Am I crazy to hurt so much?      What can I do about my feelings?      Who can I talk to??

COMPREHENSIVE COUNSELING SERVICES

Most American pet owners consider their pets to be members of the family, and well over half spend more time taking their pets to the vet than going to the doctors for themselves. They are also more likely to know the names of their neighbors? pets than the names of their neighbors.

Given the rich and intense relationships most pet owners share with their animal companions, the loss of a pet can be very painful. The loss of a beloved pet can trigger overwhelming feelings of grief and sadness. Physically, you might have trouble sleeping, lose weight, feel tired all the time or have difficulty focusing. Your feelings might surprise you, but should not if you consider all of the things your animal companion brought to your life, chief among them love and affection.

Grieving might take you to your spiritual and emotional edges, so it is often tempting to try to avoid it. Yet the more you are willing to embrace your emotions, the better equipped you are to live and love fully.

Here at The Sunnyside Pet HealthCare Center we are very aware of how devastating the loss of a pet can be for an individual or a family. In recognition of this, our staff includes a professional bereavement counselor, Guglielma Gareri- Goldenberg, LMSW who offers services to anyone who has experienced the death or loss of their pet from any cause.

We also offer counseling services for those clients who may be having difficulty making decisions about ending or prolonging the life of their sick or elderly pet.

GUGLIELMA GARERI-GOLDENBERG, LMSW

A licensed psychotherapist. A graduate of Hunter College School of Social Work and a longtime resident of New York City, she has experience in helping people recover from grief and loss. In addition to her work for Sunnyside, Guglielma is in group practice, and shares her home with her veterinarian husband, son and beloved bulldog, Murphy and dachshund, Toby.

UNDERSTANDING YOUR SADNESS