Un Mar de Colores · Bonita, CA
Free Small-Group Surf Therapy for Bonita Kids
Commercial 'wellness' retreats charge hundreds per session. Un Mar charges nothing for Bonita families.
Un Mar de Colores offers free surf therapy sessions for Bonita youth ages 6–17, combining licensed mental health support with trauma-informed surf coaching. Bonita participants are shuttled 10 miles to our nearest teaching beaches, including Imperial Beach (10 miles) and Coronado Central (11 miles) (closest breaks to Bonita). Referrals come through Chula Vista Elementary / Sweetwater Union counselors and community partners including Bonita-Sunnyside Library and Sweetwater Union High School District. Cohorts are capped at 8 youth for safety and therapeutic depth.
Schedule — Bonita Program Days
Monthly cohorts, year-round · Completely free
You Might Be Feeling This
- —Your youth tried talk therapy and shut down — they need movement, nature, and peers who understand, not another office.
- —Your family is navigating instability — housing, work, immigration — and you need support that doesn't add another bill.
- —Transportation to Imperial Beach (10 miles) and Coronado Central (11 miles) for weekly sessions feels impossible when Bonita is 10 miles inland inland and you're working.
What Changes When Youth Get in the Water
- Trauma-informed certified surf coaches pace for anxiety, grief, and first-time ocean exposure.
- Peer mentorship in small groups builds community — youth heal alongside others from Bonita schools.
- Free means free — no insurance copays, no equipment fees, no 'scholarship' that still bills you.
Why We Run This Program in Bonita
Bonita is a South Bay community adjacent to Chula Vista and National City, with a 58% Hispanic/Latino population. Our Bonita cohorts shuttle to Imperial Beach and Coronado, with classroom components at Bonita-Sunnyside Library. Students primarily come from Sunnyside Elementary and Bonita Vista Middle as part of our South Bay Title I partnership network.
- Population
- 12,795
- BIPOC residents
- 68%
- Spanish-speaking households
- 41%
- Distance to beach
- 10 mi
Surf Therapy in Bonita — What You Should Know
Referrals from Chula Vista Elementary / Sweetwater Union counselors and mental health agencies streamline enrollment for Bonita youth — reducing the friction that keeps eligible families out.
Small-group surf therapy (eight max) in San Diego outperforms large beach wellness events for youth navigating grief and anxiety. Cohort intimacy builds peer trust — critical for BIPOC teens in Bonita.
Why Bonita Matters to Our Mission
Cross-border watershed work matters to Bonita because Tijuana River pollution and coastal health don't stop at a border fence. Our education modules name that reality honestly.
Bonita's Spanish-speaking households (41%) get parent communications in both languages, every time. Coastal access fails when language is treated as an afterthought.
Local Bonita Partners & Referral Sources
In partnership with Chula Vista Elementary / Sweetwater Union and local community organizations, we recruit youth from 2+ Title I schools.
School district & Title I partners
- Chula Vista Elementary / Sweetwater Union
- •Sunnyside Elementary
- •Bonita Vista Middle
Community partners
- ◆Bonita-Sunnyside Library
- ◆Sweetwater Union High School District
- ◆Chula Vista Elementary School District
Program Curriculum
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
What's Included — Free for Every Bonita Youth
- ✓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
Why 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.
What our community says
“"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."”
Frequently Asked Questions — Surf Therapy in Bonita
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 Bonita.
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 Bonita youth navigating stress.
Are family members included in surf therapy?+
Yes — family and caregiver support sessions are part of the program. Bonita parents and guardians receive bilingual updates and dedicated sessions — healing isn't isolated to the child on the board.
Are surf therapy in Bonita really free?+
Yes. All Un Mar de Colores programs in Bonita are 100% free — including 3/2mm wetsuits, soft-top surfboards, transportation from partner schools like Sunnyside Elementary, Bonita Vista Middle, and certified bilingual instruction. Funding comes from the San Diego Foundation, community grants, and individual donors. No Bonita family has ever paid for our programming.
Where exactly do surf therapy happen in Bonita?+
Bonita is 10 miles inland from the coast, so our cohorts are shuttled to Imperial Beach (10 miles) — our nearest Un Mar teaching beach. Classroom components including curriculum, cultural arts, and tutoring happen at Bonita-Sunnyside Library and partner schools inside Bonita.
What ages can enroll in Bonita?+
We serve youth ages 6–17. In Bonita specifically, our recruitment runs through Chula Vista Elementary / Sweetwater Union — with priority enrollment for students from Sunnyside Elementary, Bonita Vista Middle. Cohorts are age-appropriate (One Ocean for 6–12, Ocean Stewards for 13–17).
Does my child need to know how to swim before starting?+
No. We begin every cohort with ocean-safety fundamentals in chest-deep whitewater at Imperial Beach (10 miles), supervised by instructors certified by the San Diego Fire-Rescue Lifeguard Division. Water comfort is built progressively. In Bonita, we also run pre-cohort pool-familiarization sessions at inland pools via our Bonita-Sunnyside Library partnership for students who request extra comfort-building.
Are lessons taught in Spanish in Bonita?+
Yes. All Un Mar de Colores programs are bilingual — and in Bonita, where 41% of households are Spanish-speaking, we intentionally pair at least one bilingual coach to every session. Cultural programming is delivered in both languages, and parent communications are always sent in Spanish and English.
How is Un Mar de Colores different from other surf therapy in Bonita?+
Three ways: (1) everything is free, while most Bonita surf programs charge $50–$150 per lesson; (2) we are BIPOC-led and our coaches reflect the 68%-BIPOC Bonita community we serve; (3) our curriculum includes environmental justice, Kumeyaay coastal history, and cultural arts — not just surf skills. We exist because the ocean should belong to everyone in Bonita, not just those who can afford access.
How do I sign my Bonita child up?+
Visit our sign-up page or contact us directly. Priority enrollment goes to students of Sunnyside Elementary, Bonita Vista Middle and referrals from Bonita-Sunnyside Library and Sweetwater Union High School District. Summer cohorts fill 3–4 weeks before start, so early contact is recommended.
Ready to Get in the Water?
Spots in our Bonita cohorts are limited to keep instructor ratios safe. Contact us to reserve a place.
All Un Mar de Colores programs are free for Bonita youth. Reach out to enroll, volunteer, or support the movement.
Un Mar de Colores is a BIPOC-led 501(c)(3) nonprofit based in Oceanside, California. We provide free surf, ocean, and environmental programming for youth across San Diego and Tijuana — bridging cultures, coasts, and communities since 2018.
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