I Miss You Already: Anticipatory Grief with Nancy Gordon

We have grieved the loss of our dogs ever since they first became man's best friend, thousands of years ago. Everyone experiences loss in their own way, but it is a pain that is shared by everyone who has ever loved a dog. But is there anything you can do to prepare for that grief? Our guest Nancy Gordon works to raise awareness about the different stages of pet grief, and how to process the guilt and heartache from end-of-life decisions. As a licensed clinical social worker and certified life coach, Nancy understands the pain of loss through her personal journey. After a terrible car accident, she had to leave her practice and focus on her own recovery with chronic illness and debilitating pain. Relief from the pain (both physical and mental) came to her through her service dogs, Pink and Toaster. But then, the inevitable happened. Both of her service dogs had to cross over the rainbow bridge and Nancy was left navigating that loss. Taking what she learned from that experience, Nancy continues to help others through the dark days that follow the death of a beloved pet. In today’s touching conversation, Jim and Nancy discuss anticipatory grief and how facing that inevitable loss ahead of time can help transform that experience for you and your dog. Episode Links Nancy Gordon I Miss You Already: Bearing the Unbearable Loss of Your Pet by Nancy Gordon This episode is sponsored in part by EverPup and BarkBox. Chapters 0:00 Introduction 1:22 Start of Interview 4:45 Unhealed Grief 7:30 The 7 Stages of Grief 29:22 Jim’s Pet Loss Therapy Session 38:05 Continuted Bond 42:41 How to Find the Right Therapist 47:24 Outro About Dog Podcast Network (DPN) DPN is the first of its kind. A podcasting network as devoted to dogs, as they are to us. Our mission is simple: entertain, inspire and inform. We will improve the quality of life for dogs and the people who love them. Check out Dog Podcast Network for other dog-adjacent shows: Dog Edition: our flagship show where a global team of dog-obsessed journalists and storytellers feature news, in-depth reporting, analysis, features, and interview segments Dog Cancer Answers: which offers vetted advice from real veterinarians who answer your questions about dog cancer Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices