We Grieve Because We Love
Mary Ann Bumbera • Animal Chaplain
Grief Support for Animal Loss
My heart knows:
Shattering loss of animal companions, finding peace and the bond that continues.
We are all helpless in the face of death.
Grief is universal.
Grief is a complex personal journey.
Our animal companions are family, best friends, therapy, soulmates, our everything. Their love is simple and pure, minus the human emotional complexities. They share all aspects of our every day lives without judgement. Their companionship brings us a safe haven from the world, joy, laughter, socialization and protection. Although our lives are greatly enhanced by our animals, our culture doesn’t honor their lives with obituaries or funerals (and very few employers offer bereavement leave for them), so when they die, they’re just … gone. We’re left staggering in grief without the emotional lifeline they gave us. Those whose lives have been shattered by the loss of an animal companion know that grief is not species specific. Love is love.
Grieving the Loss of our Animal Companions is Devastating
How one-on-one support helps
Sharing is deeply healing in a time of loss. I offer a compassionate, non-judgmental presence to assist you in navigating your grief, be it a recent loss, a loss from long ago or an animal currently in hospice. At your pace I will gently companion you through whatever emotions grief inevitably brings - guilt, regret, anger, shame, anxiety, loneliness or relief. Allowing the ebb and flow of these emotions quiets them and in turn, self compassion gently emerges. When self-compassion grows, we find peace within ourselves even though the pain of absence remains. With increased self-compassion, it is easier to reconnect with the unbroken bond of love we share with our animals, even in death. Your love story matters and I would be honored to hear it.
If you are not ready for one-on-one support but would like help, other resources are available. To lessen the overwhelm of decision making, I offer a 30 minute consultation to help decipher a coping strategy that will sustain you on your healing journey - books, podcasts, body movement, group support, ritual, memorial, breathwork, writing or art.
“All hearts have but one request.
One simple, unspoken undeniable need.
To be known.”
- Charles Martin, Unwritten
Whatever You’re Feeling is Normal
We have no means to make sense of death. It’s an uncomfortable topic. And we live in a culture where it’s believed that grief is to be fixed and overcome. This makes us feel even more alone. But grief cannot be fixed. It needs to be witnessed, honored, normalized and held with compassion as we stumble and stagger through the tumult of emotions. It takes courage and perseverance to endure the journey of adjusting to a loss in our lives, especially with animal loss that is often dismissed, which is known as disenfranchised grief. Reaching out for help is a strength.