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Professional Diploma in Bereavement, Loss & Grief (Live-Online)- ICPS College


 

IMPORTANT INFORMATION ON ENROLMENT & SECURING YOUR PLACE

 

  • Course Status: Fully Accredited

  • Course Cost: €645

  • Deposit Due Now: 50%

  • Payment Now to Secure Your Place: €322.50

 

 Delivery: Live-Online (Lecturer-Led)

Credits: 60 CPD Credits

Format: Live-Online Lecturer-Led Modules via Zoom

Duration:1 Class per Week (3 Hours) Over 10 Weeks

Online Live Attendance:30 Hours

Self-Directed Learning:800 Hours

Course Open To: Practitioners, Students & All Members of the Public with an Interest & Speciality Area of Practice


Assessment:Written Assignment and/or Viva Voce Assessment and/or Skills Assessment


Award: Accredited Professional Diploma

 

Course Accreditation

 

 

Course Description

 

This Professional Diploma in Bereavement, Loss & Grief provides comprehensive, compassionate and academically grounded training for practitioners who wish to deepen their understanding of grief, mourning, loss and bereavement support across the lifespan. The programme is designed for counsellors, psychotherapists, psychologists, social care practitioners, healthcare workers, educators, hospice and palliative care staff, community workers, trainees and allied professionals who require a sophisticated, applied framework to support individuals, families and communities through loss.

 

The course begins with a foundational introduction to bereavement, loss and grief, and then progresses through a structured sequence of modules aligned with the lecturer's material. Learners explore grief as a psychological, emotional, physical, social and cultural experience. The programme considers grief not as a disorder to be resolved on a fixed timeline, but as an individual, often non-linear process shaped by attachment, personality, culture, belief systems, prior loss and the nature of the relationship to what has been lost.

 

A central strength of the programme is its integration of established grief theory with practical, applied counselling skills. Learners examine recognised models of grief and mourning, the psychological and emotional impact of loss, and the physical manifestations of grief on the body and overall wellbeing. These theoretical perspectives are placed alongside population-specific considerations, including grief in children, adolescents and older adults, and across gender and cultural contexts, supporting learners in tailoring their approach sensitively to each individual and family they work with.

 

The programme also addresses complicated and prolonged grief, offering learners a clear framework for recognising when grief may require additional therapeutic attention and appropriate referral. Cultural sensitivity is embedded throughout, with a dedicated focus on rituals, customs and beliefs surrounding death and mourning across diverse communities, ensuring that practitioners can work respectfully and competently with clients from a wide range of backgrounds.

 

Practical application is central throughout the course. Modules include case discussion, skills practice, reflective learning, active listening techniques, grief counselling approaches, group support facilitation and guidance on healing, meaning-making and moving forward after loss. Learners are encouraged to think carefully about ethical practice, professional boundaries, self-care, cultural humility and the limits of their own competence when supporting bereaved individuals and families.

 

By the end, learners should be able to develop an understanding of grief from multiple theoretical and practical perspectives, recognise the psychological, physical, social and cultural dimensions of loss, and apply sensitive, ethically responsible interventions within their own professional scope. The programme supports reflective, informed and compassionate bereavement practice while emphasising that specialist mental health intervention should be undertaken only by appropriately qualified professionals or through suitable referral pathways.

 

This programme is open to practitioners, students and members of the public who wish to deepen their understanding of bereavement, loss and grief. Practitioners already working in counselling, psychotherapy, healthcare, education, social care, or community support will find the course strengthens their existing skill set and provides a structured, evidence-based framework for supporting bereaved individuals and families. Students who are building toward a career in counselling or psychotherapy will benefit from a solid theoretical and practical foundation that complements their ongoing studies and prepares them for further professional training. Members of the public who have a personal interest in this area of study, who have experienced loss themselves, or who are considering a future career in counselling and psychotherapy are equally welcome to enrol, as the course is designed to be accessible, informative and supportive for learners at different stages of their personal and professional journey.

 

The programme, therefore, serves a wide and inclusive learner base. Whether a person is seeking to formalise existing clinical experience, take a first step toward a career in counselling and psychotherapy, or deepen their personal understanding of grief and loss, the course offers a welcoming, structured and academically robust pathway. All learners are supported in engaging with the material at a level appropriate to their needs, with opportunities for reflection, discussion and applied practice throughout.

 

 

Course Highlights

 

  • Comprehensive professional training in bereavement, loss and grief support across diverse populations and contexts.

  • Detailed exploration of established grief theories, including stage-based, task-based and non-linear models of mourning.

  • Structured examination of the psychological, emotional and physical impact of grief on wellbeing and functioning.

