Pet Grief Counselling

Compassionate Pet Grief Counselling

Losing a pet can be devastating. For many people, pets are not “just animals.” They are family members, companions, emotional supports, daily routines, and sources of unconditional love. Whether your pet has passed away, gone missing, is aging, or you are facing the painful decision of euthanasia, pet grief counselling can help you process the loss with compassion and support.

Grieving a pet can affect your sleep, appetite, mood, concentration, relationships, and daily routines. You may find yourself looking for them around the house, hearing familiar sounds, avoiding their belongings, or feeling overwhelmed by reminders. These reactions are normal. They are signs of attachment, love, and loss.

Pet Grief and Loss Counsellors

Pet grief can feel lonely because not everyone understands the depth of the bond between a person and their animal. You may feel sadness, guilt, shock, anger, anxiety, numbness, or even physical heaviness. If your pet is missing, the uncertainty can feel especially painful because there is no clear ending. Counselling gives you a safe space to talk openly about your pet, your grief, and the love that made the loss so hard.
Rosa Rino
Virtual & In-Person

Rosa Rino

Provisional Psychologist
$220 per hour
Rosa supports teens, adults, and couples with relationships, anxiety, depression, identity, life transitions, grief, stress, burnout, self-esteem, and emotional regulation.
Camila Schroh
Virtual & In-Person

Camila Schroh

Provisional Psychologist
$220 per hour
Camila supports teens and adults with anxiety, depression, ADHD, trauma, and emotional overwhelm. Warm, practical therapy plus psycho-educational assessments and parent support.
Anne Walsh
Virtual & In-Person

Anne Walsh

Provisional Psychologist
$220 per hour
Anne helps individuals 16+ navigate anxiety, trauma, and burnout with practical tools for clarity, balance, and confidence.
Ava McLinskarr
Virtual & In-Person

Ava McLinskarr

Provisional Psychologist
$220 per hour
Ava supports teens, adults, and couples in navigating challenges related to trauma, relationship difficulties, stress, depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress, and ADHD.
Jennifer Berrow
Virtual & In-Person

Jennifer Berrow

Provisional Psychologist
$200 per hour
Jennifer Berrow is a Registered Provisional Psychologist who supports children, teens, and adults through anxiety, depression, and ADHD while offering neuro-affirming assessments and strength-based, evidence-based care.
Joshua Woelfle
Virtual & In-Person

Joshua Woelfle

Registered Psychologist
$220 per hour
Joshua works with adults and teenagers living with PTSD, ADHD, mood disorders, stress, suicidal ideation, grief and loss, phobias, OCD, and relationship issues.
Jaimee Grossklaus
Virtual & In-Person

Jaimee Grossklaus

Registered Psychologist
$220 per hour
Jaimee works with adults who live with anxiety, trauma (PTSD), depression, stress, poor self-esteem and confidence, work concerns, chronic health concerns, and brain injuries.
Emma Godin
Virtual & In-Person

Emma Godin

Provisional Psychologist
$200 per hour
Emma helps teens and adults with various mental health concerns such as anxiety, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), ADHD, trauma, self-harm behaviours, grief, self esteem, life transitions, panic attacks, chronic illness and more.
Calen Jobson
Virtual & In-Person

Calen Jobson

Registered Psychologist
$220 per hour
Calen works with individuals and athletes who have concerns such as anxiety, depression, stress, trauma, grief, low self esteem, relationship issues, performance issues, and more.
Lule Begashaw
Virtual & In-Person

Lule Begashaw

Registered Psychologist
$220 per hour
Lule supports diverse individuals through healing and growth, drawing from both professional expertise and rich personal experience. Rooted in faith, empathy, and authenticity, she creates a safe space for connection, resilience, and transformation.
Danielle Gelleny
Virtual & In-Person

