Press Kit: Sarah A. Bowen
ANIMAL CHAPLAIN & ADVOCATE FOR ALL CREATURES
Sarah A. Bowen is an award-winning author, animal chaplain, and educator who teaches interspecies mindfulness practices, helps humans survive the pain of animal loss, and advocates for exploited and endangered species. You can often find her huddled over wildlife struck by cars, giving them a sacred sendoff. A columnist on animal/human relationships for Spirituality & Health magazine, Bowen’s work has also appeared in Parabola, Tricycle, and Religion Dispatches.
Her new book, Sacred Sendoffs: An Animal Chaplain’s Advice For Surviving Animal Loss, Making Life Meaningful, & Healing The Planet, contains tools for surviving animal loss and mindfully extending compassion to the 8.7 million other species we share this interdependent planet with. The book hit shelves on April 5, 2022 (Monkfish Publishing) and was a #1 Amazon New Release in both the Pet Loss Grief and Animal Rights categories.
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MEDIA KIT QUICK LINKS:
RECENT MEDIA, EVENTS, & EDITORIAL
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Story & Interview Ideas:
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What is an animal chaplain? (And do you need one?)
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What to do when your dog or cat dies
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How to survive the pain of pet loss
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Do animals have spiritual lives?
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Tips for meditating with dogs, cats, & squirrels (and why it is beneficial)
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How animatronic robopets are helping cure loneliness
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How roadkill can teach us about compassion and speciesism
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Why acknowledging wildlife loss is essential for planetary healing
To request Sarah to speak at your event or for media interviews, please reach out to the publicity & events team through our "won't-end-up-in-our-spam-folder" contact form.
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Praise
"Sarah Bowen guides us gently through the loss of our companion animals, while also nudging us to examine our conceptions about other-than-human beings in general."
―VICTORIA MORAN, author of Creating a Charmed Life and The Good Karma Diet
"This book is guaranteed to make you reassess your ways of thinking, invoke your spirituality and give you hope. Bowen has done a masterful job with what she herself sometimes refers to as 'messy' topics. I applaud her effort wholeheartedly."
―ANIMAL CULTURE MAGAZINE, book review
"If there is one book you choose to read about how to enjoy and improve your relationships with animals and fully appreciate who they truly are, this is the one."
―MARC BEKOFF, author of The Emotional Lives of Animals and other books; professor emeritus of ecology and evolutionary biology at the University of Colorado, Boulder
"This is innovative."
―JoN M. SWEENEY, author of The Complete Francis of Assisi, in a book review for Spirituality & Practice
"I'm so excited, I'm giddy. This is a different aspect of animals and how we view the world. This speaks to my heart. Well done, Sarah."
―ALL CReATUreS PODCAST, a conservation conversation with Chris J. Mortensen, Ph.D
"An ardent invitation to multispecies mourning for our more-than-human companions, from our beloved pets, to the deer on the side of the road, to the rapidly increasing extinction of species on our shared planet"
―CODY J. SANDERS, Chaplain at Harvard University & Advisor in the Office of Religious, Spiritual, & Ethical Life, MIT
"Bowen covers a great deal of ground here, creating a new paradigm for thinking about the way we treat our closest companions and fellow beings. And she offers hope for the future, reminding us that learning to value animals in life and death may be the first step toward saving our beloved planet."
―SPIRITUALTY & HEALTH MAGAZINE, book review
"I'm fascinated with this book and I'm fascinated with this conversation."
―JoN PATCH, host of Talkin' Pets Radio Show
"Sarah Bowen guides us gently through the loss of our companion animals, while also nudging us to examine our conceptions about other-than-human beings in general."
―VICTORIA MORAN, author of Creating a Charmed Life and The Good Karma Diet
"With humour and grace, animal chaplain Sarah Bowen shares her invaluable insight and advice on pet loss, animal welfare, and environmental issues."
―moDERN DOG MAGAZINE, book review & a Modern Dog Book Club pick
"It's also a good resource for people who don't have pets who may not understand the depths of grief for those who do, so I think it's good for all the way around."
―GOOD DAY, FOX 5 DC
"If we heed Bowen's teachings, perhaps animals will help us become more nonviolent toward one another―and teach us how to be human."
―John Dear, author of The Nonviolent Life, Living Peace and other books; executive director of www.beatitudescenter.org
Recent Media, Events, & Editorial
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RECENT SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS
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Roots & Roads, October 2022
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Chaplaincy Innovation Lab, July 19, 2022
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Best Friends National Conference, July 6, 2022
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Compassionate Badassery Lab, May, 2022
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Compassion Consortium Book Talk, April 12, 2022
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"The Gathering" at One Spirit, March 31, 2022
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Spiritual Directors International 4-part Webinar Series, March 9, 2022
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MLK Beloved Community Convergence, Four Worlds Circles, January 17, 2021
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Campaign Non-violence Action Week, Sept 19, 2021
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A World That Works for All Conference, Unity Village, Oct 1-3, 2021
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Parliament of the World's Religions, Oct 17-18, 2021
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Compassion Arts Festival with Marc Bekoff, Nov 16, 2021
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United Nations Interfaith Harmony Week, Feb 5, 2021​
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SELECT ARTICLES & INTERVIEWS
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Animal Culture Magazine, July 2022 (paywall)
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Psychology Today, April 2022: Animal Emotions with Marc Bekoff
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Planet Friendly News, Issue No, 41 Bringing Spirituality into Animal and Planetary Welfare
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Religion News Service, Vatican News Desk, Feb 2, 2022: Pope Francis called pet owners selfish. An animal chaplain says he sells love short.
