Help For Navigating Pet Loss
You don’t need to “get over it”. You need space to grieve.
Guided Grief Support
ONLINE & SELF-PACED
Guidance and support to help you navigate the overwhelming reality of life without your pet.
Not Just a Pet
You’re devastated about losing the animal in your life and unsure how to keep going without them.
Perhaps this is your experience…
You’re heartbroken. The profound sadness is suffocating. You always knew this would be hard, but it feels even worse than you imagined.
It feels wrong that life just keeps going — you need it to pause.
Your mind keeps desperately trying to write a different ending. Part of you can’t believe this is happening.
This feels even harder than losing a person in your life.
Even though you’re going through the motions and maybe even pretending you’re ok, the truth is life feels impossible.
You keep wondering, “Could I have done more?” or “Did we make the right decision?” and you are overwhelmed with guilt and regret.
The pressure to “get over it”, or the suggestion to “just get another pet” leaves you feeling dismissed.
Missing your animal is excruciating. You would give anything to have more time with them.
Your sense of identity and purpose have been rattled. You don’t really recognize your life anymore — you’re lost and unsteady.
The truth is, there is so much grief because there is so much LOVE. What if you could take all of that love and find ways to intentionally grieve and honor your pet?
Imagine if you could find a path through the grief that left you feeling more connected and hopeful.
Feel less alone and isolated in your grief.
Tell the truth about your pain and be believed.
Honor everything that you lost and all parts of your experience, even the ones that don’t seem to make sense.
Have a dedicated space and time to truly grieve.
Through the Not Just a Pet program you will have the opportunity to:
Identify practical coping tools to help the overwhelm and anxiety feel more manageable.
Find ways to stay connected to your pet.
Honor your animal and your relationship with them.
Trust that you can find your way through the grief.
A self-paced guided grief support program to help you navigate the loss or impending loss of your beloved animal
They were more than just a pet – they were your heart. Moving on doesn’t feel like an option. There’s another way. A way that allows you to intentionally grieve and honor them, and create a lasting connection.
As Seen In
This isn’t about “getting over it”
Not Just a Pet guides you through the grief process and gives you tools to cope, as well as help you find ways to stay connected and create a new relationship with your animal.
Program Topics
The program includes lessons that you can explore at your own pace and in whatever order feels right for you.
Your Story
Honoring your pet and the relationship you had with them. Time to remember and reflect on your life together. Who were they and who were you with them.
Pet Loss 101
Why is this so hard? Understanding grief in general, as well as what makes this different from other losses can help validate and make sense of everything you’re experiencing.
Living While Grieving
Life without your beloved animal often feels impossible. Here we’ll cover how to navigate everyday life when your heart is breaking. Ideas for how to communicate your needs to others, find your way through difficult milestones, and honor your needs.
Ways to Cope
There is no one-size-fits-all approach to how to cope, so we’ll help you figure out what works for you. Some options might include: writing, meditation, movement, art, comfort items, rituals, connecting with others, and celebrating your pet’s life.
Staying Connected
Part of the grieving process can be figuring out how to have an ongoing relationship with your animal. You don’t have to “move on”, you can stay close to them in different ways so they can continue to be a part of your life.
Saying Goodbye
If you’re anticipating the loss of your animal, this section will help you navigate this heart-wrenching process. Get clarity around difficult decisions and figure out how you want to honor and support your pet in their final days.
“When Walter died I felt lost. I felt unable to continue with daily life, frozen in a void. It was as though Walter had been my tether and without him I was ungrounded.
I found connection and compassion sharing my feelings of loss and despair with Alana. As I shared the stories of my grief, my heartbreak, and fear of life without Walter, the heaviness of those feelings started to ease. Having a space to share all the pain, recall delightful memories and verbalize spiritual ponderings allowed me to untangle my emotions and find my way through them.
While my grief still blindsides me occasionally, I no longer feel lost, unable to see my way through. Processing Walter's passing with Alana helped me integrate my grief. Now my combined love of and grief for Walter feels like a source of strength and guidance inside of me.”
-Carrie E.
WHAT’S INCLUDED
The Not Just a Pet program gives you access to:
GUIDED GRIEF SUPPORT via
-Video Lessons
-Coping Tools
-Journaling Prompts
-Meditations
BONUS
Invitation to 3 Monthly Online Grief Circles to help you feel less alone in your grief and give you a sense of community
BONUS
Resource library of pet loss support options that others have found helpful (e.g. articles, videos, list of support groups)
I believe your grief matters.
Hi, I’m Alana (she/her) and I’m so glad you’re here. And I also wish you didn’t have to be.
I’ve been helping people navigate grief for over twelve years and while my professional experience as a therapist informs my work, the death of my dog a few years ago led to a passion for helping others who are struggling with pet loss. I’ve had important humans in my life die, but losing my dog was (and is) the hardest thing I’ve ever done. Now I’m here to help you feel supported, seen, and understood, and guide you as you find your own unique way through the grief.
✔ This is for you if:
You’re curious and open to the grief process
You’re looking for ways to honor your pet and your relationship with them
You want to feel connected to your pet
It would be helpful to have guidance and support as you find your own unique way through the grief
Maybe losing your animal feels harder than losing a human
✘ This is not for you if:
You want or need therapy (This program is not therapy.)
You just want to move on or get over the loss as fast as possible
You want a magic fix
You want absolute answers or solutions to your grief
Frequently Asked Questions
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People who are deeply bonded with their animal companions. Whether you are anticipating the loss of your pet, recently experienced the loss, or have been dealing with it on your own for awhile, I am here to guide and support you through all parts of the grief process. This program supports people experiencing all forms of loss including death, missing/lost, relinquishment, loss of custody, etc.
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If you need a different kind of support, I will do my best to connect you with other resources.
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Definitely not! This is for anyone who has/had a close relationship with an animal and wants support as they navigate the grief process.
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No. This program provides guided grief support, but does not substitute for therapy if needed.
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I have an MA in Counseling from Seattle University and over twelve years of experience as a therapist specializing in grief and loss. Please note: although I am licensed psychotherapist, services provided in the Not Just a Pet program are not therapy.
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Unfortunately there are no refunds due to the digital nature of this program. Before you sign up, I want to make sure you are confident it is a good fit for you. If you have questions about whether this is right for you, please send me a message and I’ll be happy to discuss any of your concerns.
Don’t see your question answered here? Feel free to reach out.
Losing the animal of your life is devastating and terribly painful, but you don’t have to go through it alone. If you’re feeling stuck or lost in your grief, and want to do things differently, get on the list today. I can’t wait to help you.
Gradually you will learn acquaintance
with the invisible form of your departed;
and when the work of grief is done,
the wound of loss will heal
and you will have learned
to wean your eyes
from that gap in the air
and be able to enter the hearth
in your soul where your loved one
has awaited your return
all the time.
-John O Donahue