Classes

Content and Purpose

In this in-depth, comprehensive counseling skills for pet loss class, participants have an opportunity to:



• Learn and practice (with peer and instructor feedback) the key elements of client-centered, empathy-based counseling
• Deepen and expand their ability to effectively help clients, regardless of their specialty and the context of their work as a helper/healer
• Feel more confident that they are saying the right thing, at the right time, in the right way to effectively help distressed clients
• Become acutely aware of words and phrases that facilitate healing and those which may actually harm clients emotionally
• Increase their effectiveness and comfort zone when dealing with difficult and challenging clients
• Feel more confident and competent in helping clients who are expressing intense emotions such as overwhelming grief, guilt, anger, hate, bitterness, anguish, despair or issues surrounding forgiveness

I’ve always known in my heart that the necessary roots of all healing are compassion and love. I also know that for us as helping practitioners to merely feel compassion and love is not enough. Communicating these qualities to our clients effectively is not automatic, however deeply we may feel them in our hearts. If our goal is to facilitate healing for others, we need to use specific skills and ethics with conscious intention.

The workshop is about the conscious overlay of basic yet powerful and essential counseling skills into our work in pet loss grief support and any helping role. When strategically applied, these skills allow us to bring the best of what our souls have to offer to serve others.

Next to love, empathy is the most powerful force available to any helper to facilitate emotional healing. Receiving the energy of empathy from a skilled helper allows the person or animal who is in emotional pain, struggle or trauma to feel acknowledged, understood and empowered for greater openness to healing. Offered without skillfully expressed empathy, the best expertise and healing techniques in the world can be perceived as cold, ego-based, uncaring, prematurely offered, irrelevant or even useless. This workshop provides an opportunity to learn very specific empathic skills to bring the power of our love, compassion and expertise alive to effectively serve the clients we care about so much.

The client-centered, empathy-based approach helps us effectively communicate the deep compassion and love we as healers so very much want to convey to our clients, and want them to feel for themselves. And, when we have specific healing modalities to share, doing so in a client-centered, empathy-based manner opens the client to receiving and using what we offer far more effectively than when we simply assume we know what they need and impose our tools.

 

NOTE: This class is about learning concepts and practicing specific skills from the field of counseling psychology which research has shown to have an extremely positive impact on the growth and empowerment of clients. However, the class, and the certification program as a whole, does not train students to conduct psychotherapy or long term counseling. Masters or doctoral level education, and often licensing, is required for that.  The class provides training and education in understanding client-centered counseling theory, skills and practice for use in short term counseling in the context of pet loss grief support, animal communication, any of the healing arts or for use in daily life. See Code of Ethics and Underlying Philosophy of the program and our Welcome and Overview of Professional Training for Pet Loss Grief Counselors for more detail.

 

 

Testimonials

Gave me as much or more, than any master’s level class in the field of counseling psychology

The Essential Counseling Skills class was extremely valuable to me… . It was a rare opportunity to ‘meet’ over the phone, and share learning  and ideas with many very special ‘animal’ people. Teresa’s wonderful spirit, rich tapestry of knowledge and ability to teach, made this class an experience I will not only treasure, but will be able to put to use immediately. The extensive volume of enlightening materials, plus the class hours on a weekly basis, and the practice sessions, gave me as much or more, than any master’s level class in the field of counseling psychology.
~ Emily F, Illinois

My confidence is ten-fold what it was before the class
It was extremely valuable to see concepts in action—to see how these things work in the real world with the exercises, case studies and in-class role plays. Really cemented the understanding of empathic response, empathic inquiry and advanced empathy. I think my skill was there, but my confidence in ten-fold what it was before the class. And I gained a world of knowledge about guilt, anger, and forgiveness. The amount of time, energy and intention that Teresa puts into the handouts is so evident. They are invaluable. And the resources are incredible. I can’t emphasize enough how valuable these have been for me. Teresa is just an amazing woman who has put her heart and soul into this work.

~ Deb C, Oregon

The most significant learning for me was the practice of empathic inquiry and response
Through those practices, and the reminders to be energetically sound, were huge.
~ Holli S, Leesburg, Virginia

The resources lists were invaluable. The practice session were perhaps the most valuable.

Teresa, Just looking at your notes [class handouts] alone – not even considering your other work – makes it clear you are a born teacher. I’ve taught classes such as this one (only in science), and I KNOW how much research, thought, preparation you put into everything you do. Your knowledge of every aspect of the pet loss field is amazing – just looking at the range of information you’ve amassed, not to mention the number of resources you’ve examined for our use. The resources lists were invaluable. The practice session were perhaps the most valuable.

My normally scientifically based thought processes are expanding into new ways of thinking. Although I’ve always considered myself a spiritual person (not religious), my spiritual self is growing and my heart is opening up to new ideas.

I’ve taken a lot of classes in my life, and I’ve had maybe one teacher who loved teaching as much as you do. When I first spoke with you, I immediately knew yours was the course I wanted. I had researched this field fairly thoroughly and taken classes from other organizations. Honestly, I learned nothing from them. Many assign a reading, send you the exam at the same time, and if you pass (it would be almost impossible to fail), you receive a nice looking diploma. I guess these look good hanging on the wall, but I know they mean nothing. When I receive a certification from you, I’ll KNOW it represents true learning. Your patience with students is unique. Probably others have said this to you, but your voice, with its gentleness and soothing quality is like a harp to my ears. I don’t know if you were lucky enough to be borne with such a voice or if you had to work on it; either way, it goes a long way in making your students feel at ease and safe.
~ Lynne L, Gautier, Mississippi

Taught me to be a better counselor and brought me to a much greater understanding of myself

I had the Client Centered Therapy Model taught to me many years ago when I took my master’s in psychology, and I remember at the time, it being somewhat hard to grasp or understand because of the way it was being presented to me. However, in Teresa’s class, I was so surprised how this model of therapy came to life for me! In taking this class, I began to understand the wonderful spirituality of this model, which is based on the trust that the person’s own inner wisdom will show us the path. And then I had opportunities to see that in action and it really was a powerful experience ! I do also believe that in Pet Loss Grief Counseling, for example, this can be a really valuable skill, to help the client in a gentle, non-invasive, respectful way, to tap into their own inner wisdom and come up with useful insight and ultimately resolution.

