Surf Up
Surf Therapy Association (registered under the 1901 French law)
Additional support for victims of violence and trauma
Incest, Domestic violence, Intrafamily violence, Psychological violence, Sexual violence, SVS, SVH
SIRET 930 285 085 00013
AREAS OF INTERVENTION
Charente-Maritime (La Rochelle/Ile de Ré - Royan/the wild coast/Ile d'Oléron)
ACCOMPANIED AUDIENCES
Women, Teenagers, Men, People with disabilities, LGBTQIA+ people, Families of victims, General public
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
In-person
Presentation :
SURF UP is a non-profit organization (under the French law of 1901), founded in 2024, and a pioneer in surf therapy in Charente-Maritime.
It brings together healthcare professionals, surfers, and peer support workers who are sensitive to the mechanisms of domination and physical, psychological, and sexual violence.
The organization aims to democratize surfing as a complementary approach to traditional therapy, drawing on the natural benefits of the ocean, movement, and community.
SURF UP primarily develops surf therapy programs in partnership with local organizations.
➡️ Currently, access to the programs is only available through two entry points:
• Two partner Mental Health Centers (CMP), located in Royan and La Rochelle
• The CIDFF 17 (Information and Documentation Center for Women and Families)
Participants must be referred and followed by one of these organizations to be eligible to participate in the programs.
Missions & support
The programs offer:
• Complementary therapeutic support through surfing
• Bodywork promoting emotional regulation
• Access to a state of mindfulness and letting go
• Reinforcement of existing therapeutic care
Depending on funding obtained, other therapeutic programs and workshops may be developed (the first are planned for 2026).
Approach :
Surfing is used as a therapeutic tool in its own right: immersion in the ocean, movement, sensations, activation of feel-good hormones, and grounding.
The effects are often rapid and significant, as attested by the psychiatrists and psychologists who work with the participants.
The groups are led by a certified surf instructor, peer support worker trained in psychotrauma, as well as by healthcare professionals (psychiatric nurse specializing in psychotrauma, psychologist, occupational therapist, etc.).
The informal gatherings shared after the sessions (lunches, coffee breaks, picnics) are an integral part of the support and help create a safe space essential to the healing process.