Grieving a Pet’s Loss: Finding Comfort Through Massage Therapy

Losing a pet can be just as devastating as losing a human family member or loved one. When a companion who greeted you every day, followed you around the house, and offered unconditional love suddenly isn’t there, it leaves a painful emptiness that is hard to put into words. That daily presence, the routines, the sounds, and the quirks become memories overnight, and those memories can be incredibly melancholy and overwhelming. For many people, the loss of a pet isn’t “just losing an animal.” It is losing one of your family members as well as your emotional support system.

Grief affects every layer of your being. You may notice that your body holds tension you didn’t know you were carrying. You might feel physically exhausted, mentally foggy, or emotionally scattered. Grief often disrupts the nervous system and can push you into a state where your body stays on high alert, even when you want to rest. This can lead to poor sleep, insomnia, jaw tension, headaches, back pain, digestive discomfort, and even symptoms that feel like depression. When the holidays come around, when routines change, emotions run high, and memories feel stronger, these sensations may intensify.

This is where massage therapy can gently support you. My intention is never to fix grief or rush your healing. Grief deserves time, space, and compassion. What I provide is a safe place for your body to settle so your nervous system can regulate.

Through therapeutic touch, energy work, craniosacral therapy, and myofascial release, your nervous system has an opportunity to shift out of survival mode. When muscles soften and the body feels supported, your mind often becomes a little clearer, and the emotional load feels a little lighter. Each modality encourages your nervous system to unwind:

• Massage therapy helps release tension stored in the muscles, allowing the body to relax in ways it may not be able to on its own.

• Energy work supports emotional flow, grounding, and calming the subtle layers of stress that build during grief.

• Craniosacral therapy helps the nervous system regulate itself, reducing anxiety, overwhelm, and sleep disturbances.

• Myofascial release can free emotional holding patterns that get trapped in the connective tissue during shock or sadness.

These sessions do not erase grief, but they create space for you to feel without collapsing under the weight of those feelings. They give you a moment where your body is not fighting to keep itself together. Over time, clients often notice improved sleep, steadier emotions, easier breathing, and a little more inner space to move through the day.

Grief after losing a pet is real. It matters. And you do not have to carry it alone. When you are ready, I am here to hold space for you, gently, compassionately, and without judgment, as you navigate this solemn part of your life.

With support and care,

Suzan (Susan) Walker LMT

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