BIPOC youth Surf Therapy session in Ocean Beach — Un Mar de Colores

Un Mar de Colores · Ocean Beach, CA

Ocean Beach Surf Therapy — Trauma-Informed, 100% Free

Ocean-based mindfulness, somatic movement, and culturally grounded healing modules for Ocean Beach BIPOC youth.

Un Mar de Colores ofrece surf therapy gratuitas para jóvenes de Ocean Beach de 6–17 años, directamente en la costa de Ocean Beach. Sirviendo a una comunidad del 39% BIPOC (15,000 residentes), nuestra instrucción se lleva a cabo en OB Pier, Dog Beach (Ocean Beach), con entrenadores bilingües certificados y todo el equipo proporcionado. La inscripción prioritaria es para estudiantes de Ocean Beach Elementary, Dana Middle School.

Horario — programa en Ocean Beach

Monthly cohorts, year-round · Completamente gratis

Quizás sientes esto

  • —Your child was referred to a clinic across San Diego — the commute alone became another source of stress.
  • —Transportation to OB Pier, Dog Beach (Ocean Beach) for weekly sessions feels impossible when Ocean Beach is on the coast inland and you're working.
  • —School counselors mention programs, but 'free' mental health surf always seems to have hidden fees or eligibility walls.

Lo que cambia cuando los jóvenes entran al agua

  • Bilingual staff and parent communications in English and Spanish — 21% households served fully.
  • Licensed mental health professional on-site every session — clinical rigor meets ocean-based practice.
  • Especially effective for anxiety, grief, immigration-related stress, and family instability.

Por qué operamos este programa en Ocean Beach

Ocean Beach's OB Pier and Dog Beach locations offer our Point Loma peninsula cohorts direct-access surf instruction. The San Diego River mouth at Dog Beach provides paddle-flat-water training, and our Ocean Beach Elementary and Dana Middle partnerships anchor our youth recruitment across the 92107 zip code — one of San Diego's most culturally diverse beach neighborhoods.

Población
15,000
Residentes BIPOC
39%
Hogares hispanohablantes
21%
Distancia a la playa
En la costa

Surf Therapy en Ocean Beach — Lo que debes saber

Monthly year-round cohorts mean Ocean Beach families access support in fall and winter — not only when commercial camps run summer wellness weeks.

Environmental justice framing in therapy modules connects emotional healing to why Ocean Beach beaches close after storms — watershed stress isn't abstract.

Por qué Ocean Beach importa para nuestra misión

From Ocean Beach's Title I schools to the sand, our pipeline is built on real partnerships — not generic 'serving the area' language. Every cohort names the schools, beaches, and community orgs involved.

Cross-border watershed work matters to Ocean Beach because Tijuana River pollution and coastal health don't stop at a border fence. Our education modules name that reality honestly.

Dónde surfeamos en Ocean Beach

OB Pier

Intermedio

Primary Ocean Beach teaching location. Used for intermediate progression from Tourmaline and Mission Beach.

The Ocean Beach Pier is the longest concrete pier on the West Coast at 1,971 feet. Closed for reconstruction in 2024, with reopening projected for 2027.

Fondo: SandOleaje: 2–6 ft typicalSalvavidas: Todo el año

Dog Beach (Ocean Beach)

Principiante

Used for paddle fundamentals and flatwater training (San Diego River mouth). Not for in-water surf instruction due to no lifeguard coverage.

Dog Beach OB was California's first leash-free beach (1972). Sits at the mouth of the San Diego River — our classroom for river-to-ocean watershed lessons.

Fondo: SandOleaje: 1–3 ft typicalSalvavidas: Ninguno

Socios comunitarios locales en Ocean Beach

En asociación con el San Diego Unified School District y organizaciones comunitarias locales, reclutamos jóvenes de 2+ escuelas Título I.

Distrito escolar y escuelas Título I

  • San Diego Unified School District
  • •Ocean Beach Elementary
  • •Dana Middle School

Socios comunitarios

  • ◆OB Town Council
  • ◆San Diego River Park Foundation
  • ◆Point Loma Library

Currículo del programa

Surf therapy at Un Mar de Colores is more than recreational — it's a structured, trauma-informed mental health program that uses the ocean as a therapeutic setting. Licensed mental health professionals partner with trauma-informed surf coaches to deliver small-group sessions (8 youth maximum) combining ocean-based mindfulness, somatic movement, and culturally grounded healing modules developed with Kumeyaay elders. The program is especially effective for youth navigating anxiety, grief, immigration-related stress, and family instability. All programming is free and open to youth referred through partner schools, mental health agencies, and community organizations.

