You Don't Have to Carry This Alone
If you seek emotional support and comfort navigating the loss of an animal companion or find yourself coping with your experiences as an animal care provider, you're in the right place.
You Belong Here
Heartbridge Animal Chaplaincy exists for people who often grieve or experience life in the presence or sometimes, the absence of animals without enough emotion support.
People and Animal Companions
Whether you've just lost a beloved dog, cat, horse, or other companion, or you're facing an upcoming goodbye, the grief is profound and real. Heartbridge Animal Chaplaincy holds space for that loss without minimizing it.
Professionals Who Work With Animals
Veterinarians, vet techs, animal welfare officers, shelter staff, lab workers, and first responders likely absorb compounding emotional anxiety, trauma, and perhaps anger through their daily work. That weight deserves acknowledgment and care too.
How I Can Help
Heartbridge Animal Chaplaincy offers a few ways to be present with you through grief.
One-on-OneGrief Conversations
Compassionate, private sessions to process the profound pain of pet loss, surrender, or transition.
Sacred Send-Off Planning
Guidance in designing meaningful, personalized final rituals and end-of-life care for your companion.
Memorial Support
Professional Trauma Support
Dedicated debriefing and emotional resilience coaching for veterinary staff and animal welfare workers.
A Little About Me
I'm Jay. Before founding Heartbridge Animal Chaplaincy, I spent years providing guidance and care to graduate and professional school students, and student-facing professionals in universities, many of whom have experience their lives with animal companions. In the last few years, I have been an active volunteer in long term care facilities, where I serve as a state certified advocate. There I support many individuals including elders through some of the hardest transitions of their lives. Again and again, I witnessed something that stayed with me: grief at the loss of companion animals. For many the loss is unexplainable, rarely named, rarely supported, and rarely taken seriously. As an animal chaplain, I want to be here for you.
The Heart Behind My Practice
That invisible grief became the seed of Heartbridge Animal Chaplaincy. I believe the human-animal bond is one of the most profound relationships a person can have, and that losing it deserves the same care and attention as any other loss. My approach is non-religious, non-clinical, and deeply human. I'm not here to fix your grief. I'm here to sit with you and unpackage your emotions.
Not Ready to Talk? That's Okay
Sometimes we need to sit with things before we're ready to reach out. The resources page is here for those moments - blog posts, coping tools, and links to grief support and mental health resources. Take what you need whenever you're ready.
I'm Here When You're Ready
There's no pressure, no timeline, and no wrong way to reach out. Whenever you feel ready, even if you're not sure what to say, I'd be honored to hear from you.
Contact us or email directly: jay@heartbridgeanimalchaplaincy.org.