Marie Lotoski, Canada:
This course made me cry each week, but somehow it made my dog (Jack) and I closer in spirit. I think everyone who has or had an ill companion pet should take this course, as it gets you though a lot of the tough times.
Carla R., Oklahoma:
The "Coping with Pet Loss" course is helping me to accept the fact that grieving my little dog is a normal, human reaction to her death. By reading many other people's thoughts and experiences, it is helping me to accept that her death is a part of living and that my reactions to it are due to my strong love for her. She deserves to be grieved but then finally to be remembered always with love.
Michelle D., Wyoming:
My cat was diagnosed with kidney failure and I ordered this course in anticipation of her death. I was so lucky to have her another year instead of just a few weeks. This course was so very helpful to me - the sections about euthanasia calmed my worries and gave me comforting words of encouragement that I would do the right thing. Now that my baby has died, the course is helping me again to work through my grief and sorrow. Thank you so much for this wonderful service.
Michelle D., Wyoming:
I was anticipating losing my sweet baby girl. She was diagnosed with liver failure in September. Thanks to many wonderful veterinarians and the staff at CSU, she is still with me 3 months later. She is happy and loving life, still at the age of 10 ˝ with a tumor still inside her, I found this course very comforting and helpful in allowing me to make peace with the inevitable.
Discussion forum posting:
Marty, your course has been a life-saver and, I think, better than a physical group for me because it allows me the freedom to read the lessons when I'M ready for each one and, because I'm at home, I can cry as loud and as deep, and as long as I want without feeling self-conscious. They are beautifully and mindfully written and the links you suggest have been perfect. I sent the [bonus] course to my sister whose cat ... had a stroke, is 18 years old and is having great difficulties -- not long for this world, I don't think. She also has found this course perfect and her cat is still alive. I hope what she reads will better prepare her for the loss, which is coming...
Barbara Davis, Texas:
This course has helped me immensely to deal with the loss of my cat Taz. So many of my own feelings were expressed in the lessons, but more importantly, how to deal with these feelings was addressed. It was also of great comfort to know others have experienced the same devastating loss and managed to not only deal with the loss, but emerge with greater emotional strength, understanding and appreciation of the lives and loves we have had, and the ones we continue to have.
Mara L., California:
My beloved dog Stanley died on Jan.31 after being hit by a car. The extent of my grief was almost unbearable and unimaginable. My husband and I signed up for this course about 4 weeks after he died and I've found the weekly lessons extremely comforting and helpful. I was relieved at the level of respect and understanding of the deep a bond I had formed with Stanley and the gentle guidance provided to lead me through my bereavement. Thank you.
Anonymous, USA:
Thank you for this course. It is a very thoughtful and thought provoking exploration of coping with the loss of a pet. I have been reading it in the end stages of our wonderful Siberian Husky's 2.5 year battle with cancer. She had a wonderful spirit and this course helped me to appreciate that and also helped when we had to make the decision to euthanize her.
Susan Mcallister, Delaware:
Losing my precious dog Cleo has been the worst experience that I have lived through. This series has kept me sane. The thoughts written down are exactly thoughts that I have had. It is uncanny how they zero in on exactly the same ones. The series has helped me cope better than anyone or anything else. I look forward every day to more insight from this course, which is helping me to slowly heal and come to terms with this catastrophic event in my life.
Paula Jenkins, Pet Cemetery Manager, California:
Sometimes emotions are very difficult to define and describe. These lessons put words to feelings and then validate the emotional grief we experience. Course was: useful, helpful, supportive, validating
From Marty E. in Arizona:
Each day I looked forward to the much needed support that this course provided. It helped knowing that there was kindness and compassion waiting for me in my time of profound sadness. Thank you so much.
A review by Rosemarie Klorman,
a Certified Professional Counselor
This course is clear, concise, and well organized. It is very easy to understand; therefore, appropriate for all levels of intellectual functioning. Mrs. Tousley's empathic and supportive manner are definitely conveyed. The thoughts and feelings one experiences when losing their beloved pet are thoroughly covered. She addresses issues that most people are too embarrassed or ashamed to admit. She leaves "no stone unturned". She covers many issues that most people probably don't even consider such as "providing for pet care in your absence" and "anticipatory grief".
