Grief Therapists

Aspiring grief therapists should obtain experience by working as interns with hospices, health care agencies, hospitals, or crisis care organizations, or with therapists in private practices. Most grief therapists work for a few years as general counselors before specializing in grief therapy.

If you are interested in becoming a grief therapist, you should enjoy working with people and feel comfortable dealing with clients who have suffered personal loss. You should show patience and be a compassionate listener, as well as be able to express yourself clearly and tactfully. Organizational skills are also important for keeping notes on clients and managing appointments.

Grief therapists must not let their jobs take an emotional toll on their own lives. Though they hear many stories of grief and sadness, therapists can also find their job rewarding and uplifting as they help people overcome feelings of depression and despair and continue with their lives.