Un Mar de Colores · San Diego, CA
Small Cohorts, Real Support — Surf Therapy in San Diego
Somatic and movement-based therapy integrated with paddle, breath, and wave rhythm — body and ocean connected.
Un Mar de Colores ofrece surf therapy gratuitas para jóvenes de San Diego de 6–17 años, directamente en la costa de San Diego. Sirviendo a una comunidad del 55% BIPOC (1,386,932 residentes), nuestra instrucción se lleva a cabo en La Jolla Shores y Tourmaline, con entrenadores bilingües certificados y todo el equipo proporcionado. La inscripción prioritaria es para estudiantes de Kate Sessions Elementary, Mission Beach Elementary, Pacific Beach Middle.
Horario — programa en San Diego
Monthly cohorts, year-round · Completamente gratis
Quizás sientes esto
- —Your child is struggling — anxiety, grief, immigration stress — and traditional therapy waitlists in San Diego stretch months.
- —Caregiver support sessions are rare — you're managing your child's stress while drowning in your own.
- —Mental health support in San Diego often defaults to English-only clinicians who don't grasp your family's cultural context.
Lo que cambia cuando los jóvenes entran al agua
- Pathways to Ocean Stewards after-school and year-round surf lessons after therapy cohorts.
- Trauma-informed certified surf coaches pace for anxiety, grief, and first-time ocean exposure.
- Kumeyaay-led healing modules developed with elders — culturally grounded, not generic wellness language.
Por qué operamos este programa en San Diego
San Diego is the second-largest city in California with a 30% Hispanic/Latino population and the 2nd-largest school district in the state. Our San Diego programming spans La Jolla Shores, Tourmaline Surfing Park, Mission Beach, and OB Pier, serving San Diego Unified's 98,000 students — with particular focus on Title I middle and high schools in PB, Mission Bay, and Point Loma.
- Población
- 1,386,932
- Residentes BIPOC
- 55%
- Hogares hispanohablantes
- 30%
- Distancia a la playa
- En la costa
Surf Therapy en San Diego — Lo que debes saber
Free surf therapy in San Diego for BIPOC youth ages 6–17 combines licensed mental health professionals with trauma-informed surf coaches in cohorts of eight maximum. Un Mar de Colores delivers ocean-based mindfulness, somatic movement, and Kumeyaay-led healing modules at zero cost — funded by grants and donors.
Kumeyaay-led healing modules in surf therapy connect San Diego youth to Indigenous coastal stewardship narratives — not erased by generic mindfulness language. Cultural grounding is clinical strategy, not decoration.
Por qué San Diego importa para nuestra misión
Parents in San Diego often ask how a nonprofit can offer everything free. Answer: San Diego Foundation grants, community donors, and partners who believe San Diego youth belong in the lineup — same as any other kid in San Diego.
The ocean off San Diego belongs to everyone. Un Mar de Colores exists because San Diego has spent decades telling BIPOC youth otherwise — and we're changing that story one cohort at a time.
Socios comunitarios locales en San Diego
En asociación con el San Diego Unified School District y organizaciones comunitarias locales, reclutamos jóvenes de 5+ escuelas Título I.
Distrito escolar y escuelas Título I
- San Diego Unified School District
- •Kate Sessions Elementary
- •Mission Beach Elementary
- •Pacific Beach Middle
- •Mission Bay High
- •Point Loma High
Socios comunitarios
- ◆San Diego Unified School District
- ◆San Diego Junior Lifeguards
- ◆Scripps Institution of Oceanography
- ◆San Diego Public Library
- ◆Mission Bay Aquatic Center
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 San Diego
- ✓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."”
Preguntas frecuentes — Surf Therapy en San Diego
Where do San Diego surf therapy sessions happen?+
Sessions occur at lifeguard-covered beaches chosen for beginner safety — sandy bottoms and manageable conditions near La Jolla Shores and Tourmaline. Sites vary by cohort and daily conditions.
How much does surf therapy cost in San Diego?+
Un Mar de Colores surf therapy in San Diego is 100% free — including licensed MH professionals, trauma-informed coaches, wetsuits, boards, transportation, and family caregiver sessions. Commercial ocean wellness programs often charge $150–$300 per session. We fund access through grants and donors so San Diego families never pay.
Is transportation provided from San Diego?+
Transportation runs from partner schools and referral organizations. If San Diego is inland (on the coast from the coast), we solve the commute — not your family.
¿Los programas de Surf Therapy en San Diego son realmente gratuitos?+
Sí. Todos los programas de Un Mar de Colores en San Diego son 100% gratuitos. Proporcionamos trajes de neopreno 3/2mm, tablas de surf, transporte desde escuelas asociadas como Kate Sessions Elementary, Mission Beach Elementary, Pacific Beach Middle, e instrucción bilingüe certificada. El financiamiento proviene de la San Diego Foundation, subvenciones comunitarias y donantes individuales.
¿Dónde se realizan exactamente las lecciones en San Diego?+
Las lecciones principales se realizan en La Jolla Shores. Todas las sesiones de agua ocurren dentro de las zonas salvavidas de la bandera.
¿Qué edades son elegibles en San Diego?+
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 Kate Sessions Elementary, Mission Beach Elementary, Pacific Beach Middle 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?
Volunteer, donate, or enroll — however you join, you're helping San Diego youth access the coast.
Todos los programas de Un Mar de Colores son gratuitos para jóvenes de San Diego. 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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