Table of Contents

What is Meant by “Thanatology Experience”?

How do I Calculate “Thanatology Experience Hours"?

Does Personal Experience Count?

How do I Enter my Thanatology Experience Information on the Application?

How do I Verify my Experience Hours?

What is Meant by “Thanatology Experience”?

This is verifiable paid work, supervised volunteering or internship experience you have gained in a thanatology role.

Examples of thanatology experience:

• Providing care and/or counseling for those experiencing life-threatening, life-limiting, or terminal circumstances (or supervising those who do)
• Providing counseling or therapy for those who are facing impending loss, experiencing grief following a death (foreseen, unforeseen, traumatic, etc.), or experiencing grief related to non-death losses
• Providing death education (courses, webinars, presentations, podcasts, etc.)
• Training individuals to perform in a thanatology role
• Providing care and memorialization of the deceased
• Serving as administrator in a thanatology organization

How do I Calculate “Thanatology Experience Hours"?

Multiply the number of hours per week serving in a thanatology role X the number of weeks/year X the number of years   For example:

30 hours/week X 50 weeks/year X 2 years = 3000 hours of thanatology experience

If your thanatology role constitutes only a portion of the total hours of your job, you can only count the hours specifically spent on thanatology. Using the example above but if only 70% of your total job description falls under a thanatology role:

30 hours/week X 50 weeks/year X 2 years X 70% of the job description =  2100 hours

Death educators should count hours of research for course development, class prep, teaching time, student follow up time, etc.

Does Personal Experience Count?

Candidates may claim up to 100 hours of unpaid, direct personal experience. Direct personal experience means the actual number of hours spent in direct contact with the person(s) receiving support.

Some examples of personal life experience and the associated hours may include:

· “My neighbor’s husband died in May 2020 from Covid. Because she could not leave her house, I visited with her to allow her to talk about her loss. I went religiously for 1 hour a day, 3 days a week for next 4 months until she was able to join an online support group."  

• Candidates can claim the actual number of hours spent, up to 100 hours. In this scenario, 48 hours can be claimed (1 hour per day x 3 days per week x 16 weeks).

· “I was the 24/7 primary caregiver in 2021 for my father during his final 8 months of life when dying from cancer.” 

• In this scenario, candidates can claim 100 of the total hours spent. 

· “I spent 3 days a week for 6 weeks assisting and supporting my sister in the care of my nephew who underwent aggressive chemo and bone marrow transplant in 2018."

• In this scenario, candidates can claim 100 of the total hours spent. 

· "I attended several functions and funerals to support my community after a community tragedy." 

• Candidates can claim the actual number of hours spent, up to 100 hours.

How do I Enter my Thanatology Experience Information on the Application?

The application will prompt you to “Add Thanatology Experience Entries”.

Complete the following thanatology experience fields for each entry you document.

1. Name of organization
2. Title/job/position (you can also add a short description if clarification is needed)
3. Start and end dates
4. Number of hours

Click “add”, then if you have more to enter, choose “Add another thanatology experience entry”.

Reminder: One half of the required experience hours must be dated within the past 10 years. Also, make sure the total number of hours submitted equals or exceeds the total hours required under the certification track for which you apply.

How do I Verify my Experience Hours?

1. Application reviewers will refer to the letters of recommendation you upload from supervisors or colleagues who can speak to your thanatology role as well as where and when you were in the role.
2. You are not required to upload any other documentation at the time you apply. However, should there be any questions about your experience hours, you may be contacted to clarify information or to obtain a signed letter from the organization where you serve(d).