• course Info
  • Content
  • Ce Approvals
  • Policies

Ethics in Grief Counseling

CE Hours 3

About this course

Grief counseling often presents unique ethical challenges that require clinicians to balance compassion, cultural awareness, and professional responsibility. This webinar explores the ethical dimensions of working with bereaved clients, including assessment and treatment planning, distinguishing grief from depression, and applying evidence-informed therapeutic interventions. Participants will also examine multicultural considerations, social justice concerns, and self-awareness while supporting clients through loss.

Learning Objectives

  • Define ethics and ethical guidelines in counseling the bereaved.
  • Apply techniques of ethical decision making to ethical dilemmas in practice.
  • Demonstrate knowledge of the impact of grief on clients.
  • Examine self-awareness and death anxiety while working with the bereaved.
  • Utilize appropriate tools to assist bereaved clients on their grief journey.

Learning Levels

  • Intermediate

Course Instructor(s)

  • Susan Lashmet Miller, LCSW

    Susan is the most senior employee at The Grief Center, having worked here since 2010. She has been in the social work field for 33 years and has held director positions at St. John’s and Hospice of Green Country, to name a few. At The Grief Center she works with adults, both with individual and group therapy, as well as presents multiple CEU trainings throughout the year. Susan additionally clinically supervises interns and social workers in candidacy.

