78 | www. Char l es tonPhys i c i ans . com | www.Hea l thL i nksChar l es ton . com Erin Jones was raised in St. Louis, Missouri, but she and her family spent summer vacations on the beaches of Hilton Head. After graduating from the University of Missouri-Columbia, she accepted a Clemson University job offer in Summerton. Eventually, she responded to the ocean’s call, relocating to Charleston in 2003, where she became a mental health therapist at Ralph H. Johnson Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center. During her seven years at the VA, Jones specialized in trauma and worked with veterans with PTSD. In 2015, she joined the staff of Warrior Surf Foundation, an innovative nonprofit program for veterans and their families. Here she was introduced to the use of surf therapy, also known as ocean therapy. Warrior Surf is one of more than 80 organizations worldwide affiliated with the International Surf Therapy Organization. In 2019, Jones co-founded Waves 4 Women, a women’s surf therapy program. Based on the experiential education model, the four-week program focuses on learning to practice mindfulness, manage uncomfortable emotions, develop a growth mindset and empower women to do more than they think they can. Yes, counseling really does occur on the beach; however, Waves 4 Women focuses more on building peer support than on psychotherapy. A thorough intake process clarifies the realistic expectations. Women who appear to be in need of crisis intervention or intensive mental health treatment will be connected with community resources that can provide more immediate and intensive mental health support. In such situations, therapeutic surf clinics can be very effective at promoting emotional, physical and social well-being in combination with more intense therapeutic services. “My goal is to promote feelings of empowerment, enhanced self-worth and connection through the challenge of outdoor adventure experiences,” explained Jones. “I also want to foster a sense of community and belonging.” Her goals are on-target with why women of all ages are choosing to join Waves 4 Women: some for the challenge of learning a new skill; some want the community that forms when women work together; some seek more self-awareness; some desire to meet and make new friends; and some, SURF’S UP FOR WAVES 4 WOMEN OCEAN THERAPY By Janet E. Perrigo
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