How to Become Certified in Grief Counseling in Illinois
Obtaining grief counseling certification in Illinois is a step-by-step process. The Association of Death Education and Counseling, located in Deerfield, Illinois, offers a certification examination in thanatology.Thanatology is the study of death and the circumstances surrounding death. Thanatology also deals with the situations and emotions occurring after death, such as grief. This certificate, along with a Bachelor's or Master's degree in counseling or a related discipline, will allow you to practice grief counseling in the state of Illinois.
Instructions
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You must obtain a minimum of a Bachelor's degree in a counseling or related discipline, such as psychology. Illinois has several schools that offer counseling degrees. Western Illinois University, The Chicago School of Professional Psychology and Bradley University offer programs in mental health counseling.
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Visit the Association for Death Education and Counseling website to see all the certification requirements. You will need to hold a Bachelor or Master's degree and have relevant experience, depending on your degree -- one year for Master's level, two years for Bachelor's level.
You will need to explain your relevant experience, which can be any counseling experience you have. Generally, a current or past job description, detailing your daily responsibilities, will be sufficient.
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Document 60 hours of education in Thanatology. The hours can be training, seminars or education courses you have taken over the last 20 years. You will also need two letters of reference from supervisors, colleagues, professors or teachers.
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Register to take the Certification exam by filling out the required application and paying the necessary fees ($325 for ADEC members, $450 for non-ADEC members, as of November 2010). You will receive a study guide and confirmation of the test date in the mail, usually within 30 days.
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The Certification in Thanatology examination is given online. You will have three hours to complete the test. Topics covered in the exam include death, loss and grief, assessment and intervention, inflicted death and death education.
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You will receive your test scores in the mail within 12 weeks after the testing date. If you pass the examination, you will be certified for a period of three years and receive your certificate along with your scores.
If you do not pass the examination, you will be provided with a breakdown of your scores in each testing section. You can take the exam at the next testing date for half of the original fee.
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