Pet Loss And Human Emotion: Guiding Clients Through Grief

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Summary: There is an optimal balance of clinical and anecdotal info.
Review: Pet Loss and Human Emotion - guiding clients through grief by Cheri Barton Ross, MA & Jane Baron-Sorensen, RN, MA, MFCC The seriousness of issues that can arise from the loss of a pet and the severity of feelings experienced are explicated with great expertise and sensitivity by Ross and Baron-Sorenson. This book is designed to assist anyone in the helping professions to understand what a pet owner may be experiencing when their companion animal dies. Teachers, clergy, mental health professionals, veterinarians and staff, and anyone who has ever experienced the loss of a pet will benefit from the authors advice and years of experience in this beautifully written book. The authors begin with a description of the well documented benefits of animal owing for children, the elderly, people with AIDS, the terminally ill and the handicapped as well as for the general public. They suggest an assessment of the role an animal plays in the life of the client and careful consideration of how that affects their daily functioning, self esteem, sense of well being and identity. The phenomenon of "Animal Collectors" (individuals who keep animals in greater numbers than they can humanely care for) is described and the authors explain how to avoid the pitfalls in therapeutic intervention with them. When an animal dies the authors find that pet owners go through the same phases as grief as for human loss and suggest strategies for supportive therapy. Specifics about the procedure of euthanasia are given along with guidelines for assisting clients in working through all the issues that present before, during and after euthanasia is performed. Client issues stemming from euthanasia will range from memories of other deaths to situations where the client and pet share the same illness. Case studies are given from the authors' experiences of special types of pet loss such as accidents, a pet being stolen or being killed by someone, divorce situations and missing pets. Helpful suggestions are given by Ross and Baron-Sorenson of how helping professionals may best navigate potentially explosive situations and handle the complex emotions of pet owners due to these special circumstances of pet loss. A range of feelings from guilt to rage can occur when a pet owner feels they were responsible in some way for the death, or that someone else was culpable. The authors give valuable insight into how to respond to these difficult situations before bereaved pet owners' job performance, marriage and daily functioning are adversely affected. Information on how children of varying ages assimilate loss and how to communicate the facts of death or euthanasia will be of invaluable help to anyone working with children and to parents. Concerns of the elderly are addressed including the profound impact of lifestyle changes a pet's death presents for this vulnerable population. Guidelines for acquiring a new pet are detailed with a special eye to timing and each individual's unique situation. The authors find that resolution of the issues presenting from the loss of a pet is advisable before bringing a new pet into the home. Their clinical experience has shown that when grief is resolved, the tendency to make painful comparisons between the former pet and a new pet is diminished In situations where there is more than one pet in the household, suggestions for clients in dealing with feelings of missing a favored deceased pet, while allowing existing pets personalities a chance to surface are explored. Behavioral manifestations of grief and loss are detailed with a list of common grief reactions to inform the reader how to recognize reactions that have become maladaptive. Prolonged despair and substance abuse issues that can surface when a pet dies are handled comprehensively with suggestions for handling crisis situations. Special attention is given to guilt, compound loss and suicidal client issues. This book is well thought out, and very easy to read as the authors have created an optimal balance of clinical and anecdotal information. This is a great desk reference for anyone who may encounter a bereaved pet owner in their work or co-counseling situations. By Deborah Antinori, MA, RDT, LPC, NBCCH Director of Therapy - Davison Counseling Center and Pet Loss & Life Transitions Counseling, Basking Ridge, NJ Author - "Journey Through Pet Loss" - 1999 Audie Award Winner, Best New Publisher - Audio Publishers Association