Dr. Jeffrey Steel, PhD, is a dedicated bereavement and psychosocial care specialist whose career has centered on healing hearts since 1998. As a Florida native with a deep-rooted love for the beach and ocean, he discovered his passion for surfing since early teenage years, which has remained a lifelong source of personal solace and inspiration.

​

Professionally, Jeffrey currently serves and facilitates support groups focused on bereavement and loss, while also serving as an educator providing guidance on Alzheimer’s and dementia care for patients and their families. His extensive experience—over 26 years in supporting those grieving various forms of loss—includes his PhD from the University of St Andrews in Scotland. With 24 years of experience in pastoral leadership within the Christian tradition, Dr. Steel has a deep foundation in spiritual care, ministry, and guiding others through life’s profound challenges. This pastoral background informs his compassionate, holistic approach to bereavement support, integrating faith-informed insights with professional counseling practices. His work emphasizes journeying alongside those experiencing grief, fostering resilience and meaning in the midst of suffering.

 

In addition to his professional experience he is a husband and dad to 9 children. Blending his professional expertise with his personal passion, in July 2025, Jeffrey founded and directs Surf & Solace, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Under the motto “Healing hearts one wave at a time,” Surf & Solace harnesses the transformative and restorative power of the ocean and surfing to foster healing, wholeness, resilience, and hope for individuals navigating grief and loss. This initiative unites his two profound callings: accompanying people through emotional recovery and embracing the ocean’s therapeutic “blue mind” effects. He has recently achieved certification as an Ocean Therapist, further enhancing his ability to facilitate ocean-based healing experiences.

​

Through Surf & Solace and his ongoing work, Jeffrey continues to make meaningful impacts in mental health support, grief care, and community resilience in Port Orange, Florida, and beyond.