About Veterinary Social Work Services at VERG Brooklyn
Veterinary Social Work Services at VERG Brooklyn is dedicated to providing emotional processing support throughout the veterinary medicine experience. At the core of this work is a deep respect for the human–animal bond, understood as a mutually beneficial and dynamic relationship between people and animals that supports the mental, physical, and social well-being of both.
Services are grounded in these values and offered through a range of counseling and consultation supports for animal caregivers and veterinary staff.
Animal caregivers seeking Veterinary Social Work Services at VERG Brooklyn may receive support in areas including:
- Navigating quality-of-life assessments and complex end-of-life decisions
- Facilitating communication with the animal’s medical team
- Free individual and/or group caregiver support while managing an animal companion’s chronic condition
- Emotional support before, during, and/or after euthanasia
- Free individual and/or group pet loss support for grief and bereavement
- Age-appropriate guidance and resources for talking with children about an animal companion’s illness or death
- Mental health referrals and animal-related community resources
Christine Galotti Noyes, LCSW, VSW
About Our Veterinary Social Worker
Christine Galotti Noyes, LCSW, VSW is a New York State Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Veterinary Social Worker with extensive experience providing therapeutic support to diverse populations. Her clinical background includes work with students and families, veterans, justice-impacted adults, individuals navigating substance use treatment, and members of the general outpatient mental health population.
A dedicated animal rescuer and advocate, Christine is deeply committed to supporting the emotional well-being of those who love and care for animals. In her role as VERG Brooklyn’s Veterinary Social Worker, she provides compassionate support to both clients and veterinary staff, with a clinical focus on grief and bereavement, compassion fatigue, and the intersection of human and animal violence.
Christine also provides clinical supervision to graduate-level counseling interns, supporting their professional development, clinical skill-building, and trauma-informed practice within a veterinary hospital setting.
Christine holds a post-master’s certificate in Veterinary Social Work from NYU Silver School of Social Work, a program developed by her former clinical supervisor, Dr. Katherine Compitus, DSW, LCSW-R, C-AAIS. As an independently licensed practitioner in New York State, Christine brings both professional expertise and personal passion to her work in veterinary social work.
Support Groups
A support group brings together individuals with shared experiences or concerns to offer one another encouragement, comfort, and understanding. Support groups at VERG Brooklyn are designed to provide a safe and compassionate space to share personal experiences, emotions, and coping strategies related to illness, caregiving, or loss. Participants are invited to connect with others who understand their circumstances and to develop coping tools while navigating challenging experiences.
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Grief Peer Support Group
The Grief Peer Support Group is designed for VERG Brooklyn clients whose animal companion has died. The group meets every other Thursday from 6:15–7:45 PM ET via Zoom (unless otherwise indicated) and offers a supportive space for shared connection, emotional processing, and gentle psychoeducation around grief. This counseling service is complimentary for VERG Brooklyn clients. Space is limited, and advance registration is required. Registration closes at 1:00 PM on the day of the meeting.The Grief and Bereavement Group serves VERG Brooklyn clients whose animal companion has passed away. This group meets twice per month and provides ongoing emotional support and psychoeducation for those experiencing grief. This counseling service is complimentary, though space is limited. Registration closes at 1:00 PM on the day of the meeting.
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Caregiver Peer Support Group
The Caregiver Peer Support Group is for VERG Brooklyn clients supporting an animal companion undergoing cancer treatment. Meeting every other week, the group offers a supportive space for connection, emotional processing, and gentle psychoeducation related to caregiver stress and emotional well-being. This counseling service is complimentary for VERG Brooklyn clients. Space is limited, and advance registration is required. Registration closes at 1:00 PM on the day of the meeting.
This group currently focuses on oncology caregivers, with plans to expand caregiver support offerings in the future to include additional chronic and complex medical conditions.
In Memoriam
If you wish to honor and share the life and legacy of your beloved animal companion or animal family member, you are invited to submit the form and upload a photo using the link provided. By submitting the form, permission is granted for VERG Brooklyn to share the animal’s first name and photograph.
Submit Your Photo
Resources
Helping Pets + Families
Make a donation to Positive Tails, a nonprofit funding medical care for the abused and displaced animals of New York.