How to Process the Grief from
Losing a Pet?
Understanding pet grief — and finding a path through it toward healing and peace.
The pain of losing a beloved companion
Pet grief is the emotional pain and distress experienced by pet owners after the loss of their pets. The grief we feel when losing a pet can be as intense as the grief we feel when losing a close friend or family member. They can be our closest companions, so it is understandable that the grief is so profound when we lose our beloved animals.
There is no timeline for grief
The duration of pet grief varies from person to person and depends on several factors — the intensity of the bond with the pet, the circumstances of the pet’s death, and the individual’s coping mechanisms. Some grief may last a few days while others may last for years.
It is important to remember that there is no right or wrong way to grieve, and everyone’s experience is different. Take the time you need to process your grief.
Coping methods versus true healing
Coping with pet grief can be challenging, but there is a way to process it. Many people try to use coping methods rather than actually targeting the grief. Some of these include trying to eat well, getting plenty of sleep, exercising regularly, and simply giving yourself enough time for the grief to resolve.
However, many of these methods do not directly target the grief. While they can offer temporary relief, they do not address the deeper emotional pain that remains unresolved.
A step-by-step path to process your grief
Evokemind’s programs are designed to give you a step-by-step journey to process the grief from losing a pet. Loss of Your Cat and Loss of Your Dog have both been developed to help with the grieving process after losing your pet by directly targeting the grief at its source.
Each program has been developed by Clinical Psychologist Edyta Stepien, who has over two decades of experience in the psychology profession. The programs take you through a structured process in the comfort of your own home and in your own time, with questions and exercises tailored and developed to target the grief.
If you are continuing to live with unresolved grief from losing a pet and want to process this so you can move forward, explore the programs below.
Edyta Stepien
Edyta is a Clinical Psychologist based in Australia with over two decades of experience in the profession, treating and assisting people to transform their lives. She holds a Master of Clinical Psychology and is fully registered with the Psychology Board of Australia (AHPRA).
Edyta developed Evoke Mind’s self-paced programs to help people process grief and loss in the comfort of their own home, drawing on decades of clinical experience working with adults navigating relationship breakdowns, bereavement, and other significant life losses.
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