988 is the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline in the United States. It is free, confidential, and open 24/7 by call, text, or chat at 988lifeline.org. Veterans: dial 988 then press 1. Outside the US, use your local emergency number or crisis line. This program is education, not crisis care. If you are struggling as you read, please pause and reach out now.
Grief has no deadline. For most people, the sharpest pain slowly softens and makes room for life again, even while love and missing remain. For some people, though, grief stays so heavy for so long that daily life becomes very hard to carry.
This program is for grieving people, the people who love them, and practitioners. It explains persistent and debilitating grief in plain language, describes warning signs to notice, and helps you understand when specialized clinical support from a licensed mental health professional may be the right next step. It does not teach diagnosis, and it never treats grief itself as a disorder.
The Global Grief Network (GGN) exists so that no one has to grieve alone. Through the GGN app, the Memory Wall, our streaming and broadcasting channels, Grief Talk Magazine, the Grief First Aid course, the GGN Practitioner Directory, and the GGN Educator Directory, we connect grieving people with community, information, and care.
The program follows four simple steps that run through every module:
An important note before you begin. This is an education program. It is not crisis care, clinical treatment, counseling, or a substitute for professional help. If you or someone you love is in crisis in the United States, call or text 988. If someone is in immediate danger, call 911. Take breaks as you need them, and reach out if any part of this brings up pain for you.
GGN Complex and Prolonged Grief: Recognizing When Grief Needs More Support. A GGN education program leading to the Global Grief Network Certification.
What this program is
A self-paced course of about 6 hours.
Plain-language education written for grieving people, supporters, and practitioners.
Practical, original GGN practices, fictional stories, reflection prompts, and quizzes.
What this program is not
It is not crisis care. In a crisis, call or text 988, or call 911 for immediate danger.
It is not mental health treatment or counseling.
It does not diagnose any condition.
It does not teach anyone to diagnose prolonged grief or any other condition.
Who This Program Is For
People whose grief feels stuck, frozen, or overwhelming.
Family members and friends who are worried about someone who is grieving.
Grief educators, peer supporters, faith leaders, and other practitioners.
There are no prerequisites.
Format and Time
Module
Title
Time
1
When Grief Stays Heavy
1 hour
2
Understanding Persistent and Debilitating Grief
1 hour
3
Warning Signs to Notice
1 hour
4
When to Seek Specialized Clinical Support
1 hour
5
Supporting Someone Through Heavy Grief
1 hour
6
Practitioner Takeaways
1 hour
Each module has objectives, lessons, a GGN practice, a fictional story, reflection prompts, and a quiz. A final assessment, a crisis resources page, and the Global Grief Network Certification complete the program.
A note on safety and care
This program follows safe messaging practice. It does not include graphic detail or describe methods of harm, and it centers hope, help-seeking, and connection. All stories and cases are fictional and were written by the Global Grief Network. If you need to stop, please do, and come back when you are ready.
