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Classes

Healing Guilt Related to End-of-Life Care and Pet Loss: Finding Peace & Self-Forgiveness

*This class has been approved for 6 hours of continuing education RACE credits by the American Association of Veterinary State Boards*

Class Details

  • Length: 2 sessions, 5 hours total (each session 2 hrs plus additional 30 minute Q&A)
  • Class Format: OnDemand
    Available on-demand to take anytime, at your convenience. Includes 5 hours of MP3 recordings (from a live class which includes the questions, comments and interactions of the participants with the instructor) and PDF’s containing 83 pages of detailed handouts.
  • Tuition: $150
  • Instructor: Teresa Wagner, MS
  • Who Should Attend:
    • Anyone who currently feels or has felt guilty about any aspect of their relationship with their animal and would like to come to terms with their guilt and find peace
    • Professionals who would like to learn how to effectively help others who are suffering from guilt: Particularly helpful for veterinary professionals, animal shelter and rescue group staff, animal communicators and other animal care professionals, as well as counselors and therapists who have contact with clients who are dealing with guilt regarding decisions or actions taken regarding their animals.
    • Though the focus and most of the examples in the class center around our relationship with animals, the concepts and process taught are applicable to any context of feeling guilty.
  • Register: Click here to purchase (This link will automatically redirect you to the Animals in our Hearts web site for purchase.)
  • Testimonials:  Click here

      For students enrolled in the certification program:
  • This is a required class
  • Prerequisite: None
  • Required Reading: Spiritual Bypassing, When Spirituality Disconnects Us from What Really Matters, Robert Augustus Masters, Ph.D.
  • Fee for Coaching & Mentoring session held after submission of Written Class Review: $198 (fee not applicable for students who have pre-paid the entire certification program fee which includes these sessions)

     For veterinary professionals seeking 6 hours of RACE credits:
  • When you purchase the class, in addition to the class material you will receive a test with directions for completion and submission. When a completed test with an 80% or more accuracy and thoroughness rating is received, a Certificate of Completion will be sent via email.

 

Objectives

In this class you will have an opportunity to:

  • Become familiar with common and recurring situations in our relationship with animals that tend to trigger a sense of guilt–especially as they relate to treatment choices, end-of-life care, euthanasia decisions and grief
  • Increase your understanding of the purpose guilt can serve and the various types of guilt
  • Explore the factors that powerfully influence any sense of guilt we may be experiencing, including expectations of ourselves and our perceived degree of culpability
  • Examine the choices we have in dealing with guilt
  • Become familiar with important principles about guilt that when followed allow healing to occur
  • Build a clear conceptual understanding about a step-by-step model for moving from guilt to peace, and actively participate in exercises for each step
  • Learn how to apply the concepts and tools in the class to support clients and others who are struggling with guilt
  • Increase your knowledge of a range of supportive resources regarding healing guilt
Content and Purpose

A great majority of people seeking grief counseling for pet loss describe feeling guilty about some aspect of their relationship with their animals. Sometimes it centers around their care of their animal during an illness or hospice period. Often it is about choices regarding euthanasia. Others have described feeling guilty because there were times when they believe they did not do best for their animal in some way during their life together. Another common occurrence is that feeling guilty—even feeling terribly, painfully stuck in guilt—can be preferable, consciously or unconsciously, to facing and feeling the overwhelming anguish of loss. Guilt may be uncomfortable, but being mired self-blame may seem easier to facing the deep well of grief which may have been kept at bay.

Guilt in any of these forms or others is normal. It honors our ability to question our conscience, to reassess our expectations of our behaviors, our values, morals and beliefs, and to attempt to cope with overwhelming anguish and grief by staying in a place of guilt. Despite being normal, feeling guilty is a very uncomfortable energy to live with. It can make us feel agitated, anxious, shamed, unfinished with our loss, incomplete with our relationship, and even unworthy. Until we explore and come to terms with our guilt and all the issues surrounding it, it’s impossible to be at peace with ourselves and with our relationship with our animals who are ill or have died.

Because feeling guilt is so uncomfortable, we often either bury it or wear it like a hair shirt to punish ourselves, rather than fully explore our guilt, learn from it, become a better person for it, and release it, forgiving ourselves and finding peace.

Healthy processing of our guilt can be an extremely life affirming growth process—bringing to our consciousness both our humility, moral clarity, strength and resilience, and an acceptance of ourselves as loving but imperfect beings, who continue to grow, evolve, improve and make new choices for the future.

When we stay stuck in our guilt and do not fully process it, a healthy sense of self is eroded. We may feel humble, but also “bad.” Rather than seeing ourselves as a good person who may have made a mistake or behaved badly, we feel like a bad person undeserving of forgiveness and peace. Staying in such a place serves no one—not the one we believe we have harmed and not ourselves. Staying in such a place diminishes our ability to not only live fully for ourselves but hinders our ability to love others fully.

Getting there is not a simple process, but it is an extremely valuable and powerful one that anyone can learn. This workshop teaches a process to help us walk the path from guilt to peace–consciously, truthfully, gently and lovingly–and can be applied to any situation that has brought forth feelings of guilt. Learning to work through our guilt can have lifelong ramifications for our sense of self-worth and the health of our relationships for the rest of our lives.

Though the focus and examples in the class will be about our relationship with animals, the process you’ll learn is universal and can be applied to any situation where feelings of guilt are involved. Once you’ve taken the class, the process is yours to use the rest of your life, and can be shared with loved ones and clients to help them through their own healing of guilt.

 

If we are to find peace in healing from our sense of guilt, and to release the energetic burden of guilt, the final step in our healing process must be a willingness to love and accept ourselves as imperfect beings who have erred. This absolutely does not mean condoning what we did, or denying responsibility for what we did. It means allowing ourselves the grace of self-forgiveness, as we continue to evolve, change, improve and grow,
in both consciousness and  action.

 

Session 1: Understanding Our Guilt

  • Guidelines for taking care of ourselves while processing guilt
  • Feeling guilt is normal, but staying stuck in it is unnecessary
  • Self-Assessment:
    Common situations in our relationships with our animals that can trigger a sense of guilt
    Pictures of hearts burdened with guilt
    Why we may feel guilty and why we may stay stuck in it
    Whatever the reason for our guilt, we can find wisdom and peace
  • Defining guilt, the purpose it can serve and types of guilt
  • Factors that influence our experiences of guilt:
    • Cultural, religious and spiritual beliefs
    • Others’ expectations of us and what they say to us
    • Our expectations of ourselves and what we say to ourselves
    • How we perceive our degree of culpability–intention and control
    • Parental and other authority figure influences
  • Examining the choices we have to deal with guilt:
    • Courageous self-exploration and eventual self-acceptance and self-forgiveness
    • Punish ourselves and stay stuck in guilt without any self-exploration
    • Escape and bury my feelings without any self-exploration
    • Expect, seek or blindly accept absolution from a third party without any self-exploration
    • Avoid or escape responsibility for my actions without any self-exploration
  • Between Sessions 1 and 2: Read and work through the handouts on The Process for Moving From Guilt to Peace in preparation for the discussion in Session 2
Session 2: Coping With and Healing Our Guilt

