There are moments in life when the waves feel too big to carry alone - loss, change, and endings that reshape who we are. Our Waves of Grief retreat invites you to come home to yourself, to nature, and to compassionate community that understands grief as a natural expression of love - something to be honored, not overcome.
Guided by Kelsey Ellis, surf therapy facilitator and founder of the Waves of Grief Collective, this restorative week offers gentle movement, ocean therapy, grief circles, and creative rituals to support rest, reflection, and renewal.
Grief is the most universal human experience, it's love with nowhere to go. Rooted in somatic and eco-therapeutic practices, this retreat invites reconnection to self, community, and the natural world. We believe healing happens in community not isolation and that, like the ocean, grief moves in waves. Together, we'll find joy, find connection, and ride the waves together.
Kelsey Ellis, MA, is an eco-therapy provider, grief counselor and surf therapy facilitator, whose work lives at the intersection of nature, community, and healing. Her background lies in facilitating expressive therapeutic programs for trauma recovery, weaving together creative arts, somatic practice, and ocean-based therapy.
In March 2020, Kelsey unexpectedly lost her twin sister, Audrey, to Covid-19 complications. In the depths of her grief, she found solace and meaning in the ocean - a place where love and loss could coexist. From that experience, she founded the Waves of Grief Collective which now offer ocean-based grief support and surf therapy in over 15 locations worldwide.
Kelsey's professional and personal experience have deepened her passion for fostering community connection through creative programming that supports individuals navigating grief, loss, change, and transition. Her work, recognized by the U.S. Surgeon General and featured in National Geographic's documentary series IMPACT with Gal Gadot reminds us that healing can be found through authentic expression, belonging, and connection the natural world.
Guided by the words of Francis Weller, "Grief and love are sisters, woven together from the beginning," Kelsey invites others to let the ocean hold both.
