When teacher Phil Owen went off sick from work with depression his occupational therapist asked him what sort of things he did for himself. Phil said nothing came to mind but when she asked him what he really enjoyed doing the answer was simple: surfing.
Phil, from Swansea, had surfed since he was 15 but had stopped taking to the waves regularly when life got busier as an adult. After realising the therapeutic benefits of his chosen sport he vowed to help others discover them too. In 2019 Phil set up his own community interest company, Surf Therapy, and has since helped others to discover this unique outlet for a range of mental health issues.
"I was just drifting down and down and down mentally and when you're off you think you can't do anything. But occupational health said: 'No – surfing is exercise, it's outdoors, and it's good for you,'" said Phil. Surf Therapy was initially aimed at men but Phil has worked with many groups including those affected by drugs and alcohol issues, veterans, young offenders, and most recently refugees and asylum seekers. You can get more Swansea news straight to your inbox by subscribing to our newsletter here
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"There's a big stigma about mental health," said 56-year-old Phil. "Especially with men – they don't like to admit it. You've got to be strong, you've got to be in charge of everything, and it's all got to be under control. I think that's why men struggle so much. The benefit of this type of activity is that when you do this nobody is under any pressure to talk. They will talk when they feel like it but they talk in a safe and relaxed atmosphere."
Useful numbers for dealing with your mental health
There's help available if you need it:
Mind Cymru infoline is open Monday to Friday from 9am to 6pm. To contact them call 0300 123 3393.
Samaritans offers a listening service which is open 24 hours a day, on 116 123 (in the UK and Republic of Ireland this number is FREE to call and will not appear on your phone bill).
C.A.L.L. (Community Advice & Listening Line) offers emotional support and information/literature on mental health and related matters to the people of Wales and can be contacted on 0800 132 737 or through the website.
The NHS offers help and advice through its 111 service.
Every Sunday Phil helps run a surfing club in Caswell Bay, Gower, for armed forces veterans. The weekly group is run in partnership with Veterans RV Swansea – a support hub for veterans and their families run by local veterans and volunteers. Paul Smith, 57, is a senior facilities officer for the council and one of the founding members of Veterans RV Swansea. He served in the RAF for 13 years before moving back to south Wales. Paul said he had experienced mental health issues in the past and had missed the camaraderie of his squadron since leaving.
"It's strange when you come out of the forces. I did 13 years but some of the guys did 22 years. The time you're down there you're living with these people all the time. But when you finish with the air force or the army or the navy they're not there anymore. They were your best friends and you have to resettle then and make new friendships. That's the biggest thing we miss – not so much the forces itself but the camaraderie. This is part of the jigsaw that makes you whole," said Paul.
"It's strange to adapt back into civilian street. You find yourself isolated. I felt that and I didn't know where to go to find like-minded people that were in the forces which is why we set up the hub." While some people in the group live with PTSD and other mental health issues as a result of their time in the armed forces others, like Paul, miss the community of their squadron or battalion. The group meet weekly and some people enjoy a guided surf session while others have a dip in the sea as a form of cold water therapy. You can read more about one Welsh man's journey with cold water therapy here.
"We're like a big family and it's like being back in the forces really," said Paul. "We've all had our demons and we all know about it. If you want to speak openly about it that's fair enough but if you don't want to we all respect that. We all know the reason why we're in this group and that's for our mental health and our wellbeing." Join our WhatsApp news community here for the latest breaking news.
Derwyn Russell, 51, from Swansea, spent his formative years serving as an aircraft engineer in the armed forces. He said the drinking culture in the forces led to him relying on alcohol when he felt stressed. While his current job as a process safety specialist at Tata Steel can be stressful he said the veterans surfing group has been a great outlet.
"I work in a stressful job and the last couple of weeks, if I hadn't been doing this group, I think I might have gone to other things like drinking. I only drink when I go out anyway but I haven't drank for a few weeks now. This time of year it's very easy to drink. In the past I would have leaned towards drink but I don't feel the urge. It's about being around like-minded people. The support here is great. The banter is a release as well. It's taking the mick out of each other," he said.
On the benefits of getting in the surf Phil said: "It's just about being in the outdoors and being in the sea. There's definitely something spiritual about being in the sea and being in the water. You're in the natural environment and you're exercising."
Surf Therapy provides sessions free of charge and relies on funding for this. If any local businesses would like to sponsor the sessions Phil has asked them to get in touch while he also thanked Progress Surf School, who loaned equipment free of charge before he was able to purchase his own, as well as wetsuit company Vissla who donated gear to the programme and Swansea Council who funded sessions in 2023.
For confidential support the Samaritans can be contacted for free around the clock 365 days a year on 116 123.
