Gifts of the Journey: Love's Path through the Loss of a Beloved Animal
I’m Chilidog, a dear friend and therapy assistant to Dr. Linda Harper. If you’ve ever been to one of her workshops or read her book The Power of Joy in Giving to Animals, you’ve likely heard about me.
Perhaps you are here because you are experiencing deep grief over the loss of a beloved furry family member, commonly referred to as pet loss, but we are so much more than simply pets, right? We are family!
You might be interested in Linda's new book, Gifts of the Journey: Love's Path through the Loss of a Beloved Animal, coming in Spring 2026. It's more like a gentle companion made up of simple dialogues, insights, and poetry. It holds your heart in love. You can also email her at linda@drlindaharper.com to schedule a one-hour Zoom consult to help your grieving heart heal.
You are welcome to join the Chicago Veterinary Medical Association's monthly pet loss support group, which meets on the first Wednesday of each month at 7:30 pm Central Time. Just email Linda for the link. linda@drlindaharper.com
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Welcome
Grief and loss come in many ways on our journey with beloved animals. You’ve likely heard of animal care professionals experiencing compassion fatigue, burnout, or secondary trauma. If that’s what you’re feeling, you’ve come to the right place, because Dr. Linda is a Compassionate Heart Specialist.
For more than 40 years, she’s worked with animal lovers in her clinical psychology practice. She also founded a pet foster program, facilitates a pet-loss support group, and has created and facilitated workshops across the country. She understands the physical, mental, and emotional stress that comes with this heart-driven work.
She’s discovered that taking care of your compassionate heart is kinda like training for a marathon (like my sneakers?). You can schedule a one-hour consult with Linda to explore guidance options—individual sessions or a Zoom workshop to Refresh Your Compassionate Heart or Heal the Grieving Heart. We want you to continue to love, live with, and give to these wonderful beings and have a happy life together that includes taking care of you, too.
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Love and lots of tail wags from me,
Chilidog
WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING ABOUT WORKING WITH LINDA
“I found I could really now understand how to help myself and others around me.”
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“Absolutely perfect! Educational, helpful, and fun! Can’t wait to share what I learned with others.”
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“These essential tools are going to be HUGE as I embark on my new journey with the kittens.”