Skip to main content
Not Found
DVD

Grief Care Professional Certification Training

Tools, Interventions and Best Practices for Clients Across the Lifespan

Speaker:
Kathy Couch, LCSW, FT
Duration:
Approx 6 hrs
Copyright:
May 28, 2026
Publisher:
PESI, Inc.
Product Code:
RNV150705
Media Type:
DVD - Also available: Digital Seminar | Live Webinar

Other great resources - exclusive savings when you add now!


Description

  • Skillfully work with grief in every form - from silent losses to complicated grief
  • Tools to guide clients through complex emotions like regret and forgiveness
  • Complete set of downloadable materials included
  • Become a Certified Grief-Informed Professional (CGP) at no extra cost

 

Grief touches every life … it’s the universal experience all clients share.

From the heartbreak of losing a loved one to the silent struggles people just don’t talk about …

… clients come to you carrying stories of love, loss, and longing – unsure of how to make sense of it all.

But grief isn’t one-size-fits-all: it takes many forms, each with unique implications for healing and intervention.

And if you don’t know how to work with grief in all of its forms, and speak its language with clients …

it can remain frozen – locked away where healing can’t reach it.

That’s why we developed this one-day grief certification training workshop with grief expert Kathy Couch, LCSW, FT.

She’ll equip you with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to navigate the full spectrum of grief in your clinical practice.

Whether you’re working with children, adults, families, or the terminally ill, you’ll gain practical, evidence-based tools to:

  • Identify types of grief – including complicated, anticipatory, and disenfranchised grief – and tailor your interventions accordingly
  • Conduct thorough intake assessments, including screening for depression and suicide risk, to ensure client safety and appropriate care
  • Apply a range of today’s best interventions and strategies
  • Address complex emotions such as regret, forgiveness, and reconciliation
  • Integrate multicultural and spiritual perspectives, honoring each client’s unique background and beliefs

PLUS this program is so comprehensive, you can become a Certified Grief Informed Professional (CGP) through Evergreen Certifications upon completion – at no additional cost to you!

Don’t wait to gain the tools, insight, and confidence to help clients move from surviving their loss to finding meaning and connection again.

Purchase now!

 

CERTIFICATION MADE SIMPLE!

  • No hidden fees – PESI pays for your application fee (a $99.99 value)!
  • Simply complete this live event and the post-event evaluation included in this training, and your application to be Certified Grief Informed Professional through Evergreen is complete.*

Attendees will receive documentation of CGP designation from Evergreen Certifications 4 to 6 weeks following the program.

*Professional standards apply. Visit www.evergreencertifications.com/cgp for professional requirements.

Credit

Planning Committee Disclosure - No relevant relationships

All members of the PESI, Inc. planning committee have provided disclosures of financial relationships with ineligible organizations and any relevant non-financial relationships prior to planning content for this activity. None of the committee members had relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies or other potentially biasing relationships to disclose to learners.  For speaker disclosures, please see the faculty biography.



* Credit Note - Self-Study CE Information Coming Soon

Continuing education credit information is coming soon for this non-interactive self-study package.

CE hours may be available for select professions, as listed in the target audience. Hours will be dependent on the actual recording time. Please check with your state licensing board or organization for specific requirements. 

There may be an additional fee for CE certificates. Please contact our Customer Service at 1-800-844-8260 for more details. 

**Materials that are included in this course may include interventions and modalities that are beyond the authorized practice of your profession. As a licensed professional, you are responsible for reviewing the scope of practice, including activities that are defined in law as beyond the boundaries of practice in accordance with and in compliance with your professions standards.



Speaker

Kathy Couch, LCSW, FT's Profile

Kathy Couch, LCSW, FT Related seminars and products


Kathy Couch, LCSW, FT, is a nationally recognized specialist and educator dedicated to helping clinicians navigate the complexities of grief, loss, and bereavement. As a certified thanatologist and Fellow in Thanatology (FT) with the Association for Death Education & Counseling (ADEC), her expertise is deeply rooted in both the science and compassionate art of loss-related care.

Kathy’s extensive experience informs her current roles as the owner of Willow Creek Counseling (private practice) and Rewired360 (EMDR training and consulting). She is the founder of EMDR University, where she educates and consults with clinicians on the EMDR career pathway from EMDR certification to EMDR consultation and training, leveraging her status as an EMDR consultant. Her academic foundation includes a master’s degree in social policy and community practice from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, following unique study abroad experience in Ghana, West Africa.

With over a decade of teaching experience at the Boise State University School of Social Work, where she covered research, case management and child welfare studies, Kathy understands the practical needs of clinicians. Her past roles as a manager of a substance abuse program, a grief debrief coordinator for children, and her background in child welfare and in-patient and outpatient hospital settings underscore her ability to apply evidenced-based practices (EBPs) to complex clinical presentations. Kathy is the co-host of the EMDR podcast, Kathy On The Couch, hosting everyday clinical conversations relevant to EMDR practice.

Kathy's commitment to the field is further demonstrated by her research contributions at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, including work on the GEMINI project (genetics and religious communities) and the Life Transitions Study (religiousness and substance abuse recovery). She also actively serves her community through volunteer roles, including training for Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA), a past board member for the Board of Community Guardians for 10 years and is developing a public health response to community crisis in conjunction with Southern Idaho Public Health Crisis Department.

