Groundswell Community Project

Groundswell Community Project We heal, empower, and unite women in the waves.

We are a global surf therapy organization harnessing the healing power of the ocean to create transformative spaces for individuals and organizations to reconnect with their bodies, nature, and one another.

At Groundswell, sending waves of love is a way of saying I see you, I hear you, and I honor you, without needing to say ...
08/04/2026

At Groundswell, sending waves of love is a way of saying I see you, I hear you, and I honor you, without needing to say a word in return. It’s a hand gesture, an acknowledgement, and a group commitment.

And this year, we made something to send it home with you.

Our limited release Waves of Love hat, towel, and poncho are available on our website to purchase as a donation in support of our free surf therapy programming.

This campaign is made possible by the generosity of our incredible partners Nomadix and Graphic Ink.

Ponchos and towels donated by Nomadix
Hats donated by Graphic Ink
Towels and hats designed by jess lin

Join us for a full day of ocean, community, and celebration on Mission Bay and help us mark 10 years of Groundswell Surf...
07/30/2026

Join us for a full day of ocean, community, and celebration on Mission Bay and help us mark 10 years of Groundswell Surf Therapy™️.

Groundswell Community Day is a full day for ocean lovers, curious newcomers, local organizations, and everyone in between to connect in and around the ocean.

Your free ticket includes:
🏄 Community surf, paddleboarding & ocean swimming
🧘 Yoga & sound bath
🤝 Community tabling with San Diego surf therapy orgs & nonprofits
🎨 Digital art show featuring local surf & ocean photography
🎶 Live music by Gals Ukulele Band
💆 Alternative therapy sessions in eco, somatic, music & more

Your paid ticket also includes:
🍜 Lunch from local food & drink vendors
🖌️ Art materials for your take home art activity
🎤 Guest speaker & program hour
🎟️ 2 raffle tickets with prizes from our community partners

Every dollar raised supports Groundswell’s mission to bring surf therapy and ocean access to individuals and communities in need.

Ten years ago, we started with the belief that the oceans healing should be available to everyone. Come celebrate what that belief has built. 💙

07/25/2026

We have an exciting new partnership to share…
For nearly a decade Groundswell participants have been writing words of love, stoke, and encouragement on our community blankets, a tradition we call the waves of wisdom blanket. Each word is a gift to the next participant who wraps up beside it in program.

This year that tradition inspired a new collaboration. We partnered with Nomadix, a sustainable outdoor gear brand whose mission feels deeply aligned with ours — to bring Waves of Love to life in a whole new way. Co-branded towels and ponchos now carry that same spirit to the shore every single week.

Stay tuned to find out how you can get your hands on your own Waves of Love towel or Groundswell poncho 🤙🌊

07/10/2026

Mālama (mah-LAH-mah) - to care for, protect, and tend to.

This word comes from Native Hawaiian tradition and language, rooted in a worldview where caring for the land and ocean has always been inseparable from caring for people. It’s found throughout Hawaiian culture in phrases like “mālama ka ‘āina” (care for the land) and “mālama i ke kai, a mālama ke kai iā ‘oe” (care for the ocean, and the ocean will care for you). For generations, this reciprocity between people and place has shaped how Native Hawaiians move through the world.

At Groundswell, we think about mālama often. Every time we paddle out with someone, hold space during a session, or show up for this community, we’re practicing a version of the same idea: care given freely comes back to us. The ocean has always known this. We’re just trying to keep learning it.

We’re grateful to a word and a culture that understood this long before we did, and we hope to honor that by living it, not just saying it.

🌊

07/03/2026

Time for a 30-second nervous system reset.

Welcome back to the Quiver series, where we share free, actionable tools to support your mental and somatic well-being. Today, Natalie is introducing Wave Breath, a simple practice that uses the ocean as a guide to bring your body back to a state of calm.

Follow along with Natalie to:
💨 Visualize tracing the peak of a wave
👅 Let go of stress with a full-body release
🫂 Give yourself a comforting hold

Filmed by Didi dhMediaHaus
Featuring Natalie Small LMFT Groundswell Founder & Clinical Director

07/01/2026

A few seconds to take some deep breathes 💙

New here? Here is a quick look at who we are and what we’re building together. Swipe through to meet the heart behind ou...
06/23/2026

New here? Here is a quick look at who we are and what we’re building together.

Swipe through to meet the heart behind our movement, and follow us to find your place in our community. 💙

We harness the healing power of the ocean to create transformative spaces for individuals and organizations to reconnect with their bodies, nature, and one another.

We harness the healing power of the ocean to create transformative spaces for individuals and organizations to reconnect with their bodies, nature, and one another.

We harness the healing power of the ocean to create transformative spaces for individuals and organizations to reconnect with their bodies, nature, and one another.

To date, this community has:
🌱 Welcomed 6,000+ individuals into our programs
🧠 Trained 500+ trauma-informed facilitators
🌎 Expanded our reach across 25+ countries... and counting!

But our work doesn’t stop there. We are actively committing to expanding access to surf therapy, empowering global leaders, advancing research, and fostering deep environmental stewardship.

But our work doesn’t stop there. We are actively committing to expanding access to surf therapy, empowering global leaders, advancing research, and fostering deep environmental stewardship.

06/20/2026

Do you know the story of resiliency behind the shaka?

In this next video of our Quiver series, Natalie shares the history of the shaka hand gesture, originating from a Hawaiian pineapple field worker who refused to let trauma cap his joy or limit his life force. Instead, he transformed his hardship into an iconic, global symbol of love, connection, and good vibes.

We use this exact gesture to practice Shakabreath (our take on alternate nostril breathing). It’s a powerful practice designed to:

🧠 Balance and activate both the left and right sides of your brain.
✨ Ignite your creative flow.
🌬️ Bring fresh oxygen and grounding energy into your day.

Watch to learn the story and practice along with Natalie.

Filmed by Didi dhMediaHaus
Featuring Natalie Small LMFT Groundswell Founder & Clinical Director

Something we’ve been dreaming up for a long time is finally here.Groundswell and Changing Tides have built something tog...
06/19/2026

Something we’ve been dreaming up for a long time is finally here.

Groundswell and Changing Tides have built something together that doesn’t exist anywhere else in San Diego — a Mothers & Daughters Program, collaboratively designed from the ground up by two nonprofits who believe the ocean can heal relationships, strengthen families, and deepen our connection to the natural world.

We couldn’t be more excited.

Address

1220 Rosecrans Street
San Diego, CA
92106

Telephone

(310) 749-6289

Website

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