From August 27th-September 3rd, I, together with 4 other amazing women, am organizing the first-ever all-female surf therapy retreat in Odexeice, Portugal. For all info, see our website here. During these 7 days, we want you to be able to go back to your authentic self before society told you or molds you! We do so by combining beginners’ surf classes, with individual and group therapy sessions, yoga, women´s health sessions, and of course, nurturing food and enough time to relax and regain energy.
What is it about?
The purpose of this retreat is for you, to obtain clarity of who you are, and what you are capable of: when overcoming your fears and recognizing your resistance; listen to your inner voice and not to everyone else around you; and by increasing your unshakable confidence in a natural way.
And above all: through recognizing, accepting, and enjoying the waves in our female minds. You might not be able to stop the waves, but you can learn to surf them. And that´s what´s even more fun.
During this 7 day retreat, we are aiming to build a sisterhood. We are all in the same game, it´s about sharing the waves, not taking them away from each other.
What is surf therapy?
Research on the use and effectiveness of surfing in combination with therapy is new but convincing: It is suggested that intervention through surf therapy has a number of positive effects: exploration, effort and perseverance, problem-solving, time management, social competencies, interpersonal relationships and emotional regulation.
It is also well-known that:
- Pleasurable experiences increase the chance of healing mental issues.
- In the ocean and the waves, you have to give yourself over, and lose control. The only thing you can control is how you deal mentally deal with this situation.
- Large muscular movements can increase the body’s serotonin-norepinephrine and dopamine neurotransmitters.
- Surfing guarantees a sensory experience that assists in learning and promotes resilience.
- The learning of social and emotional competencies alongside a challenging physical activity, like surfing, leads to higher self-esteem and self-efficacy, which in turn can be transformed into increasing your internal strengths.
Through our therapy sessions you will learn how to:
- Rewire your brain with new habits
- Heal trauma
- Settle the mind
- Become present
- Become emotionally intelligent
- Cultivate compassion
So, what does women´s health have to do with that?
Have you ever thought about where the waves come from? Right, from the moon. The moon: the female power. The same moon that influences your hormones and menstruation cycle. The same moon that affects your mood, sleep and hormones.
It is therefore that I truly believe that when you learn to ride the waves of the ocean, you are working on riding the waves of your true inner female self.
In this retreat we will discuss:
- How your cycle works (different phases)
- What to expect during different phases
- How to support different phases through nutrition and tracking
- Seed cycling
- What’s normal and what’s not normal during a cycle (contrary to what society has conditioned us to think)
- Endometriosis awareness
- Cycle, the moon and our moods
- Society’s ideologies and perceptions about women and periods (pain is normal, PMS/mood swings) and how to change your thought patterns around what society has ingrained in you
- Things women need to know about birth control and how to support your body if you need to take it
We continue our community, also after the retreat
Even after the retreat, we continue our little community and offer remote group and individual therapy sessions, to make sure you keep on enjoying the waves of your life, even when you´re back home.
Set in between the lush mountains and surf beaches of Southern Portugal
The retreat will take place at Monte Orada. Located about 1.5 hours away from Faro Airport, at Portugal’s Southwest Atlantic Coast, Orada combines spectacular surf beaches with the authentic countryside tranquility of Alentejo. Historically, this area is known to be a site where warriors would come from war and rest and refind their connection and tranquility. And this is exactly the energy that still lies in this lush valley and will feed into our retreat.
We are not like any other retreat
We offer a holistic approach in all of the activities in this retreat:
A holistic form of therapy promotes mental, psychological, and spiritual well-being.
A holistic approach is much more effective compared to therapies that are non-integrated.
But be aware, that this is not just a surf and yoga retreat. We are taking it a lot further! By combining group therapy sessions, with holistic yoga, sound healing, and education on women´s health, you will not only learn, but you will also be able to truly transform yourself.
Through education, empowerment, and experience you find out who you really are.
So, join us for the first all-female surf therapy retreat in Portugal and get your spot now! at www.bewavesofchange.com
Want to read more on surfing in Portugal? Check out my other blogs.
