Warrior Surf Foundation in Charleston, South Carolina, offers free surf therapy, yoga, wellness coaching, and community events to help veterans build resilience and connection after service. Executive Director Clayton Merritt, an Army veteran with Afghanistan deployments, discovered surfing’s transformative power despite initial resistance, now leading a 12-week program blending ocean time with mindfulness practices. The nonprofit emphasizes “blue mind” benefits from water exposure, fostering new identities as surfers beyond military labels, open to all facing stress or seeking to learn.
Program Structure
Participants engage in 10 private surf lessons, weekly yoga, eight wellness sessions, and optional therapy over 12 weeks.[query] Weekly Saturday group surfs build community, described as the “secret sauce” supporting the pillars of surf, yoga, and wellness.[query] Benefits include mindfulness through ocean immersion, humility from waves, and shifts from veteran to surfer identity.[query]
Local Relevance
Folly Beach sessions align with South Carolina coastal interests like community events and public services in your area. No ties to prior Dorchester stabbing or New Jersey cases; this highlights positive veteran support amid regional safety news.[conversation_history] Sign up via warriorsurffoundation.org for free involvement.[query]