  • The Heart of the Program–The Expectations Model
    The Process for Moving From Guilt to Peace:  A Practical, Step-by-Step, Supportive Approach to Explore, Understand, Heal and Release Our Sense of Guilt
    • Clarifying the story of what I feel guilty about and why
    • Assessing the soundness of my expectations which underlie my guilt
    • Being willing to let of of my sense of guilt if I find my expectations to be unrealistic, unfounded and therefore my guilt unjustified
    • Being willing to do the following if I find my expectations to be realistic and founded and therefore my sense of guilt justified:
    1. Soul deep assessment of what I’ve learned and want to do differently
    2. Make a commitment to integrating this into the fabric of my life
    3. Make an apology to the one I believe I have harmed or let down
    4. Be willing to forgive myself
  • Final reminders: Important principles about guilt that when followed allow healing to occur
  • How to effectively support clients and others who are struggling with guilt
  • Further Resources About Guilt
Testimonials

There’s not a lot written on healing guilt, and I thought this class filled in that gap. You should write a book, Teresa! I learned that it is very important to assess the soundness of the expectations underlying guilt. Teresa explained everything thoroughly and was very good at answering questions. I could also feel her openness and love when she opened the floor to people’s comments and experiences.
~ Joan Saliskas, Chicago, IL

 

Teresa Wagner hit a home run with this class. It was priceless! Information provided helped initiate the healing process. Could feel heaviness of guilt begin to lift, replaced by slivers of light entering my heart, representing rays of hope. The art therapy was a symbolic revelation. It was significant to see the heavy grey layer of guilt, blanketing my heart, suffocating the positive emotions of love, joy, hope, empathy, from leaving or entering.
The exercises helped me gain insight, and realize the poor choices I made were not intended to harm Rainbow [my animal] or shorten his life. My judgement was based on conflicting opinions.

My most valuable learning is that we need to forgive ourselves, in order to feel at peace. Moving
 forward takes time, and everybody heals at different rates. . . it is not all black & white, right or wrong.

Teresa Wagner is a marvelous facilitator. She knows how to elicit self examination. She listens intently. She asks appropriate follow up questions, to dig deeper, and get to the truth. Her style is gentle, empathic, yet persistent. Her years of acquired wisdom and experience as an instructor make her a natural at helping people deal with challenging subjects, such as guilt. Teresa is an expert in her field. Classes were better than I ever anticipated. Now the responsibility is on me, to continue working with the tools she provided, to find the peace I seek.
~ Arlene Millman Huntington NY

 

I have been working on several guilt issues for a few years and this class brought to light an extremely important factor in assessing my degree of culpability and soundness of my expectations of myself. They are completely different now than they were when the situation occurred

I now have a toolkit to refer back to as I continue to work through other guilt issues. The process is outlined and detailed as is the Expectations Model, which for me was the core of the work

My most significant learning was that forgiveness is not dependent on the wronged ones’ 
 forgiveness, however comforting that may be—you must be able to forgive yourself. Also that 
 guilt is driven by our beliefs. For me it means that at the time of the scenario that caused my guilt, my belief system was completely different than it is now, yet I have been assessing my
 guilt based on my beliefs today.
Teresa is not only extremely educated and brilliant in the subject of guilt…and grief, her soothing voice and understanding of love for animals makes this class a must for anyone suffering from guilt regarding their pet. Her spirituality combined with the science of counseling just resonates with me, comforts me and just makes sense—not just nice words to make me feel better.
~ Annette Holladay Canyon Lake, CA

 

The class was extremely valuable. The reflective questions in the handouts were very helpful. The biggest of these was the meditation of apology and spending time there. The most significant learning for me were the quotes about expectations and writing them out, then meditating with the animal that passed to speak the apology to them. Teresa always gives a great presentation and explains everything so well and in detail.
~ Holli Shan, Leesburg, VA

 

The steps are powerful tools to guide me through the process. . .and the way the handouts are set up allows me to fill in details for myself. The definitions and the explanations are clear and helped me to distinguish between what I thought I was responsible for and what I actually was responsible for.

I’ve learned that a lot of what I’ve been trying to do is insert my current self into the past 
 experience with the knowledge that I have now but didn’t have then. I’ve been berating myself
 for decisions and choices I made that I may not make now and for behavior that I thought would
 help but that I know now did not. I can’t and won’t continue to do that. I did my best at the time 
 and that’s all I can expect of myself. I didn’t intend hurt and I can’t go back and change anything.
 And I’m okay with that. I’m sorry that it worked out as it did so I do have regret. But I no longer 
 carry guilt.
Teresa’s preparation and the depth of detail you provide for just a four hour class is incredible and so valuable! Her gentle hand with all of the participants is a huge factor in the success of this class for me. And your depth of knowledge of the subject and your experience are what made it valuable for me. I can’t see getting as much from a class like this if it were taught by anyone else.

Regarding helping others with guilt, what I learned, from the handouts, but mostly from Teresa’s interactions [with class participants], was that the client must come to their own place of understanding and that the role of counselor is really facilitator and gentle guide to help them get to that place.
~ Rhonda Perkins, Atlanta, GA

 

Anyone who really cares about their companion animals will most likely have some guilt about something because we want the best and want to do the best for our animals. My most significant learning from the class is that even though I have done things I’m not proud of, I am still a good person. Also, to learn from mistakes made in the past and not to let them happen again.

The information in the handouts helps to identify the what and why of the things that need work and gives information on how to work through the issues. It also was a very big help hearing what other people have dealt with and are still working through and thoughts and questions they had regarding their situations. I’m still working through the issues, but I feel that I now have the tools to continue the process.

Teresa would go through a section of the material and then stop to get input from the class on that section and give us the ability to ask questions. She was also extremely respectful, calm, and patient, and had wonderful input and responses to thoughts and questions. There was one time when someone else might be defensive because of something said by a class member, but Teresa handled the situation with amazing calm and grace. She also let anyone who had comments or questions finish their thoughts and didn’t rush them through their process, but still managed to keep the class on schedule and get through the material – pretty amazing!
~ Leigh Stroebel, Hillsboro OR

 

This is the first time I’ve read extensively about this incredibly important subject.
Training for the [grief counseling] certification, after I read all the material in this class and 
 thought about it, I realized that virtually EVERYONE who’s lost a pet probably suffers from 
 some degree of guilt, so it will be a common subject during counseling.

I carry some deep guilt about a dog I believe I euthanized too soon due to the ‘influence’ of someone I trusted. I truly thought I’d never forgive myself for this . . . [but] I have moved to the point of regret and disappointment in myself. I acted in a way that’s not typical of how my soul and heart would have me behave. It was a powerful learning experience. NO one can affect how you feel about euthanasia; I will never allow this again.

Teresa, I know how hard it is to create a class from your brain onto paper. Your handouts are outstanding! I love the quotes you put it in – I find myself putting asterisks on so many pages to read again. The examples of real clients you’ve dealt with are especially helpful to me. I appreciate seeing how you handled different situations. The exercises forced me to look deeper into myself and I didn’t like everything I saw.

The example of your client who had gone to the movies while her dog died was really valuable to me. As a counselor in training, I know I’m going to deal with a lot of guilt; seeing how you dealt with her using many emphatic inquires was so helpful.

You know you have the most melodious voice and your enunciation is perfect. You speak slowly enough that I’m sure the whole class could keep up with the information You kept the class right on track, covering the most salient points.
~ Lynne Lohmeier, Ph.D., Gautier, MS

Exaggerated self blame creates and perpetuates on going emotional upset and blocks constructive motivation to change, the ability to move on to experience peace.

