Virtual Grief Counselling: What It Is, How It Works, and Whether It Is Right for You

When you are grieving, the idea of getting to a therapist’s office may feel like one more thing you simply cannot manage. You may be exhausted, caring for family members, struggling with transportation, living outside a major city, or finding that being at home feels like the safest and most comfortable place to talk.

Virtual grief counselling offers another option. Through secure video sessions, and in some circumstances by phone, you can meet with a therapist without having to travel to an office. For many people, that flexibility makes it easier to begin therapy and maintain regular support during a difficult period.

But does online grief counselling actually work?

The research so far is encouraging.

Does Virtual Grief Counselling Work?

Research on virtual mental health care more broadly suggests that videoconferencing can produce outcomes comparable to in-person therapy for many clients. A large meta-analysis examining 57 studies and more than 4,300 clients found that videoconference-based mental health services produced treatment outcomes that were largely equivalent to those of in-person services, although the researchers also noted limitations in the available research and the need for more rigorous studies in some populations (Batastini et al., 2021).

Grief-specific research is also increasingly supportive of online approaches. A 2021 systematic review and meta-analysis of nine trials involving 1,349 bereaved adults found significant improvements in grief, depression, and post-traumatic stress symptoms following internet- or mobile-based interventions. The researchers described the quality of evidence as low to moderate, however, and emphasized the need for additional research (Zuelke et al., 2021).

More recent research has strengthened that picture. A 2025 systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials involving more than 1,400 bereaved adults found that web-based grief interventions were associated with improvements in grief, anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress symptoms following treatment. At three-month follow-up, improvements in grief, depression, and post-traumatic stress remained significant, although the effect on anxiety was no longer statistically significant (Yao et al., 2025).

A 2025 rapid review that examined four systematic reviews and 35 individual studies reached a similarly encouraging conclusion. Online bereavement interventions were generally found to be feasible, acceptable, and helpful in reducing grief intensity, depression, and other distress-related outcomes. The review also highlighted some of the practical benefits people can experience from online support, including greater accessibility and reduced isolation (Finucane et al., 2025).

So, while it would be too strong to say that virtual therapy is automatically the same experience for every person, the research does support online grief counselling as a legitimate form of psychological care.

Why Online Grief Therapy Can Be Helpful

One of the biggest advantages of virtual counselling is that it removes the need to travel.

That may sound like a small thing, but grief can affect concentration, sleep, energy, motivation, and the ability to manage ordinary responsibilities. For someone who is already emotionally and physically depleted, driving across the city, finding parking, and sitting in a waiting room can make seeking support feel more difficult than it needs to be.

Virtual counselling can also make therapy more accessible for people who live in rural or underserved communities, have mobility or transportation challenges, have demanding caregiving responsibilities, or simply feel more comfortable talking about something deeply personal from their own home.

There can be something reassuring about sitting in a familiar space while talking about someone you have lost. You might have a favourite chair, a photograph nearby, or a quiet room where you feel comfortable letting your emotions come and go. For some people, that familiarity can make the process of opening up feel less intimidating.

Research on online bereavement support also suggests that accessibility and flexibility can be important advantages. Finucane et al. (2025) found that online interventions could help widen access to bereavement support while providing opportunities to process emotions, develop coping strategies, and make meaning after a loss.

What About the Therapeutic Connection?

One common concern about online counselling is that therapy might feel less personal through a screen.

That concern is understandable. Therapy is built around a relationship between two people, and some clients value being physically present in the same room as their therapist.

At the same time, research has not found that videoconferencing inherently prevents a meaningful therapeutic relationship or effective treatment. Overall, studies comparing videoconference and in-person mental health care have found relatively few meaningful differences in treatment outcomes (Batastini et al., 2021).

For grief counselling in particular, the quality of the relationship between you and your therapist matters more than whether you are sitting in the same physical room. Feeling listened to, respected, understood, and able to speak honestly about your experience remains central to the work.

Of course, individual preferences matter. Some people immediately feel comfortable with virtual therapy, while others discover that they connect more naturally with a therapist in person. Neither preference is wrong.

What Happens During a Virtual Grief Counselling Session?

Virtual grief counselling is not simply a conversation about your loss through a computer screen. The work is shaped around what you are experiencing and what you need.

Your therapist may begin by checking in about how you have been doing since your previous session. Together, you might explore changes in your emotions, relationships, sleep, daily functioning, or ability to cope with reminders of the person who died.

Depending on your circumstances, therapy might involve talking about the relationship you had with the person who died, making sense of difficult emotions, working through guilt or regret, navigating changes in your identity or daily life, or finding ways to live with the reality of the loss.

For someone experiencing more persistent or disabling grief symptoms, therapy may involve structured approaches that have been studied specifically for prolonged grief. Cognitive behavioural approaches, for example, have substantial research support, and recent reviews have found that psychotherapy can reduce symptoms of prolonged grief disorder (LaPlante et al., 2024; Srivastava et al., 2025).

