Pet Bereavement Counselling · Manchester
It starts with a phone call, and nothing has to be decided on it.
I’m Dawn, a qualified Pet Bereavement Counsellor based in Shrewsbury. If you’re in Manchester, or anywhere across Greater Manchester and the North West, my counselling sessions are available to you by Zoom or telephone. The first conversation is free, twenty minutes, and simply a chance to talk.
The first conversation
What the free twenty minutes is for.
People who ring after losing an animal often apologise in the first minute: for crying, for “making a fuss”, for not knowing what they want. You don’t need to apologise for any of that. The introductory call is there so you can tell me, in whatever order it comes out, what’s happened and how you are. I’ll tell you how I work, and we’ll decide together whether a first session would help.
If it wouldn’t, I’ll say so. Sometimes one honest conversation is what a person needed.
What follows
Then, if you want it, we carry on.
An hour, by Zoom or telephone, whichever you prefer. We go at your pace. Some people talk for the whole hour; some need a lot of silence. Both are fine.
If you find it helpful, we can meet again, weekly or less often. There’s no programme and no fixed number of sessions. You decide.
You can stop whenever you’re ready, and you can come back months later if a date or a memory catches you out. Grief doesn’t keep office hours.
Zoom or telephone
The camera is optional.
Plenty of guardians prefer the telephone, especially early on. There’s something easier about being able to look out of the window, or at the empty basket, while you talk. Others want to see a face. I’m happy either way, and you can change your mind between sessions.
Wherever you are in the city, you don’t have to go anywhere, sit in a waiting room or find a parking space. You can be at home, with the door shut.
Fees
Clear from the start.
I’d rather you knew exactly what sessions cost before you ring, so there are no surprises on the call.
Questions
What people in the North West ask me.
Is this counselling, or something more spiritual?
This is counselling: a qualified, confidential space to grieve. It’s a separate service from my Animal Communication, and you don’t need any belief in the latter to benefit from the former.
How soon after the loss should I get in touch?
Whenever you like. Some people ring the same week; some ring a year later when everyone around them has stopped asking. There isn’t a right time.
Can we talk about the decision I had to make?
Yes. Euthanasia decisions, and the guilt that can follow them, are one of the most common reasons people come to me. We can talk about it as much or as little as you need.
What if I’m not coping at all?
Please tell me. Pet bereavement counselling supports grief; it isn’t a crisis service. If you’re in crisis, contact your GP, call NHS 111, or ring the Samaritans on 116 123, any time.
Do I have to use Zoom or telephone?
No. Telephone sessions are exactly as valid, and some people never switch.
About Dawn
About me, briefly.
I’m a qualified Pet Bereavement Counsellor, an Animal Empath and an Animal Communicator, and I’ve worked with animals and their guardians since 2006. I know what it is to love an animal as family, and what it is to lose one: Mylo, my Jack Russell, is in spirit now, and Millie makes sure I never forget either of those things.
A separate service
Some guardians also want to speak with the animal they’ve lost.
That’s my Animal Communication, which is a different session altogether. You don’t need it, and counselling never leads there unless you ask.
Whenever you’re ready
Ring, or write, and we’ll take it from there.
The introductory call costs nothing and commits you to nothing. If talking feels too much right now, a short message is fine and I’ll reply gently.
