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Beyond the Break
A surf therapy retreat for people healing from body trauma. Created in partnership with The Surf Psychologist and Joy Ride Surf Retreats.
Surfing doesn't feel the way it used to
A quiet sensation the night before, an underlying current of something you can't put your finger on. Like your body and mind is always bracing for impact. Some days it's there, some days it's not, but you feel your world quietly shrinking. What once felt familiar, fun, exciting now feels scary. You don't recognize yourself out there. Your body has reactions your mind can't explain.
What's underneath
Something happened that your body hasn't forgotten. Your nervous system learned to stay on guard. It did that to protect you. It's still doing it now. Your sense of safety was lost along the way and now you constantly doubt yourself. You lost trust in your body and in yourself.
Rebuild trust in your body. Rebuild trust in yourself.
This retreat is built on a simple belief: healing trauma means working with the body, not just the mind. Talk alone doesn't reach what is stored in the nervous system, so we don't rely on it alone.
Over the course of the week you use the ocean and surfing as a real therapeutic tool. The water creates conditions your nervous system cannot think its way out of. It demands presence. It brings fears to the surface, and gives you a safe space to meet them.
Alongside daily surf sessions, the week is held by structured group sessions, somatic bodywork, and evening nervous-system regulation practices with breathwork, relaxation, and hypnotherapy. Every element is designed to work together, to activate, process, and re-regulate, so that by the end of the week, something has actually shifted.
The Retreat
Beyond the Break. Nicaragua 2026
Trauma changes your relationship with your own body. This retreat is about rebuilding it — through the ocean, through the work, through surfing and through the kind of safety that lets real change happen.
- Where
- Playa Jiquelite, Nicaragua
- When
- Saturday, Nov 21 – Saturday, Nov 28, 2026
- Spots
- 8 participants. All surf levels welcome
- Details
- Flights and insurance are not included. Full details and FAQs below.
Pricing
Shared Room (4 people)
$2,595 early bird until July 31 · $2,795 after
Shared King Room
$2,795 early bird until July 31 · $2,995 after
Ideal for friends or couples.
Private Queen Room
$3,295 early bird until July 31 · $3,495 after
Your Week
Your week in four phases
Phase 1: Reconnect
The first two days are dedicated to returning to your body and learning to feel it consciously again.
Phase 2: Release
On day three we begin working with what your body has been holding for a long time. Step by step, in a safe container.
Phase 3: Recover
Day four centers on rest and regeneration. Body and mind are given time to integrate and refill.
Phase 4: Rebuild
On days five and six we focus on rebuilding trust in your body, in your decisions, and in yourself.
A Deeper Purpose
A partnership rooted in lived experience
This retreat was created together with Katharine Derrey of the Hopewell Foundation, Lisa Davidsson, and Lorelei Frohlich, owner of Joy Ride Surf Retreats.
Katharine's mission is to advance regenerative medicine for facial reconstruction. She reached out to Lisa to build a surf retreat that supports patients on their individual path of mental and emotional healing after facial reconstruction. She knows this experience firsthand. Surfing helped her find her way back to herself and to her body after her own journey.
Lisa is a psychologist and surfer who offers surf-specific psychology and hypnotherapy to release fear, self-doubt, and mental blocks.
This is the first in a series of retreats to come. Every dollar of profit from this retreat is donated to the Hopewell Foundation to advance research and development in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine, so patients facing facial reconstruction have better options and a stronger path to healing.
Your Guides
Who you will be working with
About Me
Lisa Davidsson
I’m Lisa Davidsson — a psychologist, hypnotherapist, and surfer.
I didn’t grow up surfing. I found the ocean as an adult, after years of studying the human mind and working in mental health. But long before I ever picked up a board, two threads were already shaping my life: a deep curiosity for the human mind, and a love for sport as a path to self-mastery.
As a child, that path ran through horses. Riding taught me that growth isn’t only about skill, it’s about presence, your relationship to yourself, and who you become in the process. Surfing became that same practice with the ocean. A place where fear, freedom, humility, and joy meet in real time. A place where inner patterns are revealed without negotiation.
