Description
Summary
Pet ownership is increasing in the US. Data from the American Pet Products Association shows 95 million homes own at least one pet. According to the Pew Research Center, 83%-97% of people say their pets are members of the family. Since most companion animals live much shorter lives than human, that means the loss of furry family members is inevitable for most pet parents. But few trainings on grief even mention, much less focus on, pet loss and provide mental health professionals and other caregivers practical tools for helping clients grieve the loss of a pet. This webinar addresses some of the common experiences of pet loss including the physical and emotional effects of pet bereavement, the struggles of saying goodbye to a pet and the stigma around pet loss. Practical tools for support and guidelines for assisting pet parents in mourning their animal family members will be addressed. Implications for mental health professionals for their own loss of a pet will also be discussed.
Learning Objectives
Participants will…
- Review survey data on the common experiences of people grieving the loss of a pet.
- Outlinetheunique challenges of pet loss including the difficulty of a decision to euthanize a pet, the lack of support at work or in social circles when grieving a pet and how to memorialize a pet.
- Examine tools for walking through mourning a companion animal.
- Discuss specific challenges such as pet loss for children, missing pets, and when a mental health professional has lost their own pet
Presenters
Jennifer Ellers, M.A., is the Senior Director of Advancement, Special Projects, and Church Engagement and the Director of Grief, Crisis and Disaster Division for the American Association of Christian Counselors as well as Faculty with the International Critical Incident Stress Foundation. She is a member of the American Association of Christian Counselors and the International Critical Incident Stress Foundation. Mrs. Ellers received her B.S. in Journalism from Northwestern University and her M.A. in Counseling from Wake Forest University. She has published numerous books, articles, and speaks and trains nationally on her expertise of on suicide prevention, crisis response, and grief. Furthermore, Mrs. Ellers is recognized as an important speaker to discuss sexual assault from not only a clinical perspective, but also from the victim’s perspective.
Dr. Mercy Connors, PH.D., is the Senior Director of Counseling, Continuing Education, and Credentialing for the American Association of Christian Counselors and Director of Counseling and Director of the International Board of Christian Care. Dr. Connors is a Licensed Professional Counselor and Supervisor, and a Certified Enneagram Coach. She is a member of American Association of Christian Counselors and the Virginia Counseling Association. Dr. Connors received her B.S. in Counseling Psychology from Toccoa Falls College, her M.A. in Human Services and her Ph.D. in Professional Counseling from Liberty University. As an expert in Christian Counseling Ethics, Dr. Connors was the Chief Editor for the Y-2023 American Association of Christian Counselors Code of Ethics and she fields all ethical questions from the members of the AACC. She has spoken on the topic of ethics at professional conferences and private events and is the Co-Director of the Ethics and Advocacy Division of the AACC. Dr. Connors also co-wrote a peer-reviewed article on the biblical theory of change.
Continuing Education
TBA
