Professional Diploma in Bereavement: Grief Counselling Training Online in Ireland

Grief and bereavement are universal human experiences, yet each person's process of loss is profoundly individual. Counsellors and psychotherapists working with bereaved clients need more than general therapeutic competence — they need a grounded understanding of grief theories, loss frameworks, and the many forms bereavement can take. ICPS College's Professional Diploma in Bereavement offers specialist knowledge delivered live online over ten structured weeks.

Whether you are encountering bereavement presentations for the first time or seeking to deepen existing skills, this course provides a rigorous and compassionate framework for grief counselling practice in Ireland and internationally.

What the Professional Diploma in Bereavement Covers

The course is structured across ten modules, exploring:

• Contemporary grief theories: Worden, Kübler-Ross, Stroebe and Schut, and the Dual Process Model

• Complicated grief, prolonged grief disorder, and traumatic bereavement

• Anticipatory grief and disenfranchised grief

• Bereavement across the lifespan: children, adolescents, and older adults

• Sudden loss, suicide bereavement, and traumatic death

• Cultural and religious dimensions of grief

• Therapeutic approaches: meaning reconstruction, continuing bonds, and narrative therapy

• Working with grieving families and systemic perspectives

• Ethical and professional considerations in bereavement practice

• Supervision and self-care for practitioners working with loss

Who Is This Course For?

• Counsellors and psychotherapists seeking specialist bereavement CPD

• Hospice and palliative care workers

• Social workers and community nurses who encounter grief and loss

• Chaplains, clergy, and pastoral care workers

• Funeral directors and those in bereavement support services

• Trainee counsellors building a foundation in grief work

Delivery Format and Duration

The course is delivered live online via Zoom over ten weeks, with one session per week. All teaching is in real time, supported by supplementary reading and reflective tasks. Participants receive 60 CPD credits on successful completion.

Accreditation and CPD Credits

Accredited by the Professional Development Consortium and the CPD Standards Office, this course awards a Professional Diploma in Bereavement and 60 CPD credits. Credits are suitable for submission to IACP, IAHIP, BACP, and other recognised bodies. Participants should confirm requirements with their own professional association.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this course relevant for counsellors who only occasionally encounter bereavement?

Absolutely. The course equips practitioners at all levels to respond with greater confidence and competence to grief presentations, whether bereavement is a primary clinical focus or one of many issues a client brings.

Does the course cover suicide bereavement?

Yes. Suicide bereavement is addressed as a distinct form of traumatic loss, with particular attention to its psychological, relational, and systemic dimensions.

Is this course suitable for non-counselling professionals?

Yes. The course is designed for any professional who regularly encounters grief and loss in their work, including hospice workers, nurses, social workers, chaplains, and others in care or community settings.

Enrol in the Professional Diploma in Bereavement

View full course details and enrolment information on the Professional Diploma in Bereavement course page. You may also find the Professional Diploma in Grief, Professional Diploma in Trauma & PTSD, and Professional Diploma in Death Studies of interest. For enquiries, visit the ICPS College contact page.