process of the grieving cycle. In doing so, healthy continued bonds with the deceased is encouraged and not seen as pathological. Quality of care is not determined by how well grief is managed but how well it was expressed and how well the bereaved was able to express and communicate.
When helping one through the grief process as a sojourner and comforter, one should help the person be honest about his or her feelings. It is important not to be shocked at what is said but more so to give a person the permission needed to express even angry feelings. The counselor should not look to fix the situation but merely listen and be present.
Being present is one of the key elements in sojourning for it entails listening and accepting the present situation of loss. Counselors can follow a few tips as well. While emotionally listening, avoid touching. Hugs can sometimes help but as counselors, not pastors or family, it is important to keep distance because those in grief can misunderstand intentions. When asking people to discuss their loss, sometimes it is difficult to start and they may need guided. Sometimes mirroring what they are saying can be beneficial. This allows individuals to hear what they are saying and to reflect on it. Ultimately let them know that their emotions are natural and expected and they have a right to grieve no matter what others may say or do.
Empathy, patience, listening, time and gentle guidance are critical to helping people express and go through grief. It cannot be seen as something mechanical or sterile with steps or procedures. Instead one needs to see the messiness of grief and the power of listening through sojourning.
If you would like to learn more about AIHCP’s Grief Counseling Program than please review and see if it meets your academic and professional goals. The program is online and independent study and open to qualified professionals seeking a four year certification as Grief Counselor.
Related Texts
The Unwanted Gift of Grief by Tim P. VanDuivendyk
Companioning the Grieving Child by Alan D. Wolfelt
Grief Counseling Certification Article on Prolonged Grief Disorder and Major Depressive Disorder
When loss occurs, acute grief is the result. The process of mourning the loss takes time but eventually leads to a state of integrated grief, where the loss still stings but one is adjusted to the loss in a healthy way. When this adaptation does not happen, complicated grief can occur and higher levels of professional help may be needed. Grief Counselors who are not licensed counselors can help with the acute grief phase, but if one finds themselves falling into complicated grief, then they should seek licensed counseling. Some licensed counselors may also be Grief Certified, which is even better.
Prolonged grief disorder persists and sometimes can be confused with major depressive disorder. It takes a very astute clinician to watch the details and understand the how one can easily fall into the other.
The article, “Bereavement and Depression” by Abigale Clark looks closer at grief, loss and depression. She states,
“Clinicians must carefully distinguish between grief, PGD, and MDD. A disorder that can occur when the natural grieving process is derailed, PGD is a painful and debilitating condition that can last for years in the absence of PGD-focused treatment. For PGD, the treatment of choice is either providing evidence-based PGD therapy or making a referral to a grief specialist. The aim is to provide support for healthy lifestyle and activities while also treating potential co-occuring conditions. If a bereavement specialist is not available, grief-informed clinical management can be enormously helpful.”
To read the entire article, please click here
Please also review AIHCP’s Grief Counseling Certification and see if it meets your academic and professional goals. The program is online and independent study and open to qualified professionals seeking a four year certification as a grief counselor.
Grief Counseling Certification Article on Bi Polar Disorder
There are a variety of depressions that set in. Not all are a result of a direct loss. Major Depressive order is an example of an on going cloud of sadness with no direct correlation to any loss. It can be chronic or acute. Another type of depression is Bi-Polar disorder which has highs or manic states and lows or depressive states. Some states are not as severe such as hypomania, which help distinguish between Bi Polar 1 or Bi Polar 2.
Bi-Polar disorder however is sometimes harder to pin point than other types of depression especially in teens due to natural ups and downs. It also leaves teens and those in their early 20s very confused why they are fine sometimes and not fine other times. It is very important to diagnose this disorder to help individuals find balance again in life.
The article, “Bipolar disorder” from Mayo Clinic gives an detail description of Bi Polar Disorder and helps educate individuals who feel they may have it and need help. It definitely a good place to start looking for information. The article states,
“Despite the mood extremes, people with bipolar disorder often don’t recognize how much their emotional instability disrupts their lives and the lives of their loved ones and don’t get the treatment they need. And if you’re like some people with bipolar disorder, you may enjoy the feelings of euphoria and cycles of being more productive. However, this euphoria is always followed by an emotional crash that can leave you depressed, worn out — and perhaps in financial, legal or relationship trouble.”
To read the entire article, please click here
It is hence important to find treatment for this difficult condition. So many relationships are ruined because of Bi Polar. A partner becomes confused by the flip flop personality and can find themselves one day on another’s good side then later their bad side. Having to deal with manic energy and desire to do things for a week only to be confused with depressive lack of energy the next can leave a partner confused and ready to even leave a relationship. The individual may also be confused and not fully understand.
In turn, they may look to spending binges, or even drugs and alcohol to help cope with depression or ride the mania. The individual may find themselves locked with a variety of financial issues, eating disorders or drug addictions due to the multiple swings in mood.
Like any type of depression with no true cause due to loss, some may wonder how or why someone is Bi Polar. Most is genetic. If a direct relative had it, then there is a good chance it was passed on to the child. Many though when reviewing family histories choose to hide mental disorders. So if grandma or grandpa had it, is sometimes harder to recall. Only those who lived with them will truly know if they were manic or depressed. With such a stigma, family histories sometimes cannot find the source.
If you think you may be Bi Polar, Mayo Clinic lists a few conditions during both Manic and Depressive episodes
Bi Polar 1 is diagnosed with at least one manic and depressive episode. Unlike Bi Polar 2, the mania is more severe and can lead to even psychosis. Within the mania period, one experiences more energy to the point of exaggeration. More wild thoughts and impulses may present themselves and lead for some into dangerous and risky activities via sex or drugs. One can also experience a state of invincibility and euphoria not tied to reality.
Unfortunately, while some may enjoy this phase and feel empowered, it is followed by a crash of depression. Like all depression, it can last 2 weeks or longer but also possesses the same characteristics of boredom, fatigue, disinterest, or insomnia.
If one is experiencing these issues of back and forth manic and depressive episodes it may be time to talk to a trained licensed professional. Grief Counselors who are licensed can help diagnose and find treatment through a doctor, but if only certified, if someone illustrates these characteristics, it is time to refer a client to someone that is licensed. Most grief counselors are certified but can only deal with basic grief to loss, but once grief becomes more insidious and pathological, it is important that those who are not licensed counselors help their clients receive the help they need through a licensed professional. Again, many certified Grief Counselors are also licensed Counselors and can supply the help needed on the spot but bear in mind, most cases of Bi Polar do require some type of pharmaceutical response. Physicians and Psychiatrists can provide the needed prescriptions to help individuals. Herbal remedies can also play a role in helping stabilize but should not never be utilized without first talking to your healthcare provider.
If you would like to learn more about Grief Counseling or would like to become a certified Grief Counselor, then please review AIHCP’s Grief Counseling Certification. The program is online and independent study and open to qualified professionals seeking a four year certification as a Grief Counselor.
Grief Counselors can play an important role in identifying pathological grief, and if licensed can provide even more assistance to those suffering from mental disorders such as Bi Polar Disorder.
Again you feel you are suffering from Bi Polar Disorder, do not wait for disaster in life, or continue to roll with the waves, but find the help you need to stabilize your life and the family around you.