What Exactly Is Surf Therapy?
By: Rebekah Prendergast
At Waves of Wellness (WOW) we surf – that’s pretty obvious! But what we do is so much more than surfing. We’re a mental health surf therapy charity committed to changing lives by delivering for-purpose, innovative support programs for people experiencing mental health challenges.
Surf therapy - sounds cool right? But you might be wondering what exactly that means. Put simply, we combine surfing and therapy to save lives.
Using trained professionals as surf coaches, we deliver innovative programs that tackle mental health head on, right there on the beach. Sure we hit the waves and have a rad time, but more importantly we facilitate conversations and connection. Our facilitators come from a range of backgrounds, from mental health professionals, to teachers, health workers and psychotherapists. We all come together to make up a rich and diverse tapestry, and we learn from each other through regular clinical supervision, group discussions and training sessions.
Surf Therapy Is Global
The International Surf Therapy Organization (ISTO) has over 90 partnering organisations who band together to use surf therapy as a mental and physical health intervention. Under this umbrella there are a diverse range of organisations, with varying levels of clinical training and methodology, but regardless of this the impact they are making, and the growing evidence base is clearly demonstrating the efficacy of surf therapy around the globe. One of the goals set by ITSO is for surf therapy to be a recognised and prescribed method by GPs and other health professionals to support recovery and the maintenance of mental health and wellbeing.
The Data From The Beach
A recent study (in progress) saw researchers from Edinburgh Napier University and UNSW interview WOW participants to identify how they felt during and after surf therapy. While we can’t release the data from this study yet, we can say their answers were collated into five key themes - safe space, sensory grounding, social support, mastery and respite. These key themes are a great way to understand what surf therapy is, and how participants benefit from it.
Every surf therapy session begins with a huddle on the beach, a safe space where participants can talk openly, share stories and be vulnerable. And it’s not just participants that share their stories, it’s also our instructors. Feedback from participants in the study showed that one of the most positive aspects of the WOW program was seeing the facilitators taking part in discussions and sharing from their own life experiences.
Feeling Grounded
Seeking therapy can be a hard thing to do, there’s no doubt about it. The beauty of WOW is that participants feel like they are chatting with a friend rather than a therapist, in a non-traditional setting that feels more natural and is less confronting. This ties into the next key theme – sensory grounding. While in the huddle participants can fidget with the sand, feel the sun on their face, and enjoy the sounds of the ocean. This is a grounding experience that contributes to mindfulness, more so than a traditional therapy setting may do.
The Seaside Social Network
Aside from the beach huddle being a safe space that allows for sensory grounding, another key theme identified in the study was social support. Participants commented on how they had benefited from their peers sharing their lived experiences, and how they had formed lasting relationships during the programs. Sounds pretty great right?
After the huddle on the sand it’s time to hit the waves and reap the physical and psychological benefits of surfing. By combining surfing with therapy, WOW participants receive so many additional benefits including feeling a sense of accomplishment while surfing, reinforced accomplishment through peer celebration and support, and translating that sense of accomplishment into wider life.
The Flow State
Aside from a sense of achievement, respite is another theme identified in the study. Surfing can be a wonderful break from the pressures that life can throw at us, as it demands your full focus and attention, leaving little space for our day to day troubles. This can be referred to as the Flow State – being fully immersed in the moment. Surfing and the Flow State go hand in hand, and you can read more about this wonderful feeling in our blog.
Washing Away Your Stress
Another surf therapy organisation in South Africa and Liberia, Waves for Change (W4C) aims to support youth wellbeing through surfing. According to a recent study, also conducted by researchers from Edinburgh Napier University, participants consistently noted the respite from stress, negative thoughts, and emotions that surfing and taking part in water activities enabled:
“I feel happy when I surf because it takes stress from my mind,” said one participant.
So there you have it, surf therapy is so much more than just surfing! It’s a holistic form of therapy that promotes mental, psychological and physical wellbeing which is backed by research and more importantly, feedback from real life participants who are reaping the long lasting benefits.
Images by Patrick Tangye
Reference
Marshall, J., Ferrier, B., Ward, P.B., & Martindale, R. (2020). “I feel happy when I surf because it takes stress from my mind”: An Initial Exploration of Program Theory within Waves for Change Surf Therapy in Post-Conflict Liberia. Journal of Sport for Development. Retrieved from https://jsfd.org/