ABOUT

My name is Ilze Rieba. I’m originally from Latvia, but I’ve been living abroad since I was 19. I spent my first ten years away in London, but in 2018 I left the city - it had become a lonely and intensely hard place to be. With little savings and no clear plan, I found myself in a small fisherman’s village in Portugal, where I stayed for the next four years. It was there that I realised how important it is for me to be close to nature - especially the ocean. I began surfing and found a way to work remotely so I could stay near the water. Water has always been deeply meaningful to me, and I’ve come to understand that simply being near it is essential for my wellbeing.

Throughout my life, I’ve struggled with depression and the deep, lasting impact of trauma. I’ve been going through my own healing - sometimes supported by loved ones or caring strangers, and at other times, alone. I’ve rarely felt truly seen or heard; it’s a wound I still carry and continue to work with. It’s also something I hope to offer through my work as a therapist - a space where you can feel genuinely met in your experience.

Ocean Waves Therapy was born out of my love for water and my wish to offer a space where others, too, can feel seen, heard, and accepted - just as they are. Through my own lived experience and by nature, I am an attentive and empathetic listener. I offer a space where you can show up exactly as you are, with whatever you may be carrying.

I trained as a Trauma-Informed Somatic Counsellor at the International School of Holistic Healing, accredited by the ACCPH (Accredited Counsellors, Coaches, Psychotherapists and Hypnotherapists). I’m also a certified Yoga Teacher. I bring together these tools and my personal experiences to create a warm, gentle, and welcoming space for our work together.

When I’m not surfing, I work as Head of Fundraising and Operations for a wonderful charity, the Stuart Hall Foundation. I’m also building a creative practice that weaves together illustration, design, and coding.

You can read more about my therapeutic approach here. If you’re interested in working with me, please don’t hesitate to reach out.