Danielle Gelleny

Provisional Psychologist
$200 per hour
Danielle has vast experience supporting children, teens, and adults with anxiety, depression, autism, ADHD, self-esteem, perfectionism, trauma, sobriety, relationships, emotional regulation, stress, and more. She also provides Psychoeducational assessments for children and youth ages 6–16.
Shaheena Kassam
Virtual & In-Person

Shaheena Kassam

Registered Psychologist
$220 per hour
Shaheena offers assessments and counselling for children, youths, and their families, as well as adults, to help them with anxiety, depression, ADHD, autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and other behavioural or social challenges.
Returning Clients Only
Alison Statham
Virtual & In-Person

Alison Statham

Registered Psychologist
$220 per hour
Alison works with children (6+), teens and adults with anxiety, trauma, depression, emotional regulation, social skills, OCD, stress, burnout life transitions, ADHD, panic attacks, & relationship issues.
Returning Clients Only
Kristy Honan
Virtual & In-Person

Kristy Honan

Provisional Psychologist, MACP
$220 per hour
Kristy has over 13 years of experience in working with anxiety, depression, childhood trauma, trauma and PTSD, identity and existential crisis, life transitions, low self-worth, struggles with body image, relationship concerns, and spiritual concerns.
Theresa Breen
Virtual & In-Person

Theresa Breen

Provisional Psychologist
$200 per hour
Theresa provides therapy for adults, couples, & families, using evidence-based care to address anxiety, depression, stress, perfectionism, relationship issues, life transitions, trauma and more.
Vanessa de Guzman
Virtual & In-Person

Vanessa de Guzman

Provisional Psychologist
$220 per hour
Vanessa supports children (4+), youth (12+), and adults navigating anxiety, depression, grief, trauma, and major life transitions with compassion and cultural sensitivity. Drawing on her experience in both voluntary and court-mandated therapy, she creates a safe, nonjudgmental space where clients can process challenges, build resilience, and move forward with confidence and clarity.
Dr. Sharanpreet Kaur
Virtual Only

Dr. Sharanpreet Kaur

Registered Psychologist
$260 per hour
Sharanpreet specializes in trauma assessment and treatment, chronic pain, workplace issues, medication management, anxiety, grief and more.
Joel Zimmerman
Virtual Only

Joel Zimmerman

Registered Psychologist
$220 per hour
*Direct billing Available* Joel works with individuals who need support for anxiety, depression, personal growth, and trauma (PTSD); as well as couples and families who want to improve communication, conflict management, and trust.
Stephen Walker
Virtual & In-Person

Stephen Walker

Reg. Clinical Social Worker
$200 per hour
With 10+ years of experience, Stephen works with individuals and couples (12+) dealing with anxiety, depression, anger, trauma (PTSD), family violence, addictions, grief/loss, couples concerns and more.
Cecily Wang
Virtual & In-Person

Cecily Wang

Registered Psychologist
$220 per hour
Cecily helps with anxiety, depression, trauma, life transitions, relationships, OCD, workplace issues, stress, anger, and more. She also performs Psycho-educational, Giftedness and ADHD Assessments for adults and children (3+).
Annemarie Rued Fraser
Virtual & In-Person

Annemarie Rued Fraser

Registered Psychologist
$235 per hour
Annemarie has 10+ years of experience helping clients overcome post-traumatic stress disorder, adverse childhood experiences, anxiety, depression, life transitions, autism, depression, stress, grief, personality disorders, domestic violence, & more.
Jessica Friesen
Virtual Only

Jessica Friesen

Registered Psychologist
$235 (sliding scale available) per hour
Jessica works with children (6+), teens, adults, and couples on issues like anxiety, depression, life transitions, ADHD, reproductive health, and more. A former educator and published author, Jessica brings calm, compassion, and deep insight to every session.

Counselling for Missing Pets

When a pet goes missing, grief can become complicated by uncertainty. You may feel stuck between hope and heartbreak, constantly searching, checking messages, replaying what happened, or blaming yourself. This type of grief is sometimes called ambiguous loss because there is no clear answer or closure.