Teresa’s handouts were very extensive and, equally important, were her pages of ‘bullet points,’ where she was able to distill down, many of the skills involved in this modality. She would dive in deep into the material, bring it to life, then give us summaries on each of the elements, as a practice guide. And of course, the wonderful practice sessions, where I met over the phone with one of the students, role-playing both client and counselor, were really an intense learning experience. The practice sessions really pulled everything together, showed how it would be both as client and counselor.

Also very significant for me was when she did a special guided meditation in our last class, to help us to be able to spiritually process and let go of the troubling images and experiences we might have, in the field of animal advocacy. I had requested this due to some troubling memories I had had which haunted me for years and thru her meditation, I was able to get some healing and closure on this….and some really surprising elements came up for me during this time.

All of Teresa’s classes are unlike any other I have taken, and I have taken a lot of classes in my life. Each of these classes could, to me, be a textbook unto itself.Her unique and brilliant teach ability is an experience like no other, for me. She has the talent of not only teaching thoughts and ideas but also of reaching the hearts of both people and animals….

Teresa’s wonderful spirit, heart, personality, her healing presence and non-judgemental wisdom and kindness, drew me to take these classes. And her love of teaching and profound intellect, everything she shares with the class, is so invaluable to me. Many years ago, her beautiful soft pink and blue website ( animalsinourhearts.com ), the soulful music and the information on the site, coupled with her great love of animals, really drew me in. That website was a regular stop of mine. It is a tiny slice of heaven where no one was mean or cruel, and you felt instantly ‘home,’ in the company of a person who treasured animals as much as I did, not an easy feat in this day and age. Fast forward to today, I never realized back then that I would start taking her classes, but I am so glad I did ! And look forward to taking more of them.

I thoroughly enjoyed Ruah Bull and her discussion of The Red Thread which runs through all of our lives. That was so simple and yet so very true and meant a lot to me. I also liked her discussion of Native American Shamanism, dealing with difficult clients and her candor in sharing her own belief system, describing her journey thru her fascinating spiritual path. I also liked her website and will be back to visit it, again. She also shared very good information on spiritual grounding and how to practice protection prior to client sessions. Most of all, I loved her spirit and her voice and its not surprising that she and Teresa are good friends. I feel that they are highly evolved, nonjudgmental, very kind souls, with a lot in common, who really walk-the-walk and have been through a lot of self exploration to get to this point, where they can teach others.

I am already using all the counseling skills, broad strokes and subtle nuances, that I learned in the class. Spending time with Teresa and her wonderful students, as well as the whole course, taught me to be a better counselor and brought me to a much greater understanding of myself, as has happened to me in all of her classes. Teresa, truly is one in a million, as a teacher, counselor, mentor and person. I am so very glad I met her, albeit long distance!
~ Mary Jane F, Florida

 

 

Content and Purpose

I am in awe and deeply grateful for all I have learned from the animals about death, including what so many of them describe about what it is like for animals’ souls in the spirit world. Their stories about the afterlife of animals have humbled me, touched me, and have made me utterly unafraid of death. It is a great privilege to talk with both the animals and their people during these sacred transitions.

This teleclass was created at the request of many clients who longed to understand more about the afterlife of animals and stories about what happens to our beloved animals after death. There is perhaps nothing as sobering as the severe illness or physical death of a loved one to bring on a crisis of faith or an inner questioning of our spiritual belief systems. We may ask ourselves—for the first time or perhaps the 100th time—what do I really believe happens when we die? What happens to animals? Is it the same as with us? Are animals’ souls the same as ours? Different? Who are they with? What are they doing? Can we still talk? Will we be together again?

This class is ideal for anyone who wants the answers to these questions, directly from the animals, to enhance their understanding about the diversity of of animals’ experiences at death, on the other side, and in coming back to earth. The class does not include the dogma of any particular religious, spiritual or metaphysical belief system. You will not be told things about death and afterlife as it if they are the ultimate, final or exclusive truth. Rather, you will hear stories from the animals about the afterlife of animals offered as information to help you clarify your own beliefs, and to be inspired by the animals themselves.

I believe strongly, and have seen evidence of this within myself and with many clients, that having a strong sense of faith, belief or understanding about death and life beyond earth can bring great comfort during the poignant and emotionally challenging time of grief and anticipatory grief. However, this class does not impose a particular belief system. It simply offers a great deal of information, heard over many years from the animals, to be considered by the listener.

If you would like to hear stories from the animals to enhance and perhaps increase your understanding about the afterlife of animals and the mystery of souls coming to and leaving the earth, this teleclass is appropriate for you. My hope is that it serves to bring you more comfort and peace during the inevitable and often painful times of losing your animal loved ones.

 

Issues that are addressed in this two session teleclass about the afterlife of animals include:

• What Have the Animals Said About What Death Is Like?
• Is every experience the same, or are there differences?
• Are there trends of similar things for most animals?
• Who meets them, who are they with?

• Where Do They Go?
• How do They Describe Heaven/The Other Side?
• What does it look like? Feel like?

• What Do They Do?
• What goes on there?
• Is the afterlife of animals different from the afterlife of humans?

• Do They Miss Us? See us? Visit Us?
• Does it disturb them if I connect with them a lot?
• If I cry or grieve a lot?
• If I sense them visiting me, does this mean they are stuck and haven’t moved on?

• Do Animals Have Souls?
• If so, are they the same as human souls?
• Is there a hierarchy of souls?
• Can animals become human, can humans become animals?

