The Pet Loss Companion

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Hosted by family therapists Nancy Saxton-Lopez and Ken Dolan-Del Vecchio, authors of the bestselling book The Pet Loss Companion: Healing Advice from Family Therapists Who Lead Pet Loss Groups, this podcast shares experiences, recommendations, and reflections that help listeners with the loss of their animal companions. Ken and Nancy help listeners celebrate the gifts and navigate the challenges that come when we share our lives with beloved pets. Contact us at nsaxtonlopez@csmpc.com and kenddv@gmail.com. https://www.amazon.com/Pet-Loss-Companion-Healing-Therapists/dp/1484918266/ref=sr_1_3?dch

Recent Episodes
  • #207 A Conversation with New Yorker Cartoonist Harry Bliss on his Graphic Memoir, You Can Never Die
    Apr 24, 2025 – 00:30:21
  • #206 "I Can't Be Sure I Did the Right Thing"
    Apr 10, 2025 – 00:34:58
  • #205 "The Quick Decline Was So Unexpected"
    Apr 3, 2025 – 00:25:08
  • #204 Creativity and Healing: A Conversation with Dr. Ken Gorczyca.
    Mar 27, 2025 – 00:30:23
  • #203 "I'm Feeling Fortunate in That I Don't Feel Any Guilt"
    Mar 20, 2025 – 00:31:00
  • #202 "They Are and Were Everything To Me"
    Mar 13, 2025 – 00:31:25
  • #201 Your Comments
    Mar 6, 2025 – 00:24:53
  • #200 "I Feel Like She Was Robbed Of Her Life"
    Feb 27, 2025 – 00:28:01
  • #199 A Conversation with Canine Behavior Consultant Kate LaSala on Behavioral Euthanasia
    Feb 20, 2025 – 00:34:29
  • #198 "The Images That Loom Largest Are Those Last Ones"
    Feb 13, 2025 – 00:28:40
  • #197 Your Comments
    Feb 6, 2025 – 00:31:14
  • #196 Challenges That Often Arise After Loss
    Jan 30, 2025 – 00:29:55
  • #195 "I...Saw Her...Like a Hologram Image"
    Jan 23, 2025 – 00:29:16
  • #194 "I Had Her for 8 Years Loved Her So Completely"
    Jan 17, 2025 – 00:27:16
  • # 193 "I Was Robbed of So Many More Years with Her"
    Jan 9, 2025 – 00:29:59
  • #192 Audience Members' Comments
    Jan 3, 2025 – 00:29:33
  • #191 "He Was My Everything"
    Dec 26, 2024 – 00:25:44
  • #190 Grief During the Holidays
    Dec 19, 2024 – 00:27:43
  • #189 "I Think We're All Blaming Ourselves"
    Dec 12, 2024 – 00:29:02
  • #188 "He Was Extraordinary, Joyful, Unique and So Deeply Loved"
    Nov 22, 2024 – 00:45:28
  • #187 "We Have No Body and No Way of Ever Knowing What Happened"
    Nov 14, 2024 – 00:25:13
  • #186 A Conversation with Canine Behavior Consultant Kate LaSala
    Nov 7, 2024 – 00:30:42
  • #185 "It Still Feels Like I Just Lost Her Yesterday"
    Oct 31, 2024 – 00:30:39
  • #184 "The Second We Laid Eyes on Each Other, the Bond Was Instant"
    Oct 17, 2024 – 00:29:02
  • #183 When You're Ready to Adopt Again: A Converstion with Author Amy Castro
    Oct 10, 2024 – 00:29:56
  • #182 "How Do You Sum Up 17 Years of Someone's Life?"
