Surf Therapy

Based out of Manhattan Beach, the Jimmy Miller Memorial Foundation‘s Ocean Therapy is a—free of charge— adaptive surfing program that serves those with mental and physical illnesses, including the United States Marine Corps Wounded Warrior Battalion-West, veterans from the West Los Angeles Veterans Hospital and at-risk youth from local care and shelter facilities. It incorporates occupational and recreational therapies with surfing in hopes to increase perceived self-efficacy in participating individuals with the help of professional occupational and psychological therapists, expert surf instructors and zealous on-shore and water volunteers.

In this video, we meet the Jimmy Miller Memorial Foundation’s Ocean Therapy Coordinator Kris Primacio who touches on how the organization came to be, its implementation of surf therapy and how growth is seen and measured in program participants. Next up is Louisa Mendelsohn, a recreational therapist from the Veterans Administration Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System (VAGLAHS) who discusses the therapeutic benefits of surfing for those with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and other psychological, emotional and physical conditions. And lastly, U.S. Air Force veteran—and frequent Ocean Therapy attendee—Krystal Rains shares how surfing has helped tackle her anxiety.