You wanted more! The Pet Loss & Grief Companioning Class has MORE!

You wanted more! The Pet Loss & Grief Companioning Class has MORE!

Is it okay if I start off my morning cup of joe with a giggle? While I spring out of bed really early, it sometimes takes me a minute to literally giggle, but my Pet Loss and Grief Companioning Certification class just makes that happen for me! I just read yet another review on this course, and I couldn’t wait to share more with YOU!

The giggle comes from a place of humility! I’m so honored to read the reviews from those that invest the time and resources into taking this course. Reviews from veterinarians, veterinary technicians, pet funeral directors, and others who work with grieving pet lovers. It’s not only a work of love, but I gave it my all in loading the class up with nuggets that could be immediately applicable to anyone’s work in the pet end-of-life space.

If you’re like me, you like to hear from others how their experience was. I want to hear the good, the bad, and the ugly, for sure! I want to hear from others like me: those involved in the end-of-life care for pets. This course gets high-level comments like “highly recommend” and “fantastic” to this one that really rock my world: “life changing.”

Here’s what I really want you to know about this course… I want this course to give you a much deeper and robust language when it comes to pet loss and pet grief to help you show up, unapologetically show up. To show up unarmored and ready to take on the ugliness of pet grief with a shattered heart. A pet lover who might not have anyone else in their world who understands the myriad of emotions that happens with the death of a grumpy old cat, or a smelly old dog.

I want to help whoever takes this course to understand more about their own grief so they can continue their healthy journey of grief and loss, therefore becoming more adept in the empathy aspect. I just love the way my girl crush Brene Brown describes empathy… being able to crawl into that dark hole of grief with someone and to “be” with them fully, knowing that at any moment as a companion we know the way out. It’s not being scared to be with those emotions; it’s not being scared that our own wound will be opened to the point of being paralyzed again. Quite frankly, it’s not being scared to freaking “go there.” It’s showing up. Unarmored, fully vulnerable, full of humility, and ready to come around the table to walk that journey with.
There’s another aspect to all of this… I want you to understand the business aspect of this process too. That might sound so counterintuitive… why would we talk about such a raw sensitive subject as pet grief and pet loss, and then bring in business? Whatcha talkin’ ‘bout, Willis?! (Man, I miss that show!) Yes. We must talk about the business aspect of this too. If you’re all about providing this amazing level of service and care, ya gotta go tell the people and FIND the people who need you. Ya gotta market, ya gotta understand where the people are.

We live in a world where the self-help book section at Barnes and Noble (oh and Amazon too!) is loaded with pet loss resources. And, while there is something to be said for the solitude of grief, there is a lot being said as well in walking with someone through this journey. The power of connecting with a caring, loving being who will hold space, make space, and give all the permissions needed for the active mourning process.
Whew! Whatcha think of all that yumminess? I am here for you… and I want YOU to have all the information YOU need to be a humble, healthy companion in this dark journey of grief.

I want YOU to be the light!

Okay… head on over and get your learning on. Here’s the link: https://twoheartspetlosscenter.thinkific.com/collections. And, if you get through this course and find you need more, or you want to bounce around some ideas, I’m in! Message me and let’s talk! I’ll make that a part of the enrollment fee! Boom!

Just for you! After all, we are in this together!

Pet Loss & Grief Companioning Certification Class: Let’s Get Our Learning On!

Pet Loss & Grief Companioning Certification Class: Let’s Get Our Learning On!

2020 was certainly the year of forced changes! I predict that 2021 will be the year where we GET to change! Let’s make a pact this year to control our own destinies, and to be the best we can be because we CHOOSE to be!

I want to start off this year with some boasting… sorry, but I just have to, or rather I GET to! I only get to boast because I’ve been given content to use to boast with! I’ve really held back about this, but because I do believe 2021 is the year we get to own our destiny, I just had to share with you some learning that can be used for either personal or professional development.

Here’s what I want to share with you… the boasting! It’s not my words though. It’s what I’ve been told. Sentences like “this course was life-changing” to “I’ve never been to a class where I learned so much to use in my work and in my life.” I can’t tell you how much those words mean to me! I take such great pride in walking with others in their grief journey as a companion, and in my educational content. I love helping them, help others! After all, we’re all in this together, right?

