The Ocean's Medicine: Discovering the Benefits of Surf Therapy | Stephanie Dasher | TEDxCharleston

NOTE FROM TED: Please do not look to this talk for mental health advice. This talk only represents the speaker's personal views and understanding of surf therapy and healing. Claims around the ocean and the brain lack sufficient scientific support. We've flagged this talk because it falls outside the content guidelines TED gives TEDx organizers. TEDx events are independently organized by volunteers. The guidelines we give TEDx organizers are described in more detail here: storage.ted.com/tedx/manuals/t...
Finding your husband cowering in a closet with PTSD eight years after a combat deployment is about as bad as it gets for a young mother and wife. But helping him to recover through ocean water therapy - surfing - took a lot of convincing. The results brought her husband back from devastating after-effects of combat and earned him a new way of life, new friends and a road ahead for recovery. Learning that perfection is not needed but effort to learn is, and using mindfulness to ease past traumas helped him to see obstacles as opportunities. And that the next wave that washes over you could be the one that changes your life. Stephanie Dasher is the Executive Director of the Warrior Surf Foundation and helps lead the foundation in program growth, strategic planning, and community engagement. Before working for Warrior Surf Foundation, Stephanie spent five years in the United States Navy and then earned her degree in Nuclear Engineering Sciences and Technology. Drawing on inspiration from Leonardo Di Vinci and his creative take on problem-solving she went on to receive a degree from Savannah College of Art & Design in Visual Communication and Graphic Design. Stephanie owns her photography and graphic design consulting business, though her primary focus has become the upward growth of the Warrior Surf Foundation. Her personal life experiences with PTSD have given her a passion for Veteran advocacy and have driven her desire to push for expanded Veteran services and access to alternative therapies. She has been married to an Army Combat Veteran for 15 years and has 4 beautiful children, who keep her and everyone at Warrior Surf Foundation on their toes. Stephanie enjoys surfing, photography, and any opportunity to experience the great outdoors. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at www.ted.com/tedx

[@daniellehowlemusic]

Thank you for your work as human being and loving person. You inspire me greatly. Thank you!

[@markseery]

The Truth. Thank you.