  • Focused modules on grief across the lifespan, including children, adolescents, older adults and gendered experiences of loss.

  • Strong emphasis on cultural sensitivity, religious diversity and respectful practice with multicultural clients and families.

  • Dedicated focus on complicated and prolonged grief, with guidance on recognition, intervention and referral.

  • Practical grief counselling skills, including active listening, empathic responding and effective support techniques.

  • Exploration of the role of group therapy, family support and community-based bereavement responses.

  • Guidance on healing, meaning-making, rituals and memorialisation following loss.

  • Applied ethical considerations, professional boundaries and self-care in bereavement-related practice.

  • Strong emphasis on skills practice, case discussion, reflective learning and supervised application.

  • Final integration of learning to support sustainable, compassionate and ethically grounded bereavement practice.

  • Suitable for practitioners seeking to formalise existing bereavement-related experience within a structured academic framework.

  • Accessible to students building toward a career in counselling, psychotherapy or allied helping professions.

  • Open to members of the public with a personal interest in bereavement, loss and grief, including those who have experienced loss themselves.

  • Supportive learning environment designed to accommodate learners at different stages of their personal and professional development.

  • Clear progression pathway for members of the public seeking further training in counselling and psychotherapy.

  • Opportunities for practitioners to expand their professional toolkit with structured, evidence-informed bereavement support skills.

  • Flexible, live-online delivery designed to suit practitioners, students and members of the public balancing work, study and personal commitments.

  • Welcoming and inclusive approach that values lived experience alongside academic and professional learning.

 

 

Learning Outcomes

 

On completion of this programme, learners will be able to:

  • Explain bereavement, loss and grief as individual, non-linear experiences shaped by psychological, social and cultural factors.

  • Analyse established theories and models of grief, including their strengths, limitations and applications to practice.

  • Recognise the psychological and emotional impact of grief, including its relationship to broader mental health and wellbeing.

  • Identify the physical manifestations of grief and their impact on health, sleep, immune function and daily life.

  • Differentiate grief responses across populations, including children, adolescents, older adults and gendered experiences of loss.

  • Demonstrate cultural sensitivity and respectful practice when supporting clients from diverse cultural and religious backgrounds.

  • Recognise the features of complicated and prolonged grief and identify appropriate pathways for intervention and referral.

  • Apply active listening, empathy and core counselling skills within a bereavement support context.

  • Evaluate the role of individual, group and family-based approaches to bereavement support.

  • Support clients in healing, meaning-making and integration of loss into ongoing life.

  • Demonstrate ethical awareness regarding boundaries, practitioner competence, safeguarding and the limits of their professional role.

  • Integrate theoretical knowledge, practical skills and reflective practice into responsible, compassionate bereavement-related work.

  • Practitioners will be able to integrate bereavement-informed approaches into their existing professional practice.

  • Students will be able to build a solid theoretical and practical foundation for further study in counselling and psychotherapy.

  • Members of the public will be able to develop a clearer personal understanding of grief, loss and the bereavement process.

  • All learners will be able to identify appropriate next steps for further training or professional development in counselling and psychotherapy.

  • All learners will be able to apply core listening and support skills in personal, community or professional contexts.

  • All learners will be able to recognise when to seek professional bereavement support or signpost others to it.

  • All learners will be able to reflect on their own experiences of loss in a safe, structured and supported learning environment.

  • All learners will be able to communicate about bereavement, loss and grief with confidence, sensitivity and cultural awareness.

 

 

Additional Information

 

This programme provides a broad professional foundation in bereavement-related counselling, psychotherapy and allied professional practice. It is not a full specialist training in psychiatry, complicated grief therapy, palliative medicine, forensic assessment, safeguarding investigation or any single bereavement treatment model. Learners should apply the material within their existing professional role, competence, training background and ethical responsibilities.

 

The course is particularly relevant for professionals who encounter grief, loss, mourning, family distress, complicated bereavement or cultural diversity in their work. Learners are encouraged to seek appropriate supervision, further specialist training and referral pathways when working with prolonged grief disorder, suicidal ideation, self-harm, severe mental distress, safeguarding concerns, complex trauma or active risk.

 

Learners should understand that grief is a deeply personal experience, and that the client's safety, consent, pace, lived experience, and individual needs must remain central. Sensitive, person-centred listening can enrich assessment and support when held alongside evidence-informed practice and clear professional boundaries.

 

Teaching is delivered live online and includes lecturer-led input, case discussion, reflective exercises, skills practice, psychoeducation, small-group work, practical examples and applied integration. Learners are expected to actively engage with the live sessions, Moodle LMS materials, self-directed reading, reflective tasks, and assessment preparation. The programme supports students in developing not only academic knowledge but also professional judgement, ethical reasoning, self-awareness and the capacity to work compassionately with complex emotional material.