~ John Wilson, The Posttraumatic Self, Ph.D.




Understanding Veterinary Pain Management
for Chronic Conditions, Serious Illness and End-of-Life Care

Holistic Veterinary Pain Medication

Class Details

  • Length: 3 sessions, 4.5 hours total (90 minutes per session)
  • Required or Elective*: Elective
  • Class Format: Live teleclass    LIST DATES and TIMES  March
  • Tuition: $99 for all three sessions; $45 per session when taken separately
  • Coaching and Mentoring Fee*: $150
  • Required Reading: None
  • Prerequisite: None
  • Instructors:  FIX BULLETS
    Evelyn Geifer, DVM:  Holistic veterinarian discusses the use of homeopathy for pain management
    Ilana Strubel, MA, DVM, CVSMT, CCRT: Veterinarian discusses the use of western medicine and alternative therapies for pain management
    Dr. Ella Woods, DAOM, LAc, Dipl. OM, MBA: Acupuncturist and doctor of Chinese Medicine discusses how both of these can assist in pain management
  • Who Should Attend: All companion animal guardians who want to be more informed consumers about the range of both western and holistic pain medication available for animals. Animal services practitioners who wish to be more informed about the pain meds and or side effects their clients may discuss regarding their animals.
  • Register: Click to purchase the full class of three sessions for $99—a savings of $35 from purchasing separately  4 LINKS
    OR register for any of the class sessions separately:
    • Western Veterinary Pain Medicine class for $45
    • Veterinary Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine for $45
    • Veterinary Homeopathy for $45   
  • Testimonials:
    *
    For certification program students
Holistic Veterinary Pain Medication
Theo Burke, a rescued cat who has lost both eyes and has endured neurological damage, has been greatly helped by acupuncture treatments. His human guardian founded the Bee Holistic Cat Rescue and Care organization. www.beeholistic.com

Content and Purpose:

This class is designed to help us become more informed consumers regarding veterinary pain management options for our animals. Participants will learn practical information from veterinary professionals in three diverse disciplines regarding pain management for animals with various health conditions at different stages of life.

When our animals are ill, have a chronic condition or are near end-of-life stage, a major concern most of us have have is wanting to keep our animals as comfortable and as pain-free as possible. This concern is often accompanied by emotions such as fear, overwhelm and sometimes the first moments of anticipatory grief. It can be hard for some of us to both take in the facts of what we are hearing from our veterinary professionals and simultaneously deal with our overwhelming feelings. We might be distracted or upset while our veterinary professional is explaining the situation, forgetting to ask questions or to write down what all those meds, herbs or remedies or modalities are supposed to do. The purpose of this class is to make such times just a bit easier.

Each instructor will discuss and provide handouts for their particular session a list of medications, remedies, herbs and modalities typically recommended for pain, the corresponding conditions they are designed to help, and any known side effects or contraindications. They will also discuss cases involving specific medications, herbs, remedies that helped with pain.

Though the instructors will not diagnose or make treatment recommendations for participants’ animals during class, they will hold a question and answer period where there is opportunity to discuss specific conditions and potential pain remedies.

 

Ethics are far more than a list of rules. Ethics are the principles adopted by practitioners within a field to translate the desire to serve into the profession’s evolving wisdom about how best to serve.
~ David Feinstein, Ph.D. and Donna Eden, Ethics Handbook for Energy Healing Practitioners

Session 1: Veterinary Allopathic Pain Medications with Dr. Illana Strubel
  • The intersection of helper values and beliefs and client values and beliefs: The role and purpose of ethics and guiding principles in the helping professions
  • Assessing and Understanding Our Own Motivations to Help
  • The Helping Practitioner’s Pyramid: The Four Elements of Effective Facilitation of Healing
  • Traditional Ethical Principles and Areas of Needed Competence for Helpers
  • Awareness and Illumination of Blind Spots• Code of Ethics of the Animal Loss and Grief Support Professional Program of Study
  • Strategies for Thinking Through Ethical Dilemmas: Who and what needs to be considered? What is the best possible course of action?
  • Case Studies: Which ethics and guiding principles apply?
  • The Ethical and Legal Issues of Copyright: Guidelines to protect your intellectual property and to respect the intellectual property of others
Session 2: Veterinary Acupuncture and Chinese Herbs for Pain with Dr. Ella Woods
  • The role and purpose of energetic boundaries to protect clients in helping relationships
  • Obstacles to grief support [and any helping] competence
  • The power of language to communicate respect, acceptance and nurturing neutrality
  • Effectively handling our own reactions and pain about our client’s loss and pain
  • The importance of not exposing clients to our pain or reactions about their loss
  • Tools: Internal and external strategies for clearing own values and beliefs during client contact
  • Case Studies: Which ethics and guiding principles apply?

.

Session 3: Veterinary Homeopathy for Pain with Dr. Charles Loop
  • The role and purpose of energetic boundaries to protect ourselves in helping relationships
  • Concepts and self assessments
  • Issues heplers may encounter regarding boundaries of logistics policies and unrealistic client expectations
  • Preventing Secondary Traumatic Stress: Managing overwhelming feelings
 in response to client stories/trauma
  • Energetic protection issues for highly sensitive and empathic people
  • Tools: internal and external strategies for protection from overwhelm of others’ energy and pain
  • Case Studies: Which ethics, guiding principles and tools apply?
 
Testimonials

It has changed my whole outlook and opened up my eyes to see how I can be effective for clients. Changed by whole business outlook. Everyone should take this class!!
~ Diane D, Kingston, MA

Very, very good class on boundaries and ethical practices A good reminder to be more protected while in a helping role. Very helpful to look at the individual examples of exercises and case studies.
~ Lori P,

Boundaries are like protective circles surrounding the professional relationship. Rather than being barriers that separate us from our clients, good boundaries safeguard both practitioner and client. Good boundaries don’t create walls between client and practitioners: rather, they create a safe space within which we can touch clients’ hearts and ease their spirits.

Without clear, thought-out boundaries, our decisions about boundaries and ethics are likely to be based on a hodgepodge of conflicting influences: our upbringing, our own biases and prejudices, emulation of teachers or mentors who may or may not have good boundaries themselves, and when in doubt, we may throw in a random piece of wisdom from the latest self-help book we’ve read.
~ Nina McIntosh, The Educated Heart

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Pet Loss Support Groups:
Start Up, Structure & Effective Facilitation

Pet loss support groups class

Pet Loss Support Groups Class Details

  • Length: 2 sessions,  4 1/2 hours total
  • Class Format: On-demand teleclass to take anytime, at your convenience. You will receive links to 4 1/2 hours of MP3 recordings (from a live class which includes the questions, comments and interactions of the participants with the instructor) and PDF’s containing 96 pages of detailed handouts.
  • Tuition: $112
  • Instructors: Enid Traisman, MSW, CT, CFS  and Donna Kahora, RN
  • Who Should Attend: Anyone who is interested in gaining the information and skill to start and effectively facilitate a pet loss support group. Particularly helpful for veterinary professionals, counselors, therapists, animal communicators and other animal care professionals who want to support others through pet loss. This class may also be valuable as a review to those who currently facilitate support groups.
  • Register: Click here to purchase (This link will automatically redirect you to the Animals in our Hearts web site for purchase.)
  • Testimonials: Click here