Counselling for missing pets can help you manage the emotional distress of not knowing, reduce guilt and panic, cope with uncertainty, and find ways to keep functioning while still honouring your love for your pet. You do not have to “move on” or stop caring. Therapy can help you carry the uncertainty in a way that feels less overwhelming.

How Pet Grief Counselling Can Help

Pet grief counselling provides a supportive space to process your emotions, honour your bond, and move through grief at your own pace. Therapy can help you understand why the loss feels so painful, work through guilt or “what if” thoughts, cope with loneliness, and create meaningful ways to remember your pet.

Counselling may also help if your pet’s loss has triggered past grief, trauma, anxiety, depression, or feelings of abandonment. Because pets are often part of our emotional safety, losing them can affect more than daily life. It can impact your sense of comfort, stability, and connection.

Support for Euthanasia Grief and Guilt

Making the decision to euthanize a pet can be one of the hardest choices a person faces. Even when the decision is made with love and compassion, it can leave you questioning yourself afterward.

You may wonder if you waited too long, acted too soon, missed signs, or made the wrong choice. These thoughts are common after euthanasia. Counselling can help you process the guilt, understand the decision through a more compassionate lens, and remember that choosing to reduce suffering is often an act of love.

When Pet Grief Feels Overwhelming

Pet grief may feel especially difficult if your pet was your main source of emotional support, if the loss was sudden or traumatic, if you had to make end-of-life decisions, or if people around you minimize your pain. You may also struggle more if your pet helped you through anxiety, depression, loneliness, illness, trauma, or major life transitions.

You may benefit from counselling if your grief is interfering with daily life, you feel stuck in guilt, you are constantly searching for your missing pet, you cannot sleep, you feel isolated, or you feel like no one understands how much your pet meant to you.

Allowing Yourself to Grieve Your Pet Deeply

Your grief is real. Your bond mattered. The pain you feel is not dramatic, silly, or excessive. Pets become woven into our routines, homes, identities, and hearts. When they are gone or missing, life can feel painfully quiet. Pet grief counselling can help you make space for the loss while still staying connected to the love. Healing does not mean forgetting your pet. It means finding a way to carry their memory with less pain and more peace.

Frequently Asked Questions About Pet Grief Counselling

Is it normal to grieve a pet like a family member?

Yes. Many people experience pet loss as deeply as the loss of a family member because pets provide companionship, comfort, routine, and unconditional love.

Can counselling help if my pet is missing?

Yes. Counselling can help you cope with the uncertainty, guilt, anxiety, and emotional exhaustion that often come with a missing pet.

Why do I feel guilty after my pet died?

Guilt is common after pet loss, especially if there was illness, an accident, euthanasia, or uncertainty about what could have been done differently. Therapy can help you process these thoughts with compassion.

How long does pet grief last?

There is no set timeline. Some people feel better after a few weeks or months, while others grieve for much longer. The depth of grief often reflects the depth of the bond.

Is pet grief counselling only for people whose pet has died?

No. Counselling can also support people whose pets are missing, aging, seriously ill, rehomed, or nearing end of life.

What if other people do not understand my grief?

Many people feel alone after pet loss because others may minimize it. Counselling gives you a space where your grief is taken seriously and your bond is respected.

Can pet loss trigger depression or anxiety?

Yes. Losing a pet can worsen anxiety, depression, loneliness, trauma responses, or emotional overwhelm, especially if your pet was a major source of support.

Can therapy help with euthanasia guilt?

Yes. Therapy can help you process the pain of the decision, explore guilt, and reconnect with the love and care behind your choice.

Do I have to be ready to move on?

No. Pet grief counselling is not about forcing you to move on. It is about helping you grieve, remember, cope, and heal in a way that feels right for you.

How do I know if I need pet grief counselling?

You may benefit from counselling if your grief feels overwhelming, isolating, persistent, traumatic, or hard to talk about with others.

Get Matched To The Right Therapist

Not sure who can help you? You can either fill out the form to be matched to a therapist that specializes in your unique situation or give us a call at (403) 588-7639.

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