Grief touches everyone differently, and it isn’t always related to death. Sometimes the loss of a job, a home or a pet can trigger grief.

That’s why the Community Grief Support Group, Albert Lea Medical Center, Bayview/Freeborn Funeral Home and Bonnerup Funeral Service are co-sponsoring an educational presentation called &uot;Self-Care and Grief: Taking Care When You Don’t Care&uot; and &uot;How Grief Transforms Us&uot; beginning at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, May 8, in the lower level of Albert Lea Medical Center. Presenter will be Linda Lehmann. There is no charge to attend, but a freewill offering will be received.

&uot;Grief can be an arduous journey,&uot; said Sharon Miller, one of the facilitators for the Community Grief Support Group. &uot;It’s one you have to walk, or it comes back to haunt you.&uot;

Theresa Jackson, another facilitator for the support group, said the group tries to get speakers in the spring and the fall. The grief support board has professionals as members, and they are familiar with Lehmann and her work, Jackson said.

The presentation is designed to complement the grief support group, which meets on the first and third Tuesdays of the month from 7-9 p.m. at Riverland Community College.

&uot;Most &045; but not all &045; of the people who attend have a lost a spouse or a child,&uot; Jackson said. &uot;We walk with them through their journey.&uot;

It’s an open-ended, non-denominational group with no beginning or end. People are welcome to come at any time in their grieving process, and stay for as long as they need to, the facilitators said. There is no fee to attend.

Jackson and Miller said while they have a plan to facilitate each meeting, which may include a video or handouts, they often don’t follow it because it’s necessary to listen to what people feel the need to discuss that night.

&uot;It’s not a rigidly programmed group,&uot; Jackson said.

Facilitators aren’t there to give advice. &uot;It’s mostly the art of listening to what they’re saying &045; or what they aren’t saying,&uot; Jackson said.

There is also a social or break time during each meeting, where those attending are encouraged to talk freely with others. They can also get a &uot;phone buddy&uot; to talk with if needed, and may call the facilitators at any time.

Jackson and Miller said they know the group is not for everyone, but they encourage people to come three times to get a feel for what it’s really about.

And, Jackson said, sometimes they will refer people who appear to be having an especially difficult time working through their grief to a professional counselor.

Jackson had been a widow for about seven years when she was asked to participate as a group facilitator. &uot;I was also an RN, so I had dealt with these issues before,&uot; she said.

Miller had been a secretary for Riverland Community College’s customized training services, and knew about the group because she scheduled some of its meetings. &uot;I thought it sounded interesting, then I had some grief issues myself,&uot; she said. &uot;I’ve learned a lot, and this is a way to give back some of what I’ve gotten.&uot;

Both have attended training sessions and seminars on group facilitation as well as grief and other related topics.

Other group facilitators are the Rev. David Hernes and Orlan Erickson.