Pet Bereavement Counselling – Empathy (Understanding how People Feel)

When a pet dies, the owner of the pet goes through a traumatic phase of mourning and depression. A pet bereavement counsellor guides and assists the bereaved pet owner through this difficult period. As a counsellor, you need to exhibit certain special qualities, in order to able to provide comfort and assistance to the grieving pet owner. One of the important qualities that you need to show for achieving this is empathy.

Empathy versus Sympathy

There is a subtle difference between these two words. Sympathy is to simply recognise a person’s situation and offer some comforting words regarding the situation. It is simply an expression of feelings towards a particular person. Empathy on the other hand, is putting yourself into another person’s shoes and making the person know that you are aware of their feelings, and providing an appropriate response. Of the two, showing empathy is a far more powerful means of communication.

The Role of Empathy as a Pet Bereavement Counsellor

In your capacity as a pet bereavement counsellor, you need to align yourself to the feelings of the pet owner, and make them feel that you are on their side. This is a means of gaining confidence and trust. Once this has been achieved, you will be able to establish a strong channel of communication. By practicing empathy, you will be able to establish rapport in the following ways:

1. Intensity: You can respond to the feelings of the subject with the right level of intensity. If the person is angry, your response would be appropriate to the level of anger at that particular moment.

2. Context: You will be able to consider all the factors that are contributing towards the way that the person feels and acts, which will enable you to make your response more effective.

3. Selective Responding: Through this method, we can be subtle in our approach towards the other person’s feelings or behaviour. Being emphatic does not necessarily mean discussing with a person about how they feel – they may not be comfortable with that. However, it is possible to focus on other factors like experience and behaviour, without making it too obvious to the person.

If you are aware of these factors, you will be able to be in a better position to provide comfort to the person. Be sensitive towards a person who does not respond to you and make appropriate adjustments in your approach. If you follow these steps, you will be able to build a relationship based on trust, instigate self-exploration, and get a better understanding in order to communicate effectively for providing support to the bereaved pet owner, focusing attention on them at all times.