Surf Therapy in Jacksonville
Surf Therapy
Addiction treatment at Design Recovery isn’t limited to talk therapy. Our holistic approach also involves innovative services such as surf therapy off the Jacksonville coast.
Surf Therapy in Jacksonville
Surf Therapy
Addiction treatment at Design Recovery isn’t limited to talk therapy. Our holistic approach also involves innovative services such as surf therapy off the Jacksonville coast.
We Are Here for You!
If you have been struggling with an addiction to alcohol or another substance, our addiction treatment programs in Jacksonville, Florida, may be the ideal place to begin your recovery journey.
Surf therapy in Jacksonville, Florida, is an innovative type of therapy we offer during our PHP program. This type of experiential therapy can improve self-confidence, physical well-being, and focus.
Contact Design Recovery today at 833-818-4300 to begin addiction treatment in Jacksonville, Florida.
What Is Surf Therapy?
Surf therapy is a dynamic approach that combines the thrills and challenges of riding the waves with the guidance and support of trained experts to help people heal from various mental and behavioral health challenges. Some sources trace the beginning of surf therapy to the 1970s, when U.S. veterans of the Vietnam War began to use the activity as a way to cope with combat-related trauma.
While the origin of this approach may never be conclusively identified, it is clear that the use and reputation of surf therapy have grown considerably throughout the 2000s:
- In January 2010, the journal Child & Family Social Work published the first peer-reviewed article on surf therapy.
- In October 2017, representatives of eight programs from multiple countries formed the International Surf Therapy Organization (ISTO). Within a year of its founding, ISTO had expanded to include more than 30 organizations.
- In November 2019, a study in the journal Psychology of Sport and Exercise reported that the approach contributed to “significantly reduced” symptoms of anxiety and depression among active-duty servicemembers who participated in the Naval Medical Center San Diego’s surf therapy program
- In February 2022, an analysis in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health noted that the self-reported benefits of surf therapy include “social trust, resilience, empathy, responsibility, making new friends, and improved communication strategies.”
How Can Surf Therapy Help During Addiction Treatment?
Though surf therapy may have started as a way to treat post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), through the years it has proved to be helpful for people who have been affected by a variety of other concerns, including anxiety, depression, and substance use disorders (addictions).
Here are a few examples of how surf therapy can be a valuable component of addiction treatment:
- Surf therapy promotes physical health and a stronger mind-body connection, both of which can be vital for helping you heal from the damage you incurred while you were in active addiction.
- While you’re in our addiction treatment program, you will spend a substantial amount of time talking about personal challenges and planning for how to live a healthier life in recovery. Surf therapy replaces talking with doing – allowing you to discover what it feels like to put your plans into action.
- Surf therapy can show you how much you can accomplish when you’re focused, dedicated, and free of addictive substances. It is also evidence that you can have a lot of fun while maintaining a sober lifestyle.
Our Programs That Offer Surf Therapy
At Design Recovery in Jacksonville, surf therapy is an integral element of care in our partial hospitalization program (PHP):
- Our PHP provides full days of care, five days per week. The program is in session Monday—Friday, 9 a.m.—4:30 p.m. each day.
- A typical day at the PHP level includes multiple forms of therapy, a nutritious lunch, and either surf therapy or a gym session.
- Typical length of stay in our PHP is 60—90 days, though patients may remain in this program for a longer or shorter amount of time depending on their needs and progress.
Please note that we do not offer surf therapy to patients who receive care in our intensive outpatient program (IOP).
Benefits of Surf Therapy During Treatment
The many potential benefits of surf therapy in Jacksonville at Design Recovery include improving your ability to:
- Remain present and mindful, even during chaotic or otherwise stressful situations
- Make sustained incremental progress toward a long-term objective
- Deal with setbacks without abandoning your goals or resorting to unhealthy coping methods
- Identify what is and isn’t in your control, so that you can focus your efforts on the areas that you can actually influence
Additional positive outcomes may include:
- Realizing that you are capable of achieving more than you may have originally believed
- Improving your self-confidence and self-esteem
- Overcoming isolation and discovering the power of shared support
- Finding a healthy activity to fill the hours that you previously spent seeking, using, and recovering from the effects of alcohol and other substances
Other Therapies That We Offer
Surf therapy in Jacksonville is just one of many traditional and holistic approaches that we provide. Other services that may be included in your customized addiction treatment plan at Design Recovery include:
- Individual therapy: Confidential, one-on-one conversations with a licensed therapist can be ideal opportunities to review your treatment progress, address concerns that you’d prefer not to discuss in a group setting, and receive focused guidance.
- Group therapy: Groups bring small numbers of patients together in a supportive and collaborative environment, with the leadership of a trained professional. These sessions may focus on a variety of areas, including learning more about addiction and recovery, practicing essential relapse-prevention skills, and sharing support with others who are also working to establish a solid foothold in recovery.
- Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT): This goal-oriented approach is based on the view that psychological distress results in part from maladaptive thought patterns, self-defeating automatic responses, and problematic beliefs. CBT sessions can help you identify these concerns in your own life, then replace them with healthier ways of thinking and acting.
- Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT): DBT uses individual and group sessions to help people enhance their skills in four areas – mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness – that can be extremely beneficial for someone in recovery.
- Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy: EMDR is an evidence-based approach that is designed to alleviate psychological distress that patients experience when they recall specific traumatic memories. Frequently used to help people who have PTSD, this form of therapy can also be a valuable component of addiction treatment.
- Holistic therapy: This is a category of services that can strengthen the mind-body connection and help people experience physical, emotional, and spiritual healing. In addition to surf therapy, other holistic therapies that we provide include art, yoga, and meditation.
Please note that your customized treatment plan at Design Recovery may not include every service listed above. The types of care that you receive will be determined by several personal factors, including how you have been affected by addiction, if you are experiencing any co-occurring mental health concerns, and which program (IOP or PHP) you are enrolled in.
Learn More About Surf Therapy in Jacksonville
To learn more about surf therapy in Jacksonville, or for additional information about any other aspect of outpatient addiction treatment programming at Design Recovery, please visit our Admissions page or call us today.