The Pet Loss Journals

In this little wild card episode, I’m taking a break from our usual topics to have a catch-up with you.I’m sharing a little life update, reflecting on a big adventure abroad with my husband and our greyhound Nala, and opening up about some more personal and vulnerable parts of my life.No specific topic, no real agenda, just an honest conversation about life lately, the adventures we’ve been on, and some of the things I’ve been reflecting on along the way.Thank you for being here and for allowing me to share not just the pet loss journey, but a little more of the person behind The Pet Loss Journals, too.The Pet Loss Guilt & Healing ToolkitWork with me 1:1Buy my Book The Pet Loss Journals:  HEREJournal Prompts: ⁠⁠FREE Journal Prompts Guide⁠⁠ Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.lightafterloss.ie/⁠⁠⁠E-mail: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠_lightafterloss⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join my Patreon Here for Bonus Episodes⁠⁠⁠ If you haven't yet, please consider leaving a 5 star rating or a review for this episode if you enjoyed it!Louise x

You're fine for weeks, maybe months, and then a feeding bowl or a certain time of evening knocks you sideways out of nowhere. In this episode I talk about why grief isn't linear, why nobody warns you these triggers will keep showing up, and what to actually do when one catches you off guard in the middle of an ordinary day.The Pet Loss Guilt & Healing ToolkitWork with me 1:1Buy my Book The Pet Loss Journals:  HEREJournal Prompts: ⁠⁠FREE Journal Prompts Guide⁠⁠ Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.lightafterloss.ie/⁠⁠⁠E-mail: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠_lightafterloss⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join my Patreon Here for Bonus Episodes⁠⁠⁠ If you haven't yet, please consider leaving a 5 star rating or a review for this episode if you enjoyed it!Louise x

At least you had time to say goodbye. Or, at least it was quick, they didn't suffer. Both of those sentences quietly suggest one kind of grief should be smaller than the other. In this episode I'm taking that apart, using both research and my own experience with Ozzie and Moose, to show why grief isn't proportional to how much warning you had. It's proportional to how much the relationship meant. That's the only thing that matters.The Pet Loss Guilt & Healing ToolkitWork with me 1:1Buy my Book The Pet Loss Journals:  HEREJournal Prompts: ⁠⁠FREE Journal Prompts Guide⁠⁠ Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.lightafterloss.ie/⁠⁠⁠E-mail: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠_lightafterloss⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join my Patreon Here for Bonus Episodes⁠⁠⁠ If you haven't yet, please consider leaving a 5 star rating or a review for this episode if you enjoyed it!Louise x

Did I do it too soon, or did I wait too long. If that question has ever kept you up at night after choosing euthanasia for your pet, this episode is for you. I talk openly about the guilt that followed my decision with Moose, and why that guilt shows up for almost everyone, no matter which day they chose. This isn't about finding the moment you should have picked instead. It's about seeing that decision for what it actually was, an act of love, not a failure.The Pet Loss Guilt & Healing ToolkitWork with me 1:1Buy my Book The Pet Loss Journals:  HEREJournal Prompts: ⁠⁠FREE Journal Prompts Guide⁠⁠ Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.lightafterloss.ie/⁠⁠⁠E-mail: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠_lightafterloss⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join my Patreon Here for Bonus Episodes⁠⁠⁠ If you haven't yet, please consider leaving a 5 star rating or a review for this episode if you enjoyed it!Louise x

If your grief for your pet was met with silence instead of support, this episode is for you. I talk about losing Ozzie and Moose, the people who disappeared from my life just days after, and why I spent so long trying to understand how they didn't see what these dogs meant to me. This episode isn't about getting people to finally understand. It's about learning to let that go so you can actually grieve. Because your grief was never too much. Some people just never had the bond to understand it.The Pet Loss Guilt & Healing ToolkitWork with me 1:1Buy my Book The Pet Loss Journals:  HEREJournal Prompts: ⁠⁠FREE Journal Prompts Guide⁠⁠ Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.lightafterloss.ie/⁠⁠⁠E-mail: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠_lightafterloss⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join my Patreon Here for Bonus Episodes⁠⁠⁠ If you haven't yet, please consider leaving a 5 star rating or a review for this episode if you enjoyed it!Louise x

