Pet & Vet Counselling Sydney

Grief Support for Pet Owners
& Animal Professionals

We offer psychological and counselling support for two groups:

Bereaved pet owners, navigating the deep sense of grief that comes with the loss of a beloved companion.
Animal care workers - including veterinary workers, shelter staff, and those working in animal NGOs - who often carry the emotional weight of their work.

While there are some shared mental health challenges, each group also faces unique struggles.

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How Sentient Professional Wellbeing Can Help

One-to-One Therapy Support

Whether you are grieving the loss of a beloved companion or carrying the hidden weight of caring for animals, one-to-one therapy offers a compassionate space to be heard and supported. Together we explore your experiences, honour the bonds that matter most, and find gentle ways to restore balance and meaning.

Group & Team Workshops

Our workshops create supportive spaces for individuals and teams to explore themes of grief, compassion fatigue and resilience in animal care. Grounded in reflection and practical tools, they foster understanding, connection and sustainable wellbeing.

Sharing the Latest Research & Resources on After-Death Communication

For many, grief brings questions that reach beyond the psychological. After-death communication (ADC) is an area increasingly explored through personal accounts and emerging research. While we don’t provide ADC sessions, we share trusted resources, readings and studies to support your exploration of this area in a safe and thoughtful way. These materials can be offered directly, so you can engage with them at your own pace.

Somatic Touch Therapy for Grief & Healing (Coming soon)

Grief is not only emotional — it is carried in the body. Somatic approaches, including gentle touch and body-based practices, can support the release of held tension and create space for calm and reconnection. We are working toward offering somatic healing options as part of our services, and will share more as this becomes available.

“He wasn’t just a dog” – Support for bereaved pet owners

When a beloved animal dies, the grief can feel as devastating as losing a family member. Yet too often, this pain is minimised with comments like “he was just a dog” or “you’ll get another one.”

This reflects what psychologists call disenfranchised grief - grief that isn’t socially acknowledged or supported (Doka, 2008).

For pet owners, this lack of recognition can compound their sorrow, leaving them not only heartbroken but also isolated and misunderstood.

Our specialist grief and bereavement support - from one-to-one therapy to supportive workshops - create space for this unique kind of loss.

We honour this bond and walk alongside those grieving, offering compassion, validation, and tools for healing.

“Although it's part of the job, it hurts"- Support for animal care professionals

For those in animal care - veterinarians, shelter teams, wildlife carers, and NGO staff - the work is deeply meaningful. But behind the compassion lies a heavy emotional toll.

Animal care professionals are particularly vulnerable to compassion fatigue, moral stress, and burnout (Kipperman et al., 2017).

Performing euthanasia, coupled with both direct and indirect exposure to traumatic events, loss and suffering, can erode wellbeing over time (Moses et al., 2018).

Our support services include confidential counselling, reflective workshops, and tailored Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) for the animal care worker.

We support the wellbeing of those who give so much of themselves in the service of animals.

STEP 1: Tend

We begin by tending to the immediate pain, grief, or strain - offering a compassionate space where your experiences are acknowledged and held with care.

STEP 2: Attend

We attend closely to the deeper layers: the emotions, meanings and patterns shaping your journey, bringing them into the light.

STEP 3: Mend

Through reflection, tools and embodied practices, we help mend balance and resilience, easing the weight of loss or the toll of care.

STEP 4: Transcend

Together, we work toward transcendence - not by “getting over” grief, but by integrating love, memory, and values into a life carried forward with steadiness and purpose.

Therapy & Research in Grief and Care: Dr. Tani Khara

Dr. Tani Khara is a therapist and academic researcher, with a special focus on the intersection of human–animal relationships and mental health. With over 20 years of experience, Dr. Khara offers a compassionate and flexible therapeutic approach that helps individuals explore and heal from anxiety, trauma, grief, and workplace stress.

Many of her clients are women in the workforce, navigating complex personal and professional challenges. She also works closely with those in animal care and protection, including veterinary professionals, shelter workers, and animal rights advocate, individuals who carry immense compassion, often coupled with heavy emotional burdens. Dr. Khara creates a safe and healing space to support these clients in their personal and professional lives.

Support for Compassionate Professionals: Specialises in helping those in animal care

+20 Years of Corporate Experience: specialising in women in the workforce

Flexible Therapy Approaches: Utilises a variety of therapeutic techniques tailored to each individual’s needs

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How to find us.

Suites 816/919
185 Elizabeth St
Sydney 2000

Accessible via Public Transport

✓ 5 minutes walk from Town Hall Station

✓ 3 minutes walk from Gadigal Metro Station

✓ 1 minute walk from St James Station