About Groundswell

Groundswell Community Project is a diverse community of folx from around the world that are committed to honoring, celebrating, and elevating self love, sea love, and sisterhood. These values are foundational from our programs, to our trainings, partnerships, fundraising, and the way we function internally as a team and in life. We became a non-profit in 2016 with the mission to break down systems of oppression that have existed in both the therapy and surf worlds.  We welcome and celebrate diversity, equity, and inclusive access to surfing Mother Ocean’s waves as an invitation to reclaim individual, community, and earth’s healing, power, and belonging.  From our first circle at mother ocean’s shore welcoming 9 women to their reciprocal relationship with the ocean. Now, through intentional partnerships, program development, and branches, over 1000 women have been welcomed to reclaiming their healing, power, and belonging through Groundswell’s Surf Therapy model. Our programs have welcomed women+ along the coast of California stretching from the territories of the Kumeyaay peoples, Tongva peoples, and Ramaytush peoples. To Peru, where the Moche people surfed their reed made surfboards to shore dating back to 500CE. And our sisters in Scotland reconnecting with their deep ocean heritage. 

Read our Groundswell Review & Groundswell Herstory to learn more about where we started, where we are, and where we are going thanks to the love, stoke, and support of our surf therapy facilitators, interns, staff, community, and family!

What is Groundswell’s Surf Therapy model?

Groundswell Surf TherapyTM  is an evidence based approach to trauma healing honoring that trauma is any event or experience that adversely impacts your relationship to self, others, and the world around you. We believe that trauma healing is liberation that allows you to recover your fullest self expression in the world.  We believe that our individual liberation is inseparable and essential in the liberation of communities and the world. Our practices are rooted in honoring the whole person; mind, body and spirit. Groundswell Surf Therapy is provided in a small group setting and shifts away from a traditional process group to a presence group model. Our trauma informed approach welcomes the body back into the healing process and honors the power of community, joy, and nature as medicine. Our model incorporates trauma informed, somatic, art based, nature-based, mindfulness, strength-based, and joy-centered approaches to healing and liberation. 

You can read our recently published research here

Who is a Surf Therapy Intern?

Groundswell Surf Therapy Interns are individuals in their associates or practicum season  working towards their LMFT, LCSW, or LPCC.  Groundswell Surf Therapy Interns come from diverse educational backgrounds, cultural backgrounds, ethnic backgrounds, and identities that represent the diverse communities of women that Groundswell holds circle for.  Surf Therapy Interns are in a constant state of curiosity, listening, and learning into how we can acknowledge systems of oppression within us and around us and how we can each show up as our fullest selves to hold welcoming safe and brave space for others to do the same. Groundswell Surf Therapy Interns are actively pursuing their own healing journey through self love, sea love and sisterhood and are committed to keeping a curious mind, heart, and body to lean into listening and learning together as we develop where surf therapy can go and grow!

Read our DEI Statement and Agreement

Surf Therapy Intern Description:

Groundswell Community Project partners with the newly launched Groundswell Institute to provide trauma informed Surf Therapy programs for groups and communities from a diversity of backgrounds and needs.  We have crafted our volunteer internship together to provide a summer  of deep learning, breaking down cultural constraints, and building up you as a heart-centered, person-centered, community-centered leader, healer, and human being. You will receive supervision, trainings, and mentorship from a diverse team of clinical and non-clinical therapists, healers, and non-profit leaders along with clinical supervision provided by Natalie Small LMFT. 

Prerequisite Trainings: 

We will be working off of these trainings in the Groundswell Surf Therapy ™ model as our foundation so it is important to be familiar with them prior to the start of the internship:

• Groundswell Surf Therapy For Trauma Recovery certificate Level 1 (6 CEUs) ($300)

• Up to date CPR certification

• Water Safety certification (or ISA surf coach cert, lifeguard cert)

Commitment to these prerequisites shows us your commitment to this internship program and in investing in the development of your own skills and ability to hold the highest levels of physical and psychological safety for clients and the community. Additional trainings are always welcome and we encourage you to bring what you learn into the circle. 

Groundswell Institute is offering  a special student discount of half off for Groundswell Community Project Interns.  We do not want financial commitments to become a barrier to accessing our Groundswell trainings and experience. We believe that abundance comes in many currencies and that we all have abundance. So, we invite you to explore your areas of abundance and join us! Some ways previous interns and trainees have let their abundance flow to make this investment in themselves and this in their communities; peer-to-peer fundraising page, grant writing, donor and sponsorship seeking and support, work trade, payment plans…let’s re-set our frame work and explore what is possible around currency and abundance together to build a reciprocal flow together. 