• Will We Be Together Again With the Animals We have Loved and Lost?
• If they come back, will they be the same? different?
• How will I know it’s them?

• Is there a difference between soul family and earth family?

• If there is reincarnation, what do souls do between lives, what choices do they make?

 

Testimonials

I can listen to her on a soul level and grow
Teresa is so gentle and kind in her delivery. And the stories that she shared were beautiful. I can listen to her on a soul level and grow.
~ Toni P, California

Liked the opportunity after class to hear everyone’s experiences
I wasn’t really expecting anything from this class, I was just curious. I ended up enjoying the classes very much and came away with a lot of helpful information and a lot to think about. Teresa presented the material very well. I also liked how she asked people in the class to relate their personal experiences, and the opportunity after class to hear everyone’s perspectives.
~ Jeanine G, Ohio

Affirming, reassuring, heartwarming, and perspective shifting
Teresa’s choices what to share of the animal perspectives were great. They were a combination of affirming, reassuring, heartwarming, and perspective shifting. I could feel Teresa’s thoughtfulness and gentle presence, which is so wonderful to be with. I also enjoyed being with a group of like minded people.
~ Julie L, Wisconsin

Satisfying, confirming and enlightening
Heard so many things that reassured me and I believe will make my future losses far easier, at least on the spiritual level. So satisfying, confirming and enlightening.
~Judy T, California

A privilege and an honor to attend
Teresa is a wonderful teacher, and the class was as spiritual as I expected. I truly enjoyed envisioning the others in the group, and knowing that we all came together to share this moment for ourselves, and of course for the animals. It was a privilege and an honor to attend.
~ Linda W, North Carolina

I really enjoyed the class
I learned new information and feel very reassured about facing the death of not only my pets, but other loved ones as well.
~ Lori H.

I felt very fulfilled and grateful after hearing Teresa’s shared stories
Teresa is a wonderful role model as an animal communicator and also her gentle and encouraging way of being in the world inspires me to become softer and kinder as I embrace each day.  I value the information Teresa shared in this teleclass from her years of experience in this field. I truly admire her particular style in speaking with the animals that have crossed over and their people and in creating such a safe and loving arena for all concerned.
~  Judy W, Illinois

What an incredibly satisfying journey Teresa has taken us on during this teleclass
Her gentle presentations of her client’s stories lead me through a range of emotions – from laughter, to tears, to quiet reflection. I am richer and wiser for having taken this class, and yet I am deeply humbled by the profound wisdom and unconditional love of our beloved animal companions. I understand more clearly, now, that quote about the best and most beautiful things in this life cannot be seen or even touched – they must be felt with the heart. The class exceeded my expectations. Teresa has a fantastic ability to take thought-provoking topics and present them in a straightforward fashion. Her ability to mix humor into her presentation of the afterlife of animals is outstanding! She paces content and delivers it at an appropriate level for all to understand. Responds well to questions posed.
~ Davidene T.

Look forward to more classes of hers
I LOVE Teresa, she just makes everything so easy even in a difficult situation. I look forward to more classes of hers.”
~ Dana L, California

Use of clients’ stories helped keep the presentation real
With the use of real stories from her client base, Teresa presented a comforting view of death from the animal’s perspective. Her wealth of experience as an animal communicator and her use of clients’ stories helped keep the presentation real. The pace and organization of her presentation was exactly right.
~ Kath Q, Georgia

Learned a great deal!
Thanks for having this class that addressed questions many of us were wondering within ourselves.
~ Tina T, Oklahoma

 

 

Objectives

In this class you will have an opportunity to:

• Reflect upon the meaning, purpose and rewards you derive from your work and the contributions you make
• Understand the definitions and symptoms of burnout, trauma and PTSD and how these differ from compassion fatigue
• Become familiar with the factors that impact the severity of compassion fatigue and what makes us most vulnerable to it
• Complete and reflect upon standardized self assessment tests on compassion fatigue, as well self assessments on job stressors such as heartbreak and sadness, clients with unrealistic expectations and/or challenging attitudes, and workplace stressors
• Become familiar with the Veterinary Field Compassion Satisfaction and Compassion Fatigue research
• Identify the top ten resiliency skills needed to prevent, cope with and heal compassion fatigue
• Become familiar with and practice several strategies to cope with and heal compassion fatigue, both as pre-class work and during the class.
• Increase your knowledge of a range of compassion fatigue support resources

Content and Purpose

Feeling love for animals is easy. Acting on a strong and genuine desire to help animals and the people who love them and mourn for them is commendable. Feeling our own pain in response to their suffering, however, can be overwhelming. When we love animals deeply, when we are sensitive to the pain of people and animals who are hurting and are exposed to their suffering we can become depleted. Whatever our roles to help animals and their people, exposure to their pain—hearing about and witnessing their stress and trauma—can create very real physical, emotional or spiritual fatigue. Compassion can hurt. The compassion fatigue of pet loss grief counselors is real.

Compassion fatigue is an issue of importance for all people who have devoted their lives, their careers or their volunteer time to helping animals and/or the people who care about them: Those who work in animal shelters, rescue, sanctuary and advocacy organizations, those who provide grief support for people who have lost their beloved animals, those who work tirelessly in the animal rights and animal welfare fields, those who work in veterinary medicine and other animal services.

For those who directly help animals and the people who love them, who work tirelessly to save their lives and make their lives better, and those who support animals and humans in grief and trauma, the probability of experiencing compassion fatigue is high. Moreover, because clients who are experiencing grief from the loss of animals are almost always in emotional pain, and often in trauma, the risk of compassion fatigue of pet loss grief counselors is high. From research in the traumatology field we’ve learned that people who are involved with trauma victims are at high risk of experiencing secondary traumatic stress, commonly called compassion fatigue. Compassion fatigue is the unique form of stress experienced only by people helping, treating or supporting trauma victims. It is different from the stress and burnout in that its cause is always related to caring and exposure to others’ crisis.

