Groundswell Board Member Introduction: Whitney Taylor

Hello Groundswell Surf Community,

My name is Whitney Taylor, and it is such a tremendous honor to serve on the board of the Groundswell Community Project.

I first heard about Groundswell’s work through another organization in Seattle, WA, called First Aid Arts (FAA). FAA focuses on integrating movement and art into spaces that build and create mental and emotional safety. It introduced me to the incredible world of somatic therapy and its power to influence creativity, wonder, and, ultimately, to heal trauma stored in the body. That was my first “ah-ha” moment—one that sparked a desire to explore these elements more deeply in my career.

As I grew more interested in the mental health field and eventually found myself in graduate school on the Central Coast of California, the universe connected me with the founder of Groundswell—who, it turns out, had developed the idea for GCP alongside leaders from FAA. It felt like a divine connection, one that blended areas of both personal and professional exploration.

At my core, I yearn to spend time breathing in the salty ocean air or the scent of pines and cedar in the mountains near my home. I've always loved being in nature, and most of my jobs before entering the mental health field were outdoors. Most with fury friends as well. Over time, I noticed that my growing dedication to mental health often pulled me away from the natural environments that helped me feel grounded—tethered to something more, something greater than myself. And as that shift happened, I noticed parts of myself not fully coming through in my work—until Groundswell.

The ability to integrate two intrinsically connected forces—nature and healing—into my therapeutic practice has been invaluable. The convergence of these worlds allowed me to show up as my full self while encouraging others to live authentically, too. Groundswell became a vessel for rhythm and structure in my practice that I hadn’t been able to access before. It gave me the autonomy to be creative while remaining trauma-informed and intentional. It became the tether I’d been looking for.

As a child, I would comb the beach with my grandfather on Whidbey Island, searching for agates (or tiny crabs)—not to keep, but mostly to admire. It was our special routine. While he usually spent his time fishing with my dad or brothers, this was our moment. I remember looking up at this 6’5” gentle giant and wondering how he could spot the most perfectly polished rock from so high up, while I, closer to the ground, had a more up front view to the ground below. He would remind me, “It’s about perspective.” If he couldn’t find one, or if his eyes started playing tricks on him, it was a sign he needed a break. He’d gaze out at the ocean, point out a seal or whale, take a breath, and then return to his search—usually finding the “perfect” agate right after. “Perfect,” of course, just meant perfect in his eyes. He’d let me hold it, admire it, and then encourage me to return it to the beach. It wasn’t ours to keep—just to appreciate in that moment.

My grandfather was like that, too. He wasn’t mine to keep forever—just someone to admire in the moment. Eventually, I had to give him back. And when I did, combing the beach helped me feel close to him again. In moments of frustration or grief, I’d look up from the rocks, toward the ocean, and breathe as the waves crashed and returned back to the vast ocean. That was my moment to come back to myself. To come back to my body. The ocean, the breeze, the memories of my past, and the call to be present—they gifted me another breath and ultimately healed me.

Serving on the board of directors for Groundswell allows me to connect not only with the moments of my past but also with the experiences of my present. And in doing so, I hope to help create moments of peace and healing for others. The vision for Groundswell is mighty, and I cannot wait to witness the impact this organization will have across oceans. Groundswell is a vessel for both individual and collective healing, and I could not be more honored to serve alongside such intelligent, strong, and gentle individuals—each anchored in growth and empowerment, for themselves and for others.