What is the difference between a grief coach and a grief counsellor?

Grief counsellors are trained to work in clinical settings and provide long-term emotional therapy. Grief coaches focus on practical, forward-looking support and do not diagnose or treat mental health issues.

Can you become a grief coach without a therapy degree?

Yes. Many grief coach training programmes, including The STILL Method’s accredited course, are open to non-therapists with a background in care, education, or wellbeing.

Grief Coach vs Grief Counsellor: What’s the Real Difference?

22 Jun

Written By stuart thompson

If you’ve found yourself drawn to supporting others through grief, you may be wondering—what’s the difference between becoming a grief coach and a grief counsellor?

Both roles are valuable, but they’re not the same. Whether you’re considering training, or simply curious about which path suits you best, this guide will help you understand how they differ, and why more people are now choosing grief coaching as a trauma-informed alternative.

1. What does a grief counsellor do?

Grief counsellors typically work with clients who are experiencing prolonged, complex, or unresolved grief. They may be trained in therapeutic models such as Person-Centred Therapy or CBT and are often regulated by professional bodies like the BACP.

Their work focuses on:

Exploring deep-rooted emotions
Addressing past trauma
Supporting clients with mental health concerns linked to loss

Counsellors are trained to work within clinical frameworks, sometimes in NHS or GP-referred settings, and may diagnose or assess risk.

2. What is a grief coach?

A grief coach supports people who are grieving, but not necessarily in clinical crisis. Rather than focusing on pathology, grief coaches help clients move forward with compassion, tools, and hope.

Coaching is:

Action-oriented
Forward-focused
Often shorter-term

Grief coaches don’t diagnose or treat mental illness. Instead, they work alongside clients to build coping strategies, process emotions safely, and regain confidence in daily life.

The grief coach role can be especially powerful for those who want to provide support without retraining as a therapist.

3. Which path is right for you?

You might prefer to become a…Grief Counsellor If you want to work in clinical or therapeutic settings, offer long-term emotional support, and study for 2+ years in psychotherapy.

You might prefer to train as a Grief Coach if you want to help people process grief in practical ways, build groups or 1-to-1 support offerings, and train over weeks or months—not years.

Many grief coaches are educators, care workers, or wellbeing professionals. Some are therapists who want to add grief-specific tools to their existing work.

4. Can grief coaches work ethically and safely?

Absolutely—when properly trained.

At The STILL Method, our accredited Grief Coach Training includes:

Trauma-informed practice
Coaching boundaries and ethics
Support for grief in both teens and adults
A ready-to-use 6-week support group model

You’ll learn how to guide others gently, without assuming the role of a therapist.

5. Why grief coaching is growing in the UK

Many people experiencing grief don’t need therapy—but they do need support.

With long NHS waitlists and a shortage of grief-specific services, grief coaches are helping to fill that gap with compassion, structure, and clarity.

If you're looking for a way to support others after loss, without spending years in clinical training, grief coaching may be the path that fits.

Ready to start your journey?
Explore our Grief Coach Training—accredited, online, and built for people who want to make a difference.

stuart thompson