Where the current begins - and where we return.
Bright Shadow began in the adventure community. These are our headwaters. For many of us who live and move in wild places, grief has accumulated quietly and collectively over time. Friends lost to rivers and mountains. Sacred landscapes changed beyond recognition. The trauma is both personal and shared, and often carried in silence.
Headwaters is a three-day retreat for those whose lives are deeply intertwined with the natural world - and who are grieving a profound loss connected to it.
Whether you’ve lost a partner, a sibling, a close friend, or a place that once offered belonging and regulation, this retreat creates space to slow down, be honest, and reconnect with what remains.You don’t need to be “good” at grief. You don’t need to show up with answers… just show up.
Who It’s For
People who have lost someone to outdoor adventure - whitewater, mountains, or ocean.
Those navigating survivor’s guilt, unresolved questions, or the slow aftermath of sudden loss.
Individuals grieving the loss of sacred natural places - where return feels impossible.
Anyone whose emotional equilibrium is tied to the land or water, and who feels unmoored.
What to Expect
We gather in a small group - never more than 12 participants - in a setting that allows the land to hold part of the process. During our time together, you can expect:
Nature-immersive rituals and symbolic practices
Group sessions grounded in vulnerability, safety, and shared experience
Movement, stillness, breathwork, and reflection.
Optional individual support from a licensed, trauma-informed therapist.
Time to rest, and not be “on."
Transference rituals and practices to carry the work back into daily life.
Each retreat is co-facilitated by mental health professionals with deep experience in Mother Nature and its link to trauma and grief.
Why Explore “The Wilderness Within?”
Because too many of us have been left to grieve alone
Because there’s no playbook for how to process the loss of someone - or someplace - you thought would always be there.
Because when we gather with others like us, something shifts.
This retreat was born from lived experience. It exists because we needed it - and we hope it helps you too.
All the Logistics
Camp Grier
Located 45 minutes east of Asheville, this rustic camp offers trails that climb the steep Appalachian slopes and access the national forest, quiet spaces by the lake and among the trees, fire pits for gathering, delicious food for nourishing, and simple accommodations that help us unplug from the hustle and slow into the now. Lodges include private bunk rooms and communal kitchens and bathrooms.
Itinerary
Friday: Arrive between 3:00 and 4:00pm. Dinner at 6pm followed by a welcome and activities that help us relax into the evening.
Saturday: We begin each day with guided mindfulness / breathwork and then choose-your-own-adventures in nature around the property, and optional individual sessions with licensed counselors offered concurrently. After lunch, group activities invite a deepening into a slower pace, complete with special guests. We wind down the day with free time before dinner, and an evening gathering each night.
Sunday: After a morning of movement, we will close the weekend together with a circle incorporating ritual and intention to carry our experiences out into our widening circles. We aim to have folks driving away by 2:00 PM.
We know schedules are busy, and we ask that if you join the retreat, that you commit to arriving on time and staying through the entire experience.
Cost
At Bright Shadow we strive to lower the barriers to receiving mental health support. While we raise funds to subsidize our services, we also ask that each participant choose their level of financial investment in the collective healing.
The actual cost of the weekend is $650 per participant.
Sliding scale is available from $200 - $1,000.
We intend for all BIPOC and LGBTQ+ participants to receive services at the lowest end of this range.
If dollars are extremely tight, and you would like to apply for full financial assistance, please note this on your application and we will reach out to discuss options.
Testimonials
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While communities of outdoor sports athletes are tight-knit, we rarely have the opportunity to process grief and loss in a focused environment. Working through the tough realities of the activities we love amongst peers, learning more about my body and mind, and finding an elevated openness and peace within a managed environment was an invaluable experience. I left with many emotional and cognitive tools, as well as the motivation to use them.
2024 Retreat Participant
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This was one of the most important and impactful events I've ever had the privilege to be involved in - in almost 30 years of paddling. Holding each other up as a river community... Everyone was held with grace, respect and sacred support. Knowing that we are not alone in our own pain and anxieties and that we can hold each other as a community was desperately needed. Deep, honest and real conversations that reconnected me to old river family and forged new friendships. Dealing with our mental health and fears collectively, creating safe and sacred space for each other.... Absolutely beautiful experience.
2024 Retreat Participant
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I recently attended the Bright Shadow retreat, and it was truly transformative. The way we were led to co-create a safe and supportive environment allowed me to process those heavy feelings (that I often avoid). I felt safe sharing my true feelings openly without judgement, which was incredibly healing. I’m so grateful for the people that shared the weekend with me. It was a beautiful experience that I didn’t know I needed. Thank you.
2024 Retreat Participant
Ready to get real?
Hidden in the shadows are vast and untapped wisdom, strength, brilliance, creativity and joy.
Apply for a Bright Shadow retreat today!
F.A.Q.s
What are the accommodations?
Camp Grier offers simple bunk house living in lodges equipped with shared bathrooms and a central living room/kitchenette. Each participant will have a private room with one or two bunk beds to spread out. Summer camp mattresses are provided, and participants will need to bring their own bedding. If you prefer to camp or van-camp, let us know and we can make a plan for that as well, although you will miss out on being a part of the community lodge experience.
Are meals provided?
All meals are provided and dietary restrictions can be accommodated as long as we are notified two weeks before the start of the retreat date. Please bring your own snacks and special needs to make your experience comfortable. Meals are held in the dining hall, and coffee can be started early ;)
What if I can only attend two days?
Because of the sacred and deeply vulnerable nature of the work, we believe strongly in the "container" that is created by everyone committing to the full experience. This fosters trust and mutual commitment, and allows for the deep magic to do its work. Please make plans to arrive by 4:30pm at the latest on Friday, and leave no earlier than 1:30 on Sunday.
What is the cancellation policy?
Without a deposit to hold your space, we ask that you do your best to hold your commitment to the retreat, as late cancellations make it impossible to fill your spot and affect the group at large. If you decide to cancel within three weeks of the experience, we ask that you make a donation to the Bright Shadow Fund of at least $500.
It seems like your target audience is geared towards active outdoor enthusiasts and adventure athletes. Are you open to participants who enjoy the outdoors but might not be as active as they used to be?
Yes! We welcome folks with diverse backgrounds, experiences, and definitions of loss and grief. We believe that within the individual lies the collective, and each of our healing journeys can ripple out to enhance our community’s potential for the same.
What about alcohol (and other substances)?
We recognize the wide range of ways in which folks de-stress at the end of the day, or help themselves to socialize. While there is no policy forbidding alcohol (or other substances), we ask that participants keep substances out of structured activity times, including meals, and to be intentional with the amount and the purpose of consumption, bringing extra sensitivity to the fact that other participants may be struggling with their own relationship with substances and may feel better not seeing it during the weekend.