It takes dedicated, strong, empathic, compassionate and loving people to endure the on-going exposure to the stress and pain of the animals and people they serve. These dedicated, strong, empathic and loving people need support. They need comfort, nurturing, understanding and rejuvenation to continue their work and to lead healthy lives.

 This class provides in-depth, hands-on education to learn not only everyday coping techniques but long term healing strategies as well.

Testimonials

I learned what to do about my feelings, how to recognize them and how to heal

I really got in touch with feelings and emotions that I had not felt in years, and in a way that I knew exactly what was going on, how to deal with it and how to heal myself in the future. The class is packed with invaluable information, as well as many opportunities to actually experience some of the healing remedies incorporating art, music, journaling, the ‘inventory’ of the current sources of strength in our own lives, what roles are fulfilled by what person, etc. and the sharing of thoughts and ideas. The tools have been invaluable and the amount of information and experiential opportunities was, to me, on the level of a class in a master’s degree program.

One of the highlights was reading Trauma Stewardship and then actually having a presentation from the author Laura van Der Noot Lipsky.  And I always treasure the chance to spend time with Teresa, a unique and beautiful spirit.

A very powerful, profound experience where I not only got a lot of information, but I found pieces of my heart and soul that I didn’t know were missing! That is such a gift to me.

The materials were fabulous. The handouts and the book, were absolutely amazing. It’s very hard to get me ‘out of my head,’ and Teresa managed to do that and at the same time, teach me valuable and unforgettable lessons. I will never forget this experience and look forward to more classes. This was not just a class, but a memorable gift that will stay with me forever. The whole class and everything in it, plus the beautiful spirit, to me, is Teresa.
~ MaryJane F, Florida

 


My most significant learning was the impact of art therapy and music

The class offers a plethora of tools for compassion fatigue. I love that you offered EFT! You gave so much information that is so helpful, and so much insight. And the guest speaker, Laura van Dernoot Lipsky was fantastic! I took away a lot from her, especially her “eyes wide open” concept. I would recommend this class to others because Teresa is so gifted in understanding the language of animals and the unspoken language of those that work with animals and are susceptible to compassion fatigue. Teresa is a gift to the animal world and those that work with animals!
~ Julie S, New York

 

I learned so many tools that I can use in my life to address grief, anger, guilt, etc.
My most significant learning from this class was EFT. It was so helpful and easy—with measurable results!  I loved the guided meditations and sensory rejuvenation. Teresa IS the class! She shares her years of education and experience in such loving manner–she truly cares about each of us!
~ Annette H, California

 

Incredibly useful presentation of this very important topic! 

Tools were well presented in a very accessible way. I’ve done other compassion fatigue courses, and really think is the best overview I’ve seen so far. As always, Teresa was an amazing instructor and mentor!
~ Donald A, Oregon

 


I will recommend this class to others because it helps you know you’re not alone and that there are things that can be done to help yourself 

This class brought up things I hadn’t dealt with and didn’t know were a hidden problem. Working on one issue brought out others and a pattern I had repeated. I had forgotten to even try to do positive things to fill the holes with good.

The art was the most revealing for me. It does help me to go beyond words to express feelings. I see that it would be beneficial to do this regularly. It’s a positive release. I also started a gratitude diary. I especially love the handouts that come with our class. Going back over them helps me see things I’ve either forgotten or didn’t seem real the first time.

Thank you for all the work and thought you put into this class. As always, there are precious life lessons in it. I’m sad that the class is over. The way Teresa does her classes is very personal to the people taking the class. She takes time for individual issues and questions. I don’t think other instructors would be as kind and gentle with their reaching. She’s also good at keeping on track but allowing for personal questions.
~ Linda K, California

 


The tools, insights, and validations from this class are with me daily
They are part of my life and changing my relationship to myself for the best of me. The class helped validate my behaviors and feelings when I am fatigued. This helped me begin to develop a more compassionate, realistic attitude toward myself.

It made a huge difference in my life right away. I am daily integrating and using so many of the tools. For example, I said something I thought was not too skillful to someone recently and felt my judgement of myself. I then did EFT saying to myself I was worthy of forgiveness. I felt the judgement slip away. Later I called this person and we had a wonderful connection.

Teresa has an extraordinary ability to hold the class and each member in her heart and listen. It is this ability that brings this class to touch our hearts and make a real difference in our lives. Many, many thanks to you Teresa.
~ Mallory V, California

 


The handouts are rich with wonderful information

The suggested resources list is great, as well. My most significant learning from this class was to be gentle with myself because I have a tendency to judge myself. This class benefits us by offering ways to take care of ourselves while caring for and about other individuals and the world. I also really enjoyed Laura’s book and time with us. I had a lot of awareness shifts reading her book and listening to her speak.
~ Julie L, Wisconsin

 

 

Objectives

In this class you will have an opportunity to:

• Acquire a solid, psychological understanding of trauma, traumatic bereavement, post-traumatic stress, complex post-traumatic stress, the reactions and symptoms involved, and how trauma impacts pet loss and grief support
• Develop an understanding of the unique trauma resulting from special circumstances such as sudden, unexpected or violent deaths, multiple losses, missing animals, moral dilemmas and the corresponding unique needs of grievers to such circumstances
• Explore and review and  your personal trauma history by creating a loss and trauma history graph
• Build an acute understanding of how your own trauma experiences can impact your effectiveness in supporting others—-both positively and potentially negatively
• Learn strategies to constructively deal with personal triggers from your own trauma history that arise when interacting with and supporting a client
• Become familiar with the four elements of effective facilitation of helping others and how to apply them when supporting clients
• Acquire a thorough understanding of the eight steps necessary for providing effective and safe support of clients in trauma
• Learn the ethical and legal importance of referring clients to a therapist when their needs exceed your expertise or scope of practice, and the guidelines for helping them choose a grief counselor for pet loss
• Become familiar with specific tools and resources to share with clients which are known to support coping and healing from trauma

The class process includes presentations, dozens of handouts of information and exercises, discussion, reading material and private exercises to complete between class sessions.

