Therapists Who Dive ...?

[BoundForElsewhere]

I love this! Might even add "and how does that make you feel?" (my all time most hated therapist quote!). If you want to laugh with a therapist making fun of therapists, look up the YouTube video "**** social workers say". Hilarious!

We've created TWD for a couple of reasons. The first is our love of diving. The second is to see if we can put together a psychotherapy training/dive trip to write off the expenses - learn something for our work and get in some awesome dives! Within the group we are finding many of us have a similar focus in our practices.

Some of the things that are important in scuba are things we use nearly every day in our work - mindfulness; trust building with partner/buddy; safety and connection; self confidence/efficacy; trusting your gut; and more. I do a lot of trauma work and when we're doing the deep, difficult work (processing abuse, neglect, etc) it's hard to stay with those feelings so I often talk about doing the 'deep dive'. I did some trauma work with a diver once (the trauma was not dive related) and the shared knowledge of diving opened up a lot of avenues for our work.

Btw, I'm not the person in Minnesota (I'm in St Louis).

Anyway, don't want to bore anyone with more therapy talk, but I've learned so much from scuba that I use in my daily life and in my work. It's truly been life changing for me. Scubaboard has been a great resource.

What about using diving as therapy? My thread "Why we dive" delves into that from a personal perspective but I would wager many of us use our time underwater for our personal therapy / mindfulness / awakening. Have there been any studies for diving's effects on mental illness / psych issues like PTSD, depression, etc.? I understand there have been remarkable reactions from people on the autism spectrum. I wonder if any correlations can be made for other sufferers.

 

[Kimela]

What about using diving as therapy? My thread "Why we dive" delves into that from a personal perspective but I would wager many of us use our time underwater for our personal therapy / mindfulness / awakening. Have there been any studies for diving's effects on mental illness / psych issues like PTSD, depression, etc.? I understand there have been remarkable reactions from people on the autism spectrum. I wonder if any correlations can be made for other sufferers.

I've wanted to start a therapy/scuba program for years and can't figure out how to do it. There is one person in the group who is planning to put the two together. I've thought it would be especially good for couples - to help them with trust, connection, compassion, collaboration and to have their own language that scuba offers. I have recommend diving constantly - and even hand out those PADI magazines - and so far, nobody has bitten. I try to keep a fresh supply of magazines in my waiting area. Maybe somebody will get the bug.

I don't know of any research about diving and mental health. I'd guess there aren't enough divers AND a specific therapeutic need to create control groups for research. We do have plenty of research that shows that exercise is a natural antidepressant and anxiolytic (helps with anxiety). When pharmaceutical companies are testing antidepressants there can be NOBODY in the control groups who exercise b/c it skews the results! And there's also plenty of research to show that just moving your body helps to process trauma, so I can see how it helps people with PTSD. I love what diving has done for my marriage. One thing that we now do, outside of diving, is respect one another's option to 'thumb' something without question. We just went through the process of buying a new house - and we each 'thumbed' houses unilaterally. No arguments. We just moved on in the process.

 

[lionfish-eater]

A large part of what Dive Heart does is therapeutic.
Their mission is to help disabled divers, but they do so much more.
I was able to sit in on a dive trip wrap up session with members of Dive Heart and the divers.
It was very clear to me that the diving was more therapeutic that recreational.
Jim Elliot is the president and a genuinely devoted individual.
@DiveHeart might be a good organization to work with without having to reinvent the infrastructure.
If anyone in your group wants to get involved, I am sure Jim would welcome the support of professional counselors.

 

[Kimela]

A large part of what Dive Heart does is therapeutic.
Their mission is to help disabled divers, but they do so much more.
I was able to sit in on a dive trip wrap up session with members of Dive Heart and the divers.
It was very clear to me that the diving was more therapeutic that recreational.
Jim Elliot is the president and a genuinely devoted individual.
@DiveHeart might be a good organization to work with without having to reinvent the infrastructure.
If anyone in your group wants to get involved, I am sure Jim would welcome the support of professional counselors.

Thank you - I'll look into this.

 

[Christi]

She is in school in Minneapolis IIRC getting her degree in something thereputic.

Found it:

Yes - getting my Masters to be an LADC (Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor) and an LPCC (Licensed Professional Counselor) which is a mental health therapist

 

[Kimela]

Yes - getting my Masters to be an LADC (Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor) and an LPCC (Licensed Professional Counselor) which is a mental health therapist

Good for you! Will you stay in Cozumel?

 

[NothingClever]

Haven’t read all the responses but not sure I have to.

I applaud your leadership, Kimela.

Great initiative and effort.

Refreshing to see people using their talents in positive and productive ways.

Thank you for being a member here.

 

[Kimela]

Haven’t read all the responses but not sure I have to.

I applaud your leadership, Kimela.

Great initiative and effort.

Refreshing to see people using their talents in positive and productive ways.

Thank you for being a member here.

Aww. Thank you so much! I'm not sure I'm doing anything so special - love my work and diving - putting them together seems like a great pairing. And after reading about Jim Elliot and Diveheart I am truly humbled. Trying to figure out how to follow his example. Amazing stuff.

 

[NothingClever]

I've wanted to start a therapy/scuba program for years and can't figure out how to do it.

< snip >

I don't know of any research about diving and mental health. I'd guess there aren't enough divers AND a specific therapeutic need to create control groups for research.

Deptherapy | New Horizons might have run across some useful analytical references in their stand up.

 

[Kimela]

Deptherapy | New Horizons might have run across some useful analytical references in their stand up.

I saw that mentioned when I was looking him up yesterday too. Thanks!