Rewilding Waves Retreats

Kelsey Ellis is a surf therapy provider, grief counselor, and ocean-loving Pisces. She is the founder of the Waves of Grief Collective and the Audrey Marie Ellis Foundation. Kelsey draws from her own personal grief journey and professional expertise in trauma recovery to lead nature-based programs that help individuals and communities navigate grief through creative expression and a deep connection to nature.

This retreat marks Kelsey’s third visit to Ireland, a place that holds a special place in her heart. Having grown up as a competitive Irish dancer, some of her fondest childhood memories come from her time spent surfing the Irish coast after workshops. For Kelsey, Ireland has always been a magical place, full of beauty and healing, and she is excited to share this experience with others.

Kelsey has been featured in National Geographic & Gal Gadot's IMPACT series and is a proud recipient of the Jefferson Award for community change. She has also led grief healing programs for U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy and his team. Her Waves of Grief™ programs are grounded in somatic and eco-therapy-based modalities and constructivist loss theories, offering a unique, non-traditional space where participants can honor their loss and find comfort in nature. 

Kelsey is deeply committed to the power of authentic expression, community connection, and mama ocean to bring about healing.

J’aime Morrison, Ph.D. is a Professor of Movement at California State University, Northridge where she teaches somatic theory, choreographic practice and all levels of movement for performance.  She was a Fulbright Scholar in Movement to Lisbon, Portugal, and recently served as the Keynote speaker at the annual HEAL (Health, Environment, Arts and Literature) symposium at the University of Oviedo, Spain. She brings a wealth of knowledge of various dance forms and traditions to her classes and her approach to teaching movement is informed by her love of all forms of physical expression. 
 
J’aime earned her Master’s Degree in Theatre from University College Dublin in Ireland and was awarded an International Fellowship from Americans for the Arts to Belfast, Northern Ireland. She recently led a workshop at University College Cork that involved a movement-based exploration of The Furies, which she is adapting for the stage. Following her Irish roots J’aime lived in Ireland for several years while attending UCD and fell in love with Irish culture; from lively music sessions, to heartbreaking Irish dramas, to native poetry and songs from the west of Ireland. She has contributed essays to several books on Irish culture and was a member of the Irish modern dance company, New Balance, directed by Adrienne Kennedy. She travels to Ireland often and is very excited to be co-hosting this retreat in one of her favorite places in Ireland. 
 
As an active participant and contributor to organizations that are bringing conversations on grief to wider audiences, Professor Morrison as led grief movement workshops for Camp Widow, Hope for Widows, Reimagine, UCLA Arts and Healing Initiative, Our House Bereavement Center and this year’s upcoming Endwell conference on end-of-life care, grief, and caregiving. She has been featured on the popular podcast Grief is a Sneaky Bitch, and was interviewed on the subject of movement and mourning for the book of the same title.