Deer Valley Counseling
"Skills for Better Living"
Pet Loss Counseling
The loss of a pet can cause intense grief. If you would like help in processing your loss and you live in or near Phoenix, Arizona, call Sandra Nettles at 602.750.8051.
The Effects of Unresolved Grief over the Loss of a Pet
- Overwhelming Feelings. The feelings you experience immediately following the loss of a pet can be overwhelming.
- Sadness and Depression. In the long term, unresolved grief can lead to chronic feelings of sadness which do not go away over time.
- Sleeplessness. Unresolved grief can lead to problems sleeping.
- Lack of Concentration. Unresolved grief can lead to difficulty in concentrating.
How Do I Move Past My Grief?
Grieving is a natural human reaction to the loss of a pet. But people in our society are rarely taught how to grieve. Many people are uncomfortable with expressions of grief. So many people who suffer a loss learn to hide their feelings. They do not process through their grief and so are stuck in the grieving process, unable to move on. There are five stages of grief—
- Denial
- Anger
- Bargaining
- Depression
- Acceptance
Not everyone goes through every one of these stages and not everyone goes through the stages in this order. Stages may be repeated. The goal is to get through to acceptance—not to forget but to accept so that the loss is no longer overwhelming.
To move through these stages and properly grieve a loss, it is helpful to have someone to talk to who will not feel uncomfortable with your grief but who will help you express your grief in whatever way is best for you.
Benefits of Pet Loss Grief Recovery
Grief recovery can have the following benefits—
- Your grief will not seem so overwhelming.
- You can talk about the loss.
- You can begin to live life again, remember and honoring the pet you have lost.
Pet Loss Grief Recovery in Phoenix, Arizona
Deer Valley Counseling offers grief recovery to people in Phoenix, Arizona and surrounding cities of Maricopa County. Sandra Nettles, LCSW, MSSW, has the training, experience, empathy, and objectivity to help you through the grieving process.
Unresolved grief can cause great emotional difficulties. Grief can be processed. Call 602.750.8051 if you would like to talk to Sandra Nettles about grief recovery.