Hi, I'm Kathy

Certified Pet Loss Grief Coach

I know pet loss grief from the inside. Over the years I've lost 8 beloved pets, and I still think of each of them — their personalities, their routines, the quiet spaces they left behind. That grief was real, and at times it stayed with me far longer than the people around me expected it to.

That lived experience is why I became a Certified Pet Loss Grief Coach. Pet loss is a profound form of grief, yet it's often minimized or dismissed — 'it was just a pet.' I wanted to be the person I needed back then: someone who truly understands, who takes your grief seriously, and who can walk beside you through it.

Today, through Beyond Pet Loss Grief, I offer gentle, structured 1:1 online coaching for people navigating prolonged grief after losing a beloved pet. Together we work through my R.A.I.N.S. framework at your pace — and if your grief shows signs of becoming complicated, I'll help you find the right licensed mental health professional. You don't have to carry this alone.

Certification

Credentials

My Certification

Professional training, grounded in lived experience.

CPLGC

Certified Pet Loss Grief Coach

Certified in pet loss grief coaching, supporting people through prolonged grief after the loss of a beloved pet

My Approach

The R.A.I.N.S. Framework

I bring both lived experience and professional structure to this work. Having lost 8 pets myself, I sit with you as someone who truly gets it — not as a distant expert. Our sessions follow my R.A.I.N.S. framework: we Recognize where you are, Assess your grief each session, Integrate the loss into your life, Normalize what you're feeling, and Sustain your healing over time. And because your wellbeing comes first, I screen for complicated-grief indicators and refer to licensed mental health professionals whenever that's the right next step.

R — Recognize A — Assess I — Integrate N — Normalize S — Sustain

"Grief is love with nowhere to go. Together, we'll help it find a gentler place."

— Kathleen Thera

Psychoeducation Grief Assessment Complicated Grief Screening Professional Referrals 988 Crisis Protocol Compassionate Support

Currently accepting new clients

Ready to Talk About Your Pet?

Reaching out while grieving takes courage. A free discovery call is simply a gentle conversation — about your pet, your grief, and whether coaching feels right for you.

Book Your Free Discovery Call Explore Services

Your discovery call is completely free — no obligation, no pressure. Just a safe space to be heard.