Kelsey Ellis, CCLS

Kelsey Ellis, CCLS, is the founder of Waves of Grief Collective™, a community of surf therapy practitioners, healers and wonderful humans working together to reduce the feelings of isolation and loneliness that accompany grief and loss. Waves of Grief™ programs are rooted in ritual, nature, and community building to best support holistic healing.

We are all connected by our love for the ocean - how being in, on, or around the water can be healing - and facilitate knowledge sharing and collaboration as long-held views about the grief experience evolve. Kelsey began hosting community Waves of Grief surf therapy support groups after the sudden loss of her twin sister Audrey to COVID-19 complications in March of 2020. Her work has been recognized in National Geographic's IMPACT series and most recently by the US Surgeon General. 

Her professional background lies in facilitating expressive art therapeutic programs for trauma recovery. She is Program Manager for Josie's Place, where she leads grief training and offers bereavement support for children and families in the San Francisco Bay Area. Collectively her personal and professional experiences have further fueled her passion for building community through creative heart-centered gatherings in nature.

Kelsey led the Waves of Grief™ ritual and paddle out for the 2022 Mourning Surf Retreat and will facilitate at the 2027 Waves of Grief™ Retreat.