Are you asking yourself, “How long does pet loss grief last?”

This is a common question that I hear from a fair number of my clients. It is often from a place of sweetness, yet sometimes despair plays a huge role.

How Grief Shows Up

Your emotions around pet loss grief can show up with many unique personalities that can easily trigger your patience. So of course, you may ask yourself this question.

This is not an awful thing to ask. In fact, it gives you a safe portal to continue your journey towards healing.

When you experience a potent emotion or reaction to the loss of your beloved companion, your emotions will take on distinct personalities. Your emotions can also visit you out of the blue—flooding you with grief, anxiety, and even unexpected joy.

How Long Does Pet Loss Grief Last?

Like the weather, your grief feelings will come and go. They will influence your mental state with their particular essence. Sometimes a hard emotion may stay around longer than you would like. And you may wonder when it will leave.

Allow Yourself

The next time you ask yourself, “How long does pet loss grief last?” try these three tips.

1. Allow yourself to feel your grief emotions.
2. Note how your body feels and where your emotions are.
3. Take a few deep breaths.

With practice, this will become easier and you will become more aware of your unique grief journey. By doing this practice you are giving your emotions permission to decrease naturally—giving way to another and another.

Emotions are Powerful

All the emotions of pet loss grief are powerful and it is human nature to want to keep them under control. You may not want to feel your loss because you are afraid it will take over your life.

You may dread your feelings and wonder if you are normal? When an emotion preoccupies you, it is often because we are afraid of really feeling it. Emotions like despair and rage are powerful, and it is natural to want to hold them at bay.

Try This When You Ask, “How Long Does Pet Loss Grief Last?”

When you notice yourself asking this question, it is a good time to slow down, take a breath, and ask . . .

• “How long do I need to experience my emotions?”
• “How long do I need to feel my emotions before they can pass?”

If you ask sincerely and wait, an answer will come. Let your experience happen. Try not to force a result. Emotions are naturally cyclical, so when one reaches its peak it will pass. Therefore, this hard emotion has served as a stimulus for emotional healing.

Insight for How Long

 Instead of asking, “How long does pet loss grief last?” Take the time to sit and breathe with your emotions fully. You may find it will become apparent that your varying emotions are a stimulus for your healing.

~Wendy Van de Poll, MS, CEOL

 Healing Steps

1. Ask yourself, “How long does pet loss grief last?” and notice what emotion/s are the strongest. Where are you are feeling them in your body?
2. Then ask your deity or the spirit you believe in the two questions I presented above.
3. Make note of how this exercise helped you with your pet loss grief journey.