Hi, I’m Lisa! I’m a Surf Psychologist and Hypnotherapist. I started The Surf Psychologist” and this is my story…
My Story
I’m Lisa Davidsson, a psychologist, hypnotherapist, and passionate surfer from Sweden, with nearly two decades of experience in the field of psychology and mental health. My journey in the world of surfing started later in life, but it quickly became a defining part of both my personal and professional identity. In 2016, I relocated to Bali, where I gradually shifted my focus to working with surfers, helping them overcome mental barriers and unlock their full potential. I support surfers in their personal growth, both in and out of the water.
As a certified hypnotherapist, I specialize in using hypnotherapy to help clients access deeper layers of the subconscious mind, enabling them to release past trauma, fears, and limiting beliefs that may be hindering their surfing progress. Hypnotherapy is a powerful tool in my work, as it allows individuals to address and resolve unresolved emotional issues, unlocking new levels of mental freedom and resilience.
My work in trauma is deeply rooted in a holistic understanding of how the body and mind are interconnected. Trauma, whether surf-related or stemming from other life experiences, can create mental blocks that manifest as fear, avoidance, or self-doubt. I draw upon evidence-based practices, such as trauma-informed therapy and hypnotherapy, to help clients process and heal from these experiences. By working through trauma, we can release the emotional weight that’s holding you back, allowing you to engage more fully and fearlessly with surfing and life.
My Values & Beliefs
Surfing Mirrors Life
I believe that the internal struggles holding you back in surfing are often the same ones holding you back in life. By healing those deeper aspects of yourself, you not only become a better surfer but also grow in other areas of life, achieving a sense of balance and freedom.
Healing Through Hypnotherapy
In my approach, I believe that nothing is beyond healing when we address the root causes of our struggles. By focusing on what has happened to you, rather than what’s “wrong” with you, hypnotherapy allows for deep, transformative healing that goes beyond surface-level solutions.
Nervous System Awareness
Understanding and working with the nervous system is critical to overcoming mental barriers in surfing. When we learn to regulate our nervous system, we gain the power to shift from states of fear or anxiety into calm and focused presence, both in the water and in life.
The Healing Power of the Ocean
A surfer’s deep connection to nature and the ocean provides a profoundly healing and grounding force. The ocean’s presence creates the perfect environment for inner work, allowing surfers to tap into their inner selves, find balance, and grow both personally and spiritually.
The Power of the Mind
I believe that the mind is the filter through which we experience the world, and we can choose what filter that is. We can either choose a positive and growth minded filter that will propel us forward or one that holds us back. Which gives us all the power which is amazing. This is incredibly empowering but it also makes us accountable for our own change and growth.
My Approach
We always start the work with making a thorough assessment of both what’s going on in your surfing and in your life. From there we go over your background to better understand what shaped your behaviors into what’s currently holding you back. Knowing how you grew up and how negative emotions were met in your family will give us a good basic understanding of potential limiting believes that are holding you back.
I will also enquire about previous therapy and what you have learnt so far in your life. I want to build on the work you have already done and not reinvent the wheel.
From this extensive background information we will define the main mental blocks that’s been holding you back, and from there design the plan for moving forward. Whether this is a series of hypnotherapy sessions or mental coaching or a blend of the two will depend on what your unique challenges are as well as your preference. Should you wish to do the work in person, in Bali, there is also the option of doing so either through a customized retreat or one-on-one sessions with me in the water as well.
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