    For students enrolled in the certification program
    :
  • This is an elective class
  • Prerequisite: None
  • Required Reading:
    • Effective Support Skills, How to Plan, Design, Facilitate, and Enjoy Them, James E. Miller. Fort Wayne, Indiana: Willowgreen Publishing 1998  64 pages
    • The Understanding Your Grief Support Group Guide, Alan Wolfelt, Ph.D. Fort Collins, Colorado: Companion Press  2004  99 pages
      (Both books include excellent guidelines for support group facilitators. Wolfelt’s book also includes plans for a 12-session structured support group.
  • Fee for Coaching & Mentoring session held after submission of Written Class Review: $198 (fee not applicable for students who have pre-paid the entire certification program fee which includes these sessions)

 

pet loss support groups class-image of circle of hands around heart

 

Objectives

In this class you will have an opportunity to:

  • Understand the purpose and scope of pet loss support groups and ways in which they are different from therapy groups, workshops and one-on-one counseling
  • Become familiar with specific ethics and boundaries important to facilitating pet loss support groups, including knowing when to refer to a therapist
  • Explore the differences and varying benefits of drop-in versus closed groups and sharing-listening groups versus structured educational groups
  • Learn how to plan for support group logistics such as location, frequency and length of meetings and format
  • Learn how to structure pet loss support groups in ways that maximize participants’ emotional safety, learning and growth
  • Learn from two highly experienced pet loss support group facilitators regarding real stories and real people and how their issues were handled in the group setting
  • Identify the skills and knowledge needed to effectively facilitate a pet loss support group
  • Practice using the skills of empathic inquiry and empathic response through numerous exercises and case studies
  • Learn how to effectively intervene when challenges and problems emerge such as with disruptive, difficult, shy, angry, rude, or extremely upset group members
  • Identify when our own issues are triggered by a group member’s story, emotions or values and how to contain our triggered feelings while facilitating
  • Increase awareness of the importance of good self-care and support for facilitators including seeking grief support for own losses outside of the group and peer support and professional mentoring
  • Become familiar with a wide array of additional resources for continued facilitator learning and skill building, and resources to share with support group members for their continued healing and growth
Content and Purpose

Attending well led pet loss support groups is a very comforting and validating experience. Being surrounded by others who understand the grief over a companion animal on a heart felt level can bring a sense of both safety and not being alone—making it possible to share the important story of one’s animal and their loss. Such sharing with others who understand helps diminish grief and facilitates healing.

To an onlooker, an effective support group may appear to be seamlessly led by the facilitator, with each participant being fully heard and supported, and with differences amongst members’ stories and values being validated and respectfully honored. For this to occur, however, the facilitator needs to fully understand, cultivate and carefully apply specific skills to insure that every participant feels safe, listened to, respected, and has ample opportunity to openly share without judgement or imposed advice from others. Skilled facilitators know how to deal with disruptions, challenges and problems that arise with grace and ease, and understand and work within the ethics and boundaries of this field. The purpose of this class is to review these concepts and skills in detail to prepare those who wish to facilitate pet loss support groups to do so with both confidence and competence.

People are often drawn to offer pet loss support groups or pet loss grief counseling because they have been through tremendous pain of loss and healing, and having come through that, feel a compassionate and loving desire to help others through this same process. Such compassion and love is the best possible foundation for offering grief support. However, because effectively supporting those who grieve requires more than our own loss and healing experience and a desire to help, this class teaches the skills of empathic expression, group facilitation, and understanding the ethics and boundaries of the field.

The instructors, Enid Traisman, MSW, CT and Donna Kahora, RN, have over 47 years of combined experience of facilitating pet loss support groups. In this class they offer not only concepts and skill building, but bring a depth and breadth of real life experience leading groups.

You may also be interested in our Essential Counseling Skills class for further skill building, or our Legacies of Love class for exercises and ideas you can use in your support group.

 

Within a support group,
feelings are golden.
Treat them as such by lifting
them up for all to see and
by responding to them
with respect and appreciation.

~ James E. Miller, Effective Support Groups

 

pet loss support group class-image of 3 cats looking out window
Angelina, Mikey and Dusty Ruta

 

Session 1: Planning and Structuring a Pet Loss Grief Support Group

  • Purpose and Scope:
    • Expectations of what can be accomplished and what cannot
    • Difference between a support group, a therapy group, one-on-one counseling, and a workshop
    • Knowing when to refer to a therapist and having referrals vetted
  • Finding Sponsors, Participants and Space:
    • Finding an organization sponsor for a group (if needed or desired)
    • Locating appropriate space for a group; seating arrangements
    • Advertising and attracting participants
    • Charging for group attendance or facilitating as a volunteer
  • How to Structure Pet Loss Support Groups:
    • Open for drop ins? Closed except to those who signed up?
    • Schedule: Ongoing or held for a finite period of time?
    • Frequency of meetings
    • Length of meetings
    • Ground rules and boundaries for support groups
    • Format: Just sharing? Or include some rituals, exercises, activities or educational materials?
Session 2: Skills and Knowledge Needed to Effectively Facilitate a Pet Loss Grief Support Group

  • Two Golden Rules of Grief Support: Empathy before strategy; Do not impose
  • Understanding group dynamics: What can go wrong and how to keep a group on track and harmonious
  • Qualities and responsibilities of an effective pet loss support group facilitator
  • Acknowledging and Active Listening
  • Empathic questioning to gain clarity
  • Gatekeeping
  • Appropriate use of self-disclosure
  • Effective interventions for challenges and problems: difficult or disruptive group members; shy, introverted group members; those who take up too much air time; when a member may sob uncontrollably and seem to be falling apart; when members are angry or rude with other members
  • Handling major differences in values and beliefs: Between members and when the values or way of dealing with grief of a member is quite different from the facilitator’s
  • The difference between offering resources as suggestions to consider (whether tangible such as books or ideas on how to reframe an issue causing pain) and being overly directive or imposing our values and beliefs onto members
Testimonials

What I liked most were the exercises and examples from real people and real life situations
The handouts are priceless. Thank you for taking the time to make them so detailed and complete. The class materials and presentation were superb.  I’m very glad I took the course. What I liked most were the exercises and examples from real people and real life situations. And thank you, Teresa, for offering this class at this special price. Thank you, Enid and Donna, for providing this service and support to grieving souls.Donna, what a wonderful tribute to [your dog] Nikki. Thank you all for your time and wisdom.
~ Evelyn G, Bahama, North Carolina

The different group formats of the two instructors was very helpful
Since I am already helping to facilitate groups, I understand much of the dynamics presented, and thought it was a wonderful overview – well presented and well thought out. But I also learned a lot more than I was expecting. The different group formats of the two instructors was very helpful, allowing us to see some similarities and differences in groups set-up and dynamics.

Handouts were extremely valuable. I am a very visual person, and seeing the written work is essential for my learning style. I am a copious note-taker for this reason. So I found it incredibly helpful to have most of the note taking done, allowing me time to listen carefully and jot a few notes along with those in front of me.

What I liked most was Teresa’s beautiful voice! It was my first teleclass, and I was actually very impressed with the entire thing. Loved the ability to be in my home environment and still feel the group presence.