So, with all of that, what’s on your personal and professional development plan for this year? This is YOUR year, the year YOU control your own destiny! The year you work on YOU, for the career you’ve chosen (or the one that’s chosen YOU!) as well as for you to be the best you that you can be.

The Pet Loss & Grief Companioning Certification class: that’s what I want to share with you as you look at your goals for this year. If you’re a pet lover and you’re the one people turn to during the end-of-life walk for support, you’ll love the ideas in this course to help you help them make that final journey memorable and peaceful. If you’re a pet care professional and every day it’s helping loving pet parents with their final good-bye, THIS is the course for you to help you help them.

The course is full of helpful information on how to help others in their grief journey. It’s about what we can do to walk with a broken heart as a companion, it’s the Six Central Needs of Mourning, as well as how to help children and pets with grief. There’s content on the Business of Pet Loss as well as Marketing and Communication sessions! It’s so robust! I am confident you too will find some amazing learning nuggets to rock your learning world!

Okay… here it is. Here’s the link to check out more! https://twoheartspetlosscenter.thinkific.com/collections?page=1
Can’t wait to hear your thoughts after you get your learning on! Go YOU!

The messiness of pet loss and pet grief

The messiness of pet loss and pet grief

It was such an interesting week at Dr. Wolfelt’s Center for Loss.

I love taking time to learn, to grow and to enhance my personal and professional development skills. This course, Becoming a Grief Educator, was certainly right up my alley and in my wheelhouse! It was an amazing course.

The week proved to have more than education on how to be a good grief (did you see what I did there… “good grief!” Who doesn’t need a bit of Snoopy to start their day!) educator. As with all of the sessions I’ve been to at Alan’s place, not only do I learn from him, but I learn from the other attendees. It’s been almost 11 years since I’ve taken the time to attend a class at the Center. I guess if I had to send COVID a thank you, it would be for the time to do THIS!

There was something I was reminded of in spades with this class: the messiness of grief. The messiness of grief. I don’t think there’s any better word to describe this process than messy. It is just that.

Last night I took some time to reflect on this word, and it just seemed worthy to journal some of my interpretation of this description. It’s so true. Grief: We want it to be logical and prescriptive, linear and with plausible stages, describable and understandable. But it’s not. It’s so messy.

We want to have our head tell us what’s happening and to speak soft and understanding truth to us versus negative self-speak as to WHY we shouldn’t be having these feelings and thoughts. We want our head to actually allow our heart the permission to feel the way it really, truly wants to feel. We want our head to not argue with our heart on what’s happening with our being. We want our head to align with our heart, instead of fighting internally on the describable and indescribable feelings and emotions. While the feels the rest of the world “just doesn’t understand” or “it’s just a dog/cat,” we just want our own self to support our own self.

But alas it happens the way it happens. It’s all messy. Just plain freaking messy.

I just wanted you to know that today. Know it will be messy, know it’s not a beautiful straight line, but a bundled mess of stuff. You know, messy.

Euthanasia and Saying Good-Bye To A Beloved Pet During the Pandemic

Euthanasia and Saying Good-Bye To A Beloved Pet During the Pandemic

My heart breaks when I hear people talk about saying good-bye to their precious pet loves during this time of social distancing.

After euthanizing three beautiful loves in our own family in a span of eighteen months, to not hold their heads in my hand and telling them over and over and over and over again how much I love them would have been awful. For all of you going through this now, my heart breaks with you.

I took some time when all of this started to record ideas for both loving pet parents and veterinary professionals on how to still create a beautiful experience in saying a final good-bye to a beloved pet. You can see them here on my learning site: https://twoheartspetlosscenter.thinkific.com/collections as well as some beautiful downloadable guides and readings. Please use all of the information there!

Even with all of this, there’s still an open wound, one that eats away at a pet lover’s heart with guilt to not be with the pet for their final breath. However, as I’ve said in all of the articles and helpful videos, there’s always a “can” in the prescribed “cants” with the revised protocols for veterinary professionals and social distancing. There’s always a can.

