Animal Loss and Grief Support Group
When: Tuesday
Time: 6-7 PM
Where: via Zoom/Drop-in
Suggested donation: $5-10 per weekly session. Donations welcome but no one turned away due to lack of funds
To join contact: groups@liberationinstitute.org
Description: This group is dedicated to honoring the deep bonds we share with our animal friends and the profound impact they have on our lives. The loss of an animal companion can be deeply painful, and yet often misunderstood or minimized by others. People often tell us things like “just get another pet,” leaving many feeling unseen in their grief. This group offers a safe, compassionate space to honor and process animal-specific grief – a very real and often invalidated form of loss. Whether you’ve lost a beloved companion animal, you are experiencing anticipatory grief for a companion animal, or you work in a setting where animal loss or euthanasia is part of the job – such as veterinary care, animal shelters, or rescue organizations – you are welcome here. Guided by two compassionate therapists who have also experienced the pain of animal loss, this group offers a safe, supportive space to process animal-specific grief – a form of loss that deserves to be seen, validated, and supported. Through guided discussions, somatic experiencing and therapeutic exercises participants can share memories, explore emotions, and utilize tools that promote resilience. You’ll have the opportunity to connect with others who truly understand what it means to lose animal friends – and to be reminded that your grief is valid, your bond was real, and you are not alone.
Facilitators: Steve Dumain & Kelly Duane de la Vega
Steve “Dumain” is pursuing his Master’s in Counseling Psychology with a specialization in Depth Psychology at Pacifica Graduate Institute. He currently serves as a Marriage and Family Therapist Trainee at the Liberation Institute, providing telehealth therapy for individuals, couples, and groups across California. His clinical orientation draws from various styles, including depth, somatic and family systems psychology; including trauma-informed practices, and mindfulness-based approaches. His work emphasizes the integration of the unconscious, body awareness, and relational healing to foster self-understanding and resilience and a mindset of growth and wisdom. He is particularly interested in working with clients navigating anxiety, depression, trauma, identity development, and relational issues. With a strong commitment to inclusivity and social justice, Steven aims to support individuals from a wide range of backgrounds and identities through an integrative and compassionate therapeutic approach.
Kelly Duane de la Vega is pursuing her Master’s in Counseling Psychology with a focus on depth work, taking a psychodynamic approach to therapy. She currently serves as a Marriage and Family Therapist (MFT) Trainee at the Liberation Institute, providing telehealth therapy for individuals, couples, and groups throughout California. She also co-facilitates a grief and loss support group at a senior community center in San Rafael.
Kelly is a lifelong pet owner who considers animals to be vital members of the family and essential parts of one’s support network. She understands the profound bond that can form between a person and their pet, and the unique pain of navigating that loss in a society that often minimizes or misunderstands its significance. She brings both personal experience and clinical sensitivity to her work with clients processing pet loss and bereavement.
Kelly Duane is Supervised by a Licensed Person, LMFT #78183