Again, it was wonderful to have three perspectives – sometimes in perfect sync, and sometimes presenting differences in experience and group dynamics. As I mentioned, I could listen to Teresa all day – very soothing, very embracing, very calming presence you are! And, of course, I have the utmost admiration for Enid – she is my human inspiration for this work. And it was lovely to meet Donna and gain some very valuable information – a lot of time and energy went in to the formation of FON and I thank you for sharing!
~ Debbie C,  Portland, Oregon

Excellent information on the handouts. Like a textbook!
I can read it many times and get more information each time. The class also shows me areas where I need to work on my own loss to be able to help others.  I would have enjoyed an even longer class!  The compassion and understanding of each instructor made the class a gift. I wish this class were a requirement for all vets.
~ Linda K, Willits, CA

Was opened up to so much from this class. Thank you!
Very valuable, perhaps without my not realizing it I have been doing this for years, but now following the format for the category of responses, I have a structure and confidence. I have already put this training to use with the loss of a patient. What I liked most about the class was the different views of three instructors and the handouts. I liked the examples of different types of support groups that Enid and Donna facilitate. I enjoyed listening to the descriptions of Donna’s group, the intake form, the environment created in her home, ground rules,,etc. I believe for myself, as an RN, a small history and having an idea just where the participant is in their stage of grief, is desired. I just learned and was opened up to so much from this class. Thank you all.
~ Marilyn O, East Elmhurst, New York

A+! Though the class was on the telephone it was more like being in an actual, face-to-face class
The class further increased my resolve to follow through with organizing & facilitating a Pet Loss Support Group, and reinforced that I-can-do-this:) It added to my confidence. The handouts held a wealth of information. The exercises made me *think.*  Some were common sense, however, a couple were more difficult. The exercises were very helpful in always knowing that, 1st & foremost, the client needed to feel trust, caring, safe. Though the class was on the telephone it was more like being in an actual, face-to-face class. I liked the communication with instructors, their expertise, the question period, the relaxed atmosphere and the meditation.  I liked that Donna, Enid, Teresa were all professionals in the health & mental health fields. This class provided building blocks in ever-needing more knowledge. But, Oh my! This class has me wanting more.
~ Veronica G,  Tewksbury MA

 

 

Pet loss support groups encourage
members to process feelings
about their loss without seeing
grief as an illness that
requires medical intervention.
They benefit from knowing they are
capable of helping themselves with finding just the right listening ears. Members not only receive support, but also provide it to others,
which can in itself, help them
to feel better about themselves.

~ Donna Kahora, RN, Founder, Friends of Nikki




Pet loss support groups
are a safe environment where people
can share their feeling of grief
knowing they won’t be judged.
The facilitator validates and cares about each individual, listening openly to their story and their unique experiences paving the way for a healthy grief process while they navigate this new journey.
Seeing and hearing others in the
group begin to heal and then grow
from their experiences gives
members a unique perspective of
a variety of different experiences
which can help each individual
begin to make peace
with their own unique loss.

~ Enid Traisman, MSW, CT, Director of the Dove Lewis Pet Loss Support and Memorial Art Therapy Program

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Dealing with Grief During Holidays and Anniversaries
When You’ve Lost an Animal Loved One

Pet Loss During Holidays class
Class Details
  • Length: 1 session, 2 1/2 hours total
  • Class Format: On-demand teleclass to take anytime, at your convenience. You will receive links to 2 1/2 hours of MP3 recordings (from a live class which includes the questions, comments and interactions of the participants with the instructor and a separate guided meditation) and PDF’s containing 19 pages of detailed handouts.
  • Tuition: $39
  • Instructor: Judy Tatelbaum, LCSW, author of The Courage to Grieve and You Don’t Have to Suffer
  • Who Should Attend: This class is ideal for anyone with worry, anxiety or fear about how challenging upcoming holidays and anniversaries may be, and want to learn strategies of how to best “get through” pet loss during holidays, and also how to find and create meaning at these times. The class is also ideal for practitioners, such as veterinary professionals, counselors, therapists, animal communicators and other animal care professionals who want to learn ways to help clients with these times.  
  • Register: Click here to purchase (This link will automatically redirect you to the Animals in our Hearts web site for purchase.)
  • Testimonials: Click here

    For students enrolled in the certification program:

  • This is an elective class
  • Prerequisite: None
  • Required Reading: How Will I Get Through the Holidays? 12 Ideas for Those Whose Loved One Has Died, James E. Miller.  Fort Wayne, Indiana: Willowgreen Publishing. 1996   63 pages
  • Fee for Coaching & Mentoring session held after submission of Written Class Review: $150 (fee not applicable for students who have pre-paid the entire certification program fee which includes these sessions)

 

pet loss during holidays-snow on heart shaped leaf

 

 

Objectives

In this class you will have an opportunity to:

  • Become familiar with strategies and ideas to create rituals and experiences of meaning and celebration of your beloved animal, despite the pain of grief, during holidays and anniversaries
  • Learn how to identify and seek supportive people, animals, places and ideas to help you through the challenges of holidays and anniversaries
  • Plan meaningful ways to memorialize and honor your animal during holidays and anniversaries
  • Participate in an exercise to celebrate the mutual gifts, learning and legacies of your relationship with your animal
  • Listen to a guided meditation to fill you with courage and love to feel closer to the spirit of your animal
  • Become familiar with a wide array of additional resources to help yourself and/or clients during times of grief
Content and Purpose

Losing a deeply beloved animal can be one of the most painful experiences of our lives. For many people, animals are important if not equal members of the family–sometimes their closest loved ones. For such people their loss is felt acutely especially at times of holidays and celebration. The approach of holidays, birthdays and anniversaries of special days can trigger anxiety, fear and concern about how challenging it may be to experience these special days without them by our side. This can happen even if our loss was a long time ago. It is normal to feel this way, no matter how much time has elapsed. There is nothing wrong with you if you feel anxious, depressed or deeply sad about your pet loss during holidays. This class was developed to help you through it.

Holidays, birthdays and anniversaries are times when we are “supposed to be” and “expected to be” happy, but these are also times when we are acutely aware of the absence of ones we have loved. In addition to the unrealistic cultural expectation that we should all “be happy” at such times, the situation can become more complicated and challenging by family, friends, colleagues, clergy and others who just do not understand what it is like to love and lose a beloved animal. Such people may directly or indirectly belittle our loss and our grief at these special times with a lack of empathy, a condescending attitude or offensive comments, making pet loss during holidays even harder.

This class offers strategies, tools and ideas to make these occasions somewhat easier, and to turn them into moments of great meaning and celebration of life. These suggestions won’t eliminate your grief from pet loss during holidays, but they can help soften it and surround it with love, peace and grace. You will receive practical help, hope, loving comfort and the knowledge that you are in the company of others who also walk this pathway in their healing.

