Frequently Asked Questions

Is your program evidence-based?

Yes, International Surf Therapy Organization’s mission is to provide and facilitate research on surf therapy. ISTO works to develop industry standards for the practice. SOL is a proud member of ISTO and contributes to the collective research for surf therapy. Surf therapy is used in 13 countries across the globe.

How long are the sessions?

Sessions are 90 minutes in length and are organized as follows:

30 min pre–ocean therapy embodied portion and water safety instructions
30 min in ocean experiential session
30 min post–ocean therapy processing session under tent. Towels, water, healthy snacks (ie., Acai bowls) and fresh juices are provided.

Do you need ocean or surf experience?

No, you don’t need any surf experience and any level of ocean experience is welcome. We also incorporate paddle boards into our program on days when the ocean is not optimal.

Are your surf safety instructors trained in CPR and water safety?

Yes. All our surf instructors are certified and have extensive water experience with a history of life-guarding or surfing as well as being CPR certified.

What do you do if the ocean is rough or not optimal?

We incorporate paddle-boards into our program as we offer ocean therapy as well. There are many therapeutic benefits from experiencing being in, around, and on the ocean. Paddle-boarding is another tool in our toolbox to utilize ocean therapy.

We also engage in on-land instruction doing ocean conservation projects that include beach cleanup and we incorporate this into a therapeutic activity that relates to recovery or mental health.

What does a client bring to the session?

Clients will need to wear a swimsuit or water wear, sandals or water shoes, a hat (if needed), and apply sunscreen prior to the session. SOL spf 50 swim shirt/rash guard will be provided as well as sunscreen, water, and towels. There will be a tent for shade with beach chairs to rest.

Are the sessions covered or reimbursed through health insurance?

We do not submit to health insurance. However, for individuals, we can provide a super-bill to submit to insurance as this is considered group therapy.

For treatment centers that may choose to submit sessions from reimbursement, we will pass on information from ISTO to provide tips to increase the likelihood of coverage. Agencies are getting insurance to reimburse.

Please notify us ahead of time so we can record appropriate clinical notes. Also, the fee we charge includes clinical notes from the mental health professional.

Does your organization have liability insurance?

Yes, we have $1,000,000 in GLI coverage and can provide this certificate upon request.

How are releases handled?

For individual programs, we will provide releases to be signed prior to the session start date with your registration paperwork.

For treatment centers, we will provide your center with a release indemnifying us and your facility. We ask that you put this release in your “in-take” packet so that every client sign it.