What is surf therapy?
Get out of your head and into the ocean and your body. Heal from trauma, release emotional baggage, and super charge your therapy and healing journey through mindfulness, movement and the process of learning to surf.
Surf Therapy is defined by the International Surf Therapy Organization (ISTO) as a method of intervention that combines surf instruction/surfing and structured individual and/or group activities to promote psychological, physical and psychosocial well-being. It is an embodied healing practice and intervention to treat many common mental health challenges folks face in the wake of overwhelming life events. When we aren’t able to process the stress, shock, pain or trauma, the emotions become trapped in our bodies. The embodied movement of yoga and surfing movement act to help release these stored memories so that we can operate in life as our true selves.
Unlike traditional treatments that often use a symptom reduction approach through talk therapy and/or medication, surf therapy utilizes the physical activity of surfing as an anchor to the healing process.
In addition to surf-instruction/surfing, our programs include individual mentoring, social skills development, psychoeducation and often group discussions to promote healing, strengths, resilience and personal growth in an inclusive social environment. Surf therapy is used as both a stand-alone intervention and as an augment to other approaches or therapeutic modalities that you may already be utilizing in your healing journey.
Who is surf therapy for?
Surf therapy is for women, men, boys and girls; anyone who has suffered a life altering event that effects their success in everyday living. Some examples include:
- Trauma
- Sexual Abuse
- PTSD
- Broken Heart/ Break Up
- Grief Healing
- Addiction Recovery
- At Risk Youth
- Chronic Blues, Melancholy, Depression
- Couples Communication
- Team Building
- Family Bonding
- Cultivating Self Love
Sometimes we need healing from large traumatic events and sometimes we need healing from other events that may not be considered trauma but still affect us living healthy happy fulfilling lives. Any disappointing, scary, shocking or hard experiences can leave us with long lasting affects that may need to heal. There is no judgement on how or what has affected you only support and the opportunity and resources to heal.
Surf therapy/ surf coaching is also for those just looking to reconnect to self and cultivate a deeper sense of self love and/or connection to nature/the sea.
The particular model of surf therapy that we facilitate at Self Luv focuses on a yin approach to surfing instruction. This gentle and mindful approach to surfing and alining with the ocean are honed to unlock and release the triggers, pain and long lasting negative affects of trauma. Trauma comes in many forms from personal to community traumas. We are not discerning of your pain’s origin story, we are however committed to helping you heal.
If money is an issue in regard to individual programs, please contact me to work something out. This is such a gift that people healing deserve to experience and I know when challenged, money may not always be in abundance.
One can experience surf therapy or surf coaching in a variety of ways to meet your needs and budget. *Sliding scale available
If your talk therapy is stalled, if you’re not into traditional therapy or if you’re just not a person comfortable with verbalizing your feelings, surf therapy is an excellent alternative opportunity for healing.
According to research, the reason the effects of trauma can be so long lasting and pervasive is because the shock and terror of what you experienced is so intense, your mind cannot process it at the time. Instead, the body stores the memory in the feelings in your body… and they become trapped. The embodied movement of surfing and the rigor of moving with and navigating the powerful sea helps to unlock these trapped experiences, to see life from a new perspective, to help you reconnect your mind, body and soul, that often disassociate as the result of experiencing a traumatic event.
Surf Therapy Practice: Floating –
While the evidence documented in this field shows surf therapy is and can be wildly effective for some, we cannot guarantee complete freedom from you past hurts. However, our Self Luv Surf Therapy is a powerful way to experience and process, to convene with nature, find a tribe of like hearted people and, perhaps most important of all, to reconnect with yourself.
And one thing is certain, whether you’re one-on-one or in a retreat group setting, it’s such a special, therapeutic experience that it will build the kind of memories to be cherished for a lifetime.
Propel your Healing
with Mother
Ocean.
Get started with surf therapy with a 4 Session Block. Heal, build confidence, resilience and re-establish a healthy relationship with your body and self through a specialized yin, trauma informed style of learning to surf and relating to the power of nature and the sea.
Sessions include movement, mindfulness, beach instruction, water instruction, art therapy, yoga movement and more.
$547.00 for 4- 2-hour Sessions
Also available in 8 Sessions and Tribal Circle Sessions for these book a FREE discovery call at www.calendly.com/slf-luv
