Pet Bereavement Counselors:
California

Kathleen Ayl, Psy.D.
5737 Kanan Road, Suite 108
Agoura Hills, California 91301

Phone: (818) 735-0667
Email: KShrink777@aol.com
Website: www.griefassociates.com

After receiving my doctorate in Clinical Psychology, I became certified as a Grief Recovery Specialist. I have dedicated my practice to Grief Recovery, with my primary emphasis on Pet Loss Support since 1997. I function as a consultant, lecturer, support group facilitator and writer. I have written two books: Coping With The Loss of Your Pet and Grief And The Veterinary Team, and have been published in Pulse Magazine, an official publication of the Southern Califoria Veterinary Medical Association. I have lectured to several national and international veterinary organizations as well as various colleges and universities. I have Pet Loss Support Groups in and around the Los Angeles, San Fernando Valley, Conejo Valley and Ventura County areas. In addition, I offer individual consultations either in person, by phone or via the internet.

Lorri A. Greene, Ph.D.
Psychologist and Author
2058 Oxford Avenue
Cardiff-by-the-Sea, California 92007

Phone: (760) 436-6798
Fax: (760) 436-6798
Email: LGreene98@aol.com

Psychologist/Author. Ph.D. in clinical psychology. Author of Saying Good-bye to the Pet You Love, which is a self-help book for those who have loved and lost companion animals. License to practice psychology in California as well as a license in marriage family therapy. I offer twice monthly pet loss support groups. Emphasis is placed on both educating participants on the grieving process (using the Kubler-Ross model), as well as allowing participants to share their own personal story. The groups are interactive in nature, allowing everyone time to participate. I also offer individual counseling and therapy for those who wish it. Both modalities are based on sound psychological theories.

Lisa Frankel, Ph.D., MFT
11850 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 201
Los Angeles, California 90025

Phone: (310) 398-9385
E-mail: drfrankel@yahoo.com

Grief Counseling has been a focus in my private practice for almost 25 years. As an animal lover and a surviver of numerous pet losses, I have experienced how profound a connection we can have with our pets, and how wrenching their illness and death can be for us. Grief may be more difficult when complicated by guilt, regret, anger, or unfinished business. Many people get stuck in the grief process, are challenged by depression or anxiety, or may become isolated. Counseling can help people connect and communicate, develop effective life skills, and work through painful feelings, so they can heal and have full meaningful lives again.

I work with individuals, couples and groups in a supportive collaborative way, using both insight and cognitive behavioral therapy. My background in writing and art, and my yoga/meditation practice also influence my work. Reaching out takes courage. I welcome calls or Emails regarding my practice and how I can help.

Julie Tenenberg, MA, MFT
4289 Piedmont Avenue, Suite 205
Oakland, California 94611

Phone: (510) 654-7017
Email: jjuliet@pacbell.net

I am a psychotherapist and a Receive Your Life coach, with 14 years of experience in grief, depression, anxiety and life transition work. My approach is interactive, involving both educational support about the grieving process in a safe environment for each person to find his/her own path through healing grief. I also provide counseling and support for those who are facing end of life decisions for a pet who is dying.

Through my own personal experience since childhood I have experienced the special relationship and bond with animals, and the losses of these very special beings. I work with individuals, couples and families, and do sessions in my office, as well as on the phone.

Bonnie Goodman, MA
220 California Avenue, Suite 120
Palo Alto, California 94306

Phone: (650) 858-0755
Email: BonnieMGoodman@aol.com
Website: www.GoodmanCounseling.com/

Credits: Certificate of Counselor Training (APLB); Nationally Board Certified Thanatologist/Grief Counselor (CT); Certificate of Completion: In Grief and Loss, U.C. Berkeley Extension School.

I have over 20 years of counseling experience. Individual and Couples Grief Counseling is provided in a caring and accepting environment, where people can receive non-judgmental support through the natural stages of their bereavement process. I respect and honor each person’s unique style of grieving, and offer strategies for healing, which will be individually tailored to each pet parents situation and personal style.

Tony Rousmaniere, PsyD
451 Lytton Avenue
Palo Alto, California 94301
944 Market Street, Suite 501
San Francisco, California 94102

Phone: (415) 401-7405
Email: trousmaniere@yahoo.com
Website: www.drtonyr.com/pet-loss

In my practice, I work with adults, children and couples regarding pet loss. Many people feel as much love (or even more) for their pets as they do for their family. I help clients process their grief and any complicating feelings, such as guilt, regret, confusion, depression and anxiety.

I provide short-term and long-term psychotherapy, depending upon your interest and goals. I incorporate a somatic body/mind component into therapy. My style of psychotherapy is open, engaged and collaborative. I am up-front and direct, often using humor to make the path a little easier. The more difficult your challenge, the more important it is to find hope, optimism and joy in yourself. It’s normal and common to be unsure about whether to ask for help. Just remember that you are not alone, and help is available. I have offices in San Francisco and Palo Alto, and I also run one Pet Loss Support Group for the Palo Alto Humane Society and one in San Francisco.

Melissa Lopez, MSW
97 West Bellevue Drive
Pasadena, California 91101

Phone: (323) 841-9950
Email: Mlopezlcsw@gmail.com

I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker whose speciality is bereavement — including pet loss. Having lost a beloved pet, I recognized that people whose pets die are not given the support that others get, whose family member or partner has died. Yet, pets are our family members and pets often times are partners in our life journey. The loss of a pet can symbolize the loss of unconditional love and acceptance. The void left must be healed before getting another pet. This process allows for one to honor the deceased pet and his or her impact on one’s life.

Cathy Wright, LCSW
595 East Colorado Boulevard, #423
Pasadena, California 91101

Phone: (626) 793-7822
Email: Cathy@petgriefsupport.com
Website: www.petgriefsupport.com

All loss can be painful. For some, the loss of a pet may equal the impact of the loss of a dear friend or relative, and the grief that results needs to be recognized and addressed. Pets can be our best friends, our source of comfort and soothing, and the main source of humor in our lives. They can also answer the need to be needed, help link us to other humans, and even serve as the silent, confidential witness to our own troubles. Therapy addresses the meaning of such profound loss, offers comfort for the pain, and helps participants acknowledge and move through the stages of grief.

I have been a psychotherapist for 20 years treating individuals, groups and couples with a wide array of problems and life challenges. I myself have lost a much-loved pet, and I bring the understanding of that loss to my grief work. I offer pet bereavement counseling in group and individual formats.

Ann L. Palik, MFT
3820 Del Amo Boulevard, Suite 208
Torrance, California 90503

Phone: (310) 538-3512
Email: ann@therapy-conscious.com

Our pets give us so much: they listen to our secrets, entertain us, and give us unconditional love. When we lose such an important piece of our lives, it’s often hard to get support because others may not understand why we are so upset about losing “just an animal.” But it’s not whether our loved one was a person or an animal that determines our “right” to be upset. It’s the quality of the relationship and the level of our love. So in addition to sadness, anger, guilt, and perhaps pain from previous losses, we also may feel isolated and all alone with our pain.

If you have lost a special pet, you deserve support. There are issues unique to pet loss that do not exist with other types of losses. Facing the grief all alone can seem overwhelming. But the good news is that with the right support, you can navigate through the feelings and tasks of grieving and readjusting, and, in time, it does get better. I am a licensed marriage and family therapist specializing in grief counseling. I also co-lead a pet loss support group. I have spoken in the community on pet loss, and appeared as a pet loss specialist on the radio program “Talking Animals,” 88.9FM, KUCI, in Irvine.