Content and Purpose:

Trauma can make us feel like we have lost our footing and our place in the world. A life that once felt safe, normal or rewarding may now seem fragile or like a lifeless vacuum. Nothing may seem the same. Life as it was may be gone. Our sense of security may have disappeared. It can make us feel afraid and even terrorized. A cherished, fundamental source of love may have been stripped away, which is a typical way in which trauma impacts pet loss and grief support. Traumatic loss can make us feel unhinged, ungrounded, paralyzed, unsure, unsafe, vulnerable, alone, and wondering why the rest of the world goes on while we question whether we can. Some forms of trauma, such as abuse and abandonment, can create deep-seated, unconscious beliefs that we are unlovable, unworthy and that life may always be in some ways unsafe.

Helping people and animals with trauma requires a special sensitivity to their unique needs, an understanding of trauma reactions, as well as an ability to remain not merely loving and compassionate, but calm, highly empathic and fully present no matter how intense the clients’ pain, no matter how frenzied or off center their energies may be or how disturbing their stories may seem.

Effectively supporting people and animals who are in trauma requires knowing when to help them stabilize and cope and when to guide them to go more deeply to heal. It means always knowing that no matter what healing tools we have in our repertoire of expertise, our ability to gauge what the client needs at any moment must precede offering tools, and that building and maintaining trust is foremost. While this is true in all helping relationships, it is crucial with those in trauma.

The work of internationally recognized trauma specialists Jasmine Cori, M.S., Judith Herman, M.D., Aphrodite Matsakis, Ph.D., Babette Rothschild, M.S.W., Therese Rando, PhD., Edward K. Rynearson, M.D. and John Wilson, Ph.D. are referenced and incorporated into the content of the class to help us further understand and help our clients when trauma impacts pet loss and grief support. A detailed list of further reading and resources list is provided for future reference and learning.

For further skill building in helping clients impacted by trauma, you may be interested in our Essential Counseling Skills class.

Testimonials

The class was very thorough and thoughtfully put together?
Teresa has a unique gift for teaching others how to help those suffering from life traumas. This is not easy work, as there are so many delicate layers involved, but Teresa breaks it down in a way that is easy to digest and put into practice.
~ Lorraine K, Falston, Maryland

This was a fantastic class!
So much rich information. I learned many new things. I do believe this class has both deepened and created shifts in awareness. I feel that I learned some really helpful ways to work with clients in trauma. Especially in languaging. For me, it helped me have ways to stay neutral, present and open. And how to gracefully work with “curve balls”–situations that start out as one thing and shift into something else during the session. This was a fantastic class! I will definitely use the materials again and again. I would recommend this course to others. As always, Teresa is a wonderful instructor/guide/facilitator, Dr. Stephanie LaFarge was probably the other highlight for me. I enjoyed the program, and wish it was longer :).
~ Julie L, Madison, Wisconsin

Learned more than I ever expected?
I learned that the situations I thought of as “just life” were actual traumas deserving of healing, not just coping. Loved the exercises and referrals. Opened me up to understanding how we can be traumatized and all of the various methods of healing. I am in awe of Teresa’s knowledge of both clinical and healing arts worlds and I have never met a more empathetic, loving person…and adore her love of animals!
~ Henriette A, Palm Desert, California

It helped me get even clearer about the importance of language, tone, what is said, and how it’s said
The exercises that focused on our own trauma were extremely helpful. They not only helped me to recognize the degree of trauma I’ve experienced in my life (both minor and major), but also enabled me to view the trauma from the place of a compassionate witness rather than becoming entrenched in the past experiences or memories. This created an overall feeling of space and compassion for myself and all I have been through, rather than judgment. The class also helped me recognize how my personal traumas could impact my work with my clients, both in a positive way (from a place of compassion because I, too, have experienced trauma) and in an unhelpful way (if my own traumas have not been resolved).

It helped me get even clearer about the importance of language, tone, what is said, and how it’s said when helping clients with trauma. Being aware of the the importance of softness of voice; using language and questions that empower rather than lead/direct the client; helping the client to feel safe and supported; and being aware of the importance of being fully present for the client were all helpful reminders.

My most significant learning from this class was the importance of ensuring that the client feels empowered, heard, supported and safe.

The handouts were superb! I appreciate all of the time and energy that were put into preparing such detailed, well-researched and professional handouts. I loved the quotations that were included. The handouts contained a wealth of helpful information and will be an excellent resource for me to refer back to. I found these very helpful, especially the examples of what might be said to a client. it was really helpful to see the different types of possible responses and to look more closely at why some were more appropriate than others.

Teresa is a superb teacher and communicator. She compassionately holds the space for class participants and has a beautiful way of expressing her thoughts. She is non-judgmental which makes participants feel comfortable in expressing their thoughts, feelings and opinions.
~ Dixie G, North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

 

Five stars!
This class was amazing, very powerful. I learned so much about trauma, grief and the ways to address this in helping others. The quality, scope and depth of this class was far beyond what I had expected (and I had high expectations!) They were a wealth of knowledge that I could not have found anywhere else. The quality, depth and breadth of the material was Ph.D level…and I was so happy to have it. Handouts were invaluable.

I learned that trauma and post trauma stress has many layers and components. and how trauma’s effects can create a sense of disempowerment and disconnectedness for the person.

It was very helpful to understand that working thru my own issues is very important. You can be accidentally triggered by things you might hear….and how to stay present with the client and then deal, later, with your own reactions to this, with a friend or mentor.

This class was a wonderful, multi-faceted learning experience for me….now I want more ! And it was, by the way, so wonderful to be around very evolved people who love and respect animals…the energy was very healing for me, just being around that. I think that this class opened a whole new world of things for me to learn. It not only taught me many new ways to look at trauma and loss, but also I learned the critical factors needed to have a successful client/helper interaction around this subject.

