Un Mar de Colores · Chula Vista, CA
Where Chula Vista Families Find Free Surf Therapy
Licensed mental health professionals partner with trauma-informed surf coaches — eight youth maximum per cohort.
Un Mar de Colores offers free surf therapy sessions for Chula Vista youth ages 6–17, combining licensed mental health support with trauma-informed surf coaching. Chula Vista participants are shuttled 10 miles to our nearest teaching beaches, including Imperial Beach (10 miles) and Coronado Central (12 miles) (closest breaks to Chula Vista). Referrals come through Chula Vista Elementary School District / Sweetwater Union High counselors and community partners including Chula Vista Elementary School District and Sweetwater Union High School District. Cohorts are capped at 8 youth for safety and therapeutic depth.
Schedule — Chula Vista Program Days
Monthly cohorts, year-round · Completely free
You Might Be Feeling This
- —BIPOC youth in Chula Vista (81% of residents) face mental health stigma layered on coastal access barriers.
- —Large group 'surf therapy' events feel like photo ops — your child needs eight kids max, not fifty strangers on the sand.
- —Mental health support in Chula Vista often defaults to English-only clinicians who don't grasp your family's cultural context.
What Changes When Youth Get in the Water
- Pathways to Ocean Stewards after-school and year-round surf lessons after therapy cohorts.
- Small cohort size — eight youth maximum — ensures therapeutic attention and peer trust.
- Transportation from partner schools and referral orgs — inland Chula Vista families aren't excluded.
Why We Run This Program in Chula Vista
Chula Vista is California's 14th-largest city and home to one of the largest Latino populations in San Diego County — 58% Hispanic/Latino per the 2020 Census. We partner with Chula Vista Elementary School District (45,000+ students) and Sweetwater Union High to transport youth from Castle Park, Harborside, and Lauderbach Elementary to Imperial Beach and Coronado for free surf and ocean programming.
- Population
- 275,487
- BIPOC residents
- 81%
- Spanish-speaking households
- 58%
- Distance to beach
- 10 mi
Surf Therapy in Chula Vista — What You Should Know
Family caregiver support sessions in surf therapy acknowledge that Chula Vista parents carry stress too — healing isn't isolated to the child on the board.
Referrals from Chula Vista Elementary School District / Sweetwater Union High counselors and mental health agencies streamline enrollment for Chula Vista youth — reducing the friction that keeps eligible families out.
Why Chula Vista Matters to Our Mission
Chula Vista families deserve instructors who look like their kids and speak their language. With 81% BIPOC residents, bilingual coaching isn't a nice-to-have — it's how we earn trust on day one.
With 275,487 residents, Chula Vista is one of the communities where a single free surf cohort can change dozens of lives per season. Our shuttles and school partnerships make distance (10 miles inland) a logistics problem we solve, not a barrier families carry alone.
Local Chula Vista Partners & Referral Sources
In partnership with Chula Vista Elementary School District / Sweetwater Union High and local community organizations, we recruit youth from 5+ Title I schools.
School district & Title I partners
- Chula Vista Elementary School District / Sweetwater Union High
- •Rosebank Elementary
- •Castle Park Elementary
- •Harborside Elementary
- •Lauderbach Elementary
- •Chula Vista Middle
Community partners
- ◆Chula Vista Elementary School District
- ◆Sweetwater Union High School District
- ◆Chula Vista Public Library (Civic Center Branch)
- ◆South Bay Community Services
- ◆Casa Familiar
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 Chula Vista 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
Un Mar de Colores is a BIPOC-led 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in Oceanside, California in 2018. Our instructors are certified by the San Diego Fire-Rescue Lifeguard Division and hold CPR + First Aid credentials.
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 Chula Vista
How do we get referred to surf therapy in Chula Vista?+
Contact Un Mar directly or ask your Chula Vista Elementary School District / Sweetwater Union High counselor, mental health provider, or community partner org for a referral. We route Chula Vista families to the appropriate monthly cohort based on age and need.
Is surf therapy in Chula Vista bilingual?+
Yes — all programming is bilingual. In Chula Vista, where 58% of households are Spanish-speaking, bilingual staff lead every session and parent communications arrive in both English and Spanish.
Where do Chula Vista surf therapy sessions happen?+
Sessions occur at lifeguard-covered beaches chosen for beginner safety — sandy bottoms and manageable conditions near Imperial Beach (10 miles) and Coronado Central (12 miles). Sites vary by cohort and daily conditions.
Are surf therapy in Chula Vista really free?+
Yes. All Un Mar de Colores programs in Chula Vista are 100% free — including 3/2mm wetsuits, soft-top surfboards, transportation from partner schools like Rosebank Elementary, Castle Park Elementary, Harborside Elementary, and certified bilingual instruction. Funding comes from the San Diego Foundation, community grants, and individual donors. No Chula Vista family has ever paid for our programming.
Where exactly do surf therapy happen in Chula Vista?+
Chula Vista 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 Chula Vista Elementary School District and partner schools inside Chula Vista.
What ages can enroll in Chula Vista?+
We serve youth ages 6–17. In Chula Vista specifically, our recruitment runs through Chula Vista Elementary School District / Sweetwater Union High — with priority enrollment for students from Rosebank Elementary, Castle Park Elementary, Harborside Elementary and 2 other Title I schools. 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 Chula Vista, we also run pre-cohort pool-familiarization sessions at inland pools via our Chula Vista Elementary School District partnership for students who request extra comfort-building.
Are lessons taught in Spanish in Chula Vista?+
Yes. All Un Mar de Colores programs are bilingual — and in Chula Vista, where 58% 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 Chula Vista?+
Three ways: (1) everything is free, while most Chula Vista surf programs charge $50–$150 per lesson; (2) we are BIPOC-led and our coaches reflect the 81%-BIPOC Chula Vista 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 Chula Vista, not just those who can afford access.
How do I sign my Chula Vista child up?+
Visit our sign-up page or contact us directly. Priority enrollment goes to students of Rosebank Elementary, Castle Park Elementary, Harborside Elementary and referrals from Chula Vista Elementary School District 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?
Join hundreds of Chula Vista families who trust Un Mar de Colores for free ocean programming. Enroll today.
All Un Mar de Colores programs are free for Chula Vista 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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