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Religion Dispatches, Scolding Those Who Choose Pets But No Children, Pope Misses the Rainforest for the Trees, Jan 11, 2022
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Parabola Journal, "They Do Not Need Our Permission: Do birds practice mindfulness? Are chimps religious? The promise and wonder of animal spirituality" by Sarah Bowen (paywall)
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Light of Consciousness Magazine. "Enduring Connections: Our animal companions have not vanished. They have been transformed" (print only)
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Tricycle: The Buddhist Review,“You Have a Church for Cats?” The Service of an Animal Chaplain (interview)
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Spirituality & Health Magazine. How I Became a Animal Chaplain & Why it Matters
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Sift. Shift. Lift. Sifting, Shifting, & Lifting with Sarah Bowen
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Elephant Journal. The Lion Thing: A Powerful Meditation with Big Cats & Cozy Kitties
TV
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Good Day, DC, Fox 5 News, April 19, 2002
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Morning Show, Hartford, Fox 61 News, April 11, 2022
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FEATURED PODCASTS
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All Creatures (Conservation) with Chris Mortensen, PhD
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Heard Around the Barn with Kathy Stevens & Catskill Animal Sanctuary
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Sacred Sendoffs and Animal Companions with Sarah Bowen on Big Universe Podcast
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Hope for the Animals with Hope Bohanec
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Spirituality & Health's Essential Conversations with Rabbi Rami Shapiro
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JaneUnchained with Jane Velez Mitchell
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Main Street Vegan with Victoria Moran
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I'm Awake! Now What? with Krista Xiomara
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Mother Earth Rising with Pippa Leslie
RADIO
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Spirit Talk Live with Rabbi Wayne Dosick, Positive Talk Radio
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SARAH'S COLUMN FOR SPIRITUALITY & HEALTH MAGAZINE
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Mindful Decisions for Critically Ill Pets
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Surviving the Pain of Pet Loss: Tips for Tackling Grief From an Animal Chaplain
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Is It Time for a Robopet? How Animatronic Animals are Helping Cure Loneliness
"Sarah's workshop on Interspecies Spiritual Practices & Rituals opened our hearts to acknowledging buried loss and healing the wounds that often get brushed over in our culture. I am grateful!"
―CAROL SAUNDERS, lead organizer, "2022 Vision: A World That Works for All" Forum and Retreat, Unity Village Missouri
All Videos
Photos
Author Bios
SHORT BIO:
Sarah A. Bowen is an award-winning author, animal chaplain, and educator who teaches interspecies mindfulness practices, helps humans survive the pain of animal loss, and advocates for exploited and endangered species. You can often find her huddled over wildlife struck by cars, giving them a sacred sendoff. A columnist on animal/human relationships for Spirituality & Health magazine, Bowen’s work has also appeared in in Parabola, Tricycle, Religion Dispatches, Psychology Today, an. Animal Culture Magazine, Her latest book is Sacred Sendoffs: An Animal Chaplain’s Advice For Surviving Animal Loss, Making Life Meaningful, & Healing The Planet. Learn more at sacredsendoffs.com.
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FULL BIO:
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Sarah A. Bowen is an animal chaplain and a co-founder of Compassion Consortium―the first interfaith, interspiritual, and interspecies community for people who care about and advocate for animals and the planet―where she leads the Animal Chaplaincy Training program. She also companions animals through death, creates sacred memorial rituals, counsels humans grieving animal loss, and advocates for exploited and endangered species in both religious and secular contexts. An RNS Vatican News Reporter featured her response to Pope Francis’s suggestion that having pets is selfish.
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An award-winning author, her latest book is Sacred Sendoffs: An Animal Chaplain’s Advice for Surviving Animal Loss, Making Life Meaningful, & Trying to Heal the Planet (Monkfish Publishing). A columnist on animal/human relationships for Spirituality & Health magazine, Bowen’s work has also appeared in Parabola, Tricycle, Religion Dispatches, Psychology Today, and Animal Culture Magazine,
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​A passionate speaker and teacher, Bowen has presented for the United Nations World Interfaith Harmony Week, Parliament of the World’s Religions, Spiritual Directors International, Best Friends National Conference, and the Chaplaincy Innovation Lab.
Sarah is also an academic dean at One Spirit Interfaith Seminary, where she encourages emerging clergy to align their spiritual values with animal and planetary welfare.
Sarah holds a BA in Human Ecology from Michigan State University, MA in Religious Studies from Chicago Theological Seminary, was ordained through One Spirit Interfaith Seminary, completed Emerson Theological's Passmore Animal Chaplain Program, and is joyfully engaged in postgraduate research in Humane Religious Studies and Anthrozoology.
Instagram @modernreverend
Sarah is also an academic dean at One Spirit Interfaith Seminary, where she encourages people to align their spiritual values with animal and planetary welfare. In addition, she has presented on animal death and interspecies spirituality in a wide range of venues, including United Nations World Interfaith Harmony Week, Parliament of the World’s Religions, Compassion Arts Festival, Pace E Bene’s Campaign Nonviolence Action Week, The Spiritual Forum, and numerous podcasts.
An award-winning author, she authored two books on modern spirituality, including Spiritual Rebel: A Positively Addictive Guide to Finding Deeper Perspective and Higher Purpose. Her latest book is Sacred Sendoffs: An Animal Chaplain’s Advice for Surviving Animal Loss, Making Life Meaningful, & Trying to Heal the Planet (Monkfish Publishing). She is a columnist on animal/human relationships for Spirituality & Health magazine, and her work has appeared in Tricycle: The Buddhist Review, Elephant Journal, mindbodygreen, and a wide range of spirituality media.
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