Teresa, is a treasure…her energy and beautiful spirit is on a level I seldom get to experience. The way she set up this class, and taught it, was comprehensive, on a very high level, very clear and was not just a ‘class’ but also a very powerful experience for me. It simply would not have been the same without her. She is a rare breed of highly developed intellect and a truly evolved soul that I was honored to spend time with. Bless you for all you do for the animals Teresa. You are truly one in a million and we are all very lucky to be able to share in your wisdom and insight on animals and on ourselves. I also got so much out of the insights and comments of the other people who were on the line. And although we only got to scratch the surface with Stephanie LaFarge, she was a wonderful addition to the course as well.
Stephanie was excellent. She showed us a glimpse of the terrible and wonderful world of helping animals and responders. It’s not often that we get the opportunity to spend time with someone of her experience and caliber in the animal advocacy field.

I could go on and on…I learned so much about trauma and about myself and the individual animal beings we share our lives with. Five stars!….definitely I would recommend this to anyone I know in this field.
~ Faye T, Miami, Florida

 

Objectives

In this class you will have an opportunity to:

• Acquire an understanding of how animal communication works as a natural extension of intuition and empathy
• Become familiar with the specific benefits—for both animals and humans—of using animal communication during illness, hospice, periods of grief, and after death
• Learn the ethics involved in animal communication, including how it should never, ever be used as a substitute for veterinary care
• Identify the distinction between animal communication as interactive conversations with animals, opposed to one-way psychic readings and animal archetypes about animals
• Become familiar with the values, beliefs and assumptions which contribute to animal communication working effectively, clearly, accurately and in a mutually beneficial manner for all parties involved
• Learn directly from people who share their personal stories about how animal communication benefited them and their animals during times of illness, at end-of-life, during grief and after death
• Become familiar with further resources to learn more about animal communication

Content and Purpose

Learning that our animals are seriously ill or near end-of-life can begin a period of great challenge. We may be scared, confused, overwhelmed, become paralyzed by shock or bury ourselves in research about medical options (sometimes not just to gather information but to avoid our feelings)—all of which is normal. It is hard to remain emotionally centered and present during such times. Though animal communication is certainly not a panacea that can cure illness or make the loss of our animal loved ones emotionally painless, it does hold tremendous potential to make these sacred times with our animals more informed, more intimate, filled with more meaning than fear, and provide us with more confidence as we make decisions for our animals’ care when we have their opinion and perspective.

As vital as the information is about the physical health and behavior of our animals—and animal communication is never meant to replace this—information that is intuitively derived provides us with facts and feelings directly from the animals. It provides us with information beyond biology and behavior for a more whole and complete picture of what is happening with our animal during times of illness and end-of-life.

Animal Communication can help us:

• Gain clarity about how they feel, both psychically and emotionally
• Learn what they want—from day to day comfort needs to when they may or may not want assistance with dying
• Get their description of what good quality of life is for them at any given point in time, from their perspective, not ours
• Prepare them for treatments and procedures to reduce anxiety and fear rather than allowing treatments to happen “to them” without any warning or prior explanation
• Receive answers to questions we or our veterinarians may have such as: Where is the pain? Is it sharp or more like an ache? How long has it been there? Do you feel better since receiving the new medication last week?
• End confusion and calm overwhelm by explaining all that is happening and answering their questions
• Bring the energy of grace to what can be one of the most difficult experiences of our lives.

 

Important Clarification: When Not to Use Animal Communication
Animal communication should never be used as a substitute for veterinary care. Animal communication can help us gain information about our animals’ perspective of their physical health. It can help us get answers to questions about their physical symptoms and help us know how they are feeling emotionally. Though this type of information can assist with veterinary care, animal communication should never, ever be used instead of medical diagnoses or medical care. If your animal is physically ill, seek veterinary medical care. To further understand the ethical use of animal communication, you may be interested in the class Introduction to Telepathic Animal Communication.

Testimonials

I will definitely be recommending this class to my clients 

Just hearing the stories on Day #2 could bring a lot of assurance for people who find themselves dealing with life and death issues with their pets.

I currently work with a number of clients who have pets with tumors/cancers, seizures, insomnia and other ailments. It is an emotional time for them and I do my best to be a good listener, to provide encouragement, to assure them that their pet appreciates and loves them and to give them their pet’s point of view. With the information and experiences provided during the workshop, I feel better prepared to assist people and pets as they go through illness and end of life experiences.

I already utilize many of the basic strategies. However, this class gave me more details, more ideas, more options to provide to pet parents dealing with illness and end of life situations. It was very affirming for me to hear what Teresa had to say as well as the stories by the 6 guests on the second day.

Teresa is very easy to listen to and did a very good job in presentation. You can feel the warm, loving energy in her voice and I felt very aligned with the information that she presented. It was a topic that was very timely for me.
~ Eileen A, Honolulu, Hawaii

 

I loved hearing others stories/experiences

Made me feel like I’m not alone, that we all go through different levels of grief. You’re amazing and I love you Teresa. Thank you for sharing your gifts with the world. We couldn’t have gone through our grief and help our animals without you!
~ Gina W, Dearborn, Michigan

 

Its value cannot even be measured
What was so valuable was hearing other people’s specific experiences in order to better understand the breadth of them AND to really hear how people FELT when their animal let them know what he/she needed. Discussing/acknowledging the grieving process is sooo helpful. Any information or relaying of experiences by others helps to expand my deepening understanding of animal communication.
Handouts very comprehensive, well written and beautifully illustrated. I also liked the clarity in the handouts about what animal communication “is” and “is not”. Teresa did a wonderful job of taking that deeper during Class 1.

References are very much appreciated. Teresa was amazing. Clear, kind, so very experienced, generous, organized. The end meditation was wonderful.
~ Laura-Michelle I, Esperance, New York

 

The class is priceless!
The information is pertinent, well organized and plentiful. Connecting with other kindred spirits is comforting. One participant shared his feelings of being closer to his beloved cat(s), than to human family members. What a relief to know that other humans experience an emotional inter species bond, as I do!

