However much we may think with animals, we feel with animals infinitely more. --Maria Popova
Grieving the Loss of a Pet
Separation from a cherished animal companion can be as traumatic as losing a beloved family member and can trigger intense feelings of loss and grief. Unfortunately, our society often minimizes the heartbreak we can feel when we lose a pet. You even might have hesitated to mention your loss to your friends, workmates, or even family members, for fear of tearing up and ridicule. In counseling, you can rest assured that your loss will be taken seriously.
The fact is, the bonds we form with our pets can be as strong and, in some cases, even stronger than those we have with our families. So, the loss or impending loss of a pet, can be one of the most devastating and painful experiences we ever will face. Whether due to death, being lost, stolen or placed in a new home, the grief of such a separation can be profound and can put us in touch with other personal losses, too, both present and past. Such grief cannot, and should not, be underestimated or denied. You don't have to be alone during such a difficult period. Being personally affected by how hard such losses can be, I provide an empathic presence at your side as we work together through such a significant and heart-rending transition. I am a member of Association for Pet Loss and Bereavement, and you can find useful information about pet loss on its website. And, these 10 most common questions and answers about pet loss from another site might help you, too. You also can find additional links and books on pet loss in the resources section of this website (to come). To love at all is to be vulnerable.
Love anything, and your heart will be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact, you must give it to no one, not even an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries, avoid all entanglements, lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket--safe, dark, motionless, airless--it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable. The alternative to tragedy, or at least to the risk of tragedy, is damnation. The only place outside Heaven where you can be perfectly safe from all the dangers and perturbations of love is Hell. --C.S. Lewis FeesIn 2018, my fees are:
* This call is informational only. A therapeutic relationship can be established only if agreed upon following an initial in-person consultation.
InsuranceIf you are suffering from grief, your medical insurance may cover some costs. I do not accept insurance at this time but am happy to provide a "superbill" for submission to your carrier. Your health insurance or employee benefit plan may cover all or part of the cost for the services you use. Please ask your carrier the following questions to find out if, and to what extent, you are covered.
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There's a lot of baggage that's connected with relationships with people that we don't have in our relationships with animals.
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