As a lifelong surfer, born to pioneering surfing parents and named after a wave, the ocean has profoundly shaped my identity and sense of belonging. The movement and touch of ocean waves evoke a cascade of emotions, influencing my perception of the world. Increasing scientific research is now validating what I have intuitively felt throughout my life: the ocean possesses remarkable healing power.
Ocean therapy, often referred to as “blue care,” encompasses a variety of ocean programs and water-based activities aimed at helping individuals manage mental, emotional, and physical illnesses. Engaging with blue spaces—ranging from coastal environments to inland lakes and rivers—can lead to significant improvements in health and wellbeing. As a marine social scientist, I am convinced that this concept of “blue attunement,” which fosters a connection with aquatic environments, is fundamental to enhancing efforts to restore ocean health.
In my book, Ebb and Flow, I explore how reconnecting with water through therapeutic settings can aid in trauma recovery. Ocean therapy provides a means for the body to access emotions often lost in traumatic experiences. Environment and health researcher Nick Caddick, who studies how surf therapy benefits combat veterans facing severe trauma, notes, “We live the world through our body.”
Immersion in water, particularly through surfing, necessitates a mindful embodiment—a state known as “blue mind”—that nurtures the restoration of the mind-body connection. This experience can rewire the brain and balance hormones, effectively reducing fear and anxiety.
As an embodied experience of the natural world, surf therapy is rapidly emerging as one of the leading blue care activities. Robust evidence supports the therapeutic benefits of immersing oneself in the sea and engaging in surfing, especially concerning psychological wellbeing.
While the mechanisms by which ocean therapy enhances wellbeing are still under investigation, research indicates that the benefits are linked to the fluid and dynamic nature of surfing, which demands present-moment focus, providing relief from everyday anxieties. Participants in various surf therapy studies consistently report feelings of presence, flow, joy, and connection to nature, with some experiencing a decreased reliance on conventional mental health treatments, including antidepressants.
The multisensory experience of being in the ocean stimulates the entire sensory system at a cellular level. This stimulation is believed to enhance neuroplasticity—the brain’s ability to modify its connections—making it more adaptable and agile. For individuals with acquired brain injuries and other physical ailments, the physicality of responding to wave movements and balancing on a surfboard can lead to improved mobility and reduced dependence on narcotics for pain management.
Surf therapy also encourages individuals to confront their fears in a playful manner. Jamie Marshall, an expert in surf therapy, emphasizes that the dynamic learning environment of surfing fosters resilience and equips participants with coping mechanisms for stress. Additionally, learning to surf in a group setting enhances a sense of belonging and identity through shared experiences in the ocean.
Attuning to the Blue
Despite these promising findings, a growing tension exists between the desire to engage with blue spaces for health restoration and the reality that many local aquatic environments are polluted, dangerous, or exclusionary.
This disconnect reflects a broader societal trend where modern living increasingly separates humans from nature. Much of the existing literature on nature therapy, including blue health, emphasizes what nature can provide for us. Phrases like “back to nature” and “nature-deficit disorder” highlight our disconnection from the natural world.
Nature therapy often aligns with Western values, which can overlook the perspectives of diverse racial, ethnic, and sexual identities in these studies.
As interest in blue health grows, it is crucial to consider the ethical dimensions of our interactions with the ocean, moving beyond merely controlling and extracting resources for personal benefit. By fostering relationships grounded in play, love, and intentionality, our connections with the ocean can embody stewardship and marine custodianship.
Robin Wall Kimmerer, a prominent Indigenous scientist and author, refers to this renewal of our relationship with the living world as “reciprocal restoration.” She asserts that restoring our connections with land and water is as vital as the efforts to combat pollution.
Ocean therapy provides a framework for perceiving, understanding, and experiencing the ocean as a source of restoration and health enhancement. Even when coastal areas are deemed exclusionary, hazardous, or risky, initiatives like Sea Sisters in Sri Lanka—a social enterprise empowering local girls and women through swimming and surfing—can transform the ocean into a site of healing and connection. I co-founded a project in Iran called Be Like Water with triathlete Shirin Gerami, aimed at making surfing more accessible to minority women and girls while strengthening their ties to nature.
Ocean therapy has the potential to introduce innovative healthcare interventions, and time spent in the sea can foster a profound understanding of the ocean’s vulnerability.
This concept of blue attunement—being aware and responsive to the water we interact with—cultivates a deeper listening and can inspire pro-environmental actions, collectively demonstrating care for the ocean. To fully realize the potential of blue care, we must restore the ocean as a safe and healthy space for all. My hope is that we come to recognize our interdependence with aquatic environments and sense the vitality of these connections, realizing that we, too, are water.
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