Grief Retreats: What They Are and What to Expect
Updated: Sep 29
In short: A grief retreat is a protected day (or several days) where a small group of grieving people come together with rituals, mindfulness, a shared meal, and conversation. It doesn’t replace grief counseling, but it offers a depth and connection that everyday life rarely allows.
What Is a Grief Retreat?
A grief retreat is a protected space, usually one day or several, where a group of grieving people can explore their loss together, supported by rituals, mindfulness exercises, conversations, and shared moments. Unlike one-on-one counseling, a retreat happens in a group, and that’s exactly what makes it powerful: grieving people experience that they’re not alone with their pain, even though every story is different.
A retreat doesn’t replace grief counseling or therapy. It complements them, offering an intense, time-limited space where grief is given room on purpose.
Who Is a Grief Retreat For?
For anyone who has lost someone they love, whether a mother, father, grandparent, partner, or friend, and also for people going through a goodbye like a breakup. A retreat works for recent losses just as much as for losses from years ago. You don’t need to know what you’ll say. It’s enough to show up.
Next retreat: Would you like to join? Get in touch and I’ll let you know as soon as a new date is set.
Inside Our Day Retreat in Burgenland, Austria
Grieving together. Remembering together. Eating together.
On August 31, 2025, I had the honor of guiding a day retreat in my home region of Burgenland, Austria, for twelve people living with loss: mothers or fathers, grandparents, friends, or other important people. Goodbyes through breakups had their place here too. The day held everything that belongs to grief: tears and laughter, talking and silence, eating and creating together. Everything was allowed. Nothing had to be pushed away.
Keepsakes in a circle · Our space for the day · The memory pendant · Our memory circle Keepsakes in a circle · Our space for the day · The memory pendant · Our memory circle Keepsakes in a circle · Our space for the day · The memory pendant · Our memory circle Keepsakes in a circle · Our space for the day · The memory pendant · Our memory circle Keepsakes in a circle · Our space for the day · The memory pendant · Our memory circle Keepsakes in a circle · Our space for the day · The memory pendant · Our memory circle
How the Day Was Structured
The day followed a thoughtfully designed flow that offered structure while leaving room for whatever wanted to emerge:
Arriving at your own pace: Walking into a retreat often comes with questions: What will the group be like? Will I know anyone? Will I feel comfortable here? That’s why I made sure there was plenty of time to settle into the space and take in the people around you.
Opening circle: Everyone brought something personal, an object, a memory, or a story connected to the person they lost, and shared it with the group. That made room for the people who are so painfully missed.
Grief shaking meditation: Grief affects the whole person, and our bodies often carry more than we realize. This meditation let the built-up weight move. Afterward, the body felt noticeably lighter. More in Physical Symptoms of Grief.
A shared meal in the garden: Food nourishes more than the body. At the long table, connection grew, sometimes through lively conversation, sometimes in comfortable silence.
A personal remembrance ritual: Participants gathered their wishes and memories into a pendant, a companion that makes the connection to their loved ones visible and tangible.
Closing circle: Each person drew a card from “what remains.” They also received a candle, a handwritten card, a gift certificate for one to three grief counseling sessions, and a sticker that read: “so beautiful that we’re alive at the same time.” A light for the road ahead, and a sign that every story was seen.
A Space for Grief, and for Humanity
Grief isn’t a straight line. Sometimes it feels like a heavy stone in your backpack, sometimes like a wave that comes out of nowhere, sometimes like a silence that wraps around everything. We often hear things like “time heals all wounds” or “you have to let go.” But who said there are rules? I don’t believe in advice. I believe in active listening and in spaces where everything is allowed. Why grief doesn’t fit fixed frameworks is something I explain in Stages of Grief: The 5 Stages and Why Grief Isn’t Linear.
So the retreat became a protected space where everyone could be exactly as they were, with their own story, at their own pace. It wasn’t about solving anything. It was about being present with what remains.