Through her teaching, clinical practice, and advanced credentials, Kathy Couch is a leading authority on using trauma-informed approaches, particularly EMDR, to facilitate profound healing in cases of complicated grief.


Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Kathy Couch is the owner of Rewire360 and Willow Creek Counseling. She receives compensation as a group facilitator and is the Vice Chair of Twin Falls County Board of Community Guardians. Kathy Couch receives a speaking honorarium and recording royalties from PESI, Inc. She has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Kathy Couch is a member of EMDR International Association.


Additional Info

Access for Self-Study (Non-Interactive)

Access never expires for this product.


Questions?

Visit our FAQ page at www.pesi.com/faq or contact us at www.pesi.com/info


Objectives

  1. Distinguish the treatment implications between acute, normal, complicated, disenfranchised, anticipatory, cumulative, and ambiguous losses.
  2. Utilize intake assessments that include detailed loss histories, evaluation of grief manifestations, and assessment for depression and suicide risk to differentiate between normal and pathological grief responses.
  3. Choose evidence-based interventions for grief counseling and therapy, including psychoeducation, narrative therapy, emotion regulation, creative expression, and cognitive restructuring, tailored to the client’s unique grief experience.
  4. Distinguish the differences in goals, scope, client populations, and theoretical orientations between grief counseling and grief therapy.
  5. Integrate cultural, spiritual, and developmental factors into grief work.
  6. Identify ethical considerations and professional boundaries in grief work, including working with the terminally ill, minors, and families.

Outline

Types of Grief and Their Implications for Treatment/Intervention

  • Acute, Normal, and Complicated Grief
  • Disenfranchised Grief (e.g., loss of a pet, non-familial relationships)
  • Anticipatory Grief and Palliative Care Contexts
  • Cumulative and Secondary Losses
  • Ambiguous Loss (Physical presence/psychological absence, or vice-versa)
  • Treatment implications for Persistent Complex Bereavement Disorder (PCBD)
  • Grief Counseling vs. Grief Therapy

Intake Assessment of Grieving Clients

  • Detailed Loss History and Quality of Relationship to the Deceased
  • Client’s Current Functioning (work, social, self-care, sleep)
  • Cultural and Spiritual Beliefs about Death and Mourning
  • Grief Manifestations (Emotional physical, cognitive, and behavioral)
  • Client’s Readiness for Grief work and Capacity for Emotional Processing
  • Screening Tools for Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) vs. Normal Grief
  • Comprehensive Suicide Risk Assessment (Ideation, plan, means, intent)

Interventions and Strategies for Grief Therapy or Counseling

  • Psychoeducation on the Grief Process and Models (e.g., Task, phases)
  • Continuing Bonds Framework and Memorialization/Ritual Work
  • Narrative Therapy Techniques (Re-storying the relationship)
  • Emotional Regulation and Distress Tolerance Skills
  • Research, Risks and Limitations

Regret, Forgiveness, and Reconciliation

  • Addressing Unfinished Business, Guilt, and Self-Blame
  • Self-Forgiveness and Forgiveness of the Deceased/Others
  • Reconciling the Loss
  • The Role of Idealization and Realism about the Deceased
  • Empty Chair and Letter Writing Techniques for Emotional Expression
  • Research, Risks and Limitations

The Process of Death, Dying, and Mourning

  • Review of Basic Theoretical Frameworks for Grievers
  • The Trajectories of Sudden vs. Expected Death
  • The Psychological Function of Funeral and Commemorative Rituals
  • Navigating Anniversaries, Holidays, and other Triggering Events
  • Understanding and Addressing Physical/Somatic Symptoms of Acute Grief

Special Considerations for Grief and Loss Across All Developmental and Life Stages

  • Grief in Childhood (Developmental concepts of death)
  • Adolescent and Young Adult Grief (Impact on identity formation)
  • Parental Loss and Widowhood in Mid-to-Late Adulthood
  • Grief in Older Adults and Late-Life Multiple Losses
  • Losses specific to Life Stages (e.g., job, health, fertility, divorce)
  • Multicultural and Spirituality Considerations
  • Ethical Considerations and Self-Care for the Grief Professional

Target Audience

  • Counselors
  • Social Workers
  • Psychologists
  • Marriage & Family Therapists
  • Registered Psychotherapists
  • Grief & Loss Professionals
  • Thanatologists
  • Nurses
  • Other helping professionals

Claim your FREE listing

Need referrals? List your practice in the directory for FREE!

Reviews

Satisfaction Guarantee
Your satisfaction is our goal and our guarantee. Concerns should be addressed to: PO Box 1000, Eau Claire, WI 54702-1000 or call 1-800-844-8260.

ADA Needs
We would be happy to accommodate your ADA needs; please call our Customer Service Department for more information at 1-800-844-8260.

PESI Mobile App

Access CE trainings on your phone or tablet through our free mobile app. Choose video or audio-only versions of online courses from the world’s best instructors, and complete your CE requirements anywhere, anytime, at your own pace.

https://cdn.pesi23.com/images/android.png     https://cdn.pesi23.com/images/iphone.png

Please wait ...

Back to Top