Pet Loss and Terminal Illness Support Group
The diagnosis of a terminal illness, or loss, of a beloved animal companion is difficult and often overwhelming. We are here to offer a safe and confidential environment for you to share your story and connect with others who understand your grief and loss.
A companion animal plays a very important role in our lives. Companion animals are viewed as children, siblings, confidants, support systems and friends. When we have received news that they have a terminal illness or when we lose our companion animal it can affect us much in the same way as losing a human. We feel the same grief reactions and the grieving process can be much the same for a human or companion animal. Grieving is a normal and unavoidable reaction to a loss but it is also a reaction that is very often misunderstood, if not minimized by others. It is a normal psychological response that requires expression and acknowledgement. This group offers comfort for all grieving animal lovers.
How Does The Group Work?
The group meets virtually on Zoom the first Monday of every month from 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Central Time.
You may access the group during the scheduled time with the link below. Facilitated by a licensed psychotherapist with a special interest in the human-animal bond, these group sessions are free, open, and no registration is required. If you have any questions, please contact the front desk team at hello@insightduluth.com or 218-481-7660.
The meetings take on an open format where the participants can bring their current needs to the group. The group will discuss grief and loss as it pertains to the needs of each individual group. Additional discussions involve grief reactions, resources, ways to express emotions related to the grieving process, and offer supportive ideas to one another.
The support group welcomes anyone who has been affected by the loss of a companion animal or is caring for a terminally ill pet. This group offers friendship, hope, and an understanding that every person, each with their own precious memories of the beloved companion, grieves in their own unique way. Primarily, this group is a safe place where thoughts and feelings can be freely expressed, though no one is compelled to do so.
Meet The Facilitator
Dina Clabaugh, LICSW, has experience and a passion for providing grief therapy and support. She is a Compassionate Bereavement Care® provider. Dina understands that when people lose a pet, or are faced with very difficult decisions for their pets, it can be unbearable at times. Understanding that pets hold a different role in each person’s life, Dina hopes to be a support to those in need. Dina has a few companion animals of her own: one dog, 2 cats, 4 chickens. Her first cherished cat, Sola, died in 2021 and will forever be in her heart.
In addition to the support group, Dina and her fellow clinicians at Insight provide individual psychotherapy for your distress of caring for a pet at the end of their life or if your beloved pet has died. This is billable through your health insurance.
Special Thanks
This group was made possible by the compassion and dedication of our friend and former colleague, Rebel Gustafson. We wish to dedicate this healing space to Rebel’s forever cherished pet, Keiffer.
“How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard.”
Winnie the Pooh
