When our love is not enough

Who are professional bereavement support professionals?

Bereavement support professionals may be doctors, psychologists, social workers, counselors, clergy or others who have specialized training or credentials to provide emotional support and an array of other services for people who have experienced a loss.

These professionals may have a private office, be part of a clinic, work in an organization that helps people with loss (including hospice or a funeral home), be on the staff of a hospital or be part of a church or pastoral counseling agency.

The important thing is that they have specialized training and experience to help families and individuals with grief. If a person you are referring has a specific behavioral health disorder, such as depression or substance abuse, you will need to make a referral to an appropriate mental health professional who is also trained to treat those disorders.

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	Index Introduction 1: Opening Our Eyes 2: Lasting Pain 3: Clergy, in the Mirror 4: About Grief 5: What Families Need 6: What Congregations Can Do 7: Professional Help Bereavement Support Professionals Barriers to Help Reflections (video) Recognizing the Need Making Referrals Resources & References 8: Lessons Learned	When our love is not enough Who are professional bereavement support professionals? Bereavement support professionals may be doctors, psychologists, social workers, counselors, clergy or others who have specialized training or credentials to provide emotional support and an array of other services for people who have experienced a loss. These professionals may have a private office, be part of a clinic, work in an organization that helps people with loss (including hospice or a funeral home), be on the staff of a hospital or be part of a church or pastoral counseling agency. The important thing is that they have specialized training and experience to help families and individuals with grief. If a person you are referring has a specific behavioral health disorder, such as depression or substance abuse, you will need to make a referral to an appropriate mental health professional who is also trained to treat those disorders.
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