Bereavement counselors comfort and support peoples who are grieving the
loss of a loved one. This could include people who have lost a spouse, child,
parent or friend, or even people who are grieving the death of a favorite
pet.
The need for bereavement counseling is growing, thanks to an aging population
and the prevalence of diseases like AIDS. Insurance programs are increasingly
reluctant to provide coverage for bereavement counseling, however.
In most cases, the individual is required to pay for these services personally.
This can create a financial hardship for many, and consequently reduces the
amount of work available for bereavement counselors.
There are many volunteer opportunities available in this field, says Alan
B. Taplow, a bereavement counselor in Plainfield, Vermont. If you're considering
a career in bereavement counseling, he advises that you do some volunteering
first to gain experience and see how you like the work.
Although there is no "typical" day for a bereavement counselor, much of
their time will be spent communicating with persons who are in pain due to
the loss of a loved one. This might take the form of talking one-to-one in
person or on the phone, working in groups with a number of people who are
in various stages of grief, or using Internet technologies to communicate
with clients electronically.