 

 

 

Pet loss during holidays-Altar for cat with rose quartz and St. Francis
An altar created to honor a cat who had transitioned

 

Pet loss during holidays-Yahrzeit candle
In the Jewish tradition, a Yahrzeit candle is lit on the anniversary of a loved one’s death
Outline of issues covered in this pet loss during holidays class:
  • The Three C’s:  Choose, Communicate and Compromise
  • Be Kind to Yourself
  • Express Your Feelings
  • Create Support for Yourself
  • Ask for What Your Need
  • Appreciate Your Other Loved Ones
  • Help Another Person in Need
  • Don’t Compare Your Life with Anyone Else’s
  • Making the Best of Tough Circumstances
  • Modify Your Expectations
  • How Not To Be A Victim of Your Pain
  • Resolving How or Where to Spend the Holidays or Anniversaries
  • Including Your Beloved Animal Who Has Died in Your Holiday Plans
  • Avoiding the Holidays
  • Doing Something New and Different
  • Meditation for Solace and Connection with Your Animal’s Soul to Reduce the Pain of Pet Loss During Holidays
Pet loss during holidays-Altar created to honor beloved dogs
Testimonials

I finally felt that I wasn’t alone
There were people in exactly the same situation as I was. I LOVED the meditation afterwards.  Wonderful handouts, wonderful exercises, WONDERFUL MEDITATION. And I certainly feel that I have more options than I did in the past. The give and take between Teresa and Judy was perfect. They worked seamlessly with each other. When one stopped, the other moved in gracefully.

~ Elizabeth Randall, California

 

I feel SO much better about living through the holidays
I loved knowing and understanding that I’m not alone, that the experience of others is similar to mine. The support and kindness of the teachers holding the class was very valuable. I came away with the feeling that I can celebrate the time my furry family was in my life and that holidays are a good time to do this.

~ Linda Kirsch, California




 

Really valuable
The handouts and exercises were very valuable and the tone of the class very much made me feel lovingly supported.
~ Jill Gamble, California

 

I learned how to transform the energy of grief into the energy of creativity to honor my beloveds
The material gave me tangible ideas of how to honor my beloved Zeus and my beloved Teaka. Prior to the class I would hurt too much on my own to “be” with Zeusy’s ashes. The class allowed me the safety to think about and feel into what he would most like to have with regard to his ashes; as well as contemplate some lovely memorials I could create for both of these amazing beings who took feline form. It was as if Judy and Teresa bestowed upon me the know how and ability to transform the energy of grief into the energy of creativity to honor my beloveds.

These handouts are so helpful. The layout is easy-to-follow (not to mention gorgeous) and the content is rich. The information given helps me to understand the grief process. The exercises and meditation help me to get un-stuck in the grief energy. Thank you Teresa and Judy!

What I liked the most was Teresa’s presence. When I hear her voice, it’s not only the valuable content that comes through and heals me, it is her presence that is like no other. I feel as though Divine flows through Teresa. I always feel 100% safe, genuinely cared for, understood, and held…I feel very blessed to be able to commune with her and my wish is to be able to interact with her as much as possible. If it’s in the highest good for all, I would LOVE to be a lifelong student of hers…and would LOVE to engage with her on a regular basis.
~ Jane Brown Smith, California

 

It was just perfect
Loved the meditation at the end. It reinforced what I already new and gave me additional info which I can use for myself and others.

~ Donna Kahora, New Jersey

 

Now I am going to always celebrate, not just cry or feel depressed on these special days
I learned so much, and my heart feels so much stronger, able to face these days with courage and so, so many ideas to honor my babies in special ways. I cannot thank you enough for all of the information and inspiration.
~ Ethel W, Massachusetts

 

I received lots of ideas about how to handle people who don’t care
I was so depressed even thinking about the holidays, and how no one in my family would give a damn or even remember that I lost Kitty this year. It is extremely hard to be in a family where no one cares or acknowledges what is so very important to you. I was actually thinking of taking a cruise or making up any excuse not to face their lack of care and respect for my loss. But in taking this class on pet loss during holidays I felt less alone. I feel, well, more empowered. And I received lots of ideas about how to handle people who don’t care. I also feel like I got permission to just not be around those who don’t care! This alone will change my life and my holidays will not be so awful. Thank you!
Tracy L, Pennsylvania

 

pet loss during holidays-Roses to honor a dog who transitioned
Roses to honor the anniversary of transition

 

Pet loss during holidays-Stocking for cat on St. Francis statue
Holiday stocking brought out every year to honor a cat who has transitioned

 

Pet loss during holidays-ornaments made to honor cats who have transitioned
Ornaments made to honor cats who have transitioned as well as cats who are still here

 

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EFT for Illness, End-of-Life Care, Caregiver Stress & Healing Grief

EFT for Pet Loss

Class Details

  • Length: 3 sessions, 5 1/2 hours total
  • Class Format: On-demand teleclass to take anytime, at your convenience. You will receive links to 5 /2 hours of MP3 recordings (from a live class which includes the questions, comments and interactions of the participants with the instructor) and PDF’s containing 104 pages of detailed handouts.
  • Tuition: $99
  • Instructor: Linda Epstein, EFT Practitioner
  • Who Should Attend:  The class is appropriate for grief & pet loss practitioners, pet loss support group facilitators, animal communicators, flower essence practitioners, veterinary professionals, animal shelter and rescue group staff, energy healers, therapists. It is also appropriate for anyone who would like to learn this highly effective, easy to learn and use, self administered emotional healing tool of EFT for pet loss.
  • Register: Click here to purchase (This link will automatically redirect you to the Animals in our Hearts web site for purchase.)
  • Testimonials: Click here

    For students enrolled in the certification program:

  • This is an elective class
  • Prerequisite:  None
  • Required Reading:  The Promise of Energy Psychology, David Feinstein, Ph.D., Donna Eden, and Gary Craig
  • Fee for Coaching & Mentoring session held after submission of Written Class Review: $198 (fee not applicable for students who have pre-paid the entire certification program fee which includes these sessions)

 

EFT for Pet Loss

 

Content and Purpose

Grief from the loss of a loved one, whether human or animal, is an issue for which our hearts need tender compassion and empathy. Sometimes, however, even the most loving and skillfully expressed empathy from another is not enough. The energies of grief, trauma and related emotions can linger and we may continue to feel overwhelmed or stuck, despite empathic help from others. EFT for pet loss is a powerful, easy-to-learn, self-administered tool that helps to release such energies.

The Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) is a healing tool which can help us release such emotions that are not released with talk therapy alone (it also works quite well in conjunction with talk therapy). It involves a simple system of tapping on meridian points on our bodies.

It is often referred to as the emotional version of acupuncture except without the use of needles. Tapping on certain meridian points on the body with our fingers, while saying specific statements, helps us release emotions or beliefs that are overwhelming, challenging, difficult or negative in any way.

EFT for pet loss does not make us forget what happened, it does not make grief magically disappear, but it most definitely can lessen the intensity and discomfort of anxiety or any emotional pain such as grief. It also helps us find relief from grief related emotions such as guilt, sorrow, anguish, anger, or depression—feelings that may be hard to cope with and at times may feel as if they are preventing us from finding peace after a loss. Because it is self-administered, and used as we are aware of the emotional states we want to release, it is a very powerful form of loving empathy for ourselves.

This 5 1/2 hour teleclass, though focusing on EFT for pet loss, also teaches how to apply the tool to any emotional issue from which we want relief. At the end of the three-session class, participants will be equipped with the knowledge on how to use EFT not only for grief, but for any challenging experiences–from minor irritations to traumatic crisis–which are part of normal life.

If you are experiencing grief from the loss of a beloved animal, you may also benefit from our Legacies of Love class.

