This week, on All My Children Wear Fur Coats, Anne Marie Farage-Smith shared her expertise in pet-loss grief counseling, and introduced her new book, “Healing Wisdom for Pet Loss: An Animal Lover’s Guide to Grief.”
Anne Marie Farage-Smith is a licensed mental health counselor and educator in private practice in Rochester, New York. While training to become a mental health counselor, Anne Marie gravitated toward helping people process grief. Throughout her tenure, she has offered clinical guidance to many individuals and groups experiencing grief and loss. Anne Marie’s background as a grief counselor, along with her personal journey through pet loss, served as the inspiration behind, “Healing Wisdom for Pet Loss”.
Anne Marie informed our listeners that her book doesn’t necessarily need to be read cover-to-cover. On the contrary, it is intended to act as a guidebook for the many facets of grief, with each chapter corresponding to a different stage. Anne Marie aims to ensure that every pet owner has access to the book, equipping them to navigate various forms of grief when the inevitable time comes. She detailed the different types of grief that are covered in “Healing Wisdom for Pet Loss” including anticipatory grief, ambiguous grief, and disenfranchised grief.
One of the unique topics addressed in the book is how to navigate euthanizing a pet, and how to break the news to one’s children and other pets. Anne Marie recommended bringing in one’s pets to the veterinarian office to say their goodbyes. She encouraged pet owners to refrain from using euphemisms like “put to sleep,” because they can hinder a child’s emotional development and cause confusion.
Anne Marie shared some tips for processing grief in a productive, healthy manner. She accentuated the importance of reaching out for support in times of loss. Additionally, she contended that a healthy lifestyle is instrumental for traversing the latter stages of grief. Anne Marie suggested incorporating exercise, staying well-hydrated, consuming nutritious foods, prioritizing restful sleep, and immersing oneself in nature to foster positive feelings in one’s body. She also emphasized the significance of knowing when to seek professional assistance. According to Anne Marie, when grief prevents an individual from working or taking care of themselves, a therapist is required.
You can purchase a copy of “Healing Wisdom for Pet Loss: An Animal Lover’s Guide to Grief.” at Barnes & Noble, Amazon.com, or by asking your local bookstore. For a full list of retailers, please visit Farage-Smith.com
Please protect your pet with a Pet Trust! Visit ACT4Pets.org for more information.
