Best Practices in Grief Counseling
Member Exclusive | Hospice Foundation of America Webinar
Hospice Foundation of America webinar
Event Details
Overview:
Join this engaging program exploring current best practices in grief counseling, highlighting clear examples of how to support youth and adults through complex, evolving loss experiences. The presenters will discuss findings from their recent research study, Grief Counseling Best Practices: A Delphi Study (Blueford, J. M., Doughty Shaine, M. J., et al., 2025, in press, Adultspan Journal), and share its clinical implications to enhance professionals’ grief-informed practice.
Objectives:
- Describe core grief counseling best practices (knowledge, skills, awareness) as identified through empirical research by the Grief Counseling Competencies Task Force–and adopted by the American Counseling Association–and explain how they apply across the lifespan (youth and adult clients).
- Identify research-supported interventions for grief and bereavement (e.g., cognitive behavioral, online, and group-based approaches) and discuss how to integrate these into professional practice ethically.
- Recognize common gaps in counselor preparation related to grief and loss and propose actionable strategies to foster grief-informed training, supervision, and clinical application.
Target Audience: Hospice
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Jillian Blueford is a Clinical Associate Professor for the school counseling program at the University of Denver, a Licensed Professional Counselor in the state of Colorado, and is certified and a Fellow in Thanatology (Death, Dying, and Bereavement). Over the years, she has provided grief counseling to individuals of all backgrounds in various settings, including schools, outpatient facilities, and private practice. Blueford is a grief and loss scholar, who has conducted research and scholarship via her dissertation, peer-reviewed publications, webinars, panels podcast features, and several regional, national, and international presentation.
Megan Shaine graduated from Wesleyan University in 2004 with a bachelor of arts in Psychology and Government and received her master’s and doctoral degrees in Counseling (2010, 2016) from The George Washington University, where she served as a clinical supervisor for master’s students in the Clinical Mental Health and School Counseling Programs. Dr. Shaine’s research examines experiences of trauma and loss, particularly in military and university populations. Currently, Dr. Shaine is researching the mental health care experiences of transgender military service members and veterans, as well as the impact of mindfulness practice in trauma counseling education. She is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor in Maryland and Washington, D.C., and operates a private practice specializing in trauma, loss, and life transitions, including the transition to parenthood. Prior to entering independent practice, Dr. Shaine worked with university students at The Catholic University of America, as well as bereaved individuals and families at The Wendt Center for Loss and Healing.