Cold-water surfing and winter wellbeing, a PhD
Tirion’s research is interested in the relationship between (cold-water) surfing, (mental) health and wellbeing. She spent the winter of 2022-23 gathering perspectives and experiences of winter surfing in Wales.
About the research
Tirion is a PhD researcher at Cardiff University in the school of Social and Cultural Geography. She is in receipt of a full scholarship from the Economic and Social Research Council for her research. Her interests are around surfing, health geographies, non-representational theory and therapeutic landscapes. ‘Blue spaces’ (for example our rivers, seas, and canals) are increasingly recognised for their potential for health and wellbeing (Foley and Kistemann 2015). This research is situated in what has come to be known as the ‘blue health’, ‘blue care’ (Britton et al 2018) or ‘blue mind’ movement. Her research explores how cold-water surfing - defined by severe conditions, dark days and cold water and air temperatures - gives rise to 'therapeutic assemblages' for those that practice it (Foley 2011). The basis of this PhD is ultimately interested in broader themes of integrating ‘blue spaces’ into mental health coping mechanisms and resilience strategies.
For her thesis, Tirion is focusing on the case study of women surfers (the 'Gower Women's Surf Society') on the Gower Peninsula, Wales. This is a group of approximately 40 women who meet and surf regularly. Through this case study, her research has evolved to become interested in ideas around surfing, gender and women’s groups as ‘safe spaces’. She has documented their journey moving through the winter of 2022-23 and has seen themes emerge around community, access, inclusion nature connection, spaces of fear and ‘sisterhood’.
Alongside her studies, she has experience in mentorship and educational roles. She has spent much of her time in recent years encouraging engagement with blue spaces and using education as a means to give people the confidence to do so. She teaches undergraduate Geography students at Cardiff University and has delivered ‘Blue Health’ workshops (TYF March 2022 & March 2023). She also enjoys public speaking about her research (Shaka Surf ‘Ocean Woman’ podcast July 2023) and was invited to participate at the ‘Blue Mind’ symposium at The Wave in Bristol in November 2022. The purpose of this event was to facilitate knowledge exchange between research and practice around the topics of blue health, surf therapy and surfing to promote health. She was also selected as a panel speaker ('How to swim: Researching bodies in nature') at the QRSE Conference 2022 Durham University with Rebecca Olive, Kate Moles, Charlotte Bates and Ronan Foley. Most recently, she was successful in a funding bid for an Overseas Institutional Visit to RMIT University in Melbourne where she is now completing her PhD studies.
About Tirion
Born and raised in Borneo, Australia and Hong Kong, Tirion is a keen traveler and Geographer. Her interest in mental wellbeing stems from her work at the charity Mind Cymru, where she campaigned for nearly four years on the Time to Change Wales team to end stigma around mental health. One of her Masters was in Art, Health and Wellbeing where she developed new ways of looking at her photography practice within the context of health and wellbeing, exploring representations of meditation and mindfulness.
She also holds a Distinction in MSc Social Science Research Methods from Cardiff University as well as a First Class Honours from UCL in Geography (International Programme) with a year abroad at UCLA.
Tirion is in the middle of her Doctoral research journey and is eager to connect with others working in the field of blue space, blue care, mental health, mindfulness and surfing. Please do not hesitate to get in touch at jenkinste@cardiff.ac.uk.