It is relevant, that we are able to respect our animal’s wishes, rather than guess, and regret. When a pet expresses whether or not they are ‘ready’ to leave their body, it relieves the worry and pressure, of questioning if we acted too soon, or prolonged pain and suffering too long. Animal communication provides peace of mind, during the entire process, from initial illness diagnosis, extent of treatment provided, thru death. If they need assistance to make the transition, guilt is not a factor. We are merely following what they want, with unconditional love. We grieve, yet stay connected, despite the lack of physical presence.

My most significant learning from this class is that despite the common theme of death and grieving pet loss, every experience is unique. Everybody deals in their own manner, on their own timeline, and from the context of their personal frame of reference. I learned to be non judgmental. There is no right or wrong way to feel. Grieving is a process that we must go thru, as a result of having loved. Love outlasts grief. It is the strongest emotion and force on earth.

Since I am more visual than auditory, the handouts are a great resource to process and review the information. They are available to print, and retain for future reference. The text, interspersed with graphics, relays the information with clarity, in perfect ratio. I personally love the handouts, save them, review details regularly, and absorb more deeply, with an accompanying AHA moment!

Teresa is a natural facilitator. She is an eloquent teacher, who presents material with sensitivity and wisdom. Teresa is both a creator and catalyst, who brings the class to life! Her innate empathy balances delicate emotional issues with ease and grace. The learning flows ~

I would highly recommend this on-demand class. It would be helpful for anybody who has a pet, has ever lost a pet, is facing difficult decisions regarding treatment, surgical intervention, and end of life decisions. So important for an animal to be informed of what to expect, and give consent, before each procedure, in the interest of alleviating fear and respecting their wishes. Furthermore, when there are surviving animals, we need to provide them with closure, explaining what happened to a deceased household member, and ask how they feel about getting another pet and, if so, when?
~ Arlene M, Huntington, New York

 

Overall value incomparable to anything I have studied
I realized for the first time how important it is to have a three-way conversation with the animals, communicator, and human guardian. I had also not before considered how important it is to communicate during times of illness, and hospice.

Teresa, your classes are always phenomenal. The handouts were excellent! Teresa is phenomenal! Her compassion, caring, love and knowledge are beyond compare. We all have stories. However, these guest speakers went above the call to share extremely painful and powerful experiences. I thank them all!
~ Janet D, Union City, California

 

Teresa is a Master Teacher in this area
This class deepened my understanding of animal communication during hospice and palliative care.
I loved the depth of details, ie., asking the animals their preferences and explaining procedures in advance, the handouts, and the varied experiences of the guest speakers. I was also greatly impacted by the story of Walker, the wolf-hybrid, and the challenging journey he and his companion shared together.

The handouts Teresa provides are a guide to follow and the pictures/graphics make an idea memorable.
Experience counts, and Teresa’s loving spirit is legendary! I have purchased other on-demand classes and always love the depth that is presented. I have attended 3-day workshops by other animal communicators on this same subject that left me asking why did I bother.
~ Catherine G, San Francisco, California

 

This class has reinforced many beliefs, feelings and hopes
Just being with those I would consider “my tribe” was worth every minute, every penny…but I also learned so much! I have 5 dogs currently over the age of 8 and I know I will use this information help when the time comes.

I was already of the belief that animal communication would help me find out whether my animal might want help to leave this world, but I have now learned there is an “art” to helping them leave as well…how to make it as beautiful as possible.

I think the MOST significant learning was that there can be an “art” in helping my beloved animals transition. I can now consider this individually for my animals when the time comes – how and what to do to help based on that particular animal.

Teresa, as always, was the BEST teacher ever! Intelligent, compassionate – even with the small discussion at the end of session 2 about compassionate gardening…I am dealing with this very problem and now I have a solution! I will also be purchasing the book Perelandra – Thank you!

OMG! Craig Seemans story has given me great hope as to my chances of finding my beloved Zowie when he returns! And Birgit’s description of how she helped Ala pass has given my hope and ideas of how to best handle the inevitable. All of the speakers gave something of value!
~ Annette H, Canyon Lake, CA

 

Objectives

In this class you will have an opportunity to:

• Explore the differences between viewing animals through a biocentric lens versus an anthropocentric lens, and the impact each has on animals receiving support for their grief
• Become familiar with how both scientific and new age myths about animals not experiencing grief contribute to the suffering of animals
• Increase your understanding of how animals each grieve differently and uniquely—just as humans do
• Identify common circumstances that often trigger grief and grief related stress for animals
• Become familiar with dozens of true stories of animals who have experienced grieving—from elephants, whales, dolphins, chimpanzees, cows, and goats to dogs, cats, birds and horses living with humans
• Examine specific ways in which you can anticipate and prevent potential grief and grief-related stress and trauma for animals
• Learn specific ways to help animals cope with and heal through loss to help mitigate their stress and emotional pain from grief and rehoming when they have lost their human and/or animal families, friends or their home
• Identify the most common mistakes people make regarding their animal’s care in the event of their death or incapacitation, and specific ways to avoid making those mistakes
• Learn how to make plans to insure that the animals you love will continue to be loved and cared for, receiving the physical guardianship, financial support and emotional support you want them to have in the event of your death or incapacitation
• Learn how to send love, calming and peaceful healing energy to any animal who is grieving or in distress, in any location, at any time

Content and Purpose

T he purpose of this class is to help humans become more aware of and sensitive to the very real grief that animals experience, and how to plan for and provide support for their grief-related stress and trauma in various situations of loss and transition, including rehoming. The class also provides detailed information about how to leave a legacy of both physical guardianship and emotional support for our animal’s care if we predecease them or can no longer care for them. Though this class is for human participants and human learning, it is ultimately a class which serves the animals because it teaches us how to prevent and/or mitigate the stress and trauma that is often involved when animals grieve.