In the early days after losing your pet, your brain hasn’t caught up to what your heart already knows. In this episode I get into the science behind that disconnect, why numbness can linger for weeks, why sleep falls apart, and a few things beyond journaling that helped me get through it.The Pet Loss Guilt & Healing ToolkitWork with me 1:1Buy my Book The Pet Loss Journals:  HEREJournal Prompts: ⁠⁠FREE Journal Prompts Guide⁠⁠ Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.lightafterloss.ie/⁠⁠⁠E-mail: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠_lightafterloss⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join my Patreon Here for Bonus Episodes⁠⁠⁠ If you haven't yet, please consider leaving a 5 star rating or a review for this episode if you enjoyed it!Louise x

This week I am joined by Roseline as she shares an incredible story with us about love and loss and everything in between.The Pet Loss Guilt & Healing ToolkitWork with me 1:1Buy my Book The Pet Loss Journals:  HEREJournal Prompts: ⁠⁠FREE Journal Prompts Guide⁠⁠ Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.lightafterloss.ie/⁠⁠⁠E-mail: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠_lightafterloss⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join my Patreon Here for Bonus Episodes⁠⁠⁠ If you haven't yet, please consider leaving a 5 star rating or a review for this episode if you enjoyed it!Louise x

I'm back!! I have really missed recording my little pod. Jump back in or if you're new here... welcome!The Pet Loss Guilt & Healing ToolkitWork with me 1:1Buy my Book The Pet Loss Journals:  HEREJournal Prompts: ⁠⁠FREE Journal Prompts Guide⁠⁠ Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.lightafterloss.ie/⁠⁠⁠E-mail: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠_lightafterloss⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join my Patreon Here for Bonus Episodes⁠⁠⁠ If you haven't yet, please consider leaving a 5 star rating or a review for this episode if you enjoyed it!Louise x

In this solo episode, I’m sharing a gentle life update and speaking honestly about what’s been going on behind the scenes. From recent challenges like anxiety, nightmares, and navigating early menopause, to the emotions of welcoming Nala into our lives, this is a real and unfiltered check-in. I also reflect on moments of gratitude and the messages you’ve shared about how this podcast has supported you through difficult times. If you’ve been feeling a little overwhelmed or in an in-between season, this episode is a reminder that you’re not alone.Buy my Book The Pet Loss Journals:  HEREJournal Prompts: ⁠⁠FREE Journal Prompts Guide⁠⁠ Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.lightafterloss.ie/⁠⁠⁠E-mail: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠_lightafterloss⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join my Patreon Here for Bonus Episodes⁠⁠⁠ If you haven't yet, please consider leaving a 5 star rating or a review for this episode if you enjoyed it!Louise x

In this episode of The Pet Loss Journals, I’m joined by Diane James, Head of People’s Services including Pet Loss Support at Blue Cross UK, for a deeply moving and honest conversation about pet loss and anticipatory grief. Diane shares personal stories about Ron the guinea pig and Chester the dog, including creating a bucket list and memory box, and we talk about how veterinary and after-death care for pets has evolved over the years. We also explore the ongoing frustration around how poorly pet loss is still understood in workplaces, often leaving people feeling they have to lie to take time off, as well as the increasing need for Blue Cross pet food banks and the importance of pet loss education for anyone working with animals. Blue Cross offers free, compassionate pet loss support, and you can find help and listen for support here: https://www.bluecross.org.uk/pet-loss-supportBuy my Book The Pet Loss Journals (UK) ⁠https://amzn.eu/d/gt1T2sj⁠Buy my Book The Pet Loss Journals (US) ⁠https://a.co/d/b8URs3G⁠Journal Prompts: ⁠⁠FREE Journal Prompts Guide⁠⁠ Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.lightafterloss.ie/⁠⁠⁠E-mail: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠_lightafterloss⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join my Patreon Here for Bonus Episodes⁠⁠⁠ If you haven't yet, please consider leaving a 5 star rating or a review for this episode if you enjoyed it!Louise x