We recently connected with Cara DeLaRosa and have shared our conversation below.

Cara, appreciate you joining us today. Setting up an independent practice is a daunting endeavor. Can you talk to us about what it was like for you – what were some of the main steps, challenges, etc.

My independent business came about in an unexpected way and it’s a story that I feel is important to share because it illustrates how following your inner guidance can lead to creations beyond your imagination.

After having spent nearly a decade utilizing a degree in an entirely different field (Corporate Design), my career path shifted 180 degrees toward the Veterinary world. In 2010 I lost my job in the economic downturn that had begun a few years prior. While reeling from that loss, I experienced the tragic death of my beloved heart dog. These losses forced me to turn inward and evaluate (and reevaluate) my life. In that process of self discovery, I focused on asking myself “What brings me the most joy?”. The message became clear…and I knew I needed to find a way to spend time in service of and with animals moving forward.

My first step was to enroll in the Veterinary Sciences program at the Santa Rosa Junior College and began exploring what a career within the Veterinary field would look like as a veterinary assistant or RVT.

Through this program I ended up connecting with a local holistic Veterinarian who offered me a position at her single doctor practice. Although I had lightly explored natural medicine in my personal life, this opportunity provided deep exposure to the world of holistic health and I was able to witness first-hand the benefits of acupuncture, chiropractic, traditional Chinese medicine, flower essences, herbal blends, energy work, and homeopathy.

I was the only assistant at this practice, so my education was hands-on, fast paced and extremely immersive. I did everything from reception and office work, booking, billing, inventory, ordering, filling prescriptions, blending herbs, essences and poultices, to restraining animals, cleaning exam rooms, preparing lab samples and microscopic slides, to educating clients on patient care and medication requirements.

At the time, this veterinarian’s client base had primarily been animals at the end of their life, having been diagnosed with end stage or inoperable conditions. Clients were seeking this holistic practice out when they had nowhere else to turn within the Western (allopathic) veterinary community.

Naturally, this type of client base required extra tenderness, compassion, education and support around what to expect as their animal’s disease processes advanced. Some clients needed information on supporting their animals through natural death without medical intervention.

After nearly two years of concentrated hands-on learning and experience, I decided to create my own business. When the doctor moved her clinic to a large corporate setting, the timing felt right for me to embark.

I founded Healing Hands Animal Care in April of 2012, a specialty pet sitting business focused on senior and special needs pets. My first step was to become a Reiki Practitioner, as I knew I wanted to be able to offer hands-on healing to animals.

My goal had been to honor our senior animals with holistic pet sitting services and support and their human families all the way through the life cycle, to end-of-life/hospice and grief support.

One of my very first clients trusted me for both pet sitting services and hospice services. When it came time for her beloved dog to transition she called me to assist with a natural home death. It was an honor to support them through the entire process. This was my first “on my own” experience and it felt so natural to me…and I knew in my soul that this was the work I was truly meant to be doing.

My advice for any young entrepreneur is to get really clear about your direction, then trust that you will be guided in the correct direction. When you are listening to your (inner or outer) guidance, doors will open for you. Trust is huge within entrepreneurship…trusting and believing in yourself for starters.

Cara, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I am a certified pet loss grief coach, certified animal hospice professional, Reiki master and intuitive healer. My business focus shifted in 2023 when I closed the petsitting offerings of my business in order to focus on soley animal hospice and pet loss grief support. I am a liaison between the pet parent and veterinary team and empower pet parents with the language and tools needed to navigate end of life choices. I act as an emotional support guide through the entire end of life process, addressing anticipatory grief as well as after-loss grief support.

I take the time to explain veterinary language, diagnoses and medical protocols. I continue to approach my work holistically, addressing the body, mind, spirit and emotional needs of the families and animals I work with. Families experience having direct access to a medically knowledgeable and emotionally supportive person to guide them through the entire end-of-life process.

I currently offer:

– Quality of Life Evaluations: “When to find the right time to say goodbye”
I help pet parents understand the nuances of building a detailed quality of life “road map” that is catered to their individual animal’s medical diagnoses and needs, along with the caregiver’s needs. (It’s much more than “they are no longer eating.”)

An excellent tool to help pet parents find the right timing for mindful transition and opens up meaningful conversation around end of life planning.

Great for getting all family members on the same page around the patient’s mortality and status.together, we build an individualized end of life map for their animals complete with what to expect, what signs to look for, bucket list ideas and more.

– Hospice Support:
Includes the palliative care phase of supportive care (pre-hospice), can last up to a year before the patient transitions.

I answer medical questions, teach pet parents the language to use to advocate for their animal and work with their veterinary team.

We use the Quality of Life Evaluation as a “road map” for decision making and markers of decline.

Hospice phase often involves anticipatory grief and therefore some grief coaching may be introduced.

In-Home Euthanasia alongside Licensed Veterinarian:
Arrange, pace and work alongside in-home veterinarians to facilitate a mindful, beautiful transition.

– Private Pet Loss Grief Coaching Sessions:
Grief is an experience that affects our mind, body, emotions and spirit, so I take a holistic approach with my work.

Clients work 1-1 with me to understand why their experience may feel so foreign, disorienting, overwhelming and isolating.

I hold space for all that is present in the client’s experience, as well as teach nervous system regulation tools with an emphasis on self awareness and self compassion to navigate grief.

Guilt often plays a large role in pet loss grief and I utilize a multidisciplinary approach to facilitate healing.

Ritual, mourning practices and continuing bonds play a large role in integrating the loss.

Private clients have access to my ongoing free monthly pet loss support group.

– 7 Month Self-Paced Pet Loss Course:
One video module per month with exercises and journal promos, the content builds on itself.

Monthly group meetings to discuss coursework and progress.

Access to discounted private 1-1 sessions.

Access to ongoing free monthly support group.

– Reiki healing sessions for animals and humans.

– Custom hand-painted memorial pet portraits.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

After embarking on this journey, there was never a “backup plan”. This was it. I had no other choice than to pour myself into learning, growing and succeeding.

The truth is, when I initially launched in 2012, I had no savings, no additional income and no clients. I steadily built my business and reputation through integrity and hard work. Running a niche business requires fortitude and creativity.

My business has weathered economic downturns, wildfires that ravaged our city and clients homes, serious family crises and covid. I refuse to give up!

I believe so strongly in the services that I offer! To my knowledge, I am the only in-home animal hospice advocate in Santa Rosa and possibly all of Sonoma County offering this range of services. I also support pet parents across the US remotely.

Pet Parents need practical and emotional support that the standard veterinary clinic model does not have the time or resources to provide and our beloved animals deserve the very best end of life care.

If you could go back, would you choose the same profession, specialty, etc.?

If I could go back in time, I would do it all over again.

I wholeheartedly believe that my personal timeline unfolded exactly as it needed to. I needed to lose my design job. I needed to experience the profound devastating grief of losing my beloved dog Rosemary. I needed to explore vet tech school, clinic settings and holistic health in order to find my passion and my way.

I even believe I needed to experience the bumps in the road with my business in order to reaffirm my passion for what I do.

I continue to deepen my education in all areas of my work. I would love to partner with veterinary clinics and mobile vets to be able to offer my services to a wider audience.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.caradelarosa.com
• Instagram: @pet.loss.grief.coach
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PetLossGriefCoach/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/caradelarosa/
• Youtube: @petlossgriefcoach

Image Credits
Cara DeLaRosa