Surf psychology was born at that meeting point.
My work brings together two decades in psychology with lived experience in the water. It’s not life coaching dressed in surf language. It’s clinical depth applied to a world I know from the inside — the waves, the lineup, the culture, the quiet inner battles that unfold out there.
I don’t teach surfers to override themselves. I help them understand what’s happening beneath the surface and change it where it actually lives. So surfing becomes a place of growth instead of struggle.
This is not about becoming fearless. It’s about becoming free enough to choose.
Retreat Host
Lorelei Frohlich
Lorelei is the founder of Joyride Surf Retreats and the retreat host behind Beyond the Break. With many years of experience as a surf coach and retreat leader, she has guided hundreds of people in the ocean, from complete beginners to experienced surfers.
Passionate about creating safe, supportive environments, Lorelei believes the ocean has a unique ability to help people reconnect with themselves. She oversees every aspect of the retreat experience—from logistics and surf coaching to ensuring each participant feels welcomed, supported, and cared for throughout the week.
Partner With Us
Be a Sponsor
Are you a surf brand, wellness brand, or therapy brand? Sponsor a spot on Beyond the Break by donating to the Hopewell Foundation. Your contribution directly funds a retreat spot for someone healing from body trauma, and we will feature your logo on our website.
Become a SponsorThe Details
What's included
Included in the retreat
- Pre-retreat 1:1 session with Lisa
- Post-retreat integration session with Lisa
- 5 surf coaching sessions, including in-water coaching with Lolo & Lisa
- Small group of maximum 8 participants
- Daily afternoon group therapy and coaching sessions
- Evening group hypnotherapy and nervous system regulation practices
- 7 nights at Casa Ohana, a beachfront villa, with full board
- All meals and non-alcoholic drinks
- Airport transfers to and from Managua
- Transfers to the surf spots
- Boat trip for surfing or exploring the coast
- Mid-week day excursion
- Surf theory sessions on forecasting, spot selection, and etiquette
- Wi-Fi and air conditioning in all rooms
- Filtered drinking water, tourist tax, and surfboard rental included
Not included
- Flights to Nicaragua
- Alcoholic beverages
- Snacks
- Travel insurance
What to bring
- Personal medications and medical supplies (including anything for allergies)
- Beach backpack
- Bikini or swimsuit
- Springsuit / shorty (2mm) for sunrise and sunset sessions
- Beach towel and changing poncho
- Sun protection (sunglasses, hat, sunscreen)
- Reusable water bottle
- Flip-flops and sneakers for excursions
- Spending money (Cordobas or US Dollars)
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Who is this retreat for?
This retreat is for anyone who feels their nervous system runs their life more than they would like. It is for people who want to rebuild trust in their body and in themselves.
What surf level is it for?
All levels are welcome. Because of the spot and the season, the retreat is particularly well suited to advanced beginners through intermediate surfers, but complete beginners are warmly welcome too.
Do I need to bring my own surfboard?
No. A surfboard is included in the retreat. You are welcome to bring your own if you prefer.
What language is the retreat held in?
The retreat is held in English. Although the team speaks several languages, all sessions, coaching, therapy, and group conversations are conducted in English, so you should be comfortable following and participating in English.
The Research
Scientific evidence behind surf therapy
A growing body of research demonstrates how surfing supports healing from trauma, PTSD, and body image challenges.
Surfing and PTSD
Evidence on how surf therapy supports symptom reduction and recovery for individuals living with post-traumatic stress.
Read articleBody Image and Surfing
Research exploring how time in the water can rebuild body confidence and a positive relationship with one's physical self.
Read articleNot sure yet?
Let's talk it through together
For anyone who has lived through trauma or lost trust in themselves and their body, decisions like this can feel heavy, especially when they touch your own healing and vulnerability. Reach out and we can talk about whether this retreat is the right fit for you.