  • →Ocean-based mindfulness practices
  • →Small-group peer mentorship
  • →Somatic and movement-based therapy integration
  • →Trauma-informed surf coaching
  • →Culturally grounded healing (Kumeyaay-led modules)
  • →Family and caregiver support sessions

Qué se incluye — Gratis para cada joven de Ocean Beach

  • ✓Licensed mental health professional on-site
  • ✓Trauma-informed certified surf coaches
  • ✓Small cohort size (8 youth maximum)
  • ✓Wetsuit, soft-top board, and all equipment
  • ✓Transportation from partner schools and referral orgs
  • ✓Family caregiver support sessions

Por qué Un Mar de Colores

Our coaches include graduates of the Surf Athletic Scholarship program and bilingual educators who reflect the BIPOC communities we serve. We partner with 15+ Title I schools across North County and San Diego.

Lo que dice nuestra comunidad

“"He used to approach new activities with extreme anxiety — to the point where sometimes we couldn't even get out of the car. Now he goes much deeper into the water."”

— Middle school student— Parent, One Ocean

Preguntas frecuentes — Surf Therapy en Ocean Beach

What makes Kumeyaay-led modules part of surf therapy?+

Healing modules developed with Kumeyaay elders connect coastal stewardship, water relationships, and cultural recovery — culturally grounded practice for Ocean Beach Indigenous and Latino youth, not generic wellness language.

Is surf therapy in Ocean Beach bilingual?+

Yes — all programming is bilingual. In Ocean Beach, where 21% of households are Spanish-speaking, bilingual staff lead every session and parent communications arrive in both English and Spanish.

How many youth are in each surf therapy cohort?+

Cohorts cap at eight youth maximum. Small groups ensure therapeutic attention, peer trust, and trauma-informed pacing — especially important for anxious first-timers from Ocean Beach.

¿Los programas de Surf Therapy en Ocean Beach son realmente gratuitos?+

Sí. Todos los programas de Un Mar de Colores en Ocean Beach son 100% gratuitos. Proporcionamos trajes de neopreno 3/2mm, tablas de surf, transporte desde escuelas asociadas como Ocean Beach Elementary, Dana Middle School, e instrucción bilingüe certificada. El financiamiento proviene de la San Diego Foundation, subvenciones comunitarias y donantes individuales.

¿Dónde se realizan exactamente las lecciones en Ocean Beach?+

Las lecciones principales se realizan en OB Pier. También usamos Dog Beach (Ocean Beach) según el nivel del grupo. Todas las sesiones de agua ocurren dentro de las zonas salvavidas de la bandera.

¿Qué edades son elegibles en Ocean Beach?+

Servimos a jóvenes de 6–17 años. Nuestra Beca One Ocean cubre las edades 6-12, Ocean Stewards After-School sirve a 13-17, y las Becas Atléticas de Surf están disponibles para jóvenes competitivos a través de nuestras asociaciones con San Diego Unified School District.

¿Cómo inscribo a mi hijo/a?+

Contáctenos a través de nuestra página de contacto. La inscripción prioritaria se otorga a estudiantes de Ocean Beach Elementary, Dana Middle School y otras escuelas de Título I en San Diego Unified School District. Los grupos de verano suelen llenarse con 3-4 semanas de anticipación.

¿Listo para entrar al agua?

Spots in our Ocean Beach cohorts are limited to keep instructor ratios safe. Contact us to reserve a place.

Todos los programas de Un Mar de Colores son gratuitos para jóvenes de Ocean Beach. Contáctanos para inscribirte, hacer voluntariado, o apoyar el movimiento.

Un Mar de Colores es una organización sin fines de lucro 501(c)(3) liderada por personas BIPOC, basada en Oceanside, California. Ofrecemos programación gratuita de surf, océano y educación ambiental para jóvenes en San Diego y Tijuana — conectando culturas, costas y comunidades desde 2018.

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