Pet Bereavement Counselling
course contents
1. Introduction to Pet Bereavement Counselling
- Is pet bereavement counselling for you?
- What kinds of skills do you need?
- Traits of bereavement counsellors
- Objectives of a pet bereavement counsellor
- Handling client visits
2. The Bereavement Process
- The counsellor’s role in the pet bereavement process
- Exploring emotions
- The stages of grief
3. Pet and Owner Relationships
- Types of pets
- Examining the pet and owner relationship
- Benefits of owning a pet
4. The Counsellor’s Role
- What can you do to help?
- Understanding pet loss
- How far do you go with your counselling?
- Is pet bereavement counselling different from human bereavement
counselling?
- Commonalities between human and pet bereavement counsellors
5. Counselling Skills
- What are the main counselling skills?
- How to ask questions
- How to listen without interrupting
- How to summarise
- How to offer advice
6. Effective Counselling Methods
- Establishing a counselling procedure
- Phrases and vocabulary to use
- Making notes during and after a consultation
7. Specific Pet/Owner Relationships
- Offering pet bereavement counselling to others
- Pet bereavement and children
- Pet bereavement and older/single people
- Pet bereavement and other animals
- Dealing with lost or missing pets
8. Pet Bereavement Arrangements and Practicalities
- Pet bereavement methodologies
- Dealing with a natural death
- Euthanasia
- Know the process
- Dealing with unexpected loss
- Disposing of the remains
- Burying the pet
9. Getting a New Pet
- Urging the client not to move too quickly
- Signs your client may not be ready for a new pet
- Signs your client may be ready for a new pet
- Understanding that the new pet is not the same as the old one
- Lowering the client’s expectations of the new pet
- Urging the client not to compare
10. Marketing your Business
- Marketing your business
- Your website
- Networking
- Leaflet drops
- PR
- Referrals from existing clients
- Advertising
11. Setting up Your Business
- A place to work
- A pet bereavement counsellor’s equipment
- Other aspects to consider
- Setting up your business on a small budget
- Putting together a business plan
- Paying tax
- Indemnity insurance
- What to charge
- How to keep financial records in four easy steps
|