Internship Locations/Commitment/Population: 

Internship dates:  April-October

 Virtual (April - Oct)

As a Groundswell Surf Therapy Intern you will take part in our 6 month Groundswell Surf Therapy Provider Level 3 training cohort with clinicians from around the world. The cohort meets virtually Monday evenings 5:30-7:30pm PST. 

Hrs/week: 2-4 hrs of training + group supervision

Location: Zoom 

Compensation: Supervision & Groundswell Surf Therapy Provider training are free.

In Person (April-October) 

• Hrs/week: 4-15 hrs of group supervision & surf therapy program co-facilitation

• Location: Virtual (2hrs/week)

Surf Therapy Programs: Ocean Beach (main office) with potential opportunities in Encinitas, La Jolla, and Pacific Beach. (3-10 hours/week)

• Compensation: Supervision is free.  Intern is responsible for personal surf equipment needs

Surf Therapy 

San Diego is our home base. All our Surf Therapy programs and community drop-in offerings take place in person at Ocean Beach, San Diego with some opportunities in La Jolla, Pacific Beach, and Encinitas. As a Surf Therapy volunteer intern you will be supporting your seasoned co-facilitators with holding small group surf therapy spaces for a diversity of folx and communities overcoming trauma and it’s mental health side effects including addiction, abuse, trafficking, depression, displacement, disorders, grief, and loss. You will provide intake and post program telehealth calls, small group co-facilitation, and research data collection. Surf Therapy Interns must have the means to be able to access and attend both virtual and in person programs in San Diego. If you have access needs (local temporary  housing in SD, transportation, ect) please communicate these so we can best support you.  

Surf Therapy Intern Role Responsibilities:

• Attend virtual trainings and supervisions prepared, present, and on time

• Show up to in person therapy sessions prepared with what you need to take care of yourself physically, spiritually, and mentally

• Commit to at least one 8 week, two 4 week, or 8 single day Surf therapy programs supporting 6-10 participants utilizing the GSCP surf therapy curriculum.

• Performing pre and post program telehealth calls and intake calls with surf therapy clients.

• Arrive to programs 30 mins prior to support your co-facilitation team in setting the space and stay 30 mins after to help pack up and debrief with your team

• Organize and Co-facilitate at least one community drop in circle with a partnering intern

• Support your co-facilitation team with preparation of surf gear and ritual supplies. 

• Hold trauma informed safe and brave space for all present

• Assist in research and data collection and organization

• Complete and submit post session notes form after each session with co-facilitation team

• Maintain confidentiality of all participants

• Responsibility for tracking your hours and communicating to supervisor if anything is needed or unclear with apt time for them to respond and support. 

• Responsible for communicating with supervisor any masters program requirements prior to start of internship

• Cultivate supportive open communication with your co-facilitators, supervisors, and regional program manager.

• Ask questions, be curious. 

Surf Therapy Intern Requirements:

• Groundswell’s Surf Therapy for Trauma Recovery Training (level 1) Live or Self Paced

• Has a lifeguard, BRWAG, ISA, Water Safety Cert, or Cpr/First AId Cert (we are organizing to provide a single day team training to support this)

• Currently registered as an associate or intern level working towards your  LMFT, LCSW, LPCC

Ideal Surf Therapy Interns also have...

• Previous experience facilitating groups

• Training and/or experience in holding safe space in the ocean for various levels of swimming and surf ability

• Experience working with underserved and diverse communities

• Strong verbal and written skills in English. Verbal skills in Spanish and Arabic a plus 

• High level of self motivation, organization, creativity, flexibility, and time management

• Has their own personal mental health practice and support

• Has a high level of comfort and confidence in the ocean

• Committed to learning and contributing within community

• Doing their own work to uncover systemic racism and oppression within them and around them

• Able to hold space with and for those who identify as similar and/or different than themselves

• Familiar with the beach and ocean where programs take place and has means to get to program locations independently

• Has access to their own wifi and technological devices to be able to attend virtual supervisions and workshops via zoom, access online communications platform and google drive and make telemedicine phone calls. 

Compensation

Groundswell Community Project believes in the diversity of abundance and currency and show gratitude and value to our facilitators, volunteers, staff, and interns through various currencies. As a clinician in training we value your skills, time, and stoke through compensation in:

• Free weekly Licensed Supervision and collective community support by a diverse supervisor team

• Full scholarship to our 6 month Groundswell Surf Therapy Providers training Cohort (Value 

• One year of access to our online training portal

• Elevating and celebrating you and your work on our webpage and social medias (as you desire and permit)

• Discounts through our partner eco/surf companies

• Engagement in community partnerships and relationships built with local surf schools, non-profits, and businesses for future job opportunities

This is a non-paid Volunteer therapy internship. We have designed it so you can hold space to work with local clinics and therapy practices or hold jobs in other fields of work that can support your financial abundance needs.