Surfing as a form of therapy?
It sounds odd, right? As a lifelong surfer, I’ve felt better after surfing—the act of riding a wave in the ocean on a surfboard—but I didn’t know it could be therapeutic.
I wanted to learn more about it, so I began talking with surf therapy practitioners and surf therapy organizations around the world. And what I found out I put in my book Surf Therapy: The Evidence-Based Science for Physical, Mental & Emotional Well-Being.
“Surf therapy” is defined by the International Surf Therapy Organization as “the use of surfing as a vehicle for delivering intentional, inclusive, population-specific, and evidenced-based therapeutic structures to promote psychological, physical, and psychosocial well-being.”
There is a treasure trove of evidence-based data and testimonials that shows how surfing is therapeutic—even life saving—for many afflictions and traumas, including:
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Whether you’re a military veteran, police officer, or you’ve experienced Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in your life, surfing can serve as a form of treatment. How does PTSD affect you? Stress causes your amygdala (the almond shaped area in your brain that involves emotion) to release toxins, and too much of it can damage your hippocampus (the seahorse shaped area that helps you make sense and contextualize your experiences). This leads to thinking the past is present, and reliving trauma again and again. Surfing helps by requiring you to focus on the present so that you don’t relive the past. By surfing with a surf therapy organization, you’ll also meet others who may be going through a similar situation and can share their experiences. Plus, you’ll have a surf therapy instructor who knows what PTSD is — and encourages you to focus on the now, not the past. Above all, studies have found that surf therapy programs have far higher attendance and completion rates than other forms of therapy.
At-Risk Youth
In areas around the world where there isn’t much opportunity for young adults, many surf therapy practitioners are stepping up and taking them surfing. Surfing not only has been proven to improve self esteem, reduce impulsivity, improve attention, improve heart rate; it also reduces toxic stress that is more prevalent in these communities. Surf therapy practitioners also act as mentors, encouraging good behavior and good grades to help to guide children and young adults who may be missing one or both parents, or have no family at all.
Physical Disability
The notion of surfing if you have a disability can be scary. Thanks to several surf therapy pioneers, adaptive surfboards ensure that you can experience the healing powers of the sea safely, even if you have a spinal cord injury, paralysis of any kind, cerebral palsy, amputation(s) or another disability.If a disability has taken away the ability to get an adrenaline rush, surf therapy can provide it. It also provides a cheering section of volunteers who root you on as you surf towards shore. The resounding theme from surf therapy events is that the act of surfing provides an incredible sense of freedom.
Drug Addiction
Surf therapy programs have been proven to help those with drug addictions stay clean. In a surf therapy program, you will find practitioners, counselors and therapists who can help you stay on the right track, along with a community of other participant seeking to do the same. Because surfing provides a natural dopamine release, along with an endorphins rush known as a runner’s high, it can still provide a natural hit that those with drug addictions may be craving.
Mental Health
Instead of therapy inside four walls, therapy on the beach with a surfboard has helped individuals across the world experience an increase in calmness, resilience, confidence, happiness and improvement in friendships.
Here’s the thing also, if you don’t have the means to travel to the ocean or the sea to experience surf therapy for yourself or a loved one, there may be a wave pool nearby that is offering this.
Read more about surf therapy in my new book Surf Therapy. Available wherever you buy books.
Cash Lambert is the author of Waves of Healing: How Surfing Changes the Lives of Children with Autism, as well as the Founder and Director of Editorial for American Surf Magazine and American Outdoor Magazine. A former editor for Hawaii’s Freesurf Magazine, his articles have been featured in ESPN Outdoors, Surfing Magazine, Eastern Surf Magazine, the Outdoor Channel, Surfline, Stab Magazine, Flux, Patagonia and more. Cash lives with his wife and daughter in Florida. He recently wrote Surf Therapy: The Evidence-Based Science for Physical, Mental & Emotional Well-Being.
