Yaron Waksman, co-founder and CEO of HaGal Sheli (My Wave), delivered an emotional and powerful speech at Monday’s Jerusalem Post Annual Conference in New York, highlighting the role of surf therapy in helping Israelis cope with trauma following the events of October 7 and the ongoing war.
Founded more than a decade ago, HaGal Sheli has grown into the world’s largest surf therapy organization. With over 20,000 program participants, 5000 of whom joined since October 7, the organization works extensively with released hostages and their families, IDF soldiers, Nova and festival survivors, bereaved families, evacuated communities from Israel’s South and North, and individuals suffering from both physical and psychological wounds.
In his remarks, Waksman recalled a story of a 12-year-old boy whose family had been murdered just days before they met. Somehow, Waksman convinced the boy to paddle out to sea and try surfing. At the first few tries, he crashed into the water, which made him want to leave and return to shore. Finally, after words of encouragement from Waksman, the boy managed to stand on the board, catch a wave, and ride it. “He looked back at me,” Waksman recalled. “And there it was: a smile.”
For Waksman, this moment reflected something larger than a single victory in the water and served as a glimpse into the power of surf therapy. The same environment that helped one child rediscover a moment of joy also became a safe place for his entire evacuated kibbutz community, as they, too, participated in HaGal Sheli’s surf therapy sessions.
“Sadly, our country has become a universal case study for trauma,” Waksman told the audience. "We are facing an unprecedented national mental health crisis," he emphasized, with nearly every sector of society in Israel touched by grief and emotional distress.
Surf therapy has proven to be especially effective in addressing trauma. Unlike traumatic memories, which keep the body and mind trapped in repetitive fear and anxiety, surfing requires complete focus on the present moment, thus allowing participants to temporarily break free from traumatic thought patterns. This, alongside HaGal Sheli's group therapy structure, enables a deeper and holistic setting for mitigating trauma symptoms.
“I know that surfing for trauma healing works,” Waksman stated. "I’ve seen it every day, with the groups taking place on a weekly basis."
The organization's approach is also receiving growing academic attention. Research conducted by Dr. Maya Leventer-Roberts of Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, examining the effectiveness of surf therapy for survivors of October 7, found that participants reported a significant reduction of up to 82% in PTSD symptoms.
Waksman shared that the secret behind the impact of HaGal Sheli's surf therapy is the organization's unique “SEAstem” model, a three-pillar framework designed to mitigate trauma symptoms through surfing. This approach focuses on adapting to changing conditions, processing emotions in real time, and building supportive group connections among people with shared experiences.
Returning to the symbolism of the sea, Waksman ended on the idea that recovery rarely happens in a straight line. “Every wave becomes a teacher, and every wipeout is a chance to rise again,” he said. “We cannot prevent trauma, but we can control what happens next, one wave at a time.”