References

  • American Psychiatric Association. (2022). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed., text rev.; DSM-5-TR).
  • American Psychological Association. (2017). Ethical principles of psychologists and code of conduct (2002, amended effective June 1, 2010, and January 1, 2017). https://www.apa.org/ethics/code
  • Bailey, L., Richardson, K., Paddock, N. L., Allan-Wiseman, S., & Arnone, M. (2025). Caring for grievers: A scoping review of bereavement practice approaches and support strategies. Journal of Social Work in End-of-Life & Palliative Care, 21(4), 281–341. https://doi.org/10.1080/15524256.2025.2588552
  • Balk, D., Wogrin, C., Thornton, G., & Meagher, D. (2007). Handbook of thanatology: The essential body of knowledge for the study of death, dying, and bereavement. Association for Death Education and Counseling.
  • Brenner, A. (2015, August 26). 10 ways rituals help us celebrate our lives. Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/in-flux/201508/10-ways-rituals-help-us-celebrate-our-lives
  • Bryant, R. A., Azevedo, S., Yadav, S., et al. (2024). Cognitive behavior therapy vs mindfulness in treatment of prolonged grief disorder: A randomized clinical trial. JAMA Psychiatry, 81(7), 646–654. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2024.0432
  • Dyregrov, A. (2008). Grief in children: A handbook for adults. Jessica Kingsley Publishers
  • Fernandez, R. (2024). Why prospective bereavement counseling is crucial for peace-finding after loss. AMA Journal of Ethics, 26(11), E881–E885. https://doi.org/10.1001/amajethics.2024.881
  • Gamino, L. A., & Ritter, R. H., Jr. (2009). Ethical practice in grief counseling. Springer.
  • Harrichand, J. J. S., & Herlihy, B. (2019, May). Grief and loss: When the professional becomes personal. Counseling Today. http://www.counseling.org/docs/default-source/ethics/ethics-column/ethics
  • Jordan, J. R., & Neimeyer, R. A. (2003). Does grief counseling work? Death Studies, 27(9), 765–786. https://doi.org/10.1080/07481180390242366
  • Lickona, T. (2004). Character matters. Atria Books.
  • Lynn, J., Schuster, J., & Kabcenell, A. (2000). Improving Care for the End of Life : A Sourcebook for Health Care Managers and Clinicians. Oxford University Press, Incorporated.
  • Mariyono, D., Jalil, A., Mustafida, F., Muslim, M., & Mazhabi, Z. (2025). Navigating ethical boundaries in death and mourning: A hybrid analysis toward a globally replicable framework. New Ideas in Psychology, 79, 101187. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.newideapsych.2025.101187
  • Matlins, S., & Magida, A. (2010). How to be a perfect stranger: The essential religious etiquette handbook (5th ed.). Skylight Paths Publishing.
  • Mulligan, N. (2024, March). Ghostbots: AI versions of deceased loved ones could be a serious threat to mental health. The Conversation. https://theconversation.com/ghostbots-ai-versions-of-deceased-loved-ones-could-be-a-serious-threat-to-mental-health-224984
  • Neimeyer, R. A. (2019). Meaning reconstruction in bereavement: Development of a research program. Death Studies, 43(2), 79–91. https://doi.org/10.1080/07481187.2018.1456620
  • O’Connor, Mary Francis, (2022), The Grieving Brain, New York, Harper Collins.
  • Parkes, C. M., Laungani, P., & Young, B. (1997). Death and bereavement across cultures. Routledge.
  • Reckonel, S. (2024). Ethics: Tackling the ethical dilemma in grief counseling. Journal of Sociology, Psychology and Religious Studies, 6(1), 1–12. https://doi.org/10.53819/8101810212364
  • Rosner, R., Rau, J., Kersting, A., Rief, W., Steil, R., Rummel, A.-M., Vogel, A., & Comtesse, H. (2025). Grief-specific cognitive behavioral therapy vs present-centered therapy: A randomized clinical trial. JAMA Psychiatry, 82(2), 109–117. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2024.3409
  • Shear, M. K., Frank, E., Houck, P. R., & Reynolds, C. F., III. (2005). Treatment of complicated grief: A randomized controlled trial. JAMA, 293(21), 2601–2608. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.293.21.2601
  • Stroebe, M., & Schut, H. (2005). To continue or relinquish bonds: A review of consequences for the bereaved. Death Studies, 29(6), 477–494. https://doi.org/10.1080/07481180590962659
  • Wolfelt, A. D. (2003). Companioning the bereaved: A soulful guide for counselors and caregivers. Companion Press.
  • Worden, J. W. (2018). Grief counseling and grief therapy (5th ed.). Springer Publishing Company.
  • Yao, D., Qian, F., Tung, T. H., et al. (2025). The effectiveness of web-based grief intervention for adults who lost a loved one: A systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Palliative Care, 24, 61. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12904-025-01679-5
  • Zhang, B., El-Jawahri, A., & Prigerson, H. G. (2006). Update on bereavement research: Evidence-based guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of complicated grief. Journal of Palliative Medicine, 9(5), 1188–1203. https://doi.org/10.1089/jpm.2006.9.1188
  • Zur, O. (n.d.). Touch in therapy. Retrieved 2026, April 4. https://drzur.com/clinical_updates/touch-in-therapy/
  • BI Studio of Emotional Intelligence. (2025, August 2). AI Grief Bots EXPOSED | 5 Disturbing Dangers You Need to Know [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tc-fma1s-Qo&t=1s
  • CNN. (2025, August 26). Grief bots allow people to talk to the dead. Does it help? | Terms of Service [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NaBRsqFGtos
  • The Ethics Centre. (2020, April 14). Ethical Decision Making [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n0uwTBrgqxI&t=1s
  • Hogan, N. S., Greenfield, D. B., & Schmidt, L. A. (2001). Development and validation of the Hogan Grief Reaction Checklist. Death Studies, 25(1), 1–32. https://doi.org/10.1080/074811801750073251
  • Weiss, D. S., & Marmar, C. R. (1997). The Impact of Event Scale–Revised. In J. P. Wilson & T. M. Keane (Eds.), Assessing psychological trauma and PTSD (pp. 399–411). Guilford Press.
  • Faschingbauer, T. R., Zisook, S., & DeVaul, R. A. (1987). The Texas Revised Inventory of Grief. In S. Zisook (Ed.), Biopsychosocial aspects of bereavement (pp. 111–124). American Psychiatric Press.
  • Prigerson, H. G., & Jacobs, S. C. (2001). Traumatic grief as a distinct disorder: A rationale, consensus criteria, and a preliminary empirical test. In M. S. Stroebe, R. O. Hansson, W. Stroebe, & H. Schut (Eds.), Handbook of bereavement research: Consequences, coping, and care (pp. 613–645). American Psychological Association.
  • Prigerson, H. G., Maciejewski, P. K., Reynolds, C. F., III, Bierhals, A. J., Newsom, J. T., Fasiczka, A., Frank, E., Doman, J., & Miller, M. (1995). Inventory of Complicated Grief: A scale to measure maladaptive symptoms of loss. Psychiatry Research, 59(1–2), 65–79. https://doi.org/10.1016/0165-1781(95)02757-2