Rituals, Connection, and Gratitude
Participants found new perspectives, learned helpful tools, gathered meaningful insights, and above all, we saw each other and let ourselves be seen: human, vulnerable, connected. Together we ate, created remembrance rituals, drew cards, and each took a candle home as a symbol of love.
Magical moments happened as the group entered the room: a light in people’s eyes, gratitude in the silence, a lightness spreading through the space. That was only possible because people trust me and believe in my work.
My deepest thanks go to everyone who supported this day, from the wonderful goodie bag partners to my mom and my friend Sandra, who prepared, cooked, and created with me late into the night.
This retreat showed me once again: loss changes us. But when we face it together, we find support, understanding, and maybe even a little peace.
Every Person Is Unique, and So Is Every Group
To prepare well, I sent participants a questionnaire beforehand. That let me attune to each person and to the group as a whole, and get a sense of what might come up. Every group has its own dynamic. With intuition, inner calm, and deep connection, we created a space participants found truly valuable. I’d like to share some of their feedback.
What Participants Said
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Theres does her work in an extraordinary way. You can feel immediately that she loves what she does. Her warm, calming, and empowering presence gives you exactly what you're missing in grief. In August I got to participate in one of her grief workshops, and what can I say, it was moving, energizing, and yet I felt genuinely connected to the other participants. It was a safe place to let yourself fall. If you're looking for someone who offers grounding and real understanding, Theres is exactly the right person Hanna
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ A beautiful and meaningful experience, every single time. I've participated in several meditations and a grief retreat with Theres and I'm always amazed. I don't know anyone besides Theres who can be with grief and emotions with so much empathy and still give you exactly the space you need. You learn something new every time. Sarah
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ The retreat on August 31 touched me in a way I can barely put into words. Since my father died on May 8, I've been carrying so many questions, thoughts, and feelings that often have nowhere to go. In your workshop, dear Theres, I felt that all of it was allowed to be there, without pressure, without judgment. You didn't just share knowledge. You shared something far more valuable: a way of being that is full of mindfulness, compassion, and openness. Your work matters so much. And it continues to live, quietly and gently, in my heart and in the hearts of many people. Susi
Heartfelt thanks to Martina Nell for the beautiful photos that capture this day so well.
When There’s No Retreat Coming Up
Retreats only happen now and then. If you’d like to connect with other grieving people now, an online grief support group is a great option, from home, with no travel. If you’d rather have one-on-one support, online grief counseling is the right fit.
Frequently Asked Questions About Grief Retreats
What is a grief retreat, exactly?
A grief retreat is a protected space, usually a single day, where several grieving people explore their loss together through rituals, mindfulness exercises, and sharing. It’s not about “resolving” grief. It’s about giving it room.
What do you do at a grief retreat?
Arriving, an opening circle with personal keepsakes, meditation and movement, a shared meal, a remembrance ritual, and a closing circle. The structure offers support while leaving room for whatever emerges.
Do I have to talk a lot at a grief retreat?
No. There are moments for sharing, but no one is pushed to speak. Silence, sitting together, and simply being present get just as much room.
When is the right time for a grief retreat?
There’s no wrong time. Some people come a few weeks after a loss, others years later. Why grief has no fixed timeline is covered in How Long Does Grief Last?
Does a grief retreat replace grief counseling or therapy?
No, it complements them. It offers an intense, time-limited space for shared grief work, often with a depth everyday life rarely allows.
How do I hear about the next retreat?
Retreats happen at irregular intervals. Just get in touch, and I’ll let you know as soon as a new one is planned.
Want to join the next grief retreat? Sign up here. Until then, our online grief support groups meet regularly, from home.
Theres Kirisits is a certified grief counselor and the founder of t.rau*raum. She offers online grief counseling and grief groups in English or German, including on weekends and holidays, with a first session available within 48 hours. She also leads workshops on grief in the workplace. About Theres
A grief retreat like this would be exactly what I need. The mix of connection, rituals, and simply having space for my own grief sounds incredibly healing. I really hope there will be another one.