Workbook # 6
Your Client just told you that their pet dog was run
over by a car. The client begins to cry. What do you do?
The tragedy of a loss of a pet or
a family is the same feeling. We may feel as if it is our fault. I would
personally say it is okay to cry, it is okay to feel it is normal. We are
taught from, a early age as childhood that crying is a show of weakness and
when men cry they hide their fear and this judgment is seen throughout
childhood. The stereotype of boys and girls is a norm that has taken over our
society. We assume when a loss is felt and a client or anyone would cry we see
them as emotional, or it’s just a “pet” get another one. What we tend not to
realize that pets have a huge impact on people lives. Pets are like family and
some people don’t have family and their pets are their escape from the world
and society. I can feel the hurt this client is facing, and getting a new pet
would be something this client will not consider. I would tell the client this
feeling is not a silly feeling, some people may also feel foolish to cry over a
pet. No matter how large or small our loss may be, we must openly discuss our
feelings or our grief will not be resolved. We all have to attempt to open with
our feelings and not to ignore our pain; we may become withdrawn and face
serious medical and psychological problems. Or we can become very angry with
ourselves wishing we could have done something to prevent a death or someone
being ill. It will also be my job to let the client know he/she should not feel
guilt for what has happen. Assure them as well that this action is accident and
accidents happen, and remind them that the pet was happy and also past happy.
I would recommend Journaling as a therapy for this client. I would like the client to write or draw his emotions on a paper because that is going to help with the pain and it might bring out emotions that the client didn't know where there. Displaying or writing emotions on a paper helps the client let all those feeling out and that would help with the grief.
ReplyDeleteIf my client comes to me crying because her pet dog was run over by a car and died I would try to comfort her and I would tell her that it is okay to cry and to let her emotions out because that would make her feel better. I would also make enphasys on how important pets are in our live and that I understand how she feels. After speaking to my client I would ask her to draw how she feels and display her emotions in a piece of paper because that is going to make her feel better. Drawing is a way to let emotions and anger out of the system and it helps a person feel better.
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