CE Process Info

Content

  • SLIDES_ Ethics in Grief Counseling (4/10/26)
    1 parts
    • SLIDES_ Ethics in Grief Counseling
  • Videos
    2 parts
    • Ethics in Grief Counseling Part 1
    • Ethics in Grief Counseling Part 2
  • National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC)

    The Tristesse Grief Center has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 7131. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. The Tristesse Grief Center is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs.

  • Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB)

    The Tristesse Grief Center, provider #1867, is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB), Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved as ACE providers. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. ACE provider approval period: 8/25/24-8/25/27. Social workers completing this course receive 3 continuing education credits.

FAQs

  • Grievance
    If a grievance arises pertaining to continuing education activities or processes, please contact Madi Day via confidential email to education@thegriefcenter.org as soon as possible, so that the nature of the concern may be addressed in a timely fashion.
  • What do I have to do to complete the course?
    To complete the course, review the course objectives, then then review the material, and then pass an exam with a score of 75% or greater. Lastly, complete the an evaluation. Note that you can not continue in the course until you complete the previous section.
  • How do I get my certificate?
    Your certificate(s) will be available to download immediately when you pass the course exam and complete the evaluation.
  • Can I contact you for more help?
    Yes! Use the Contact Us button to send a message or call us at 918-587-1200!
  • Where can I find my Attendee Dashboard link?
    Upon registering, you should receive an email from support@ce-go.com with a link to access your Attendee Dashboard. If you do not see it in your inbox, please check your spam/junk folder. If you still cannot locate the email, please email Madi Day at education@thegriefcenter.org for assistance.
Ethics in Grief Counseling
You Have Completed This course
$65
You are enrolled
  • CE Hours
    3
  • Type
    Self-Paced
  • Publication Date
    Apr 10th, 2026

Reset password


Reset your password by providing your email below





Next

We sent a reset password link to the email address you provided.


{{reset.email}}


If you do not see the email, try checking your junk or spam folder.


If you don't receive a link in the email you provided, please click the button below to resend the verification email.

Resend

Please wait {{timer}} seconds to resend



Next

Sign in


Enter your email to get started.




Next

Sign in


Good news! Your email is associated with an account. Enter your password or click here to reset it




Login

Thanks for signing up!


We sent an verification email to the address you provided. Please check your email to verify your email address.


{{signup.email}}


If you do not see the email, try checking your junk or spam folder.


If you don't receive a link in the email you provided, please click the button below to resend the verification email.



Resend

Please wait {{timer}} seconds to resend

Sign up




Sign up

Shopping Cart


Items
Price
Remove
  • {{ item.name }} ({{ item.courses.length }} courses)

    {{ item.credit_hours }} Credits
    {{ item.coupons.map((c)=> c.code).join(', ') }}
    ${{ item.totals.price }}
    ${{ item.totals.total_price }}
Apply


Cart is empty

Thank you for your purchase


To access the course content, click the button below. Enrolled courses may be accessed at any time by going to your Account and clicking Courses


Go to Course

Thank you for your purchase

To access your courses, please click the button below. Enrolled courses may be accessed at any time by going to your Account and clicking either Events or Courses


My Account

Payment

{{$store.state.payment.paymentErrorMessage }}
Pay now