Riding the wave: Occupational therapy’s role in surf therapy

Surfing found me as I (Brooke, first author) was slipping into the grips of depression, living on the other side of the world, and facing homesickness, culture shock, and feelings of self-doubt. The first time I caught a wave I felt a rush of joy, adrenaline, and pride. I was caught in the flow and rhythm of surfing: paddling out, seeing a wave on the horizon, pushing myself to catch it, and riding it with my eyes open to the world. Surfing allows the rider to oscillate between the thrill of gliding upon a ray of sun-lit water and serendipitous lulls of the rolling waves. As I was finishing my OTD degree, I chose to use my capstone to continue learning about surf therapy with a company called Gnome Surf, based out of New England. Now both Rachel (second author) and I apply our foundational OT knowledge as titled surf therapists for Gnome Surf. According to the International Surf Therapy Organization (ISTO), Gnome Surf is one of 47 surf therapy organizations, globally (2019). Gnome Surf provides daily surf therapy sessions to individuals of varying abilities.