Anna & Esther: A Pet Therapy Team in the Making

Comfort, care, and companionship—offered by a thanatologist and her giant, gentle helper

  • Thanatology & community health professional
  • MA in Thanatology (CUNY Brooklyn College – in progress)
  • Volunteer bereavement support caller (Accent Care Hospice)
  • Trained end-of-life doula
  • Future MSW student (Liberty University)
  • Working toward grief & bereavement therapist licensure
  • Guided by compassion, dignity, and the belief that no one—human or animal—should face death alone

Esther the Therapy Dog: Training a Gentle Giant for Comfort

🌿 About Me

My name is Anna, and I am currently completing my master’s degree at Brooklyn College in Thanatology, the study of death, dying, and bereavement. My life’s work is centered on helping individuals and families navigate the complex realities of death with compassion, dignity, and care.

I am an end-of-life doula, providing support and guidance to individuals and families during the final stages of life, and I also offer doula services to pet parents navigating their companion animal’s end-of-life journey. In addition, I volunteer with Accent Care, making bereavement calls to help grieving families find comfort and connection after loss. I have also been accepted into the MSW program at Liberty University for the Summer 2026 semester, where I will continue my path toward becoming a licensed grief and bereavement therapist. My long-term goal is to incorporate animal-assisted interventions into my future therapy practice, blending clinical support with the healing presence of therapy animals.

🐾 About Esther

Alongside me on this journey is Esther, my gentle giant of a Saint Bernard. At just 16 months old, Esther already weighs 165 pounds—and carries an even bigger heart. Giant breeds like Saint Bernards are often excellent for pet therapy work because of their calm presence, steady nature, and natural ability to provide comfort simply by being near. Esther has already earned her Canine Good Citizen (CGC) certificate, and together we are working toward becoming a registered Pet Partners therapy team.

🐾 Growing into Her Role

Even though Esther is large in size, she is still young for a giant breed and has much growing and maturing ahead. Large dogs like Saint Bernards take longer to fully develop both physically and emotionally, which means patience is key in her training. Right now, she is learning how to balance her playful puppy energy with the calm, comforting demeanor that therapy work requires.

At the same time, her strengths as a giant breed shine through. Her sheer presence can feel grounding and reassuring, and her gentle nature makes her a natural fit for therapy work. With each step of training, Esther is discovering how to use her size and spirit in ways that bring comfort and connection to others.

This blog will serve as both a journal and a reflection space as Esther and I prepare for therapy visits, particularly in hospice and end-of-life settings. Here, I’ll share training updates, handler lessons, and the joys and challenges of building a therapy partnership. From practicing calm greetings and leash work to developing resilience around new environments, every step is part of our growth.

I hope that by documenting our progress, I can show how the human–animal bond can bring comfort, healing, and connection. Esther and I may still be “in the making,” but each paw step forward brings us closer to serving others with love and purpose.

With love and paw prints,
Anna & Esther 🐾

Posted in

Leave a comment