Scubapeutics™ Program

The Circle of Health includes aspects of Me, Self Care, Professional Care and Community illustrating how the connections between your health and other aspects of your life affects your well-being.  

The benefits of scuba diving demonstrates a correlation to each self care practice within the Circle of Health.

1. Mindful Awareness is about living life to the fullest by improving quality of life and engaging in experiences that change your outlook on life.  Interviewed Veterans have expressed how when they go under the water they are able to be in the moment, taking in the foreign underwater environment all the noise goes away and they have peace. Those with physical trauma are in a weightless environment where they experience freedom from the restrictions of gravity and pain.   
2. Surroundings have an impact on how we feel and the way we think.  Under water, we are all equal.  A person with physical or mental injuries looks the same as everyone else when under the surface donned in scuba gear.  This gives a sense of confidence and realization that the struggles on land do not exist the same way under water.
3. Personal Development is about empowering through personal growth by learning a new skill, continued education and reaching new goals.  Scuba diving is a sport that focuses on building skills. Endless opportunities for continued education with specialty courses ranging from technical diving, environmental issues and more training to improve skills.
4. Food and Drink encompasses nutrition and being physically fit to be able to dive safely.  Medical clearance to scuba dive is important for minimizing risks for accidents.  Taking charge of what we put into our bodies affects how we feel physically and emotionally. Maintaining health and fitness is a trending topic to reduce scuba accidents and improve risk management.
5. Recharge gives balance to our busy lifestyles and scuba divers know how to do this well.  Surface Intervals, the time we spend on the surface in between dives is necessary to give our bodies time to release nitrogen gas but it also provides the opportunity to rest, relax, and talk with other dive buddies. Sleep after diving is often sound from the emotional and physical exertion.    
6. Family/Friends/Peers scuba diving is an activity based on a buddy system and is an inclusive activity that makes developing relationships easy.  Life long friends, bonding time with family and children are guaranteed side effects of scuba diving.
7. Spirit & Soul is within every scuba diver.  The ocean leaves divers in awe of it’s beauty, strength and healing powers.  Learning more about the marine environment, advocating for the end to pollution, over fishing and conservation efforts for marine species and coral reefs can give purpose and meaning to someone’s life, inspiring a passion for our natural world and how we are connected.  
8. Power of the Mind through breathing and imagery can help with anxiety, depression and chronic pain.  Divers can focus on the present by listening to their own breathing through the regulator, comparing it to a meditative state while enjoying the silence of the underwater environment.  These strategies can then be used out of the water.
9. Moving Body scuba diving is a physical activity that has cardiovascular, muscular benefits releasing feel good endorphins due to the atmospheric pressure.  Weightless environment offers pain relief for those with chronic pain and a freedom they can’t find on land especially if they are confined to a wheelchair or have neurologic and muscular disorders.

                                                                                                                                      by Natalka MacKay