Course Fee: $459 (Canadian currency)
The death of a much-loved animal friend represents a deep, life-changing loss, and the severance of a close and significant bond. It is also a loss that is often overlooked.
Hence, this course is designed to address this need. It offers counsellor training in supporting individuals who are grieving for the loss of a companion and friend.
Specifically, we focus on the following areas: an introduction to pet loss counselling; essential counselling qualities and skills; end of life decisions and the mourning process; children and pet loss; dealing with the practicalities; offering and finding meaningful support; and ethics in counselling.
There is no prior knowledge or experience required to embark on this certificate course. You are free to commence at a time that suits your schedule – and continue at your pace for a period of six months. Full tutor support is provided for the course.
SYLLABUS
Module 1: An Introduction to Pet Loss Counselling
Topics Studied
• The impact of losing a pet
• The five stages of grief model (Elizabeth Kubler-Ross)
• The cyclical model (Colin Murray-Parkes)
• A task-oriented model (J. William Worden)
• What is counselling?
• The therapeutic relationship
• The influence of your family’s approach to emotions
• Pet loss questionnaire
Learning Outcomes and Summary of Objectives
Upon successful completion of this learning module, the student should be able to:
• Discuss the impact of losing a pet.
• Summarize the three main grief models.
• Outline how family influences our ability to process emotions.
Module 2: Essential Counselling qualities and Skills
Topics Studied
• Differentiating between grief and mourning
• Grief and mourning under the lens
• Myths that hamper recovery
• Some tips to help a client who is grieving a pet’s death
• Why we need to develop effective listening skills
• Active listening
• Poor listening
• Faulty listening
• Responding effectively
• The use of silence in counselling
Learning Outcomes and Summary of Objectives
Upon successful completion of this learning module, the student should be able to:
• Identify some common myths about grief that can hamper an owner’s recovery.
• Discuss the importance of effective listening skills.
• Outline the role of active listening when counselling a client who is grieving for a pet.
Module 3: End of Life Decisions and the Mourning Process
Topics Studied
• Animal-assisted therapy and loss
• The risk of experiencing abnormal grieving/ complicated mourning
• When you know the end is near
• What about euthanasia?
• Hospices for pets
• Will my other pets grieve?
Learning Outcomes and Summary of Objectives
Upon successful completion of this learning module, the student should be able to:
• List risk factors contributing to abnormal grieving/ complicated mourning.
• Debate the use of euthanasia with pets.
• Discuss the role of hospices for pets.
Module 4: Children and Pet Loss
Topics Studied
• Children and death – A historical perspective
• How children and young people process grief and loss
• Common symptoms of grief and loss
• Some suggestions for adults who’re supporting grieving children
• Do children always grieve?
• Establishing a therapeutic relationship with young clients
• Popular counselling techniques
• Therapeutic activities for children and teenagers
• Some helpful books for children
Learning Outcomes and Summary of Objectives
Upon successful completion of this learning module, the student should be able to:
• Describe how children process grief and loss.
• Discuss ways of supporting grieving children and youth.
• Recommend counselling activities that are appropriate for children and youth.
Module 5: Dealing with the Practicalities
Topics Studied
• Disposing of the body in a loving way
• Memorializing our pet
• Parting with our pet’s belongings
• Graphing our losses (from birth to the present)
• Completing a relationship graph (for the pet who has died)
• When is it time to get a new pet?
• Reaching out for help
Learning Outcomes and Summary of Objectives
Upon successful completion of this learning module, the student should be able to:
• Suggest different ways of disposing of the body.
• Describe how to help clients graph their losses.
• Outline how to complete a relationship graph.
Module 6: Offering and Finding Meaningful Support
Topics Studied
• Finding help online
• Joining a support group
• Setting up a group
• The qualities of an effective group leader
• Essential group leadership skills
• Adhering to a code of ethics
Learning Outcomes and Summary of Objectives
Upon successful completion of this learning module, the student should be able to:
• Suggest ways of finding help online, after a pet has died.
• Discuss the advantages of joining a support group.
• Outline how to set up a support group.
Suggested textbook for the course
Sife, W. (2014). The loss of a pet: A guide to coping with the grieving process when a pet dies. (4th Ed.). London: Howell Book House/ Simon & Schuster.