Do animals grieve? Of course they do. Animals of all kinds have sophisticated family systems and interpersonal relationships with one another. Just like us, they form very close bonds with some, and not so much with others. Just like us, they have besties, and when their friend dies, they mourn. And just like us they [...]
Built to cry… The grief that accompanies the loss of a beloved companion animal is profound and the pain of that loss can be felt emotionally, spiritually, and physically. Grief is a grueling physical experience and shedding tears is one of the ways our body supports us in processing and healing from loss. Sadness and [...]
Pet Reliquaries began as a way of honoring the sacred substance that was the cremated remains of a cat who had been my kin and companion for 23 years, Ms. Moppet is her name, and I say "is" in the present tense because our relationship is alive today. She is my ancestor, still my kin [...]
These were the first words that Joan Didion was able to write down after the sudden death of her beloved husband, and the words that inspired the book she wrote about her experience afterward, The Year Of Magical Thinking. And it couldn’t be more true—when the one that we love, the one that gives meaning [...]
It is a common expression of concern for men to hear that “it’s important to express your feelings about this loss.” The prevailing conventional “wisdom” is that men do not necessarily grieve well… that they could be better at expressing emotion. In part, this is due to the fact that historically the field of psychology [...]
