Continued from page one...

The Journey continues
In the next segment, Antinori discusses more reasons on why you may feel a profound sense of loss, the impact of pet loss on children, and the issues faced when making decisions about euthanasia and burial or cremation. She also shares ideas for memorial tributes and her own story of the loss of Yoko.

Discussion of Grief
Here Antinori discusses the clinical stages of grief and various forms of helpful resources that are available today - everything from writing poetry to reading suggested books to receiving professional counseling. Additional topics, such as "survivor guilt" are addressed. Antinori reminds the listener that counseling should not be stigmatized, and can be very beneficial to fully recover from the profound feelings of loss associated with the death of a pet. She details what counseling is about, how to find a counselor, and basically makes the subject of counseling more "user friendly".

Closure
The audiobook closes with information on complicated mourning - when other situations in life add to and complicate your sense of loss, such as loss of a job, the other pets in the house grieving for loss of their companion, divorce, etc. Antinori also discusses other types of pet loss, such as losing a pet via a divorce settlement, and how to help your pet transition into its new life situation.

Overview
I found this audiobook (two cassette tapes) to be very helpful, on many levels. Antinori is both a counselor and a friend throughout the book. The "counselor aspect" is a soothing and reaffirming one that discusses the feelings and emotions one experiences when grieving. You are given permission to remember, feel, and grieve as a means to healing.

The "friend aspect" is interspersed throughout the tape, and gives the feeling of sitting down for coffee with an old friend, remembering your happy life with your pet. Antinori shares many deeply personal stories of her own pet's lives and her grief journey after their deaths. She shares poetry about her loss, and the listener is encouraged to turn off the tape at various intervals for personal reflection as well.

I feel that this audiobook is a helpful tool for both pet owners and for veterinary professionals. As one who has been on both sides of the fence (veterinarian and pet owner dealing with loss), I can heartily recommend this audiobook for anyone wanting to understand their grief and move on to happier memories.