Here’s what you CAN do. And, I share this with you from MY experience and what’s been helpful and healing for us. If your appointment for euthanasia was at your veterinary clinic, then take your beautiful love home for your own version of a wake or visitation.

Take. Them. Home.

If your final appointment to say good-bye was in the comfort of your own home, then keep your fur-baby home with you.

Keep. Them. Home.

I’m telling you, from my heart to yours, this is one of the most beautiful memories we have with our precious loves. This is OUR time, to slow down and say good-bye. To share memories. To laugh. To cry. To toast a life shared. This is OUR time.

Possibly you want to know “what do you do with them? How do you hold their bodies? Is there any issue with their deceased body?” We keep our pets in their own little beds, where they liked to sleep. For Ellie and Harry, we left them in our bedroom, where they were comfortable in their bed and we moved around them. We ate dinner in our bedroom, we shared our memories there, and we did our wine toasts there. We took breaks, knowing we could go back to our bedroom when we needed to say another “I love you” or spend a bit of quiet reflection time.

For Crisco, our little guy, he was in his bed. We took him wherever we went throughout the house and had him with us. I remember our last morning with him. It was a gorgeous, peaceful Dallas morning, and we had our coffee and final good-byes on our back veranda. The sun was out, and it was just spectacular. We felt like the sky had opened up to welcome him Home, with the sun rays as his guide.

We keep them home for 2 days, with no issues with their bodies. Most certainly, there might be a slight smell after time, but as a pet lover who isn’t used to smells, right?! And, then when WE are ready, we take them ourselves to the crematory. It’s all on OUR time.

It’s also time for our other pets to say their good-bye. And, in their classic way, even if they didn’t get along, they still pay their respects. Classic, beautiful animals.

There is a “can” in all of this. And, I can also share with you that for the countless families I’ve suggested this to, everyone of them has said to me “thank you! I didn’t even know I could do that, and it was the best ever. Thank you.”

I share my heart with you, and my suggestions. As there is a way to still do everything you can in saying good-bye to a precious love.

When DO you get rid of a deceased pet’s things?

When DO you get rid of a deceased pet’s things?

I wish I had a dime for every time I’ve been asked this question.

I’m not sure if people believe there are some rules as to the perfect time, or if societal rules are our there somewhere on the protocol here.

Oh, by the way, you remember my thoughts about society’s rules on pet loss. From what I’ve mostly found, these are written by non-pet lovers. The people who don’t get what we are going through are the ones who have the loudest and most aggressive opinions on what is right and wrong when it comes to this subject! Always remember that when people tell you how you should feel, what you should do, and what is the RIGHT thing to do here, you do what’s right for you. Permission to do just that. Period. Rant over on that subject!

So back to the question: when is the right time to get rid of our precious love’s items? Their food bowl, toys, beds, collars, leashes, Christmas stocking, ornaments, and the list can go on and on. (Well, at least it does in our home with all their possessions!)

At least for me, I have never even contemplated this question with anything other than possibly “never” or “maybe sometime.” Our house still has every food bowl lined up in our kitchen from the animals. Mico’s bowl, even after 16 years sits in the same spot. Not sure how and why this started, but Mico would eat her meals in the bathroom while we got ready for work. Beautiful time to spend together in the morning, so to this day her bowl always gets placed in our bathroom. Mike the Dog’s bowl is still in use, and Crisco and Ellie’s bowls look like they always did. I’m sure our house is like yours; mealtime is FUN and exciting! Therefore, the bowls are just a small reminder to us of the dancing and chaos that happened every morning and evening for the “feeding of the livestock!” I love that!

For everything else, we have mostly kept all their special items. The leashes and collars are stacked up on the hanger, the toy box is overflowing with all the toys from years past. It gives me such comfort to see these things, and to have these reminders that it was all real. The laughter. The toys. The walks. It was all real.

So, when do you get rid of their things? When you feel it’s the right time. Or never.

Both answers are right, if they are YOUR answers!

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