 

 

 

 

EFT for Pet Loss-Image of Black cat

 

EFT for Pet Loss Session 1:
The Basics of EFT and Initial Practice

  • Creating the Healing Circle
  • What is EFT?
  • How EFT can help the grieving and healing process
  • Learning the language: Set up and reminder phrases
  • Clarifying the issue for successful results
  • Learning the tapping points
  • Understanding the “aspects”—the many layers of an emotional issue
  • SUDS Testing
  • Borrowing benefits in tapping for others
  • Donna Eden exercises to unscramble homolateral energy patterns and hook up your meridians
  • Exercise: Tapping on the emotions of anguish, guilt grief and anger
  • Exercise: the Tearless Technique

 

EFT for Pet Loss Session 2:
Focus on Specifics of Each Person’s Issues, Tapping on Issues Identified in Homework

  • The goal is to reach a level where the issue registers below a 4 on the SUDS scale
  • Discussing homework, feedback, problems creating set up statements/reminder phrases
  • Group tapping for as many people as time allows for those granting permission for tapping
  • Discussing any aspects that popped up
  • Discussing the borrowed benefits: while tapping for others, did it help you with your issue?
  • Discussing the results or reactions during the tapping session
  • Dealing with your physical responses to your emotions

EFT for Pet Loss Session 3:
Alternative Methods of Tapping When EFT is Working Too Slowly or Not at All

  • Discussing homework, feedback, problems creating set up statements/reminder phrases
  • Discussion of reversals and the causes
  • Buried core issues
  • Dealing wth negative beliefs
  • Tell the story
  • Exercise:  “Personal Peace Procedure” which can be used any time to help bring 
one back to a state of balance and harmony
  • Review with each participant where they are compared to where they were when starting the three-session class
  • Closing of the Healing Circle and Blessing
Testimonials

I was able to tap into and release very deep trauma
I would most definitely recommend this class to anyone working on grief or wanting more knowledge about EFT. I was able to tap into and release very deep trauma. It was some very heavy duty stuff that was deeply suppressed. The EFT led me down the road to get there and I am feeling much lighter and more me as a result. Linda is a phenomenal teacher and healer. I am infinitely grateful to her and for her. I love it that she and Teresa are working together. It is great to see such beautiful, big hearted, and powerful women teaming up. Particularly in the healing arena. Healing is so powerful for all involved. It is what brings us back to our core and our connection to Source/God/Creator and all that is.
~ Lori K, Baltimore, Maryland



I feel like I’ve been given an extremely valuable tool chest
The teacher was so supportive and questions were well explained. Even past the tapping exercise, it helped to learn the ways we block the energy and what can cause energy reversal. It also helped to learn the experience of others and how they dealt with and overcame issues. I feel like I’ve been given an extremely valuable tool chest. I feel EFT for pet loss has opened doors for me. It’s a tool that I can use and develop the rest of my life. Like flower essences, it’s very effective.
~ Linda K, Willits, California



Linda has a very soothing voice that draws you in
She answered everyone’s questions beautifully. Plus it wasn’t high pressure…we laughed and had fun moments too.  I feel I will be using EFT for the rest of my life! It is simple and can be done quite quickly during a moment of panic!

~ Rayanne S, Morriston, Florida

Learned a tool for a lifetime
It was extremely well organized. Loved the exercises and handouts.
~ Dolly R, Sunnyvale, California




VERY glad I took this class
The handouts and exercises were extremely detailed and very helpful. Applying EFT to other issues in my life. What a valuable tool and resource this is.
~ Debbie O, Lake Forrest, California



Extremely valuable
The explanations are very clear and Linda explains very well. The class gave me answers I was uncertain of from reading about EFT. Knowing how easy it is to access at anytime, anywhere!
~ Rachel R, Carmel, California



Learned so much more than ever expected
EFT is easy to learn and is a valuable tool for releasing emotions like sorrow, grief, anger, etc. Handouts were clear and informative.  Linda’s soothing voice, clear instructions and patient guidance, made EFT easy to learn and practice.
~ Rosann L, Monterey, California

 

EFT for pet loss-image of golden retriever dog

 

By tapping on meridian endpoints,
we are sending pulsing vibrations
through the meridian and breaking
up the disruption or blockage
of the energy system.
Once the disruption is cleared
and the meridians are balanced,
the emotional intensity of grief is
lightened, sometimes very substantially.

~ Linda Epstein




 

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Flower Essences
for Illness, End-of-Life, Caregiver Stress and Healing Grief

flower essences to heal pet loss

Class Details

  • Length: 2 sessions, 4 hours total
  • Class Format: On-demand teleclass to take anytime, at your convenience. You will receive links to 4 hours of MP3 recordings (from a live class which includes the questions, comments and interactions of the participants with the instructor) and PDF’s containing 37 pages of detailed handouts.
  • Tuition: $99
  • Instructor: Teresa Wagner, MS, Program Founder
  • Who Should Attend: Anyone who wants to learn about how flower essences can support animals who are ill or dying, their caregivers, and those who are grieving: Anyone who has animals in their family, pet loss counselors, pet loss support group facilitators, animal communicators, flower essence practitioners, veterinary professionals, animal shelter and rescue group staff, trainers and behaviorists, energy healers, therapists, as well as friends and family members  SPECIAL NOTE: Though this class is designed with a focus on dealing with the death of animal and flower essences to heal pet loss, the entire class and the essences described are applicable to human death and loss of human loved ones as well.
  • Register: Click here to purchase (This link will automatically redirect you to the Animals in our Hearts web site for purchase.)
  • Testimonials: Click here

    For students enrolled in the certification program:
  • This is an elective class
  • Prerequisite:  None
  • Required Reading: Flower Essence Repertory: A Comprehensive Guide to the Flower Essences Researched by Dr. Edward Bach and the Flower Essence Society, Patricia Kaminski, Richard Katz.   Grass Valley: Flower Essence Society 2004   306 pages
  • Fee for Coaching & Mentoring session held after submission of Written Class Review: $198 (fee not applicable for students who have pre-paid the entire certification program fee which includes these sessions)

 

Flower essences to heal pet loss. Image-Cats and dog with flowers and essences

 

Objectives

In this class you will have an opportunity to:

  • Learn the fundamentals of what flowers essences are, how they are made, how they support the healing of emotional issues, and how to administer them with humans and animals
  • Become familiar with specific flower essences which provide emotional and spiritual support for:
    • Animals during illness and hospice periods
    • Humans and animals who are grieving the loss of an animal or human
    • Anticipatory grief
    • Relief from the physical and/or emotional stress that is a natural part of intense caregiving for clients or loved ones
    • Protection from taking in the emotional pain of others who are ill, dying or grieving
    • Strengthening one’s confidence to support best clients or loved ones who are ill, dying or grieving
  • Learn how to assist and educate clients with information about how certain flower essences can
 support them and/or their animals during illness, the process of dying and grieving
Content and Purpose

Flower essences are gentle yet powerful liquid infusions of flowers, generally taken orally from glass dropper bottles, which assist in the support and healing of emotional and spiritual imbalances. Flower essences are natural, inexpensive, non-intrusive and easy to administer, and can be used in conjunction with any medicines or holistic remedies without any contraindications. In times of overwhelm and stress, they can help us stay grounded and stabilized. When besieged with the pain of grief, they can help us accept and heal our pain, and unlock the courage we may need to do so. Using flower essences to heal pet loss—from anticipation of loss to long after the transition—provides a gentle yet powerful form of help.

Death from the physical body is one of the most sacred periods of time on earth. Yet it also often brings tremendous emotional pain to those of us who grieve the physical loss (or impending physical loss) of loved ones, intense stress to those of us in caregiving roles, and sometimes uncertainty for those of us wanting to provide support to those who grieve. And, of course, most of us have a great desire for a peaceful death experience for our loved ones. Flower essences provide us with enormous energetic support to our loved ones, our clients and ourselves during these times of illness, death, grieving, caregiving and supporting others. 

