Solution focused grief support online and in person across Central Scotland
Grief Coaching or Counselling: what is the difference and which is right for you ?
When grief breaks into your life, it can feel impossible to know what kind of support will help. Some people turn to counselling, others find healing through grief coaching, and many combine both. But what’s the difference, and how do you know what’s right for you?
Let’s explore these two approaches and gain some clarity, so you can make the choice that feels best for your heart.
What Is Grief Counselling?
Grief counselling is often provided by a therapist, psychologist, or counsellor trained in mental health. It usually focuses on:
Exploring past experiences and how they affect your grief today
Working with deep emotional pain or trauma
Supporting mental health needs such as anxiety or depression
Offering a therapeutic space to talk openly and safely
Counselling can be especially helpful if grief has triggered complex emotions, mental health challenges, or trauma from the past.
What Is Grief Coaching?
Grief coaching is a newer approach that focuses on the present and the future. As a grief coach, I walk beside you to help you:
Name and honour your feelings without judgement
Find small, solution-focused steps to bring clarity and steadiness
Discover practical tools for coping day to day
Explore meaning and purpose as you carry your love forward
Gently rebuild life after loss in ways that feel authentic to you
Coaching is not about “fixing” you or telling you to move on. It is about creating a safe, compassionate space where healing can unfold at your pace.
How They Work Together
Grief counselling and coaching are not opposites, they can complement each other beautifully.
Counselling often helps with why you feel as you do.
Coaching focuses on how to take gentle steps forward.
Many of my clients work with both a counsellor and a coach, finding balance between processing deep emotions and learning practical ways to live forward with grief.
Which Is Right for You?
There is no one “correct” path. The right support depends on what your heart is calling for:
If you need to process trauma, explore mental health, or dive deeply into your history, counselling may be best.
If you want guidance for where you are now, encouragement for small steps forward, and practical tools for daily life, coaching may be right.
If you’re unsure, you can start with one and add the other if it feels helpful.
Remember: choosing support is not a sign of weakness. It is a sign of love for yourself and for the person you are grieving.
🌿 A Compassionate First Step
If you are wondering whether grief coaching could help you, I invite you to take a gentle first step:
👉 Book a free discovery call : a calm space to talk about what you need and whether coaching feels right.
Whichever path you choose, counselling, coaching, or both. remember: you don’t have to do this alone. Support is here, and healing is possible.