The relationship was real. So is the loss.
Losing a pet can change the feel of your whole life. They were your family, and part of your days, your routines, your home, and often some of the most ordinary and meaningful moments in between. They're with you through some of the biggest changes, challenges, and the happiest moments in your life. When you miss them, sometimes it’s the big moments, but often it’s the small ones such as reaching for the leash, coming home to a quiet house, or seeing their empty bed. You don’t have to explain why you miss them as much as you do.
There's a mix of emotion.
Grief isn't always "just" about missing your pet. There can be guilt about decisions you made, questions about whether you did enough, relief after a difficult illness, changes to routines, or uncertainty about ever having another pet. Grief can also begin before the loss, particularly when you're caring for an aging or seriously ill animal or facing difficult end-of-life decisions.
You don't have to minimize your experience here.
Counselling gives you somewhere to talk openly about your pet, the loss, and what life looks like without them. As a nurse psychotherapist (qualifying) I also bring in different evidence informed strategies to support you through your own personal experience with loss.
I understand pet loss both through my professional work with grief and through having loved and lost my own pets. The photo on this page is even of my own dog Ruka who I had to say good-bye to many years ago. You don't need to convince me that losing your pet matters and impacts your life in ways non-pet people wouldn't understand.
Virtual counselling in Alberta whether you live in a small town, city, or rural community. Coffee or tea and comfy clothes welcome (and encouraged).
