About
Are you feeling the heartache of losing a beloved pet?
Or wondering, “What can I do for my friend who’s heartbroken after just losing their pet?”
My name is Mindy Meiering. I’m a licensed therapist, life coach, and mindfulness teacher who specializes in grief and loss. Even though I’ve supported thousands of clients and families through major losses and life transitions, I was blindsided by how devastated I felt after losing my first dog, Ellie.
I truly understand how painful it is to lose these cherished four legged members of our families
My interest in grief and loss extends back to 1994 when I did my first hospice volunteer training. Supporting people with terminal illness and their loved ones during that end-of-life time was an honor, and gave me a glimpse into the many ways we each cope with death, dying and grief.
Over the last three decades, I've supported thousands of clients and patients as they've navigated significant losses and life transitions. I've had my own painful experiences with grief and loss as well.
I was heartbroken after losing Ellie in 2019. She’d been sick for a while and I’d been preparing myself for the day we’d need to say goodbye. But nothing could have prepared me for the gut-wrenching sadness when that day arrived. A waterfall of tears followed, and I felt a huge void in our home (and in my heart).
I’d adopted Ellie as a puppy and we journeyed through life together for fifteen years. She was my companion through major work transitions, finding and marrying the love of my life, geographical moves, and a five-year cancer healing journey. Feisty, whip-smart, and hilarious — this little terrier mix was quite the character and brought endless amounts of joy to my life.
I created The Rainbow Bridge Pet Loss Deck to share these healing tools and practices with others.
Well-meaning friends gave me books, but when you’re grieving it can be challenging to concentrate and make your way through a lengthy book. So, I drew upon some of the tools I already had, which included:
• Spending time in nature
• Being mindful of the self-care I most needed as I mourned her loss
• Writing about my grief and the journey I shared with Ellie
• Honoring Ellie’s life in easy that felt meaningful to me
And it all really helped
The pain and the sadness didn’t go away, but I used these healing tools and practices to gently care for myself as I moved through that intense grief.
After saying goodbye to her, I found myself searching for something that would help ease my pain.
Because after the devastating loss of a beloved pet, we could all use a compassionate shoulder to lean on —- someone who acknowledges and understands the special bond we had with our pet and how painful it is to lose them.
The Rainbow Bridge Deck is that companion.
It validates how painful it is when we lose our pets and it offers accessible, comforting wisdom teachings that will guide you through your grief. With warmth and compassion, these cards give you 52 ways you can love and support yourself and honor the special relationship you shared with your pet.
