Pets and People

Ideas for Man­ag­ing your Grief

Cry when and how you need to– you have lost a spe­cial com­pan­ion. Strong emo­tions can be part of grief.

Walk or exer­cise if you are able and try to eat and sleep regularly.

Keep to your nor­mal rou­tine as much as pos­si­ble as this can pro­vide you some sta­bil­ity and a frame­work for what seems “out of control”.

Be care­ful about excess alco­hol or caf­feine.

Think of “get­ting through” this loss rather than “over it” and be gen­tle with your­self in the meantime.

Chil­dren are not too young or too old to grieve and may need sup­port from some­one other than yourself.

Talk to peo­ple who are sup­port­ive and who under­stand the impor­tance of your com­pan­ion ani­mal to you.

Allow your­self to take the time you need to get through this.

Don’t be afraid or ashamed to seek coun­selling, it can help to talk to some­one who under­stands and who will acknowl­edge your loss.

Cur­rently work­ing as a lec­turer and coun­sel­lor, I have had broad expe­ri­ence with both adults and chil­dren. In pre­vi­ous posi­tions as teacher, in pas­toral care and school coun­selor, much of my work has been in the area of loss and grief. I under­stand the many dimen­sions of pet loss, through both pro­fes­sional and per­sonal experience.

I am avail­able for coun­selling at a num­ber of venues in Bris­bane and Cabool­ture and I am avail­able for home vis­its when time permits,

I have devel­oped a work­book to assist peo­ple in an ongo­ing way to under­stand grief, to look at and acknowl­edge their loss and also find ways to remem­ber their beloved companion.