Writing your way to Healing.
Grief after the loss of a beloved animal can be overwhelming. One day, your world is filled with wet noses, wagging tails, the clicking of nails on the floor or chirping songs from your feathered friend, and the next, there’s silence. The space where they once were … empty.
While there is no shortcut through this heartbreak, there are gentle ways to walk with it, and journaling is one of them. If you’re new to journaling or unsure how to begin, this article explains what journaling is and why it’s so powerful.
Whether you’re feeling lost, numb, guilty, angry or even relieved (yes, that’s okay too), journaling offers a private, healing space where you can safely express it all. It’s not about writing perfectly, it’s about writing honestly.
Why Journaling Can Help During Pet Loss
Writing gives form to feelings that are often too heavy to speak aloud, especially in the early stages of the loss.
In times of grief, especially pet grief, which can often feel invisible or misunderstood by others, journaling becomes a safe container for your sorrow, your love, and your memories, bringing emotional relief and healing.
Research has shown that expressive writing can reduce anxiety, improve emotional clarity and even support physical well-being (source). But beyond the science, there’s something profoundly sacred about putting pen to paper when you’re mourning.
You might write…
- A letter to your pet
- A favourite memory
- A list of things you miss
- A reflection on what their companionship meant to you
- Or simply, how you’re feeling today
There’s no wrong way to journal through grief.
What if I Don’t Know What to Write?
You don’t need to find the “right” words; like everything in life, you only need to begin.
If you’re unsure where to start, I’ve created a gift: 50 Pet Loss Grief Journaling Prompts to support you. It’s filled with soft, open-ended questions and reflections to gently guide you through the emotions of loss, whether your grief is recent or something you’ve carried quietly for years.
A Journaling Ritual for Grieving Pet Parents
You don’t need to journal every day; even once or twice a week can help. Here’s a simple way to create your own healing ritual:
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- Find a quiet space: somewhere you can sit undisturbed for just 10 minutes.
- Choose your tools: a notebook, your phone (disable wifi & notifications so you are not disturbed), or even scraps of paper – whatever feels right for you.
- Light a candle or hold a keepsake: connecting with a physical memory can help you feel grounded.
- Start with a prompt or feeling: you might begin with “today, I remembered when we…” or “I wish I could tell you …”
- Let the words flow freely: write what comes to you, and if there are tears, let them flow too. Tears are the body’s way of releasing emotions, such as sadness.
The Healing Power of Words
Journaling won’t erase your grief, and it shouldn’t! Grief is love, after all. But what journaling can do is help you live with that grief more acceptingly. It can honour the bond you shared, help you process regret, guilt, longing and even uncover small moments of mental peace.
Over time, your journal may even become a tribute, a record of the love you shared and the healing that followed.
Final Thoughts
If your heart is hurting, know this: you are not alone. The grief you feel is a reflection of a beautiful bond, and that love is worth remembering, worth writing about, and worth honouring.
And when you are ready to begin, I invite you to explore the free 50 Pet Loss Grief Journal Prompts. They were created with love, from one animal lover to another.
And remember: Their love lives on in your heart. Their legacy lives on in your words.
If you’re still finding your footing, start here with the basics of journaling and how it can support you. Then, come back to this article when you’re ready.
