When Grief Feels Lonely: The Healing Power of Nature and Community

Grief is not something we get over. 

It’s something we learn to live with. It changes our relationship with time, our bodies, and the world around us. For many, grief also brings an unexpected loneliness, even when they have a supportive village around them. 

After my daughter died, I remember feeling “too dark” for the world that kept moving. I isolated myself because I could feel the discomfort of people witnessing my sadness. People didn’t know what to say, and they couldn’t just sit with my grief without trying to soften it with silver linings or platitudes. “You are so strong.” “She would want you to keep going.”  

I longed to be cared for in a space where I didn’t have to hold myself together. 

What I found was that these spaces are rare.  

I started dreaming about what a grief retreat could look like. I found comfort in the idea that someday I could offer others what I so desperately wished I would’ve had. A small, cozy cabin in the woods. Nourishing food prepared for me. Permission to let my grief move through without cutting it short for the comfort of others. Connection with fellow grief apprentices at different stages on the path, who could share how they withstand the pain of loss. 

Almost five years later, I’m offering the kind of space I once searched for: Embracing Grief: A Weekend Nature Retreat. 

 

Grief lives in the body 

In my work as a psychotherapist, I often meet people who feel like their grief is “stuck,” or like they should be doing better by now. Many feel guilty for still struggling months or even years after a loss. 

But grief does not follow a timeline. It is not linear. And it does not only show up as sadness. 

Grief can show up as exhaustion, anxiety, irritability, numbness, brain fog, and sleep disruption. It can affect appetite, digestion, motivation, and memory. Grief can make people feel disconnected from themselves and from others. 

I was surprised by how physical grief was for me, especially in the first two years. Complete exhaustion. The sense that I was carrying an extra 200 pounds. So heavy I walked slowly, leaning on walls and tables to fight gravity. 

Why nature matters

Nature has a way of holding our grief.  

The forest doesn’t rush us. The lake doesn’t expect us to be better. The trees don’t look away when we cry. Nature holds death and life side by side in a way that can feel strangely comforting when we are grieving. 

I remember spending hours in my backyard, looking up at the trees. Or facing the window when I was stuck in my bed, gazing at the leaves as they fluttered in the wind. It seemed to be one of the only things that soothed me. So much so that just a month after my loss, I bought a tent trailer so that I could be held by the forest, where I didn’t need to be strong for everyone else.  

Why retreat-based grief support can be so powerful

The world keeps turning, and it doesn’t always make room for grief. After tremendous loss, people still have jobs, caregiving responsibilities, and family demands. The grieving process gets deferred.  

A retreat offers a container. 

It allows people to step away from daily life and enter a dedicated space where grief is not an inconvenience, it is welcomed. 

Retreat spaces offer something many grieving people crave: connection with others who truly understand. There is often relief in being surrounded by people who don’t need explanations. 

Embracing Grief: A Weekend Nature Retreat

Embracing Grief: A Weekend Nature Retreat is a four-day retreat held at Northern Edge Algonquin, on Kawawaymog Lake in South River, Ontario. 

It’s designed for adults grieving the death of someone they love. It offers a grounded and supportive space to slow down, breathe, and connect with grief in a way that feels safe and held. 

The retreat includes: 

• Three comfortable nights’ accommodation 

• Nine nourishing meals (Thursday dinner through Sunday lunch) 

• Daily facilitated sessions and embodied practices to support your grief journey 

• Land-based experiences that invite deep connection with the natural world and the grief it tenderly holds 

• Evening fire circles and music with warm drinks and connection 

• Access to canoes, forest trails, and quiet nooks for rest and reflection 

• Gentle morning reflections to help you arrive in the moment and into yourself 

• Restorative practices such as breathwork, guided rest, and gentle movement to soothe your body and nervous system 

• Optional massage therapy add-ons 

Participants are invited to take part as much or as little as they wish. Rest is always welcome.  

The retreat is about making space for what is true, with no pressure to be anywhere else than where you are. 

It is about honouring love, loss, and the ongoing relationship people carry with those who have died. 

For retreat details and registration information, visit:
https://www.outofordergrief.com/grief-retreats 

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About the Author

Brigitte Lebel, RP is a Registered Psychotherapist and founder of Out of Order Grief, a grief support and retreat initiative based in Ontario. Inspired by both professional work and the loss of her daughter, Kamila, Brigitte supports adults navigating grief through compassionate, grounded, and restorative care.