Waves of Grief™ Retreat in Costa Rica

Founder, TwoCan Retreats

Stacy identifies as both a grief tender and a joy seeker — continually learning how to carry what life brings while living an embodied, wholehearted life.

Stacy is a licensed marriage and family therapist in California, and the Santa Barbara Regional Director for the Waves of Grief Collective™. For more than 25 years, she has supported individuals, couples, and families navigating grief, trauma, divorce, and other major life transitions. Her work is grounded in mindfulness, self-compassion, and a deep respect for the complexity of being human.

Over time, her professional path evolved from divorce and co-parenting work into deeper exploration of grief, embodiment, and community healing. She has pursued advanced training in mindfulness and self-compassion, grief and loss, psychedelic-assisted therapy, and conscious dying, and serves as an end-of-life doula in Santa Barbara.

Stacy believes grief and joy are not mutually exclusive, but companions. Her own experiences of loss, along with a deep connection to nature and community, continue to shape the spaces she facilitates.

In 2018, Stacy and her husband Mike began leading retreats in Costa Rica, creating environments where people can reconnect with themselves, with nature, and with one another. At home in Santa Barbara, they host Waves of Grief™ circles and community gatherings that foster belonging and shared humanity.

While Stacy is a licensed therapist, she does not provide psychotherapy during TwoCan Retreats. The retreats are educational and experiential spaces designed to support reflection, connection, and growth.

Co-founder of TwoCan Retreats

Mike has spent his career in hospitality and tourism, and at TwoCan Retreats he brings both professional experience and lived depth to the retreats he co-hosts. He oversees logistics — from travel coordination and transportation to local partnerships and daily retreat details — ensuring that guests feel safe, supported, and free to focus on their experience.

The loss of his son in 2016, profoundly shaped his understanding of grief, resilience, and the importance of community. While he does not facilitate formal sessions, Mike’s lived experience, along with his steady, compassionate presence is an integral part of the retreat container. Participants experience him as grounded and attentive.

Whether coordinating behind the scenes or offering encouragement during an activity, Mike helps create an atmosphere of safety, care, and genuine connection.

Mike handles the logistics and myriad other details for all TwoCan Retreats events.

Husband and wife team Davide Cruciani and Michelle Jimenez own and operate The Girl & The Sea Surf School in Santa Teresa, Costa Rica. TwoCan Retreats’ go-to teachers when it comes to surf instruction, Davide and Michelle don’t take surfing lightly – it is their passion and lifestyle. Their surf lessons are designed to be fun and insightful for every woman, man, or child who wants to learn – regardless of age or surfing ability.

They break surfing down into easy-to-understand steps and drills that make for an exhilarating day on the water. The result: a life-changing, transformative surf experience in magical Santa Teresa, a place where time slows, shoulders drop, and spirits soar. The ocean is the biggest place on this planet and once you connect with Davide and Michelle in a Santa Teresa shorebreak, there is no turning back.

Read more information on Davide and Michelle’s background here.