Sail to Heal - August 2024
Being a part of the Sail to Heal retreat aboard the Arcadia was a deeply moving experience that provided solace and healing in ways I had never anticipated. The retreat offered a safe and serene environment to be able to confront and process so much.
Suicide loss can be a complex and isolating journey, and I wasn't sure how sailing could help. However, Sail to Heal exceeded my expectations by creating a compassionate space where I could openly explore my feelings and loss. The retreat's approach was both gentle and profound,offering more meaning to my personal journey.
One of the most poignant moments was the first morning when we gathered on the boat deck to share our personal story of loss and healing. The tranquil waters, the sunshine, and the support created a powerful atmosphere. Shared experience and empathetic listening brought a sense of connection and understanding.
The retreat had such a profound impact on me. The combination of sailing, guided discussions, and mindfulness exercises provided new tools and perspectives for navigating my emotions. I left with a renewed sense of hope and a clearer understanding of my journey.
Sail To Heal is an amazing retreat that helped me find peace and connection in the midst of loss.
-Lindsey
Sail to Heal July 2024
The experience aboard the Arcadia was transformative. It was healing on a very deep level. The ocean has that effect on me. And sailing, moving through the water with the wind, takes me outside of myself. It quiets the chatter in my mind and lets me just be.
After my brother died, I realized that when he was alive, he had given me a connection to the ocean. As my connection to the ocean began to symbolize my love for him, I wondered, without my brother would I lose that? But instead, I felt inspired to go out and make it happen for myself. When you lose someone you love to suicide, it is devastating. It can make life feel futile and cruel. But it can also help you to see the preciousness of life. And what this tragic experience has done for me is to remind me to live my own life to the fullest. Not to wait around for things to happen, but to create the life I want each and every day.
So, spending those days on that gorgeous boat, the Arcadia, was a dream come true. The crew, Ken and Amy, were so supportive and sensitive. I was really impressed with how they navigated not only sailing the boat, but teaching us, and feeding us, and even understanding our various emotional needs and limitations.And yet they expected a lot of each of us. That was an important part of it. It was great to push myself outside my comfort zone.
John Gonzalez, and my fellow passengers were lovely, and together we created a very healing experience. Taking the helm of that incredible boat filled me with joy. But solitary anchor watch under the stars and the sunrise yoga on the deck were some of my very favorite things. And taking time to share our memories, and make art, and read poetry together was also really beautiful.
I will never forget those days and nights. Thank you to John and to everyone who gave me this incredible experience. And I hope the world will open up more opportunities for me like this one.
-Elizabeth H
“Sail to Heal was a day of honesty, compassion, and joy. It's not easy to open up and spend a day thinking about the one that you lost, but when you share it with others going through the same thing it gives you just a little bit of strength and hope. John led our group through a beautiful day. Thank you so much.”
- Laura Gordon, New Jersey
“Sail to Heal was a FANTASTIC experience. As a suicide loss survivor, I felt welcomed and understood spending time with others who have unfortunately suffered a loss due to suicide. The group included two professionals who were caring and supportive. John was a fabulous facilitator and led the group deftly with compassion and insight. Our group session was the perfect amount of time to reflect, share and listen to others as they navigate this very difficult healing journey. The group included newly grieving participants as well as those who had experienced loss some time ago, myself included. The sail itself was so peaceful and beautiful as we were swept through beautiful Oyster Bay. There were moments to reflect and remember our loved ones that were quite impactful as well as a sense of belonging to our group that had been formed that day. I will always be thankful for the opportunity to have taken part in this very special and heartfelt event.”
- Laura Hughes, New York
It was very emotional and powerful. Sending the roses into the water was such a beautiful and touching activity and it is on that will stick with me forever. My loved one would love it. Grieving a suicide loss is chaotic: complete disorder and confusion. But that day seeing the water, the clear skies, the picturesque views and having the moments of silence all made for a serene piece of peace. Grief was still there on the boat but it seemed a bit softer. Hearing others share their losses and say specific things that you thought or felt yourself. For example, one woman mentioned the desire to just scream as loud as she can. And I thought "omg, she thinks about the scream too!" anyone who lost someone tragically would understand. I had dreams of just screaming when I first heard the news. Everyone was there for their own person, or people. It showed me that our loved ones who ended their life were not alone in their feelings. It showed me that those of us struggling with grief are not alone in ours. We are all just trying to find ways to honor our loved ones. Grasping tightly to the string of a balloon that's flying away. We hold on to the string of remembering them with all our might so we don't lose the balloon entirely.- Liana
Sail to Heal was an incredibly therapeutic afternoon. The group session was intense, as we all shared our grief and supported each other. There is something so painful, yet beautiful, about shared grief.
There was a sense of calmness as we boarded the boat. It was a beautiful sunny day, and there was a light breeze as we set sail. Each of us had been able to choose a song in honor of our loved one, which was played as we sailed. We were able to speak with others that we had connected with in the support group session.
There was a sense of relief to find others who could understand the terrible pain of our loss. I felt some of my grief being washed away on that beautiful afternoon.
It was such a unique way to help the healing process...taking therapy out of the office and onto the water, to be cleansed and renewed.
- Rose
This was a time of sharing, caring, learning and understanding. The feeling of fellowship and empathy was engendered within minutes of the group getting together. The strength and value of the group session was multiplied because it was a very supportive group. We were encouraged by the spontaneous offers from others to uphold each other in prayer. The sailing time provided a time for continued sharing in tasks like raising the sails plus also informal conversation when we got the opportunity to know others at a personal level.
-Imliooper
I started going to the Sail to Heal meetings since the beginning. It’s really nice to meet other people and see them again in the following meeting as well, because we get to know each other better. Although meeting new people and hearing about their losses keeps the spirit of the support group going. We are not alone, and unfortunately we will meet more families and friends that go through the same pain I did many years ago. Sailing in gorgeous ships and seeing beautiful places makes the meeting really enjoyable.
-Cris