When I began my professional animal communication practice in 1991, I learned two things fairly quickly: That animals experience the same emotional range as humans, and that they are each unique in the way they experience and express their emotions—just like humans.

Anthropologists and scientists at times concede that some animals might grieve given observed behaviors, but there must be research to “prove” it. They seem reluctant to acknowledge that anything that cannot be proven in physically measurable terms can’t possibly be real, and that somehow only animals with brains the size of human brains or larger may have much emotional capacity. On the other end of the continuum, in new age literature and teachings, erroneous myths and assumptions abound that animals either don’t feel grief because “they all live in the moment and do not hold onto any emotions,” or they get over it quickly, based on theories that animals are “more evolved” than humans and so they do not experience any emotional suffering. Neither of these positions—scientific or new age— is aligned with what I’ve heard from thousands of animals over the years who have grieved deeply when abandoned or lost loved ones. More importantly, neither of these positions serve the animals who suffer loss, trauma and grief because both tell a story that most, if not all, animals don’t even experience grief.

The idea that animals do not grieve or suffer from loss is typically circulated by people who don’t communicate with animals, or who believe that animals are “lesser beings” than humans. When we do talk with animals, having full, interactive conversations with those who have experienced loss, carefully listening to their stories and being open to fully witness their pain, it is abundantly clear that they grieve. Sometimes their grief is so obvious from observation alone that only a closed-hearted, closed-minded person who believes only what science can measure would deny that the animal’s grief is real. There is no hierarchy amongst species regarding who grieves. All beings grieve. To know this, we must acknowledge that some truths in the world are perceived and felt by the heart, not by the intellectual mind or by scientific proof.

In this class we’ll discuss dozens of true stories of animals who have experienced grieving—from elephants, whales, dolphins, chimpanzees and snakes in the wild to dogs, cats, birds, horses, cows and goats living with humans. We’ll review specific ways to support animals who are grieving, whether it’s helping your own companion animals through the loss of a family member (animal or human), helping your adopted rescue animals cope and heal from their losses and grief from their past, wild animals grieving the loss of loved ones from natural death, natural disasters, intentional human killing or from being kidnapped and forced to live in captivity. We’ll discuss ways in which we can anticipate and plan for potential grief and grief-related stress of our animal companions to help mitigate their stress and emotional pain. We’ll also review ways in which we can help wild animals who are grieving even without being anywhere close to their physical location.

You might also be interested in the related class Animals Perspectives and Stories about Death, The Other Side and Coming Back.

 

 

Testimonials

EVERYONE who cares for an animal should take this class!!

This was a very comprehensive, extremely thorough and detailed class covering the many varied ways and situations where animals do indeed suffer and grieve. Teresa’s always exemplary organization, range of experience, discernments, biocentric perspectives, and deep thought that she put into the topic made this class MORE than worth taking. Despite already having become quite familiar with much of the content through my own path and experience, having it all handily researched and grouped together in her extensive and beautifully presented handouts created an invaluable wealth of information and brilliant tools to keep on hand and work through! Class participation was also helpful and informative.

As ever, Teresa’s soothing voice and gentle guidance throughout helps ease you through most unsettling emotions evoked from the material. I admire, respect and love Teresa and her works SO very much! EVERYONE who cares for an animal, or is asked to be a possible, future guardian, should take this class!!

I can’t say enough about Teresa and her classes,  She always frames things so eloquently and gently, is highly organized, is a fellow deep thinker, is very compassionate, has excellent timing, and delivers such superb value in her classes!

The handouts were excellently done, beautifully illustrated, and most of the quotes/posters used were outstanding and on point!
~ Debra H, Okotoks, Alberta,  Canada

 

Great class!
Topics were interesting and informative. Handouts are great to have for reference and as worksheets. Lots of links to additional resources. I was glad to see that rehoming was included as well as fostering. My most significant learning from the class is that animals are individuals and grief will manifest differently for each of them.  Always great to learn from Teresa’s extensive background and experience.
~ Robin S,  Northridge, California

 

Sending love and calm extremely valuable

The group exercise on sending love and calm was extremely valuable. I tried sending love and calm to shelter dogs today and did feel that it helped them. There was a noticeable difference in temperament from shaking and very shy to relaxed and happy. It works! Thank you so much.
~ Kelly S,  Manchester, Massachusetts

 

I received valuable guidance

It was a simple reminder that all living things have a cause and effect relation in our lives and all living things have a right to their preferences regarding their life and choices. I received valuable guidance that sending love for even just a minute is a valuable tool; sending love and healing to the mass consciousness of all animals would be just as valuable. Her experience with these past issues were very valuable.
~ Kristin W,  Chicago, Illinois

 

Eye opening about how animals grieve

Learned that can help them and that they don’t always show their grief to us even though they are in emotional pain. I also didn’t realize that there is a change in their role in the home. That they can feel confused about their place. I’ve known that the death of my mother and all the turmoil was hard for her dog Tess and with so much going on, there wasn’t a lot of help for her. I better understand now why her behavior changed when I took her home.

The handouts weren’t just information but an excellent workbook for what we need to do. The web sites were an eye opener. What I hadn’t thought about but had experienced was the illustration of Anthropocentrism. It’s true. Teresa was great at guiding the study and input. Brought out a lot of information that we usually don’t think about. The animals and their needs are the focus and the help we need to take care of them was well presented.
~ Linda K, Willits, C
alifornia

 

Really learned how to plan for my animals
I honestly hadn’t give much thought before about how important it is to plan for their care after we are gone. . . but I do now!  I feel very confident that I can now have a very detailed plan for them and know they will be taken care of in the way they deserve if I go before them. I also learn a GREAT deal about how to help when animals grieve and are sad from the loss of an animal and person. Can’t believe how much was packed into this class!  Thank you!
~ Tanya P, Omaha, Nebraska