Partner Spotlight Series – Mindful Waves
By Deborah Jessen, Copywriter & Content Creator
At Groundswell Community Project, we see the immense benefits of providing safe, accessible spaces for communities to harness the healing power of the ocean. Around the world, our partner organizations, many of whom have completed the Groundswell Surf Therapy™ training, are bringing surf therapy to life using their own unique waves, culture, and people who put their hearts into this work to create real change.
Our Partner Spotlight Series is a way to honor them: to share their stories, highlight their impact, and remind us all that we are part of something special, a worldwide wave of connection, belonging, and transformation.
This month, our Partner Spotlight takes us to Nosara, Costa Rica, where Mindful Waves has created a space for women from all over the world and within their local community to connect with the ocean and explore its healing power for their own personal journeys.
The program & community of mindful waves
Mindful Waves is based in Nosara, Costa Rica, and works with women from diverse backgrounds and life stories. Since last year, they have also been offering surf therapy workshops in collaboration with Nosara Siente, a local mental health organization that supports and empowers women and children. This partnership has opened the door for the local community to access surf therapy, especially those who might never otherwise have the chance to experience it.
How a personal transformation became a project of healing in Costa Rica
The roots of Mindful Waves lie in founder Dani’s personal surfing journey:
“The ocean gave me far more than waves — it taught me resilience, self-trust, and gave me a sense of community I didn’t know I was missing. Over time, I began to notice how many women carry fear, trauma, or self-doubt into the water, and I felt called to create a safe, supportive space where those stories could be rewritten.”
In 2019, Dani met Natalie by unexpected chance, who first introduced her to the practice of surf therapy. That meeting marked the beginning of something new - the seed that has since grown into Mindful Waves.
Guidance and Belonging in the Groundswell Community
For Dani, Groundswell was and still is a compass, guiding her way. The training and the community she found there gave her the tools and courage to turn surf therapy from a dream into reality. It also connected her to something much larger: a global movement of women using the ocean as a path to healing and empowerment.
Stories & Rituals: The soul of mindful waves
One inspiring story of transformation through Mindful Waves comes from Aubrey:
“ My first introduction to surfing was rough — a man told me I didn’t need a longboard, took me straight into technical waves that crashed hard, and yelled at me for cutting off the lineup… all while I had no idea what any of that even meant. The ocean felt terrifying, and I started questioning whether I really wanted to learn how to surf at all.
Then I met Dani and her team, and everything shifted. With their guidance, I was able to heal those old wounds around the sport, learn to read the ocean with confidence, navigate the lineup with respect, and gently transform my fear into self-awareness. They showed me how to be calm, playful, and truly present in the waves. Surfing — and the women of Mindful Waves — truly saved my soul"
Rituals play an important role in surf therapy, not only to create structure but also to build courage and trust among the women. At Mindful Waves, one special ritual happens before they enter the water: the boards are placed in a circle on the sand, creating a safe and intentional space. Each participant is invited to share how she’s feeling, what’s present in their mind and body, something they want to leave on the land, and something they hope to find in the water. This practice is grounding, connects the group, and transforms the ocean session into something much deeper than just surfing — it becomes a shared journey of release, intention, and discovery.
The Challenge of Carrying Many Roles
Building and leading a program like Mindful Waves means wearing many hats: surf coach, therapist, entrepreneur, community builder, and more. At times, this can be overwhelming and brings many challenges. What keeps Dani going is the reminder of her why — why she first felt drawn to this work and why she brought the program to life: to create a space where women can heal, grow, and reclaim their strength in the ocean.
The Broader Impact of Surf Therapy
Surf therapy doesn’t stop at individual healing, it reaches far beyond the personal journey of each woman. Dani has witnessed how women leave sessions with new confidence that influences their careers, their relationships, and the way they move through life. They don’t just heal past wounds; they grow beyond them.
“For me, women’s empowerment isn’t about becoming something new, it’s about remembering that we have a choice — to live in alignment with our truth, to step into spaces that once felt intimidating, and to create lives that feel expansive and free.”
Surf therapy also raises awareness about alternative forms of mental health care, giving women tools to face fear, strengthen resilience, and embrace community. And because all of this happens in the ocean, it deepens the responsibility to protect her:
“The healing goes both ways — she holds us, and we care for her.”
Dani describes the ocean in three words: nurturing, empowering, and transformative: she softens us when we need care, strengthens us when we need courage, and reshapes us into fuller versions of ourselves.
A Future Vision for Mindful Waves
Dani dreams of expanding Mindful Waves to have an even greater impact. Through retreats and a program designed exclusively for locals, run by locals themselves (similar to Groundswell Huanchaco). She also envisions national collaborations to spread surf therapy beyond Nosara into other regions of Costa Rica. A long-term goal is to train women leaders in Costa Rica to carry this work forward and multiply its impact.
To every woman, everywhere
“To every woman: you are braver than you know, and the ocean is here to remind you. You belong.”
These words are powerful and moving. Any woman who has ever sat on a surfboard, looking at the horizon, knows: the ocean doesn’t just challenge us, she also carries us, humbles us, and reflects our own strength back to us.
Join and support — every step matters
You can support Mindful Waves by joining a retreat or surf therapy session in Nosara, volunteering with the program during the summer, or simply sharing their story. Every wave of support helps the program grow, create more spaces for women to heal, and connect with the sea in a meaningful way, a place where they can feel free and reclaim what may once have been forgotten.
