The Surfer's Secret to Healing Trauma

Key points

Trauma keeps the nervous system stuck outside its "window of tolerance" long after the event has passed.

Resourcing—building felt experiences of safety—must come before processing traumatic memories.

You can't think your way into nervous system regulation; you have to feel it in your body.

This post is in response to How Do We Heal From Trauma? By Albert Wong Ph.D.

Here's something surfers understand that most trauma survivors don't: before you learn to ride big waves, you have to learn to get back on the board.

This sounds obvious—of course you have to get back on. But watch a beginner at any surf break and you'll notice something interesting. They spend almost no time practicing recovery. They're focused entirely on the ride: the pop-up, the stance, the glorious mo