Surf to Heal by Renee DuBois

Masters Degree in Higher Education 
-Surf Coach for Team Adaptive Surf of Florida
-Certified Dahlia Surf Instructor Level 2
-CPR certified 
-Public Speaker(TED talk presenter on Imposter Syndrome)
-Bachelor’s Degree in mass communications/broadcasting
-Surfing 1.5 years 
-Passionate about spreading kindness, tie-dye and embracing the beach life)

One day I was offered an opportunity to volunteer with Dahlia Surf School for an event they had. My friend Emily owns the surf school and when she presented me with an opportunity to help I couldn’t say no. This was a multiple weekend event where Dahlia partnered with an organization who houses women who just got out of foster care. The purpose of the event was to show these women there are people in the community who are there to support them and teach them to surf. Honestly to me this event was much more than that.

Each weekend for a couple of hours we would spend time connecting with these women. We would start each session with some art therapy and journaling. We provided the women with a book to write or draw their thoughts for the day. While writing and drawing we would talk and built community. Next, we would do some meditation where we would focus on our breathing and grounding ourselves.  We then would transition into giving a surf lesson.

Before heading into the water we would go around the circle and say three words we were feeling in that moment. People would say they were excited, anxious to get in the water, or just happy to be there. The first time we went around saying how we were feeling it felt like people were holding back. We were still getting comfortable with one another.

Now was time to get in the water and get the women comfortable in the water and surfing. With in the first couple waves everyone was standing or kneeling riding waves. Seeing the smiles after every waves was contagious. Everyone was encouraging one another. The sense of community was present. At the end of the surf session we all got out of the water and circled back up. We went around the circle again sharing three words to describe how we were feeling. This time when we went around the circle the words people were says we’re empowered, stoked, thankful, grateful, supported, welcomed, and so many more words of joy and community.

Words don’t do justice describing the experience. Seeing the smiling faces all day. Feeling the moments of being proud of seeing the women get up standing and riding waves. The best part was seeing everyone come together to cheer on and support these women we had only met a couple hours before. It truly showed what community means. Everyone coming together to be there for this event and welcoming these women into the surf community.

The women at the event might not know it but they were my why as to becoming a surf instructor. After the event I was reflecting about how amazing of an experience I had investing in those women just for a couple hours for a few weekends. My friend Emily after the event offered the opportunity for me to become a surf instructor for her surf school. I never would have thought of becoming a surf instructor but after seeing the community surfing brought together at this event made me want to keep helping others find joy in surfing. I know for me
finding my surf community truly helped me when I was in a place of being lost in my life.
Sometimes I take my surf community for granted but one thing I will never do is not share my community with others