Un Mar de Colores · San Marcos, CA
Licensed Mental Health & Surf — Free for San Marcos Youth
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 Marcos de 6–17 años, con transporte gratuito de 11 millas desde San Marcos a nuestras playas de enseñanza. Sirviendo a una comunidad del 51% BIPOC (96,664 residentes), nuestra instrucción se lleva a cabo en Carlsbad Tamarack (11 miles) y Oceanside Pier (13 miles), con entrenadores bilingües certificados y todo el equipo proporcionado. La inscripción prioritaria es para estudiantes de Alvin Dunn Elementary, Paloma Elementary, San Marcos Elementary.
Horario — programa en San Marcos
Monthly cohorts, year-round · Completamente gratis
Quizás sientes esto
- —Your youth needs peers who share language and background — not the only Brown kid in a white-dominated lineup.
- —You've heard about ocean therapy but every program near Carlsbad Tamarack (11 miles) and Oceanside Pier (13 miles) costs more per session than your family can sustain.
- —Your teen sees surfing as escape on social media but has no trauma-informed pathway in San Marcos.
Lo que cambia cuando los jóvenes entran al agua
- Transportation from partner schools and referral orgs — inland San Marcos families aren't excluded.
- Trauma-informed culture welcomes youth without requiring a diagnosis to prove they belong.
- Trauma-informed certified surf coaches pace for anxiety, grief, and first-time ocean exposure.
Por qué operamos este programa en San Marcos
San Marcos is the most diverse inland city in North County, with 37% Hispanic/Latino population and home to California State University San Marcos. Our cohorts travel from Alvin Dunn Elementary and San Marcos Middle to Carlsbad's Tamarack for water programming. CSUSM student volunteers support our program delivery, making this one of our strongest university-nonprofit partnerships.
- Población
- 96,664
- Residentes BIPOC
- 51%
- Hogares hispanohablantes
- 37%
- Distancia a la playa
- 11 mi
Surf Therapy en San Marcos — Lo que debes saber
Trauma-informed surf coaching reduces intimidation for first-timers from San Marcos — lineup awareness taught as safety, not ego.
Surf therapy pathways connect to Ocean Stewards after-school and year-round lessons — San Marcos youth aren't discharged into emptiness after one cohort.
Por qué San Marcos importa para nuestra misión
From San Marcos'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.
San Marcos sits inside San Diego County's coastal equity gap — 51% of residents identify as BIPOC, yet beach access has historically been gated by cost, transportation, and culture. Un Mar de Colores closes that gap with free programming and school-based recruitment.
Socios comunitarios locales en San Marcos
En asociación con el San Marcos Unified School District y organizaciones comunitarias locales, reclutamos jóvenes de 5+ escuelas Título I.
Distrito escolar y escuelas Título I
- San Marcos Unified School District
- •Alvin Dunn Elementary
- •Paloma Elementary
- •San Marcos Elementary
- •San Marcos Middle School
- •San Marcos High School
Socios comunitarios
- ◆California State University San Marcos (student volunteers)
- ◆San Marcos Unified School District
- ◆Boys & Girls Club of San Marcos
- ◆San Marcos 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 San Marcos
- ✓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
Program safety is documented: lifeguard coordination, 4:1 ratios on youth water days, trauma-informed staff training, and parent communication protocols in English and Spanish.
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 Marcos
How is surf therapy different from regular surf lessons?+
Surf lessons focus on skill progression. Surf therapy integrates licensed mental health support, trauma-informed pacing, small cohort intimacy, somatic practices, and family caregiver sessions — clinical and cultural depth for San Marcos youth navigating stress.
Is there a licensed therapist at surf therapy sessions?+
Yes — a licensed mental health professional is on-site every session. This isn't a volunteer beach day marketed as therapy. Clinical staff work alongside trauma-informed surf coaches for San Marcos cohorts.
Is transportation provided from San Marcos?+
Transportation runs from partner schools and referral organizations. If San Marcos is inland (11 miles inland from the coast), we solve the commute — not your family.
¿Los programas de Surf Therapy en San Marcos son realmente gratuitos?+
Sí. Todos los programas de Un Mar de Colores en San Marcos son 100% gratuitos. Proporcionamos trajes de neopreno 3/2mm, tablas de surf, transporte desde escuelas asociadas como Alvin Dunn Elementary, Paloma Elementary, San Marcos Elementary, 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 Marcos?+
Los jóvenes de San Marcos viajan en nuestro transporte a Carlsbad Tamarack (11 miles), aproximadamente a 11 millas. Los componentes de aula ocurren en escuelas y bibliotecas asociadas dentro de San Marcos.
¿Qué edades son elegibles en San Marcos?+
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 Marcos 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 Alvin Dunn Elementary, Paloma Elementary, San Marcos Elementary y otras escuelas de Título I en San Marcos 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 Marcos youth access the coast.
Todos los programas de Un Mar de Colores son gratuitos para jóvenes de San Marcos. 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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