Objectives
By the end of this module you will be able to:
- Explain clearly, to a client and to the public, what a GGN Certified Somatic Grief Support Practitioner does and does not do.
- Distinguish grief support from mental health treatment, counseling, medical care, and bodywork.
- Use accurate, non-misleading language in marketing, intake, and the GGN Practitioner Directory.
- Apply the GGN Code of Ethics to common situations involving boundaries, confidentiality, dual relationships, and money.
Lesson
Why scope comes early
Grieving people are vulnerable. They may be exhausted, disoriented, and eager for anyone who promises relief. That makes clarity about role an ethical requirement, not a formality. Putting scope in Module 2, before most of the practices, means every skill you learn after this sits inside a clear frame.
What a GGN practitioner does
A GGN Certified Somatic Grief Support Practitioner offers non-clinical, educational, and supportive services to grieving adults, such as:
- Compassionate listening and companionship.
- Grief education: sharing accurate, general information about common grief experiences.
- Guided GGN somatic practices for steadiness and self-care, always invitational and touch-free.
- Facilitation of grief support groups, circles, and remembrance rituals.
- Connection to resources, including licensed professionals, medical care, crisis lines, peer groups, and GGN community resources.
What a GGN practitioner does not do
- Diagnose any mental or physical condition, or tell someone they have or do not have a disorder.
- Provide mental health treatment, counseling as defined by law in their jurisdiction, or treatment for depression, anxiety, PTSD, prolonged grief disorder (a clinical diagnosis that only licensed professionals make), substance use, or any other condition.
- Advise about medications, including whether to start, stop, or change them.
- Use touch as part of GGN practice.
- Promise outcomes such as "healing your trauma," "resolving grief," or "regulating your nervous system."
- Use protected professional titles (for example "counselor," "psychologist," or any title that names a licensed mental health profession) unless separately licensed to do so.
Words matter: honest language
Laws governing titles and practice differ by country, state, and province, so practitioners are responsible for knowing their local rules. As a general guide:
| Prefer | Avoid (unless separately licensed) |
|---|---|
| Grief support, grief companion, somatic grief support practitioner | Any title or service name that suggests licensed mental health treatment, such as counselor (in many jurisdictions), clinician, or a licensed professional title |
| Sessions, support sessions, practice sessions | Treatment, treatment plan, clinical sessions |
| "Many people find this helps them feel steadier." | "This will heal your trauma." |
| "These practices are for support and self-care." | "This resets your nervous system." |
| "I'm not a licensed mental health professional, and I can help you find one." | "You don't need counseling; this is better." |
The relationship to licensed practice
The GGN credential sits alongside, not above or below, licensed professions. A licensed clinician who completes this program may use GGN practices inside their clinical work, under their license. A non-licensed GGN practitioner who works with a client who is also receiving mental health treatment should, with the client's written permission, be willing to coordinate so that support does not conflict with clinical care.
Ethics in daily practice
The full GGN Code of Ethics appears later in this handbook. Several principles deserve early attention:
- Confidentiality and its limits. What a client shares is private, except where there is a serious and imminent risk of harm to self or others, a legal requirement such as mandated reporting of child or elder abuse in many jurisdictions, or a court order. Explain these limits at the start, in writing and aloud.
- Dual relationships. Grief often happens in small communities. Avoid relationships that mix roles, such as becoming a client's business partner, romantic partner, or beneficiary. Never accept bequests or significant gifts from clients.
- Financial fairness. Be transparent about fees before services begin. Do not pressure grieving people into long packages.
- Respect for belief. Never impose spiritual, religious, or philosophical views about death and the afterlife.
- Records. Keep brief, factual, secure notes (dates, consent, practices offered, referrals made). Do not write diagnostic language.
Directory listing and public representation
On certification, practitioners may be listed in the GGN Practitioner Directory. Listings must use the exact credential title, describe services in scope, and avoid treatment claims. GGN reviews listings and may remove those that are misleading.
Guided practicePractice Script: The Scope Statement (to say aloud at a first meeting)
This is not a somatic practice; it is a script you will use with every new client. Practice it until it sounds natural, in your own voice. "Before we start, I want to be clear about what I offer. I'm a GGN Certified Somatic Grief Support Practitioner. That means I've trained to support people through grief using listening, education, and gentle body-based practices for steadiness. I'm not a licensed mental health professional or a doctor, and I don't diagnose or treat any condition." "Everything we do together is an invitation. You can say no, pause, or stop at any time, and that's always okay." "What you share stays between us, with a few important exceptions: if I'm worried about your safety or someone else's, or if the law requires me to report something, like abuse of a child. If that ever comes up, I'll talk with you about it." "If at any point it seems like you'd benefit from a counselor, a doctor, or more support, I'll tell you honestly and help you find it. Do you have any questions about that?"
Fictional vignetteFictional Vignette 2.1: Devon
Devon, a new GGN practitioner and yoga teacher, wants to update his studio website. His draft says: "Somatic Grief Treatment with Devon: release stored trauma from your body and heal your grief in six sessions. Certified by the Global Grief Network." Discussion questions:
- Identify each problem in this description.
- Rewrite it in a way that is accurate, warm, and within scope.
Facilitator guidance: Problems include the word "treatment," which suggests licensed clinical care, the treatment claim "release stored trauma," the outcome promise "heal your grief," and the fixed timeline. A possible rewrite: "Somatic Grief Support with Devon, GGN Certified Somatic Grief Support Practitioner. Gentle, body-based practices and compassionate presence to help you feel steadier as you carry your loss. Non-clinical support; I'm happy to help you connect with counseling or medical care when needed."
Reflection Prompts
- Which parts of the "does not do" list might be hardest for you to hold, and why?
- Think about your existing roles (professional, community, faith). Where might dual relationships arise?
- How do you feel saying "I'm not a licensed mental health professional"? What would help you say it with confidence rather than apology?
- What are the title and practice laws where you live? List what you need to research.