“Living through Loss and Transition” a seven-week series about grief will begin 10 a.m., Thursday, Oct. 11, at Spirit Mountain Retreat.

Here in Idyllwild, if you talk to almost anyone, you find that either they or someone that they know is living with a loss or a serious transition in their life. The many faces of grief are around us.

When anyone of us suffers a loss, we are faced with the difficult task of mourning. The intensity and duration of grief is different for everyone and depends on many personal factors. With care and support, we do move through our grief and reclaim a sense of our own unique aliveness.

During the sessions, we will dispel some misconceptions of grief, explore the many faces of grief, appreciate the journey of healing and honor the uniqueness of each story shared.

Together we will appreciate the roller coaster of feelings that accompany each loss. We will laugh, cry, sing and be amazed at our resilience and courage.

Human connections are formed through Shared Story.

Esther Kennedy, MSW, director of Spirit Mountain Retreat, will facilitate the series, which will meet from 10 a.m. to noon, Thursday mornings starting Oct. 11 and finishing Dec. 13.

We are grateful to Doug Austin for fully funding this program with a grant from the Mary Austin Foundation. There is no charge. For more information and to register call (951) 659-2523 or visit our website at www.spiritmountainretreat.org.