Grief Counseling Certification

The Grief Counseling Certification is a free intermediate-level, 20-minute skill test from Science of Apps. It tests the knowledge of a grief counsellor or bereavement support worker — grief theories and models, assessment, prolonged grief and risk, supportive and evidence-based interventions for adults and children, and ethics, culture and self-care — written to the DSM-5-TR and ICD-11 criteria for prolonged grief disorder, ADEC thanatology standards and peer-reviewed bereavement research such as the dual process model for 2026. Score 70% or more on its 20 questions to earn a verifiable Grief Counseling Proficiency certificate (SOA-GCX). Every question is based on published standards and research — including Association for Death Education and Counseling: Certification in Thanatology (ADEC), Prolonged grief disorder (American Psychiatric Association), The dual process model of coping with bereavement (Stroebe and Schut, 1999) (Death Studies) — and each answer is explained with its source.

Science of Apps offers a free Grief Counseling Certification, updated for 2026 and 2027. It measures grief theories and models, assessment, prolonged grief and risk, supportive and evidence-based interventions and ethics, culture and self-care and gives instant results with a shareable certificate.

Read the four skill areas on this page, then take the 20-minute test online — no fee, course or sign-up. You see every answer explained when you finish. Score 70% or more and you get a Grief Counseling Proficiency certificate straight away, on screen, as a PDF and by email, with a credential ID anyone can verify.

Yes. The questions are original scenarios written by Science of Apps, and each one is based on a public source you can read: Association for Death Education and Counseling: Certification in Thanatology (ADEC); Prolonged grief disorder (American Psychiatric Association); The dual process model of coping with bereavement (Stroebe and Schut, 1999) (Death Studies); ICD-11: 6B42 Prolonged grief disorder (World Health Organization). The source is shown under each question and linked in the answer review. Science of Apps doesn't copy questions from other tests.

Four skill areas with five questions each, drawn from a bank of 10 per area so a retake brings new questions: Grief Theories and Models (Classic and modern models, Tasks and meaning and Types of grief); Assessment, Prolonged Grief and Risk (Normal versus prolonged grief, Risk factors and Safety); Supportive and Evidence-Based Interventions (Counselling skills, Specialised therapies and Children and groups); Ethics, Culture and Self-Care (Scope and referral, Cultural humility and Counsellor wellbeing). Every question is an original scenario written to the 2026–2027 standard, with the published source named under it.

Grief counsellor or bereavement coordinator, Hospice or palliative care social worker, Chaplain or spiritual care provider, Therapist adding grief work and Funeral or bereavement support volunteer. It suits anyone who wants a quick, verifiable way to show Grief Counseling knowledge in 2026 and 2027, from students and career switchers to experienced professionals.

Routes include thanatology credentials such as ADEC's Certification in Thanatology (CT), grief counselling certificates from universities or professional bodies, and specialist training for licensed counsellors and social workers. Providing therapy for prolonged grief usually requires a clinical licence.

Prolonged grief disorder is a diagnosis in both DSM-5-TR and ICD-11 for persistent, impairing grief — intense longing for or preoccupation with the deceased plus other symptoms such as emotional pain, identity disruption or difficulty moving on. DSM-5-TR requires at least 12 months since the death for adults; ICD-11 uses at least 6 months, adjusted for cultural norms.

Yes. The test is online, in English and free everywhere — people take it from India, the US, the UK, Europe, Africa, Latin America and Asia-Pacific. Your certificate is dated with your own local date and can be verified from anywhere at scienceofapps.com/certification/verify/.

20 questions — 5 from each of 4 skill areas — with a 20-minute limit. You need 70% (14 of 20) to pass and 90% for distinction.

We rate it Intermediate: assumes hands-on experience in the role. It has 20 scenario questions — 5 from each of 4 skill areas — and a 20-minute limit. You need 70% (14 of 20) to pass and 90% for distinction.

Nothing. There is no fee to take a test, to receive the certificate, to have it emailed or to verify it, and no sign-up.

On our server, not in your browser. The answers never reach the page until you submit, so a certificate can only be earned by passing. Each certificate gets a unique credential ID stored by Science of Apps.

You see your score for each area and every question with the correct answer and why, with the published source behind it. You can retake after 30 minutes, and the retake draws questions you haven't seen yet.

No. Every certificate is dated, so it always shows when you passed. Retake a test any time for a newer date or a higher score.

Yes. After you pass, Add to LinkedIn opens the Licenses & certifications form with the certificate name, Science of Apps as the issuer, the issue date, your credential ID and the verification link filled in. You can also download it as a PDF or PNG, and it's emailed to you as a PDF.

Every certificate has a credential ID and a QR code. Scanning it, or entering the ID at scienceofapps.com/certification/verify/, shows the holder's name, the certification, the score and the issue date from our records.

No. They are Science of Apps' own assessments of applied skill. They aren't issued by a university or standards body, and they work best alongside a portfolio that shows the skills in real work.