Testimonials

“This program has been life changing. I spent my entire adult life placing my military service on a pedestal where I would be so proud of the concept of serving but reduced to fear and depression of my performance as a soldier. Since leaving the military I have felt lost and so focused on my work and trying to establish myself in the community and my workplace that I forgot to care about myself and my family. At times I have considered that it would be easier to have a world without me. This program has delivered clarity to what matters most and gave me the ability to look at how special the simple things are. Additionally, I found to be like the very first day in the military. You are on a bus with a bunch of strangers all heading towards your futures. You are connected only via a connection to service and have very little else in common. You learn to trust, care for, rely on and you learn that you would probably lay down your life for them. This program engages all of those special emotions and feelings for me. It is the camaraderie and mateship that I experienced in my service life. It is fun and challenges me every time I get in the water. This program potentially saved my life and kept a father from leaving his two beautiful daughters and wife.” - Participant.

“I have found that being in the surf with Rusty and the VSP crew has changed my life for the better, there is something special about learning to surf, you can't think about anything else in that moment when you're trying to get on a wave, all the crap and distractions from overseas stuff in your head disappears and there is this instant connection to the movement of the ocean that seems to calm and centre me. Surfing with VSP has bought a sense of 'community' to me, it has enabled me to have a social life and connect with other people.” - Participant.

“Learning to surf has been very helpful managing my PTSD and has taught me how to relax. One surfing session was to a whole week and a mental health program in hospital. I have started going surfing with my daughters and local beach so the program has basically given me the motivation for a new lease of life and forwarded me the opportunity to reconnect with my family was doing something fun and natural healthy. It takes all the boxes and it comes to mental health and physical well being.” - Participant.

“The only reason I'm still breathing is because I surf, surfing takes me to a meditation state of mind. This helps me with anxiety and depression which I've suffered from for over twenty years.  I recommend surfing for anyone suffering from mental health issues.” - Participant.

“Doing this 10 week course with Rusty and his crew I developed skills in surfing that I hadn’t done before. Prior to the course I had difficulty sleeping achieving 4/5 hours a night. What disturbs me was the dreams where I was on my ships - aircraft carriers, I felt in my dreams that I had not left (ships) I also collected dreams of other warships and yet I had been out of the RAN some 50 years. These dreams were so clear which haunted me as I did not want to be there - on the ships. Doing the program, I felt I was with others who had similar experiences about service life and I learnt from them in discussion with them. I was diagnosed with PTSD from my experiences in Vietnam where I did not [know] why humans did to their human beings. This disgusted me. They seemed to not care for others and I could not grasp with the question Why? After doing the program I was able to achieve up to 6 hours sleep and almost zero dreams. What do I attribute this to? Maybe peace of mind with other vets not necessary in discussion mostly but being with them. I cannot be specific, but it was a feeling of wellness. Also that I needed stimulus and being with others plus I achieved goals that I thought I was not able to meet - riding a wave on a surfboard.” - Participant.

“Since undertaking the surfing program as well as weekly psychological appointments I have commenced a return to work program after being diagnosed with PTSD. I returned to work after over 2 years off work. Surfing was a big part of this process. I wish that everyone who has PTSD could undertake this program. When I'm surfing I enjoy being at the back of the waves. Its a safe space that you can leave all your PTSD problems in the carpark and they cant get to you. Its just the best place to be especially when you make it part of your wellness program. When things start to get on top of me I use surfing as a reset so I can continue on. PTSD is a demon but surfing is a great way of getting your life back on track.” - Participant.

“Surfing has changed my life, I quit smoking after 23 years, I don’t drink as much, I don’t hurt as much, I’ve lost 8kg and am continuing to lose weight. I am now more mentally and physically fit, I have the energy to get out of bed in the morning. I used to dread tomorrow and what it would bring, surfing has given me a new lease on life and I’m excited to see what comes next!  If it wasn’t for finding this program I would still be not living, just surviving, but now I’m living life again! I’m nearly ready to come off more of my medications because I don’t need them anymore, surfing is my medication, and I take it at least 3 days a week, yes I surf a lot, but now I’m an active part of the community again, not just a zombie vet who never leaves the house!!!” - Participant.

“When I started VSP I had zero hobbies besides drinking alcohol. The feeling of belonging and the surf has shifted so much in me that colleagues, friends, family have said that they can see a huge change in me. I feel more open to things. I am now open to trying new things that I would never have done before, art, yoga. This program has shifted so much in me for the better. I am not drinking alcohol - massive!! I didn't want to be hungover and miss out on going for a paddle. The belonging and surf are a game changer as I lost so much of that when seperating from defence.” - Participant.

“I was in isolation for many years prior to the veterans surf project. I go as often as possible. My wife is very happy that I attempted surfing at 65 years old. It has helped our relationship immensely to the point that after 3 years of living in separate houses we are living in the one house now. She moved out of our house when I was having multiple admissions to a mental hospital and a 3 month rehab program. I have my mental health under better control now and regularly see my psychiatrist, psychologist, pain specialist and GP. Previously I thought I could handle this by myself. The surf project has taken me out of my delusion that I don't need help by way of mixing with like minded people with similar experiences.” - Participant.

“After discharge from the Military Oct 2020 this program has been the main source of community I felt. Whilst suffering from Chronic Pain, Anxiety and Depression coming to VSP is a place where I can talk about similar issues or problems, or just spend time with people doing the exact opposite - talking about the waves being caught or who's getting better.” - Participant.

“Since starting surfing I have progressed from needing anti depressants and regular therapy to being able to regulate my moods by just being in the water. I'm now on zero anti depressants and alcohol. I can now surf safely alone with the training I've had from VSP. From the VSP program I can now use surfing on my own therapy. I'm also more productive at work from being able to clear my head in the water which lasts 3-5 days after a surf.” - Participant.

“Coming surfing with the VSP crew is just like being in the army, but only the good bits” - Participant.

“For the past 12 weeks I have noticed a huge shift in not only my mental health but also my physical health. For the past 10 years I have been living with severe chronic back pain after receiving several back fusions and for the past 3 years I have been living with post sepsis syndrome. Prior to VSP, my days started off with heavy medication to help combat the chronic pain, muscle fatigue and mood swings. I was drinking heavily at night to try and numb the chronic pain as well life stresses of having to adapt to a lifestyle that I was not use too. Having played sport my whole life I felt I was forced to adjust to a non-active lifestyle and this I felt extremely hard to live with. This had a negative flow on effect to those around me especially for my partner and two kids.  Since joining the VSP program I have cut out sleeping tablets, heavy pain medication patches as well as hours in the gym with the sports exercise’s physiologist. From 16 tablets daily I am now only taking 1 tablet daily as an anti-inflammatory. In the past 4 weeks I have found my passion again to pick up my university math books and attempt fun math’s puzzles in my own free time. What once use to trigger me has now given me so much joy and passion to study, read, learn and evolve.  This program has truly been a blessing not only for myself but also for my family.  Personally, I can only see my and physical and mental l health improving during my time in the VSP program.  I am excited to see where this journey will take me and I am thrilled to also see my peers thrive in their recovery too.” - Participant.