​I swam in the depths of grief to discover
my capacity for love.
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When my mother died by suicide, my world crashed down all around me. At times, I would have the capacity to see the larger truth of her decision and then quickly shift into a deep sadness that would not quit. I would find myself crying one moment and dancing with joy the next as I tried to continue to live my life alongside grieving and taking care of her affairs. As I slipped in and out of grief, I found myself more curious than ever about death and how to remain connected to her. I could feel her in my heart and my bones, especially while in nature.
Each time I went into the darkness of grief, I discovered and remembered a depth of love that was ineffable.
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From this experience of grief, which continues to evolve with time, I found myself connecting with others about grief and death. Holding space for people to feel all the forms of their grief and having open-hearted conversations about death and how to prepare for it.
The loss of my mother supported me in remembering that I am here to be a grief companion and to support the exploration of death.
To be with those that are in the depths of grief to remember our own innate ability to heal, to wail and laugh together, and find loving self-acceptance for every bit of grief that is choosing to show up.
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I am glad you are here. Thank you for reading my story.
Grief is a reflection of love,
but death is not the end of that love.
There is no such thing as goodbye.
CLAIRE BIDWELL SMITH
ABOUT
Chelsea Waves is a Grief Companion and Death Doula that offers compassionate space rooted in acceptance and guided by intuition to emotionally and spiritually tend to grief and prepare for death. In attending to her own grief after her mother chose suicide, she discovered that her passionate purpose is to accompany individuals and groups through transitional phases by providing one-on-one sessions for grief companionship, supporting with end of life care, and hosting purposeful gatherings to contemplate death.
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In addition to being a hospice volunteer and singing in a threshold choir, she has completed the Going with Grace End of Life Training Course with Alua Arthur, the Grief & Loss Training Program with Claire Bidwell Smith, is listed as a Voluntary Stopping Eating and Drinking guide with Final Exit Network, and is registered with the National End of Life Doula Alliance.
Chelsea practices moving into wider rings of being through relationships with the seen and unseen realms, the natural world, dream and bardo yoga, and Higher Alignment.
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She lives part-time in the mountains of Northern New Mexico and between the mountains and the sea in Santa Barbara, California. She works with individuals and groups in person and online.
She enjoys immersing in pools of natural water, meditating in the forest, and practicing slow living rooted in attention to support the healing of the human and more than human world.
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Chelsea gives deep gratitude to her guides, teachers, mentors, and chosen family:
Alua Arthur, Andrew Holecek, Claire Bidwell Smith, Katie Love, Larry Byram,
Monique Goodman, Harold W., Tawni Jones, and Carissa Rose.