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
- —Kumeyaay and Indigenous healing practices matter to you, but commercial wellness programs erase coastal cultural roots.
- —You've hesitated because your child doesn't swim confidently — and nobody explained how beginner therapeutic sessions start.
- —One-off beach wellness days don't build continuity — your child needs monthly cohorts across the school year.
What Changes When Youth Get in the Water
- Pathways to Ocean Stewards after-school and year-round surf lessons after therapy cohorts.
- Kumeyaay-led healing modules developed with elders — culturally grounded, not generic wellness language.
- Free wetsuits, soft-top boards, rashguards, and sunscreen — no gear barrier during hard seasons.
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
Free surf therapy in Chula Vista 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.
Immigration-related stress, family instability, and coastal access barriers intersect for Chula Vista BIPOC youth — surf therapy addresses the whole picture, not just wave count.
Why Chula Vista Matters to Our Mission
Chula Vista's Spanish-speaking households (58%) get parent communications in both languages, every time. Coastal access fails when language is treated as an afterthought.
Chula Vista's relationship to the Pacific is complicated by history and economics. Our curriculum weaves Kumeyaay coastal stewardship, environmental justice, and culturally grounded instruction into every session — not as an add-on, but as the foundation.
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
Are family members included in surf therapy?+
Yes — family and caregiver support sessions are part of the program. Chula Vista parents and guardians receive bilingual updates and dedicated sessions — healing isn't isolated to the child on the board.
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.
Who can enroll in surf therapy from Chula Vista?+
BIPOC youth ages 6–17, especially those navigating anxiety, grief, immigration-related stress, and family instability. Referrals welcome from Chula Vista Elementary School District / Sweetwater Union High counselors, mental health agencies, and community organizations in Chula Vista.
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?
Sign your Chula Vista youth up today — every program is 100% free, with wetsuits, boards, and transportation included.
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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