Pet Loss & Anticipatory Grief Counseling

Pet Loss

Losing a beloved pet, or preparing for that loss, can make the whole world feel different. Pets are family. They give steady love and comfort. When illness, age, behavior struggles, or the possibility of euthanasia enters the picture, the emotions can be overwhelming.

Sometimes the hardest part is before goodbye. Caring for a sick pet and weighing choices is its own kind of grief. You deserve support through that.

Your veterinarian guides medical care. Therapy gives you space, steadiness, and words for the decisions and the days ahead.

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What You May Be Experiencing 

Pet grief can feel complicated and overwhelming. You may notice:

  • a deep ache or sense of emptiness

  • guilt, second-guessing, or replaying decisions

  • relief mixed with sadness, especially after long illness

  • changes to appetite or sleep

  • difficulty functioning or focusing

  • loneliness, isolation, or feeling misunderstood by others

  • watching your children struggle and not knowing how to help

Whatever you’re feeling is real. There is no “right” way to grieve.

Anticipatory Grief Before a Loss

Sometimes the hardest part happens before a pet passes.

You may be:

  • caring for an aging or ill pet

  • navigating medical decisions

  • wondering about timing, comfort, or euthanasia

  • feeling dread about what comes next

  • holding grief while still trying to be present with them

Anticipatory grief is heavy, and it often brings fear, guilt, confusion, and deep sadness all at once. Support can help you feel steadier through every stage.

How Therapy Can Help

Working together gives you a place to process the emotions that come with losing a companion who meant the world to you. Our sessions will help you:

  • make sense of your grief without minimizing or rushing it

  • understand the complex mix of sadness, guilt, relief, anger, or numbness

  • feel less alone in the emotional and logistical decisions

  • find ways to honor your pet’s life and the role they played

  • support your children or family through their own grief

  • navigate the difficult “after” — the quiet house, the empty routines, the new normal

My approach is warm, steady, and compassionate. I hold space for all the parts of this experience; the love, the heartbreak, the confusion, the memories, and the meaning.

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Support options

Ongoing Individual Therapy

Space to process your grief at your own pace and receive support as emotions change over time. 

Anticipatory Goodbye Session

Prepare for a pet’s passing with clarity and compassion. Together we can talk through decisions, create a goodbye plan, and support you or your children through this transition. 

Three Session Grief Package

A structured short-term option for clients wanting guidance, grounding tools, and emotional support during the heaviest moments.

Family Session

Support for children and families navigating pet loss. I can help you use age-appropriate language, create rituals or memory activities, and guide the family through this experience with gentleness. 

What to Expect

In our first session, we will talk about your story, what you’re carrying, and what support would feel most helpful. There is no pressure, no timeline, and no expectation to be “strong.” This is a space where you can simply feel what you’re feeling and be met with compassion and care.

You Don’t Have to Grieve Alone

If you're navigating pet loss or anticipating it, support is here. Whether you need a place to talk, help with difficult decisions, or guidance for your family, I would be honored to walk alongside you.