    Oct 3, 2024 – 00:30:06
  • #181 "No One Will Every Replace My Gentle Giant"
    Sep 26, 2024 – 00:32:15
  • #180 A Conversation with Ben Sheperde, Author of "Rememberer with Dog"
    Sep 19, 2024 – 00:33:22
  • #179 "We Never Dreamed We Would Lose Both Our Babies Within Six Weeks of Each Other"
    Sep 12, 2024 – 00:26:28
  • #178 "I Feel So Angry and Hurt Because He was Just a Baby"
    Sep 5, 2024 – 00:27:04
  • #177 After-Death Contact from Our Animal Companions
    Aug 29, 2024 – 00:30:44
  • #176 "I Would've Done Anything For Him"
    Aug 22, 2024 – 00:31:27
  • #175 Audience Members' Comments
    Aug 16, 2024 – 00:27:30
  • #174 "My Best Friend, My Housemate, My Child"
    Aug 8, 2024 – 00:38:21
  • #173 Nancy's Story about Her Beloved Ellie
    Aug 1, 2024 – 00:33:37
  • #172 "After She Passed, I Kind Of Went Numb....I Thought Something Was Wrong With Me"
    Jul 25, 2024 – 00:32:11
  • #171 "You Were My Favorite Hello and My Hardest Goodbye"
    Jul 18, 2024 – 00:29:28
  • #170 When Your Loss Is From The Decision to Rehome Your Companion
    Jul 11, 2024 – 00:28:54
  • #169 "He Was Our Little Shadow"
    Jun 27, 2024 – 00:26:26
  • #168 A Conversation with E.B. Bartels, Author of Good Grief: On Loving Pets, Here and Hereafter
    Jun 20, 2024 – 00:29:46
  • #167 "Letting Him Go Today Was The Hardest Decision In A Year of Hard Decisions"
    Jun 6, 2024 – 00:27:52
  • #166 "My Life Changed Forever When BooBoo Arrived"
    May 30, 2024 – 00:37:20
  • #165 Comments/Short Stories from Audience Members
    May 23, 2024 – 00:29:00
  • #164 "What is a Mother Whose Children Have All Died?"
    May 16, 2024 – 00:35:44
  • #163 "Every Decision I Made, Every Effort, Was Driven By My Love and Dedication to Khan"
    May 9, 2024 – 00:35:46
  • #162 "Every Single Day . . . I Told Her I Loved Her and Thanked Her for Being My Dog"
    May 2, 2024 – 00:34:34
  • #161 "He Was My Home and My Family"
    Apr 25, 2024 – 00:26:16
  • #160 Dr. Caitlin Vaugh Interviewing Nancy and Ken
    Apr 17, 2024 – 00:38:20
  • #159 A Conversation with Dr. Karen Fine, Author of The Other Family Doctor
    Apr 11, 2024 – 00:30:49
  • #158 "Since the First Days We Knew He Was Our Whole World"
    Apr 4, 2024 – 00:33:54
Recent Reviews
  • Alicia Sweezer
    Amazing Podcast!
    Kenneth and Nancy do a great job of talking about grief in a way that is supportive and validating. I enjoyed the episode with Angela Shook, I could really relate to it.
  • AMarieD
    Comfort in the loneliness of grief
    This podcast was the biggest comfort after I lost my dog on Thanksgiving. It absolutely got me through those first few weeks. I’m caught up, so now I check back weekly, as the grief comes and relaxes in waves, and I still find such value. What a process pet loss grief is. This podcast helped me feel less alone.
  • TLauriano
    Comforting
    I haven’t left a review for a podcast yet but felt compelled to after listening. This is a wonderful podcast that’s helped me deal with the grief I’ve been experiencing and sometimes feeling alone in that grief. I would recommend it to anyone who may feel the same or just need to hear from those who have gone through or are going through the same thing. Ken and Nancy are absolutely amazing.
  • RaleighQ
    So helpful when grieving
    This pod cast has been so helpful since I lost heart dog. The hosts are both knowledgeable & compassionate during very difficult times
  • amalthea27
    This show saved my life
    This pod was the greatest, warmest helping hand in my grief
  • keeganhph
    Wonderful Podcast ❤️
    I found your podcast one year ago after I lost my heart dog, Otie, and desperately needed guidance through my extreme grief. I feel so grateful for you both, your guests, and all of the listeners who share their stories. Whenever I’ve experienced difficult moments of grief over the past year, I tune in and immediately feel heard, supported, and understood. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. 🐾
  • Kbcsmc98
    Thank you for this show!!
