Using surfing to battle anxiety: Sydney mum helps other women overcome fears
EVEN though Audrey Hills loved the ocean and surfed nearly every day, the birth of her first child brought a level of surfing anxiety she never felt before. Find out how she faced the challenge and is now helping other surfing mums.
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AUDREY Hills loves the ocean, surfs nearly every day and has spent much of her life travelling the world looking for the best waves.
But there was a period in her life, just after she had a baby, where she was “paralysed” with fear about catching a wave that was anything over two feet.
Even though she was a surf coach, grew up surfing the coastline around San Diego, California, and had paddled into big waves hundreds of times, she could not manage this sudden onset of anxiety.
Then Ms Hills, who now lives at Queenscliff with her partner and their three-year-old daughter, came up with the answer — her brain was going into overdrive to protect her child.
“At the time I was super afraid and I didn’t know what caused it. I didn't know how I’d get over it.
“I’d always loved surfing and coaching surfing but the paralysing fear started after I had my daughter, Valentina, in late 2014.”
In an effort to find a solution Ms Hills started researching the physiological changes that occur in a woman’s brain after they give birth.
“Those changes just cause you to be more scared of just about everything after you’ve had a baby,” Ms Hills said.
“From what I’ve studied the part of your brain that manages how you perceive fear changes in order to make protecting your baby, and yourself, the number one thing.
“It’s pretty normal, but six months after the baby was born I wanted to go surfing again. I went over to Bali, I felt physically able to surf, but spent most of the trip alternating between watching the waves and balling my eyes out.
“I was no longer was comfortable surfing anything over two feet.”
Now Ms Hills wants to help other women so they can flourish in surfing and in motherhood.
“I now know so many mothers in the area who struggle with anxiety and fear.
“I wrote about my process on my blog, Surf Stoked Moms. I am still working on coping techniques and in-water preparedness to this day but I’m working to turn it into a work book and a surf trip”
Ms Hills is organising an all-female “surfari” and WaterWoman’s Workshop for next April in Lombok, Indonesia where participants will be helped to manage their fears and develop ways of regaining their surfing confidence.
“We’ll work on our their fears little by little, surf good waves, and have mucho fun,” Ms Hills said.
“We can make plans of action for all the crazy things that can happen, and don’t expect, while surfing. Part of it is recognising that you have those fears and then what you can do about them.”
Part of the profits from the trip will be donated to help a local organisation in Lombok that helps girls learn to surf, gain ocean skills and awareness, and develop employment potential.
For more information go to surfstokedmoms.com