Grief Articles

Do not stand at my grave and weep.I am not there, I do not sleep.I am a thousand winds that blow,I am the diamond glints on snow. I am the sunlight on ripened grain,I am the gentle autumn’s rain.When you awaken in the morning’s hush,I am the swift uplifting rushof quiet birds in circled flight.I […]

Guilt. It’s a word that can invoke in us the deepest, most terrible feelings of loss, horror, anger, and helplessness. Why did I do what I did? Why couldn’t I have done more? Did I kill my beloved pet? Did I not do enough? Did I do too much? Did I put him/her down too

Whenever one considers the painful choice of euthanasia, one is always advised to take the pet’s “quality of life” into account. But what is “quality of life”? How can you determine whether a pet is still experiencing a good quality of life — or whether its level of suffering is no longer acceptable? That decision

Sooner or later, any discussion of pet loss comes around to this question. You may have asked it yourself — or, perhaps, you may have wondered how to answer when your child asks it of you. Lengthy articles have been written on both sides of the argument. A recent ABC News poll showed that 47%

Many think of bereavement as beginning after loss. For many, however, grief can begin much earlier. Often, it begins the day you realize that your pet is approaching the end of its life — even though the final loss of that pet may still be many months distant. This stage of grief is especially difficult,

GRIEVING THE LOSS OF A PET Grief is the normal response to any important loss in life. It occurs regardless of whether death followed a prolonged illness, or a sudden accident. Grieving people experience both physical and emotional traumas as they try to adapt to the upheaval in their lives brought about by the loss.

Grief support writing: how to write and share your story of pet loss The Power of Writing to Heal the Pain“One of the best salves for healing the pain and grief that you feel is that of writing. The process of putting your feelings, thoughts, and experiences down on paper will give you the opportunity

When your pet dies, how soon should you get a new one?Until recently, the standard answer has been “right away!” That may not always be the best advice, however: Obtaining a new pet before you have had time to work through your grief can cause problems for both you and the pet. So when is

In my article on guilt, I talked about the importance of focusing on positive memories of your pet. Remembering the good times that you shared with that pet can help counteract the guilt and grief that come with its loss. One way to help yourself focus on those positive memories is to develop a memorial

These are the books I consider to be the most helpful for anyone going through the terrible grief of losing a beloved pet. Clicking on any book’s cover links you directly to that book on Amazon.com where you can learn more about the book, see if it is the right one for your needs, check