    I am so glad to have found this podcast. I lost my soul friend, our family’s beloved cat, to cancer 3 weeks ago. I have been devastated and looking for thoughts on how to heal while memorializing her. This podcast has such helpful episodes and compassionate hosts. Many people just suggest I get another cat, but I need to grieve mu angel cat first. The hosts really understand! You guys are great, thank you!!
  • Stevie102810
    This show 🌟
    I am so thankful for this podcast. When I first learned about my fur baby’s diagnosis, I jumped into “research mode” and came across this show. Listening to the show helped prepare me for the heartbreak, writing to the hosts gave me more peace than I could have asked for, hearing their kind responses made me feel seen and heard, and listening post loss has helped me cope and grieve. Thank you Nancy and Ken for all you do for us pet parents!
  • DMbloom46
    So grateful for this!
    So beyond grateful for you both. Just put my beloved Duncan down in my home yesterday and I’m so grateful to have this as a resource. Nancy I listened to the episode when you lost your beloved pug. I lost another dog, Oliver tragically many years ago and the people at Abby Glenn really did help me and my ex through a terrible time.
  • F = MA
    Truly Lives Up to Its Title For Those Suffering A Loss
    The Pet Loss Companion podcast run by Nancy and Ken genuinely lives up to its title by sharing real-life stories and normalizing the intense emotions we as pet owners struggle with in the wake of our beloved pet’s passing. While nothing can replace that of which we lost, through storytelling and talking about difficult topics of conversation, the podcast seeks to show that while each of our stories are unique, we are all connected in the sense that we share an undying love for our pets past and present. Thank you helping me get through the first few difficult and sleepless nights in the wake of my baby girl, Abby.
  • BKPaints2020
    Immediate relief when needed most!
    I feel so blessed to have found the podcast the day after my sweet dog’s passing. They cover just about every which way/scenario losing a pet can be hard to live in. My healing journey instantly launched the moment they validated my feelings, thoughts and questions with losing a fur baby. They were very responsive when I reached out as pet of my therapeutic recovery via email and I am so grateful. Thank you guys for providing a safe haven for us pet owners. I feel heard!! ❤️🙏🏻🌈
  • KMolinaro
    Such a wonderful show
    Finding this podcast shortly before my heart dog, Bella, passed was such a blessing to help me with my anticipatory grief and the grief since Bella’s last day 3 months ago. Nancy and Ken are so warm and thoughtful in their advice, opinions and personal stories and hearing others experiences has really helped to validate and process my own feelings. I’m so thankful for Ken, Nancy, and all of the listeners who’s stories are shared and I intend to share my story soon.
  • pkggrl
    Wonderful content and comforting
    I am very grateful that I found your book and podcast. I had to say goodbye to my 15 yr old cat very recently. I have had loss in my life, but this was different and complicated. I had to make difficult decisions and felt immense guilt. The content of your podcast is so helpful and shows such compassion. It is easing my pain so I can begin to honor his memory. Thank you.
  • Hletong
    Thank you
    I lost my dog of 14 1/2 years a couple weeks ago. To say the amount of pain and guilt that I’ve experienced since is immeasurable is an understatement. I became a new mom in the last two years so the attention he was given shifted and with that came immense guilt. Your podcast has helped me to take the first step in forgiving myself, so thank you.
  • lauragloria10
    Thank you 🐾
    I lost my Logan last week and your podcast has been so helpful in understanding and processing my grief.
  • moding123
    Thank you
    I just lost Pancake, my beloved dog, after 15 years. I am a vet so I deal with this at work but he has been my only pet as an adult so this is my first time dealing with it first hand. Listening has helped me process my emotions. Thank you so much for making this.
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