Episode 33: Processing waves of grief through the ebb and flow of life's losses

Grey Matters Now

On June 11, 2020 I recorded Episode 25: Healing Trauma Through Surf Therapy and Waves of Love With Natalie Small LMFT and Leanne Tibiatowski.

Groundswell Community Project a sisterhood of inter-sectional womxn holding safe & brave space for individuals and communities to find their healing, power, and belonging in Mother Ocean’s Waves.

Since our last podcast GSCP realized that the world was in need of a specific resource for processing grief.

Waves of Grief: Their Waves of Grief community drop-in groups were birthed out of response to the various types of personal and communal grief that resulted from COVID’s impact on our lives. They welcome women and their families who are grieving loss of loved ones, jobs, homes, and normalcy. The in person or virtual group sessions integrate grief practices that include movement, art, and the ocean to honor and grieve what has been lost. After time in circle and setting of intentions, everyone is invited to interact with Mother ocean’s waves and notice what she teaches you!

I am joined to discuss this program with:

Captain Natalie Small LMFT, the founder of Groundswell Community Project and an active facilitator live from Costa Rica

Tracey Chester LMFT, Certified Grief Counselor, Certified Surf Therapy Facilitator & Waves of Grief Facilitator / San Diego County Founder and Clinical Director of San Diego Pain Trauma Institute

And

Kelsey Ellis Kelsey is stoked to represent and grow the roots of Groundswell in Northern California! Kelsey is a Grief Facilitator in Half Moon Bay, California who lost her twin sister to COVID-19 and is turning her grief to impact by healing women through surf therapy. After the sudden loss of her twin sister in 2020, Kelsey formed Waves of Grief surf therapy groups in her community to honor and address collective grief, isolation and stress experienced during the pandemic through the Groundswell Community Project.

National Geographic’s IMPACT is a short-form documentary series that follows the powerful stories of six women who are making an extraordinary impact on their communities around the world. Kelsey’s profound story is featured in this series. This documentary is extremely powerful - please please watch it to see and feel the comprehensive magnitude of the healing effects of Kelsey’s processing her grief and healing others at the same time.

Audrey Marie Ellis Foundation: The Audrey Marie Ellis foundation was recently founded in honor of Kelsey’s twin sister Audrey, a nurse who died of COVID-19. The foundation provides direct support for women and healthcare workers while creating safe supportive spaces to gather and honor collective grief and love. The Audrey Marie Ellis Foundation is the starting point for inspiring Audrey's biggest passions: health, wellbeing and community.

https://www.audreymarieellis.com/

https://www.groundswellcommunity.org/

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/tv/shows/impact-with-gal-gadot

https://youtu.be/F3LS8CQJW4A

Music by Josiah Samadhi