 

The course may support continuing professional development for counsellors, psychotherapists, trainees, bereavement practitioners, social care workers, healthcare professionals, educators, psychologists, supervisors, community workers and allied professionals. Students should consult the lecturer, course leader, or academic registry office if they require clarification regarding accreditation, assessment, attendance, professional pathway requirements, suitability, scope of practice, or progression.

 

This programme welcomes practitioners, students and members of the public alike. Practitioners already working within counselling, psychotherapy, healthcare, social care, education or community settings are encouraged to use the course to consolidate and extend their existing knowledge of bereavement support. Students who are working toward a qualification in counselling, psychotherapy or a related field will find the course a valuable foundation that complements their wider studies and supports progression toward further professional training. Members of the public, including those with a personal interest in this area of study or those considering a future career in counselling and psychotherapy, are warmly encouraged to enrol.

 

The College recognises that learners come to this subject from diverse personal and professional backgrounds, and the course is designed to be accessible and meaningful regardless of prior experience. Reflective exercises, case discussion and skills practice are structured to support learners at all levels, while maintaining the academic rigour expected of a Level 8/9 CPD programme. Learners are encouraged to engage honestly and thoughtfully with the material, and to seek appropriate support, supervision or further training where relevant to their personal circumstances or professional development goals.

 

 

Module 1 – Introduction to Bereavement, Loss, and Grief

 

  • Definitions of bereavement, loss and grief

  • The importance of understanding grief in professional practice

  • Types of loss, including physical and emotional loss

  • Theories of grief, including Kübler-Ross and Bowlby

  • Grief in different cultures and religions

  • Case studies and real-life examples

  • Key takeaways and reflection

 

Module 2 – The Psychological and Emotional Impact of Grief

 

  • Understanding the psychological effects of grief

  • Stages of grief and their impact

  • Emotional reactions to loss

  • Grief and its relationship to depression, anxiety and mental health

  • Coping mechanisms for psychological wellbeing

  • Case study: a psychological perspective

  • Tools for grief support

  • Reflection and discussion

 

Module 3 – The Physical Manifestation of Grief

 

  • Physical responses to grief

  • Impact of grief on the body, including fatigue and sleep disturbance

  • Stress and grief: the connection to physical health

  • Grief and immune system function

  • The role of exercise and nutrition during grieving

  • Understanding grief-related illness

  • Case study: a physical perspective

  • Skills practice in recognising physical signs of grief and responding with appropriate care and support

  • Reflection and support strategies

 

Module 4 – Grief in Different Populations

 

  • Grief in children and adolescents

  • Grief in older adults

  • Gender differences in grieving

  • Cultural and religious differences in grief

  • Grief in families and social groups

  • Case study: grief in different contexts

  • Tailored grief support approaches

  • Skills practice in tailoring communication and support approaches to different age groups and populations

  • Reflection and discussion

 

Module 5 – The Grieving Process and Theories of Grief

 

  • Theories of grief, including Kübler-Ross, Bowlby and Worden

  • Non-linear models of grief

  • How grief processes vary across individuals

  • Phases versus tasks of grieving

  • Complicated grief and prolonged grief disorder

  • Interventions for complicated grief

  • Case study: theories in action

  • Skills practice in applying theoretical models of grief to case-based scenarios

  • Key insights and questions

 

Module 6 – Supporting Those Who Are Grieving

 

  • The role of a grief counsellor or therapist

  • Listening skills and empathy in grief support

  • Techniques for effective grief counselling

  • Supporting families and communities in grief

  • The role of group therapy

  • Case study: practical application of support techniques

  • Ethical considerations in grief counselling

  • Skills practice in active listening, empathic responding and grief counselling micro-skills

  • Reflection and practice

 

Module 7 – Cultural Sensitivity and Grief

 

  • The importance of cultural sensitivity in grief counselling

  • Cultural norms and rituals surrounding death

  • Grief and identity, including cultural, religious and personal dimensions

  • Working with multicultural clients

  • Case study: grieving in different cultures

  • Approaches to grief counselling in diverse settings

  • Ethical considerations

  • Skills practice in culturally sensitive communication and working with clients from diverse backgrounds

  • Reflection and discussion

 

Module 8 – Moving Forward: Healing After Loss

 

  • Understanding post-grief life and integration

  • Reconstructing life after loss

  • Creating meaning and finding purpose after grief

  • When grief does not subside: signs to seek professional help

  • Case study: healing journeys

  • The importance of rituals and memorialising

  • Grief support resources

  • Skills practice in supporting clients with meaning-making, rituals and planning after loss

