Family Grief Counseling: Finding Support Together After a Loss

June 13, 2025

Key Takeaways:

Family grief counseling helps loved ones process their trauma and difficult emotions in a safe, guided environment.
Attending family grief counseling can make family members more resilient, help each other understand different grieving styles, and develop healthy coping mechanisms.
Depending on the severity of the loss, family grief counseling can take anywhere from a few weeks to over a year.

Grief is something everyone will experience at some point in their life. However, while unavoidable, grief is manageable, and family grief counseling is one intervention that can help.

Family grief counseling can be a powerful tool for understanding why you feel a certain way after a loss. Learn how family grief counseling works, how it can benefit you, and how to find the best counselor.

What is Family Grief Counseling?

Family grief counseling is an intervention that focuses on the dynamics between family members after a loss [*]. The goal of family grief counseling is to help the family continue functioning as a unit and to eliminate unhealthy coping mechanisms.

How Does Family Grief Counseling Work?

First, a healthcare provider will assess whether your family can benefit from grief counseling. They will interview each family member and provide questionnaires to determine their mental state.

The grief counselor will identify family tensions, communication breakdowns, and each member’s struggles through this process.

Then, the grief counselor will develop a specific approach for identifying negative thought patterns and habits, promoting healthy communication, and planning for the future. By the end of the therapeutic process, professionals will help families rebuild lost routines and prepare them for future challenges.

Who Should Attend Family Grief Counseling?

Family grief counseling is appropriate for families struggling with different types of loss. This type of therapy may be beneficial if you:

Experienced a recent death in the family.
Have younger family members needing guidance to express their emotions.
Had misunderstandings or built resentment within the family due to a loss.
Experienced a sudden and traumatic loss, such as a death due to suicide, an accident, or homicide.
Have a blended family with different grieving styles influenced by religion, generational differences, and personal approaches.
Are preparing for a loss and have anticipatory grief.
Are struggling to uphold daily responsibilities after a devastating loss.

What are the Benefits of Family Grief Counseling?

From providing a safe space to express feelings to learning healthy ways to move on, family grief counseling helps with:

Understanding the stages of grief: Part of processing grief is understanding what happens when you experience each stage. Knowing the six stages of grief helps individuals realize that grief isn’t linear and that experiences differ from person to person.
Improved communication and healthier bonds: When families experience a loss, they may feel disconnected. Undergoing family grief therapy creates a supportive, judgment-free environment where family members can express their thoughts openly.
Navigating different grieving styles: No two people grieve in the same way. Family grief therapy can foster mutual understanding and equip family members to react to each other with love and kindness.
Suitable coping mechanisms: Grief can make us feel lost, empty, and unsure of how to handle ourselves. Family grief counseling can provide each family member with coping mechanisms that work for them. For example, a therapist might recommend journaling for someone who struggles to express themselves verbally and positive reframing for someone who has many negative thoughts about their experience.

What are the Types of Family Grief Counseling?

Family grief counseling is available in various forms and can suit all sorts of dynamics. Below are the different types of family grief counseling:

Traditional counseling: Traditional family grief counseling focuses on improving communication, providing emotional support, and learning coping strategies through virtual or in-person sessions. This type of therapy is best for families managing loss-related conflicts or emotional distress.
Child and teen counseling: Families with younger children or vulnerable teenagers may require a different approach to grief counseling. This type of therapy provides tailored coping solutions for younger family members and may include family therapy activities like play or art therapy.
Faith-based counseling: Some people heal through their faith. Clergy members and pastoral counselors typically lead these sessions and integrate spiritual practices into the grieving process. For example, therapists might use prayer, scripture, or spiritual meditation.
Expressive therapy: If you or your family members struggle to express feelings verbally, creative treatment might be for you. Expressive therapies employ painting, drawing, or music to release emotions.
Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT): CBT is effective for identifying unhelpful thoughts that might occur during the grieving process [*]. Therapists help family members restructure negative habits like self-blame into more compassionate thoughts.
Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT): Instead of suppressing or changing difficult emotions, ACT encourages accepting these thoughts and developing psychological flexibility [*].

How to Find a Good Family Grief Counselor

Finding a qualified family grief counselor is essential to the success of your healing journey. Here are some tips for finding the best family grief counselor for you:

Seek recommendations: A personal recommendation from someone you know can give you perspective on how a particular therapist operates. Ask about their firsthand experience, what they liked about the therapist, and what potential considerations to make.
Research credentials, licensing, and accreditation: Consider counselors with grief specializations and review your state's licensing requirements. Check directories like the American Counseling Association or Association for Death Education and Counseling.
Schedule an initial conversation: You can determine whether a therapist is right for you by scheduling an interview. Ask questions and gauge the therapist's communication style. Ask about their therapeutic approach and what would best suit your family.

How Long Does Family Grief Counseling Take?

The length of family grief counseling will depend on the severity of the grief and how much the loss has impacted your family. Short-term counseling typically lasts between 6 and 12 sessions and focuses on coping strategies and improved communication.

Long-term or ongoing family grief counseling can last over a year and is best for families with deep-seated emotional struggles and extreme trauma. This type of longer-term therapy includes trauma-informed sessions and, occasionally, spiritual counseling.

Some support groups are open-ended without a fixed duration. They occur weekly, biweekly, or monthly.

The Bottom Line

Grieving the loss of a loved one takes time, and it won’t be a simple process. However, family grief counseling can equip you with helpful coping tools and a better mindset.

Grief can come in the most unexpected moments. Our grief worksheets offer coping mechanisms and tools for children and teens participating in family grief counseling.

Sources:

Masterson MP, Schuler TA, Kissane DW. “Family focused grief therapy: a versatile intervention in palliative care and bereavement.” Bereavement Care, 2013.
Kosminsky P. “CBT for Grief: Clearing Cognitive Obstacles to Healing from Loss.” Journal of Rational-Emotive & Cognitive-Behavior Therapy, 2016.
Jones K, A. Methley, Boyle G, Garcia R, J. Vseteckova. “A Systematic Review of the Effectiveness of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Managing Grief Experienced by Bereaved Spouses or Partners of Adults Who Had Received Palliative Care.” Illness Crisis & Loss, 2021.