Grief Counselor

Impact: Direct Individual

Provide emotional support and guidance to individuals and families coping with loss and grief, helping clients navigate the grieving process, develop coping strategies, and find healthy ways to remember their loved ones.

What the day looks like

People interaction
Extensive
Team vs solo
Primarily solo with team collaboration
Client facing
Always
Impact visibility
High
Travel
Low
Schedule flexibility
Moderate
Remote work
Hybrid
Typical work hours
40
Stress level
High

At a glance

Median salary
$60,000
Entry-level
$45,000
Senior
$80,000
Growth by 2033
Above Average
Demand
Growing
Freelance potential
High
Salary growth potential
Medium
Typical student debt
$40,000 - $80,000

Skills you'll use

Hard skills

  • Counseling Techniques
  • Crisis Intervention
  • Therapeutic Modalities
  • Case Management
  • Documentation

Soft skills

  • Empathy
  • Active Listening
  • Communication
  • Emotional Intelligence
  • Patience

Technical complexity: Low

How to get there

Minimum education
Master's Degree
Licensing
Yes
Years to mid-career
5
Years to senior
10
Career switching
Moderate

Where this career leads

How people arrive here

    Where you can go from here

      Typical progression

      1. Licensed Professional Counselor, Clinical Supervisor, Private Practice Owner, Educator

      Future outlook

      Automation probability
      Low
      AI disruption risk
      Low
      Demand trend
      Growing

      How people feel about it

      Overall satisfaction
      4/10
      Meaning
      4/10
      Work-life balance
      3.5/10
      Prestige
      7/10
      Social perception
      High

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