  • Final reflection and course wrap-up

 

Module 9 – Skills Practice

 

  • Applied skills practice in core bereavement counselling techniques covered across the programme

  • Peer-based practice, feedback and reflective discussion in a supported live-online environment

  • Consolidation of active listening, empathic responding and case-based application

 

Module 10 – Skills Practice & Skills Assessment

 

  • Final applied skills practice ahead of formal assessment

  • Formal skills assessment: a live, observed demonstration of core bereavement counselling skills, assessed to confirm each learner's readiness to apply course content ethically and professionally

  • Constructive feedback and guidance from the assessing lecturer following completion

 

 

Zoom Delivery

 

All live online classes for this programme are delivered through ICPS College's Secure Enterprise Zoom platform. This enterprise-level system has been selected to ensure a safe, stable and professional learning environment for all students. The platform supports encrypted video communication, secure waiting rooms and controlled access, ensuring that only registered students and approved lecturers can join live sessions. Breakout rooms are used for small-group discussion, case-based learning and skills practice, allowing students to engage closely with peers under the lecturer's guidance. Recordings of formal lectures are stored securely and made available to registered students through the College's learning systems to support review and revision. ICPS College is committed to maintaining the highest standards of data protection, confidentiality and student safety across all live online delivery, and technical support is available to students who require assistance accessing or using the platform throughout the course.

 

In addition to live lecture delivery, the Secure Enterprise Zoom platform enables the College to accurately manage attendance records, supporting compliance with the programme's attendance requirements. Screen sharing, digital whiteboards and interactive polling features are available to lecturers to enhance engagement and support varied learning styles during live sessions. Where sensitive material is discussed, additional safeguards are in place to protect student privacy and wellbeing, including guidance on the appropriate use of cameras, chat functions, and virtual backgrounds. The platform is regularly updated in line with the latest security protocols to protect against unauthorised access and to safeguard personal data in accordance with relevant data protection legislation. Students are provided with clear guidance on how to access and use the platform prior to the commencement of the course, and technical assistance remains available throughout the programme. ICPS College views secure, reliable technology as an essential foundation for effective, respectful and professional live online learning.

 

 

Moodle LMS

 

ICPS College uses the Moodle Learning Management System (LMS) to support and structure every student's learning journey. Each student is provided with secure, personalised access to the Moodle platform, where they can access module materials, lecture notes, reading lists, reflective tasks and supplementary resources throughout the programme. The Moodle LMS also hosts recorded lecture content, revision materials and, where applicable, password-encrypted documents designed to protect academic content and preserve College branding. Students can track their own progress through the course, access assessment guidelines and submission portals, and communicate with lecturers and academic staff through structured, monitored channels. The platform is designed to be user-friendly and accessible, supporting students with varying levels of digital confidence. ICPS College continually reviews and updates its Moodle LMS resources to ensure that content remains current, relevant and aligned with best practice in bereavement, loss and grief support. Technical guidance and support are available to all students to ensure smooth access to the system. The Moodle LMS forms an integral part of the blended learning approach at ICPS College, complementing live online delivery and supporting self-directed learning, reflective practice and successful completion of the programme.

 

In addition to hosting learning materials, the Moodle LMS enables lecturers to provide timely feedback, share announcements, and communicate important programme updates. Students can access a structured overview of each module, allowing them to plan their self-directed learning alongside live online attendance. The system supports multimedia content, including video, audio and downloadable documents, catering to a range of learning preferences. Discussion forums may be used to facilitate peer engagement and reflective dialogue outside of live sessions, further supporting the development of professional and academic skills. Data held within the Moodle LMS is managed securely and in accordance with data protection requirements, ensuring student confidentiality is maintained at all times. The College regularly reviews the platform to ensure it remains user-friendly, accessible and fit for purpose. Students experiencing any difficulty accessing or navigating the Moodle LMS are encouraged to contact the academic registry office, which can provide guidance, technical support and any necessary accommodations.

 

 

Lecture Recording

 

Live online lectures for this programme are recorded only with the informed consent of all participants attending the session. No lecture will be recorded unless every student and lecturer present has agreed to the recording. If any participant does not consent, alternative arrangements will be made to ensure they are not recorded while still enabling them to fully engage with the live session. Recordings that do proceed with full consent are used solely for legitimate academic purposes, including student revision and review of course content. Consent may be withdrawn at any time, and students are encouraged to raise any concerns regarding recording directly with their lecturer or the academic registry office.

 

 

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