Paw-sitive Healing: Grieving Your Furry Friend and Overcoming Pet Loss

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Around 60% of Americans have pets, and many of them are considered family members. How do we deal with the loss when our pet dies? Natalie Harryman, a licensed marriage and family therapist with the Counseling Center, explains that pets bring joy, motivation and unconditional love, but they also bring stress. She notes that grieving a pet is similar to grieving a human loved one, involving stages like sadness, anger, and guilt. Natalie gives us advice on how coping mechanisms, including self-compassion and allowing emotions to pass; what to tell children when a beloved pet is gone; and she emphasizes the importance of sitting with and supporting grieving individuals.