Loss and Grief Training Certification

Support Others Through Grief

A Calling for Pastors, Leaders, and Caregivers

Are you a pastor, church leader, counselor, therapist, social worker, or someone who feels called to walk with others through the pain of loss? Have you personally experienced grief or supported someone who has?

If so, the Loss and Grief Training Certification Program is designed for you.

This faith-based certification prepares individuals to minister effectively to those experiencing various types of loss—not only death or divorce, but also the loss of health, relationships, careers, businesses, faith, and other major life changes.

What You’ll Learn

Participants will explore what the Bible teaches about grief and loss. While grief is a natural human response, grieving with faith is a supernatural journey—one guided by the Holy Spirit. This program offers:

  • Biblical foundations for grief and comfort

  • Practical tools for emotional and spiritual support

  • Faith-based strategies for walking with others through life’s most painful seasons

Where Can You Serve?

Certified grief counselors are needed now more than ever—in churches, communities, and care settings around the world. With this certification, you can make a lasting impact by serving in:

  • Hospice care and end-of-life support

  • Funeral homes (After-Care programs)

  • Hospitals and healthcare settings

  • Churches and pastoral care ministries

  • Nonprofit organizations

  • Lay counseling roles

  • Community-based grief support groups

  • Volunteer outreach and missions

  • Schools and youth programs

  • Faith-based conferences and workshops

Grief counselors offer a vital ministry of presence and hope, helping individuals and families process loss and begin their journey toward healing.

Weekly Program Modules

  • Week One: Introduction

  • Week Two: Understanding Grief Through a Biblical Lens

  • Week Three: Biblical Principle of Offering Comfort

  • Week Four: Listening with Love and Compassion 

  • Week Five: Praying with and for the Grieving

  • Week Six: Sharing Scripture for Comfort and Healing

  • Week Seven: Encouraging Faith in Times of Suffering 

  • Week Eight: Helping the Grieving Find Purpose and Meaning 

  • Week Nine: Supporting Practical Needs During Grief 

  • Week Ten: Counseling the Grieving with Grace and Wisdom 

  • Week Eleven: The Healing Journey 

  • Week Twelve: Biblical Models of Comfort and Care 

  • Week Thirteen: Counseling Different Types of Grief 

Click here for the course syllabus. 

Click here for the Fall 2025 class schedule. 

Program Tuition Details

  • Registration Fee: $50

  • Tuition Cost: $650 (Including Registration Fee)

Required Textbooks

  • Effective Grief Counseling by Dr. Tony V. Lewis

  • Finding Peace in the Pain by Dr. Tony V. Lewis

More Than a Certification—A Ministry

This program is a calling to shine the light of Christ in life’s darkest moments. You will be equipped to walk alongside others with compassion, wisdom, and the hope of God’s promises.

Ethical Standards

Victorious Living Bible Institute, in partnership with the National Association of Christian Counselors (NACC), follows the ethical guidelines established by the American Association of Christian Counselors (AACC).

To view the full AACC Code of Ethics, [click here].

Registration Form

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Important Certification Notice

Certification through NACC and VLBI is not the same as state licensure. While this certification equips you for effective Christian counseling ministry, it does not include clinical supervision or meet state licensure requirements. Please consult your state laws and seek accountability within a church or ministry setting.

"Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted." (Matthew 5:4)