Talking About Kids

How to help a child cope with the loss of a pet with Anne Marie Farage-Smith

R. Bradley Snyder Season 4 Episode 4

I doubt that anyone listening to the Talking About Kids podcast needs science to tell them that kids form deep attachments to their pets. However, it is worth noting the research on kids’ emotional reactions to a pet’s death. Studies show that a pet’s death may be traumatic for children and associated with subsequent mental health difficulties. A mitigating factor may be bereavement or how kids are allowed to process that death. My guest today to explore this topic is licensed mental health counselor and animal lover Anne Marie Farage-Smith. Anne Marie shares some practical tips for supporting children from her newly released book, Healing Wisdom for Pet Loss: An Animal Lover’s Guide to Grief. More information about Anne Marie and her book are at talkingaboutkids.com.