Navigating mourning: Strategies for bidding farewell to your beloved pet companion

In the heart of California, certified pet loss and grief counsellor Beth Bigler is providing comfort and support to those who have lost their beloved companions. Bigler's practice, Honoring Our Animals, offers a safe space for pet parents to navigate their grief, a process she believes should be experienced fully without fear of judgment.

For many of Bigler's clients, grief extends beyond the loss of love. It encompasses the routine, the meaning, and the mirror that their pets held up to them. Grief, according to Bigler, is not a souvenir of love or an augmentation of absence, but love's extension that transcends time.

Bigler's sessions begin with the lighting of a candle, welcoming the departed animal into the space. She encourages her clients to move with their pain, to honor the bond in new ways, such as lighting candles, using their pet's name, or wearing their collar as a bracelet.

Arnie, Bigler's constant companion, was by her side during various life transitions. Diagnosed with terminal cancer in 2017, Arnie's illness led Bigler to seek the help of an anticipatory grief counsellor. After Arnie's death, Bigler left behind a two-decade career as a writer and producer in Hollywood to train as a grief counsellor. Another, aggressive cancer took Arnie months later, resulting in a deeper and more defining grief for Bigler.

Bigler's work is deeply personal, and her understanding of pet grief is informed by her own experiences. She is acutely aware that grief for pet parents often carries an additional burden - the guilt of euthanasia. Bigler's clients view their pets as daily companions, emotional anchors, and silent witnesses to life's storms.

Bigler's new book, "Honoring Our Animals," offers 365 meditations, invitations, and moments of recognition to grieving pet parents. Her Instagram page, @honoringouranimals, serves as a daily balm for hearts in mourning. In her book and practice, Bigler asserts that closure of grief is a myth; love doesn't end when the physical presence does, the relationship evolves.

Moving on may not be entirely possible, but making peace just might be, in Bigler's world. Bigler's sessions with clients are not about 'fixing' grief or hurrying through it, but about experiencing it fully and finding ways to honor the bond that remains. For Bigler, this is the path to healing and peace.