In this class you’ll learn about dozens of essences which can bring the energies of grace, peace, calm, grounding and relief from suffering from the often very challenging experiences of these times. The information you learn will empower you to bring life-long energetic assistance to animals, your clients and yourself. This information can be easily shared with your clients, family and friends to assist them in supporting their animal loved ones and for flower essences to heal pet loss.

I believe that the most effective, satisfactory and long lasting approach to healing grief is an integrative one—one that explores and may include traditional psychological support as well as embracing spiritual and other holistic modalities. A stubborn insistence by some that only one of these approaches leads to healing is sadly limiting. Each journey of illness, caregiving, death and grief is different, the needs of each person and animal unique, and the resources most suited to help each of us varies.

I think it’s also important to remember that however thorough and integrative our healing efforts, no flower essence, spiritual belief, psychological tool or the most loving support in the world can take away the emotional pain of grief when our animal or human loved ones die. Loss and its subsequent pain are natural, inevitable experiences of life. Pain, however, does not have to include continual, abject suffering. Flower essences can surround our pain with the quality of quiet grace and peace, helping us to be present with our beloved animals (and ourselves) during these sacred phases of transition. Being able to remain present during these times brings deepened intimacy and immeasurable opportunities for more love, which are not possible when we (understandably) escape into denial, become lost in hysteria or stay in our heads researching treatments. Whatever overwhelming emotions we may experience, flower essences to heal pet loss and all the related issues can help us come back to our center, to help us stay grounded, to stay open to the love and opportunities for learning and growth, even amidst all of the pain.

Click the link to read dozens of cases about flower essences helping animals:
http://flowersociety.org/animals.htm

 

Flower essences to heal pet loss. Image-Creating a mother flower essence
A mother flower essence of Shooting Star being created in the Sierra foothills of California during FES training in 1989
Flower essenes to heal pet loss-image of Grief Relief flower essence bottle with flowers
From FES: The Grief Relief Formula to support both animals and humans who are mourning
Flower essences to heal grief. Image-Golden yarrow growing in Big Sur, CA
Golden Yarrow (for energetic protection) growing wild, Big Sur, CA
Flower essences to heal pet loss. Image-Flower essence bottles
From FES: Flower essence formulas to support caregivers and to support animals and humans in hospice

 

Session 1: Practical Basics of Flower Essences and Recommended Essences for Illness, Hospice, Caregiving and Grief

  • Opening guided meditation to attune with the essence of a flower
  • What they are and how they are made
  • How to give them to animals and take them yourself
  • The difference between stock/concentrate bottles, and formula/dosage bottles
  • The important difference between “rescue” formulas and the multitude of additional essences available for both immediate and longer term healing of specific feelings and issue
  • Where to buy flower essences, articles, books.
  • Essences that heal and support specific feelings or energy states
 associated with:
    • End stages of illness/hospice or trauma and the transition of physical death
    • The role of direct caregiver to one who is ill or dying
    • Being witness (direct or indirect) to the trauma or death of another
    • Grieving the loss of a love one
    • The role of supporting others through grief
Session 2: Learning How to Choose Flower Essences

  • For yourself, clients and loved ones (human or animal)
  • How to maximize the effective use of flower essences by matching specific essences to 
 specific feelings and energy states vs. relying exclusively on pre-blended formulas
  • Flower essences to heal pet loss
  • Hear case studies of how flower essences have helped others during caregiving, death, and grief
  • Questions and coaching about which essences would be helpful for your personal 
situation or your clients’ situations
  • Guided meditation and journal writing : Assessing your energy states that flower essences can support

 

Testimonials

Gave me a renewed respect for the healing powers of flower essences
. It was a great class on how to use Flower Essences for the specific use during end of life issues.
Teresa’s connection and knowledge of the energies of flower essences is amazing. Gave me a renewed respect for the healing powers of flower essences, and another energy to lean on during a very difficult time. Teresa’s amazing connection to the flower essences will energize you to learn more. She has such a compassionate way with dealing with these issues, you will find support from her during this very difficult time, and certainly learn flower essences to heal pet loss.
~ Tresa Laferty, Illinois

This is an amazing class. Take it!!

I debated whether it would be too repetitious for what I already knew about the subject and whether I should take it. I am VERY glad I did. This is an amazing class. Take it!! The incredible knowledge of the instructor and her warm, compassionate delivery. All of her classes are amazing!
~ Penny P, Wisconsin

Like learning a whole new world
I was amazed at the information from both the intuitive energetic world and from the factual research about flower essences. It honestly felt like I had entered a door to a whole new world. We received amazing amounts of information, but all so organized it was not overwhelming, it was delightful! Flower essences will definitely be part of my repertoire of resources for my clients from now on.
~ Cindy D, British Columbia, Canada

Teresa’s workshops always exceed my expectations

She has a voice and knowledge which make learning a joy! Having lost my beloved Alfie dog a year ago, many helpful ideas came forward from other students who talked about their troubles, for which Teresa gave great insight and flower essence suggestions.
~ Diane D, Massachusetts

Learned so much more than I expected
I thought we would perhaps get a list of essences and learn what they were about and when to give them for what. But instead we learned about the entire world of flower essences. . . from how they are made, how the researchers determine the healing qualities over time, which companies are reputable, and, of course, which essences help for hospice, grief, etc. I feel like a whole new door has opened for me (and thus my clients) with this healing modality. Thank you!
~ Sue G, California

After this class now using flower essences in addition to Ttouch with puppy mill and shelter dogs
I learned so much in four hours- she packed so much in!! I really want to take more of her classes. I didn’t know I would really become passionate about essences but she made it so pleasant I’m hooked! After this class now using flower essences in addition to ttouch with puppy mill and shelter dogs. Realizing how much essences can truly help.
~ Judy S, Texas

I am much more comfortable about recommending flower essences to heal pet loss and other issues after taking this course 

And also about being able to choose them for myself – without waiting for advice from the practitioner I work with. I especially appreciate your help with the hedgehog PTSD issue. It’s helping me with ways to deal with care giving issues in my own life – and also providing thoughtful information that will help me help my clients. A wonderfully thorough introduction to using flower essences for a wide variety of grief and loss issues. I especially liked the second class – the use of the meditation to identify an issue (I was surprised at what came up for me!) – and then how those issues were woven into the instruction as a way to learn about using essences. I found the series of questions and the followup discussion especially helpful.
~ Dawn W, Ilinois

 


When a form that you have unconsciously or consciously identified with as part of
 yourself leaves you or dissolves,
that can be extremely painful.
It leaves a hole, so 
to speak,
in the fabric of your existence.
When this happens, can you face
and accept 
that hole,
that strange empty space?
If you do, you may find that it is
no longer a 
 fearful place.
You may be surprised to find
peace emanating from it.

~ Eckhart Tolle, Stillness Speaks



Flower essences for pet loss-Five Flower Formula by FES
From FES: Five Flower Formula—the same flowers as rescue remedy but made with the highest quality flowers and process

St. Francis said to the almond tree:
“Sister, speak to me of love.”
And the almond tree blossomed.

~ Nikos Kazantzakis, Saint Francis

 

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