“Apart from any mourning, it is very unreal, and one wonders when one will get used to it. But, of course, one cannot easily get over seven years of intimacy.”
-Sigmund Freud, letter to Arnold Zweig, after the death of Yofi

For Sigmund Freud the theorist, animals represented “The Father” in both animal phobias and totemism. For Sigmund Freud the pet-owner, his tiny Chow Chows represented something closer to children. Freud’s dogs played a significant role in his life, especially in his later years. He had two primary Chow Chows named Lün-Yu and Yofi. Lün-Yu was gifted to Freud and lived with him for about 15 months before being tragically hit by a train. Freud grieved deeply over Lün-Yu’s death, and not long after acquired Yofi, Lün-Yu’s sister. Yofi was a constant companion to Freud, and her presence was even noted to help reduce tension in therapy sessions, with patients feeling more comfortable in opening up. Sadly, Yofi died in 1937. Freud was heartbroken and had Yofi cremated, and her ashes scattered in the garden of his home.

One would think that the Father of Psychotherapy would have thought more about the special meaning of pets in the lives of patients. To address this gap, and using clinical examples from diverse areas of therapy practice, including social work, psychoanalysis, and psychotherapy, the course instructor and special guest presenters will demonstrate how pet bereavement, neglected in theory, is common in the clinic.

The pandemic meant that more people were turning to pets for comfort and companionship. The relationship can for some people be the least complex, the most meaningful, and the closest they have. The depth of grief, or even breakdown, that follows the death of a pet often catches therapists—and pet parents—by surprise. This course will fill in the lacunae of understanding using a recent documentary series made for the Ontario Veterinary College focused on facilitating mourning, directed and produced by Course Instructor Karen Dougherty.

Learning Objectives:

By the end of this course, participants will have:

1. Learned about the history of psychoanalytic thinking on the meaning of pets and pet loss and engaged with important analytic papers on the topic.
2. Identified the key psychological factors underlying the power of the human-animal connection including identification and projection.
3. Understood the uniqueness of the human-animal bond: identifications, etc.
4. Generated new approaches to facilitating the mourning process in patients coping with pet loss.

Karen Dougherty, MA, RP (CRPO), FIPA

Karen Dougherty, MA, RP (CRPO), FIPA, is a Psychoanalyst and Registered Psychotherapist in private practice in Amaranth, Ontario, a filmmaker, a former producer in TVO’s Documentary Unit, and mental health consultant for film and television. She is a clinical supervisor who teaches at the TIP, ATPPP, and the FPP, and is Chair of the Extension Program of the Toronto Psychoanalytic Society. Her most recent documentary project is a six-part series for the Ontario Veterinary College’s Pet Trust about pet loss, following several families as they find ways to actively mourn their lost animal companion.

Sarah Bernardi, MSW, RSW

Sarah Bernardi, MSW, RSW, is a registered social worker with a Masters of Social Work from the University of Toronto. She specializes in veterinary social work—a field that supports the human components of animal welfare and veterinary care.

Sarah began her work in this unique area in 2017 at a private veterinary specialty and emergency veterinary hospital in downtown Toronto. Since 2020, she has served as the veterinary social worker at the Ontario Veterinary College and Health Sciences Centre at the University of Guelph. In this role, she provides clinical support, psychoeducation, and program development for both clients and personnel of the hospital.

A passionate advocate for the human-animal bond, Sarah is committed to supporting the people who care for animals, both personally and professionally. She speaks regularly at conferences and events on topics such as Intentional well-being for veterinary professionals and grief and bereavement related to companion animal loss.

Sarah served a two-year term on the executive board of the International Association of Veterinary Social Work and remains actively involved with the organization. She is also a member of the Canadian Violence Link Coalition steering committee and facilitates a monthly peer support group for social workers working in veterinary hospitals and animal shelters.

Colleen Rolland, BA, MA

Colleen Rolland, BA, MA is the President of the Association for Pet Loss and Bereavement (APLB), where she blends a 23-year background in senior management with a deep passion for the human-animal bond. After training in pet loss counseling under Dr. Wallace Sife in 2014, she became his Deputy Trainer, joined the APLB Board in 2015, and was appointed President in 2019. Under her leadership, APLB has modernized its digital platforms, launched new branding, and now reaches over 7,000 monthly website visitors. She co-authored APLB’s revised Pet Loss Grief Specialist training—certifying 90+ specialists since 2021—and co-published in the Human-Animal Interactions Journal. Colleen also founded Pet Bereavement Services in 2014 and helps clients through pet loss grief. She holds an Honours BA and MA in Classics from McMaster University, where she earned a prestigious SSHRC scholarship. Based on the Niagara Escarpment, she shares her home with two cats, a rambunctious pup, and a beloved horse.