INBGC Resources
Grief Coaching Resources
Clear, plain-language answers about grief coaching - what it is, who it serves, how it differs from therapy and counseling, and what an independent board credential actually verifies.
Written for coaches, referral partners, and anyone trying to understand where grief coaching fits.
The Independent National Board for Grief Coaching maintains these pages as a reference. They are meant to be read, cited, and shared, not sold.
Start here
Board Certification for Grief Coaches: The Complete Guide
The plain-language guide to what board certification verifies, how it differs from a training certificate, who it fits, the two pathways, cost, and timeline, plus how to judge any grief coaching credential. Start here, then follow the links into the specific topics below.
The basics
Grief coaching, explained
Four guides answer the questions people ask most.
What Is a Grief Coach?
The clearest answer to what a grief coach is, what the role is not, and where it sits alongside therapy, counseling, and support groups.
Grief Coach vs. Therapist
A side-by-side comparison of training, scope, and use cases, plus clear guidance on when to refer to each.
Training Program vs. Certifying Board
Why teaching and certifying are two different jobs, and what a board credential verifies that a course completion cannot.
What "Accredited" Really Means
An honest look at accreditation in an unregulated field, and how to judge a credential by its substance rather than a label.
For referral partners
Deciding whether to refer someone
If you are a therapist, clergy member, hospice or healthcare professional, funeral director, or employer deciding where to send someone, one page covers what you need: what a Board Certified Grief Coach does and does not do, the published indicators at which they must refer to clinical care, how to verify a coach's standing at no cost, and what accountability exists if something goes wrong.
Referring someone to a grief coach
For the scope distinction specifically, see Grief Coach vs. Therapist. To see who sets the standard and how the board is governed, see the Advisory Board and governance and accountability.
For professionals in the field
Grief Support in Practice
A podcast for professionals whose work meets grief: hospice and palliative teams, funeral professionals, chaplains, therapists, and the people running bereavement and employee support programs. Almost everything published about grief is written for grieving people, and very little is written for the professionals who meet them.
For coaches
Becoming a grief coach
What the profession looks like, how to enter it, and what the path involves from where you are standing.
Grief Coaching as a Practice
What the work involves, where clients come from, how coaches are compensated, and what board certification does and does not change.
How to Become a Grief Coach
A clear path into the profession: the training, board certification, and referral relationships that turn the work into a credible, referable practice.
Deciding whether it is worth it? Read why grief coaches get board certified. Wondering whether the timing is right? The readiness quiz takes two minutes and gives you an answer immediately, with no email required.
Find the path that fits your background
For training providers
Having a program reviewed
Training providers may apply to have a program reviewed against the qualifying training criteria set by the Advisory Board. Programs that meet the criteria are listed as INBGC Recognized Education Providers, which means graduates move through education review faster. Recognition is a shortcut and never a requirement, and a candidate whose program never applied still certifies on the merits.
See the criteria, the review process, and the fees on Recognized Education Providers.
For grievers and families
If you are looking for support
The title is not protected, which means the responsibility for checking falls to you. These answer what to expect and how to judge who you are talking to.
What Is a Grief Coach?
What a grief coach does, what they do not do, and where the role sits alongside therapy and support groups.
How to Choose a Grief Coach
What to look for, what to ask, and how to verify that someone holds the credential they claim.
What Happens in a Grief Coaching Session
People often arrive unsure what they are supposed to say, or worried they will be asked to relive the worst day of their life. Here is what actually happens.
Recent writing
From the blog
Shorter pieces on grief, the profession, and the credential.
Job-Loss Grief
Losing work is more than a career setback. It is a real loss of identity, routine, and security. Here is why job-loss grief hits so hard, and how a grief coach can help.
Divorce Grief
The end of a marriage is a real loss, even without a death. Here is what you are actually grieving after divorce, and how a grief coach supports the transition.
Ambiguous Loss
Some losses never resolve. When a loved one is still here but changed, or gone but unresolved, the grief is real. Here is what ambiguous loss is, and how to move through it.
About these resources
Why INBGC publishes them
Grief coaching is an emerging field, and the title is not protected. Anyone can claim it. These resources exist so that grievers, referral partners, and coaches themselves have one clear, honest place to understand what the work is, what it requires, and how an independent standard holds it accountable.
Nothing here is gated, and nothing here is a sales page. To learn what board certification involves, review the certification process and the published certification standards.