Natalie Small lived with the ocean most of her life. Being away from the waters feels like leaving home. For that reason, she knitted her profession and love for the ocean together through Groundswell Community Project, a nonprofit that provides a safe space for women battling with mental health problems. Surf therapy is the main focus of the healing process, which serves in many levels.  Natalie believes that surfing is an art in which every participant can learn to create something beautiful out of their awful past. It offers not only a temporary fix, rather the skills learned from the course serves as a tool that participants can use throughout their entire lifetime. 

In this conversation, Natalie shares why our relationship with the ocean runs deeper than we thought. She also narrates the evolution of the surfing culture as it revolutionizes into something more balanced and sustainable.   Surf therapy is the marriage of modern healing modalities and the mystery of nature recuperation. As a Surf Therapist, Natalie also explains how surfing can have a lasting effect on recovery and why we need a community to help us along the way. And if you’re contemplating to establish your own nonprofit, Natalie gives some tips and advice on how to  “give birth”, “take care” and “sustain” it. The ocean can be our training field to face life’s adversities with all boldness and confidence. Like her, everyone can find a sense of “home” and calmness underneath the chaos of life. 

Episode Highlights:

• 03:41 Finding a Sense of Home
• 10:35 Bringing Back the Community in the Healing Process
• 17:25 Calm Underneath the Chaos
• 21:20 The Science of Ocean Healing
• 28:23 Bringing in the Feminine Balance to the Ocean 
• 32:04 Cultural Shift in Surfing 
• 38:44 “Birthing” A Nonprofit 

The Oceanriders Podcast wouldn't be possible without the participation of incredible guests and today's is no exception. She's an amazing human. Her name is Natalie Small and she is the founder of an also groundbreaking nonprofit called, Groundswell Community Project. It started out in San Diego, California and is now taking the world by storm with sister initiatives popping up all over the US and around the world. In fact, you can find Groundswell Community Project in Peru, Cuba and even in Scotland. Groundswell Community Project’s purpose is to improve women's lives by helping them overcome PTSD, depression and other traumatic experiences. And they heal, thanks to surfing and the unconditional love of the ocean. 

“The ocean is so powerful. Underneath all this chaos of all the white water, there's always calm.”  -Natalie Small 

Natalie is a Surf Therapist and that's what we get to discuss today. At such a young age, Natalie had an extraordinary life so far- from living on a sailboat for 11 years to bobbing across the world to help women and men overcome trauma. But today, she's living a fulfilling life doing what she loves. And in this conversation, we get to know the person behind Groundswell Community Project and get some expert advice about launching and developing your own nonprofit as well. There's some really good tips in this podcast. 

I hope you enjoy this episode.

Take care, have fun, and enjoy the waves.

Ciao,

Imi

Connect with Natalie: 

• Website
• Email
• Facebook
• Instagram

Resources Links:

Books

• Blue Mind: The Surprising Science That Shows How Being Near, In, On, or Under Water Can Make You Happier, Healthier, More Connected, and Better at What You Do by Wallace J. Nicholas 

Related Episodes:

• Episode 30: Meet Alexandra Lia-Founder of Soul Surfer and Creator of Seatizens

Quotes:

• 05:59 “...the ocean helped me feel ‘home.’ ” -Natalie Small 
• 11:27 “part of the problem is that... everything is so individualized, but we do need community.”  -Natalie Small 
• 13:00 “Surfing has been one of my most powerful transformative tools and healing tools in my own life.”  -Natalie Small 
• 13:16 “It's all about the process; it's not about the end product.” -Natalie Small 
• 13:20 “There's just so much similarities between what we consider art and what we consider surfing.” -Natalie Small 
• 18:54 “The ocean is so powerful. Underneath all this chaos of all the white water, there's always calm.”  -Natalie Small 
• 26:28 “every person has something to give the world.”  -Natalie Small 
• 27:00 “Happiness...is recognizing that you have something to give and then giving it.” -Natalie Small 
• 31:29 “Feminine energy needs the masculine energy and the masculine energy needs the feminine energy. To be able to balance the lineup is also inviting balance into our lives on land as well.” -Natalie Small 
• 32:32 “The ocean sees us all as the same and so we must all be the same out there.” -Natalie Small 
• 42:55 “It takes a village to raise a nonprofit. And so for those that are looking at starting a nonprofit… you don't have to do it alone.” -Natalie Small 

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