Directory of Services

As a tribute to all of the pets that I have loved and continue to love, my pet loss support services are provided at no charge.

I know how heartbreaking it is to lose or anticipate losing a cherished pet who has been a family member, best friend, and more. Whether the death was expected or sudden, we are rarely ready for it. You may feel devastated and knocked down by the weight of your grief. You may even feel embarrassed or like there is something wrong with you for feeling so much pain. As a certified pet loss counselor and from my own personal experiences with losing beloved animals, I know there is nothing wrong with you. Grief is a normal reaction to losing a loved one and the depth of your grief is a result of the depth of your love.

I offer:

Acknowledgment of the bond you had with your beloved animal and the heart breaking pain of loss.

Empathy, understanding, and tools for coping with whatever thoughts and feelings you are ready to share, regardless of how confusing or difficult they may be.

Support for taking care of yourself physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Grief can make us hurt in every way. It is especially important now to treat yourself with loving kindness and compassion.

Non-judgmental and caring listening for anything else you want to talk about. My goal is to provide a safe and understanding space where you can share whatever comes up for you as you grieve and remember.

Support is offered by phone nationwide – day, evenings, and weekends. Please visit my website: www.healingpetgrief.com

Together with the support of your Veterinarian, Pet Bereavement Services will help you travel through each phase of grief, be there to listen, and help you arrive at a place of acceptance and resolution. In cases of deep psychological grief Pet Bereavement Services maintains a list of professionals to whom referrals can be made for additional assistance. These specialists include Psychotherapists who are familiar with the complexities of Pet Loss Bereavement.

Education: Colleen Rolland, in addition to an Honours Bachelor’s Degree, and a Master’s Degree, has been certified as a Pet Loss Grief Recovery Specialist through the American Association of Health Care Professionals in 2014, and trained as a Pet Bereavement Counsellor with the renowned Dr. Wallace Sife in 2014, a private practice Psychologist and founder of the Association for Pet Loss and Bereavement (APLB). 

Colleen is the current President of the APLB (2020 – 2024) and is a Training Specialist/Instructor for the Pet Loss Grief Specialist training offered through the APLB.  She co-wrote the new curriculum in 2021 with Dr. Michelle Crossley, PhD, and Ms. Marina Resa; Dr. Crossley is the APLB Vice-President, Training Specialist/Instructor, Board Member and Associate Newsletter Editor, and Ms. Marina Resa is Newsletter Editor,  Training Specialist/Instructor, and Board Member.

As a compassionate heart specialist, I offer individual Healing Heart Workshop I and Advanced Healing Heart Workshop II. In the first workshop, discover and practice a proactive tool, Honor Feelings, Reframe Story to open your heart to the healing power of the flow of compassion. In the second workshop, go beyond simply getting to the other side of grief and find the gifts of the healing process. Both interactive workshops are each 2 hours long, and available through Zoom or in-person in Palos Park, Il. Follow-up sessions are also available. www.drlindaharper.com

Dr. Nancy Curotto has been in private practice for over 20 years and assisting individuals and families coping with anticipated loss, death, and mourning.  Her treatment style is interactive and specially tailored to each client. Dr. Curotto brings to the clinical setting, specifically pet loss or anticipated loss, a focused treatment, years of mindfulness study/practice, and is EMDR certified  ( i.e., Eye Movement Reprocessing Desensitization). She received her doctorate in clinical psychology from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology and a certification in pet loss and bereavement in 2009 from APLB.org.  For more information about her practice please visit www.curottopsyd.com or www.petlosspsychotherapy.com 

Short-term counseling to address the loss or impending loss of a beloved pet. In-house appointments available in Waterloo Region. Online appointments available for any region

I have over twenty years of experience as a psychotherapist with emphasis on trauma work and complicated bereavement. I, too, have experienced the profound heartbreak of losing a beloved pet, and, as such, wish to help those who are hurting.