Both the psychological and physical symptoms associated with pet loss are also covered. Even the spirital side of pet loss is included, which is a very difficult issue. This course is wonderful for people who are grieving because it contains all the necessary information without having to go to several resources at this very difficult time. The "closing thoughts" and resources at the end of each lesson are extremely helpful and will be useful during the grief process as well as for future reference.
After taking this course, one will greatly understand the dynamnics of pet loss as well as the grief process. I highly recommend this very informative course because the information can be applied to the many issues that people face while grieving for their pets.
A review by Charlene Douglas,
Director/Owner - The Rainbow Passage
Being a pet loss counselor, it was reassuring to me to see what I share with my clients written down by another pet loss counselor. I found this course very thorough and portrayed at the appropriate level. It covered all aspects of grief from the very basic to the more complicated and complex. . .Very well done.
Terry Hickey, founder of the Halton/Peel Pet Loss Support Group, had this to say about the course:
This course is written "from the heart"! Marty has experienced pet loss personally and it shows! I wish I had had access to this course prior to the death of my own beloved pet since this course provides more information and things to give thought to than most pet owners consider at that very tragic time when they are about to lose their beloved companions. I will certainly recommend this course to everyone who contacts the Halton/Peel Pet Loss Support Group!
The lessons were not too long and the information was imparted in a concise manner. This is particularly helpful since it is sometimes difficult to concentrate on anything when you are grieving a beloved pet. The students should be able to manage the length of these lessons, and obtain and retain the useful information included in each lesson. Just perfect!
Mary Anne Reyman, a volunteer with Companion Animal Association of Arizona Pet Grief Support Service, comments:
This course was very beneficial as an overview to coping with grief associated with pet loss. In addition to the subject matter being comprehensive, I thought the organization of the course was very well done. The "Mindset Preparation" section was a useful introduction to each lesson. I also appreciated the listing of additional references at the end of each lesson. Lessons that I found most helpful included: grief stages, grieving for missing pets, helping a friend who has lost a pet, and providing for pet care in your absence.
The references cited provided more in-depth information if desired.
Sue Culberson, Pet-Loss Volunteer,
had this to say about the course:
I thought this course was well written and easy for anyone to understand. - The lessons were short and to the point. They kept my attention well and reinforced the material without a lot of repetition. It covered all the aspects of pet-loss, from anticipating the loss of a pet to the final decissions on, where, when, and what to do after.
Stephanie Hart comments:
I found this course to bring so many emotions to the surface as I went from Lesson to Lesson. It was done in such a way that one feels you really are communicating and it guides you gently through so many phases of loss. Even when I felt I had come upon an area of loss that I was familiar with, the compasionate and heartfelt lessons left me with new perceptions and a deeper understanding of the emotions one encounters. I will read it again and again and have no doubt that I will be able to understand and maybe help others who experience pet loss.
[Lessons] were great. You find yourself looking forward to the carefully picked out quotes and thoughts that open the lessons... And then move through the lesson (try to do it without crying) :)
From Ilene in Vermont:
I was so excited to find your courses dealing with pet loss. I have 2 dogs that are dying of cancer and with the vets I have here in Vermont there is no group that we are aware of that exist for us to get support. I am hoping with what I am going through and the courses I will be able to start a support group to help myself and others in this time. Through many on line searches I have come across support areas on line and though I believe they can help there is nothing like a group with people near you to help one through this time. Once again thank you so much for the chance to enroll in these courses.
From Jo Ann in Illinois:
"I want to thank you so much for this course. It has help tremendously. Although I am still struggling after all this time, I go back and read the lessons and find peace."
=^..^= Jo Ann from Illinois, USA
If you’ve taken this course, kindly review this course here. We are grateful for this feedback!