UNLIKELY COLLABORATORS

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Unlikely Collaborators Awards Grant to Jimmy Miller Memorial Foundation to Expand Ocean (Surf) Therapy and Mental Health Initiatives

LOS ANGELES, Feb. 19, 2025 -- Unlikely Collaborators has announced a grant to the Jimmy Miller Memorial Foundation (JMMF) to support its groundbreaking work in surf therapy, a proven modality for improving mental health and well-being. The partnership aligns with Unlikely Collaborators' mission to untangle the stories that hold individuals back.

The Jimmy Miller Memorial Foundation provides ocean-based therapy for individuals facing mental health challenges, including veterans, active military, healthcare workers, first responders and at-risk youth. By combining the healing power of the ocean with expert guidance and a supportive community, JMMF helps participants identify and reframe their inner narratives, take steps toward overcoming trauma and build resilience.

"Ocean and surf therapy is about much more than riding waves; it's about rewriting stories," said Andy Dellenbach, CEO Jimmy Miller Memorial Foundation. "The ocean is an unparalleled teacher, and the grant from Unlikely Collaborators allows us to expand our footprint and continue transforming lives through the healing power of the Ocean. Together, we're helping individuals see their limiting beliefs, shift perspectives, and identify building blocks for self efficacy. We have grown to be the world leader in surf therapy while remaining a nimble organization that can react and provide programming on a hyper local basis to provide services to those with immediate need."

Unlikely Collaborators is a nonprofit organization, founded and chaired by Elizabeth R. Koch, dedicated to fostering transformative storytelling, developing human connection, and resolving internal conflict. UC's perspective is that external conflict is the direct result of unconscious, unresolved internal conflict inside each and every one of us. Founded on the belief that the way we perceive the world is highly subjective, Unlikely Collaborators supports projects that challenge assumptions, spark meaningful dialogue, and invite people into deeper self-awareness.

Central to this mission is the Perception Box™, a groundbreaking concept developed by Koch. More than just a metaphor, the Perception Box represents the often unseen framework of biases, beliefs, and narratives that influence how we interpret reality. Rooted in cognitive science and psychological research, this framework illustrates how each person's unique mental model shapes their understanding of the world—often limiting their ability to connect with new perspectives and ideas. By investigating and expanding our personal Perception Box, individuals and communities can unlock compassion, creativity, and new ways of thinking.

"By combining physical movement, connection with nature, and emotional exploration, the Jimmy Miller Memorial Foundation's surf therapy program is a natural extension of our mission to help individuals expand their Perception Box," said Koch. "Having to navigate the waves and stay on the board is itself a meditative process, but combined with the internal investigation piece, surf therapy is a powerful tool to consciously reunite mind and body."

Through this grant, the Jimmy Miller Memorial Foundation will:

Quickly offer Ocean and Surf Therapy programs to serve First Responders in the Santa Monica area, including those recently active in and affected by the LA wildfires.
Provide additional training for surf therapy practitioners (Ocean Therapists) in enhanced communication skills that can transfer to sessions involving participants facing physical and mental challenges related to trauma.
Pursue its intent to expand and embed its services in the Santa Monica community with a long term program providing Ocean Therapy sessions for First Responders - SMPD, SMFD, Medics, etc.