Virtual therapy does not mean that every session has to follow a rigid structure. Your therapist can adapt the pace and focus of counselling to your circumstances.

What Are the Challenges of Virtual Grief Counselling?

Online counselling is not the right fit for everyone.

Technology can occasionally get in the way. A poor internet connection, microphone problems, or an unexpected interruption can make it harder to stay focused. It can also be difficult to find a genuinely private space if you live with other people.

Being at home can have another disadvantage: there may be no natural transition between therapy and the rest of your day. When you leave an office, you physically move into a different environment. After an online session, you may simply close your laptop and immediately return to childcare, work, household responsibilities, or other demands.

Some people therefore find it helpful to create a small amount of space around their appointment. You might make a cup of tea, take a short walk, sit quietly for a few minutes, or simply avoid scheduling something demanding immediately afterward when possible.

There are also situations where virtual counselling may not be the most appropriate option. If someone is experiencing an immediate mental health crisis, is at significant risk of harming themselves or someone else, or cannot establish a safe and private environment for therapy, additional or different forms of support may be necessary.

That does not mean virtual counselling is inherently unsafe. It means that, as with any form of therapy, the method of care should be appropriate to the person's circumstances and level of need.

What If You Are Not Sure Whether Online Therapy Is Right for You?

You do not have to know the answer before contacting a therapist.

A conversation about what you are looking for can help you determine whether virtual grief counselling feels appropriate. You can also talk with your therapist about what you need in order to feel comfortable and safe during online sessions.

Some people begin virtually because it is the easiest way to get started and later decide they would prefer in-person sessions. Others discover that online counselling works particularly well for them and appreciate being able to continue therapy without travelling.

The important question is not whether virtual therapy is universally better than in-person therapy. It is whether this way of receiving support gives you a meaningful opportunity to work through what you are experiencing.

Virtual Grief Counselling at Authentic Living London

At Authentic Living London, we recognize that grief can make everyday life feel complicated enough without adding unnecessary barriers to getting support.

Our therapists offer virtual grief counselling across Ontario, providing a flexible option for people who may find it difficult or uncomfortable to attend appointments in person. This can be particularly helpful if you have transportation or mobility challenges, live outside London, have caregiving responsibilities, or simply feel more comfortable beginning therapy from home.

Grief counselling can support people experiencing many different forms of loss, including the death of a loved one, anticipatory grief, complicated family circumstances, and the emotional experience of losing someone who is still physically present in your life.

Our approach is collaborative and compassionate. There is no single way to grieve and no universal timetable for feeling better. Your therapist will work with you to understand what your grief looks like, what is making it harder, and what kind of support may be most useful.

Research increasingly supports online bereavement care as a practical and effective way of widening access to grief support, while recognizing that individual needs and preferences still matter (Finucane et al., 2025; Yao et al., 2025).

If you are looking for virtual grief counselling in Ontario or online grief therapy in London, Ontario, you can contact Authentic Living London at 226-224-0301 or info@authenticlivinglondon.com to learn more about available appointments.

You do not have to travel to an office for grief to be taken seriously. Sometimes, having a safe and supportive person to talk with can begin right where you are.

Brenda Deaves, registered psychotherapist - qualifying, BA, MACP has extensive experience providing grief support both in group and individual session format.

References

Batastini, A. B., Paprzycki, P., Jones, A. C. T., & MacLean, N. (2021). Are videoconferenced mental and behavioral health services just as good as in-person? A meta-analysis of a fast-growing practice. Clinical Psychology Review, 83, 101944. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2020.101944

Finucane, A., Canny, A., Mair, A. P. A., Harrop, E., Selman, L. E., Swash, B., Wakefield, D., & Gillanders, D. (2025). A rapid review of the evidence for online interventions for bereavement support. Palliative Medicine, 39(1), 31–52. https://doi.org/10.1177/02692163241285101

LaPlante, C. D., Hardt, M. M., Maciejewski, P. K., & Prigerson, H. G. (2024). State of the science: Psychotherapeutic interventions for prolonged grief disorder. Behavior Therapy, 55(6), 1303–1317. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.beth.2024.07.002

Srivastava, T., Lee, K., Ehrenkranz, R., Cozzolino, P. J., Wise, F. A., Burns, M., McCormick, T., Yaden, D., Agrawal, M., & Penberthy, J. K. (2025). The efficacy of psychotherapeutic interventions for prolonged grief disorder: A systematic review. Journal of Affective Disorders, 380, 561–575. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2025.03.173

Yao, D., Qian, F., Tung, T.-H., Shi, H., & Bi, D. (2025). The effectiveness of web-based grief intervention for adults who lost a loved one: A systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Palliative Care, 24, 61. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12904-025-01679-5

Zuelke, A. E., Luppa, M., Löbner, M., Pabst, A., Schlapke, C., Stein, J., & Riedel-Heller, S. G. (2021). Effectiveness and feasibility of internet-based interventions for grief after bereavement: Systematic review and meta-analysis. JMIR Mental Health, 8(12), e29661. https://doi.org/10.2196/29661