Phenix Advocacy Center’s Next Talk!

Posted byhoundbizPosted inCoaching, Gratitude, Mindfulness, Social WorkTags:, , , ,

Losses That Don’t Get Flowers: Disenfranchised Grief in Animal Care

a Let’s Get Real conversation sponsored by the Phenix Advocacy Center (PAC)

Hosted by Colleen Pelar with special guest, Melissa Trevathan-Minnis, PhD

Monday, October 27, 2025, at 12:00 pm Eastern via Zoom

Cost: $10 (donation to the non-profit PAC)

Join us for a conversation about the grief that doesn’t get acknowledged—the kind that comes with saying goodbye to animals you’ve known for years, euthanizing animals you’ve cared for, or carrying the emotional weight of decisions that happen behind the scenes.

This is disenfranchised grief: loss that’s real and painful, but that the world around you doesn’t recognize or validate. For those of us in animal care, these unwitnessed losses can accumulate quietly, leaving us feeling isolated or wondering why we can’t stop thinking about a situation that occurred months ago. 

In this discussion, we’ll explore why these losses matter, how they affect us differently than grief that gets seen and supported, and most important, how to honor them in ways that actually help. Whether you’re carrying fresh grief or old grief that never quite got processed, this is a space where your feelings make sense and your losses count.

____________________________________

You must join this chat live – recordings will not be shared as our topics are often sensitive. 

Once you have made your $25 donation, we will email you the Zoom link for this event. 

Thank you for supporting the PAC! We are advocates for R+ canine professionals. 

Disclaimer:  This PAC-sponsored event is for educational purposes only. If you are in need of professional help from a qualified mental health professional, please visit the resource section of our PAC website: www.phenixadvocacycenter.org/resources

Published by houndbiz

Katherine Porter is a force free, reward based dog behavior advisor and consultant serving clients and their companion dogs worldwide. Her calm and gentle approach in coaching clients in effectively communicating what they want to their dog blends her MSW background into her dog training and behavior practice. Katherine was a behavior consultant for Heeling Hounds after graduation. She opened Four Paws and You Dog Training LLC when the military relocated her family to Fort Sill, OK in 2015. During this time, she volunteered with Rainbow Bridge Can Wait where she provided post adoption consultations to new pet parents. She also developed and implemented tailored behavior modification plans for highly reactive dogs residing at the shelter. She also provided educational programs to military children through interactive workshops at the Fort Sill School Age Center. In 2017, Katherine relocated Four Paws and You Dog Training LLC to Germany. She served the Armed Forces communities in Bavaria. She continued coaching and advising her clients in addressing their companion dog’s fearful and reactive behavioral issues. Katherine takes a Do No Harm approach first and foremost in providing behavioral plans. She is committed in serving clients with gentle and modern science approaches in modifying behavioral concerns such as reactivity, aggression, separation anxiety and fear based responses. Katherine is a member of the Pet Professional Guild. She is focused on integrating a holistic and modern approach in addressing her client’s pet companion reactive behavior issues.

Leave a comment