Surf's Up – Surfing as therapy

Join us during Mental Health Awareness Week for an insight into the work of The Wave Project. With over 400 miles of coastline, we’re lucky to have excellent access to the sea across the county. If you’ve even taken a dip in the sea, or even had a paddle, you’ll recognise that feeling of complete immersion in the activity.

But how does surfing work as a treatment for mental illness? We discuss this question and how surf therapy courses can achieve a significant increase in participants' wellbeing, leading to a positive attitude and better communication. We examine the impact surfing has made and how can these changes create a lasting effect.

What is The Wave Project?

In September 2010, a group of 20 young people sat on the beach at Watergate Bay, Cornwall, for a surfing lesson. They had all been diagnosed with mental health disorders, ranging from mild to severe. Some participants had been self-harming, others experienced severe anxiety, low mood or depression. One participant was diagnosed with schizophrenia. Yet to watch them on the beach, none of this was visible.

Young people experiencing anxiety grew in confidence. One young man, who had a diagnosis of selective mutism, began talking freely again during the course. The Wave Project programme was the first time in the UK that surfing had been used to support mental health.

Over the past 10 years, surf therapy has become an established form of therapeutic support for both mental and physical health. It is recognised by the NHS in the UK as an effective form of therapy for children and young people at risk of mental ill-health. It is also used by the Police and Blue Light services as therapy for serving officers and professionals.

Surf therapy has been at the core of The Wave Project for over a decade and lies at the heart of what they do.

Twitter: @WaveProject

Facebook: Wave Project

Instagram: waveprojectuk

Speakers

Joe Taylor – Founder & CEO

Joe is the founder of The Wave Project, the UK’s leading surf therapy charity. He is a pioneer of evidence-based surf therapy, having developed a system for measuring the effects of surfing on mental health and wellbeing in children. Having started the UK’s first surf therapy programme in 2010, Joe has developed the concept to all four countries of the UK.

Today, The Wave Project charity supports around 1,200 children and young people every year, and has become the only surf therapy charity in the world to be funded by a government health service.

Elena Heieck: Brighton and Sussex Project Coordinator

Elena studied Mental Health and Clinical Psychology in her Masters and looked into the impact of physical activity on people’s mental health. During her studies she started to surf, and witnessed the benefit that surfing and the sea has for people’s mental health. She figured, somebody out there has to be making use of this fun activity to support vulnerable young people.

Elena found out about the Wave Project and started as a volunteer surf mentor at the London location in 2018. She became the Project Coordinator for Brighton and Sussex a year later.

Aliyah: Wave Project Surfing Club member

Aliyah is a 15-year-old Wave Project Surf Club member. She did her first Surf Therapy Course in Brighton after the 2021 lockdown.

Can't go surfing? Catch a wave with these surfing film & documentary recommendations

Big Wednesday (1978)

Point Break (1991)

Dogtown and Z-Boys (2001)

Riding Giants (2004)

Into The Sea (2016)

Gazza Surf Club (2017)

The Complicated History of Surfing -TED ED (2017)

Tai Wātea Waves of Freedom (2019)

Surf Girls Jamaica (2019)

Riss (2020)

Main image: Seascape by artist John Everett from RMG Collections

All other images courtesy of The Wave Project.