Pet Loss

WHEN YOU LOSE A PET, YOU LOSE A PART OF YOURSELF

Pets are more than just animals. They can be a best friend, family member and a lifelong companion. Losing your pet can be devastating.
We’re here to help.

THERE ARE VERY REAL REASONS WHY THE LOSS OF A PET CAN BE SO HARD:

  • Your pet might be the only one in your life who loved you unconditionally.
  • Much of your life and daily routine included caring and bonding with your pet.
  • Your pet may have been in your life for a decade or longer.
  • Your pet has been with you through many of life’s good and not-so-good changes.
  • Animals are intuitive creatures, and your pet knew how to comfort you in ways nobody else could.

If you’re struggling with the loss of a furry member of your family, support can help ease the pain.

The death of a pet is not a minor or insignificant loss and oftentimes can be the most painful grief we ever experience. Though grief is a natural part of life that comes when you lose something important, you may not feel like it’s okay to grieve the loss of your animal. You might feel like you should “get over it” and that it’s “not that big of a deal.” You might even have friends or family members encouraging you to replace your pet quickly to help you “move on.”

Grief is a journey to be experienced – it is not something that you can speed up or will to go away. It is the time you need to honor the memory of something you love and heal your heart from the pain of the loss. Not only is it okay to grieve the loss of a pet, it’s a normal and natural reaction.

You don’t have to go through this alone – therapy can help you grieve and honor the memory of your pet. 

FIND THE SPACE TO GRIEVE YOUR LOSS.

“Until one has loved an animal a part of one’s soul remains unawakened.” – Anatole France

The therapists at Lincoln Park Therapy Group are equipped to help you deal with your grief in a caring and gentle way. We help you find rituals to honor your pet, explore any feelings associated with the loss, and develop strategies to help ease the pain of the loss. We recognize that the loss of a pet is significant and that it impacts all aspects of your life, and we’re here to hold space for you as you adjust to what this new reality looks and feels like.

What does support look like for grief?

Receiving support through therapy during a time of grieving can help you learn to express your pain in a healthy and productive manner. The focus is not just on moving forward, but also on the role your pet played in your life.

At Lincoln Park Therapy Group, we use a gentle approach to our grief counseling. We offer you a safe space to learn about the grieving process and understand how it’s impacting your experience of this significant loss.

HOW DO I KNOW I NEED THERAPY?

This is a great question and one we hear frequently. If you find yourself experiencing any of these symptoms regularly, it’s likely that counseling would be helpful to you:

  • Feeling like you will never get over the loss of your pet.
  • Having a difficult time talking about your pet to other people.
  • Diminishing your feelings or sadness or numbing out to avoid your emotions.
  • Crying frequently and not being able to focus or concentrate at work or school (for more than a month after the loss).

We’re here to help you.

Grief is a natural and normal part of the human experience, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy. If you want support after the loss of your pet, set up time to come in and talk with one of our therapists.
We’d love to meet you.

These LPTG therapists specialize in grief and loss.

We are offering a hybrid of in person + teletherapy sessions using a HIPAA compliant secure video and phone platform.
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