Pet Loss
Therapy for pet parents navigating life after the loss of an animal companion
Offering in-person counselling in Vancouver and virtual counselling across British Columbia.
When our animal dies, we rarely grieve only their physical absence.
We grieve the routines that quietly shaped our days, the companionship woven into ordinary moments, the future we imagined together, and sometimes even who we were with them.
Their absence can leave our homes, our identities, and our everyday lives feeling unfamiliar.
Some losses happen suddenly. Others unfold through traumatic circumstances. An accident, an unexpected medical emergency, witnessing suffering, or a distressing final experience can leave us carrying not only grief, but also shock, disbelief, intrusive memories, or questions that continue long after the loss itself.
For many people, one of the hardest parts of pet loss is how alone it can feel. Friends, family, workplaces, and even those closest to us may not fully recognize the significance of the relationship or the depth of the grief, leaving us feeling as though we should be "doing better" or moving on.
In my practice, your relationship with your animal companion does not need to be explained or justified. We begin with the understanding that it mattered.
How Therapy Can Help
Whether your loss happened days ago or decades ago, therapy provides a place where your relationship is already understood. Together, we can focus on your experience rather than on explaining why this loss continues to matter.
My role isn't to help you leave your grief behind or return to who you were before the loss. Instead, it's to support you in finding a way to carry your grief while continuing to honour the relationship and the place your animal companion will always hold in your life.
Our work together may include:
Navigating grief complicated by trauma, guilt, or unanswered questions
Adjusting to the changes in identity, routines, and daily life that often follow a loss
Carrying a loss that still feels as present years later as it did in the beginning
Exploring the continuing bond you hold with your animal companion
Frequently Asked Questions
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After a loss, it's common for our minds to return repeatedly to the final days, hours, or moments. Sometimes we're trying to understand what happened. Other times we're searching for reassurance that we did everything we could.
Replaying these memories is not a sign that you're "stuck." It's often part of living through an experience that felt overwhelming.
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Yes. Relief and grief can exist together. Relief may come from knowing your animal is no longer suffering, that the demands of caregiving have come to an end, or simply that a period of uncertainty has ended. Feeling relief does not diminish your love or the depth of your grief.
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Pet loss doesn't follow a timeline. The significance of the relationship, the circumstances of the loss, and the place your animal held in your life all shape how grief unfolds.
If you're still struggling, it doesn't mean you're grieving the "wrong" way or taking too long. It may simply reflect how deeply this relationship was woven into your life.
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When an animal dies, we often lose much more than their physical presence. We lose routines, familiarity, future plans, parts of our identity, and the quiet companionship woven into everyday life. You may find yourself reaching for the leash, expecting to hear footsteps in the hallway, or coming home to a silence that feels unfamiliar. When someone has shaped how you spend your time, experience your home, and understand yourself, it is natural to grieve both their absence and the life you shared with them.
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Yes. For some people, the circumstances surrounding an animal's death can be experienced as traumatic. Emergency medical crises, witnessing suffering, unexpected losses, or distressing final moments can leave us feeling shocked, disconnected, or unable to stop replaying what happened. Trauma and grief often exist together, making the loss even more difficult to carry.
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Guilt is one of the most common experiences after pet loss. Many people wonder whether they missed something, should have chosen differently, or could have prevented what happened. Looking back with information you did not have at the time can make guilt feel especially convincing and difficult to set down.
