After suffering with anxiety for the past four years, 35 year old Matthew had tried almost every avenue to help overcome this stress-related illness.
Matthew tells us his experience of how using The Fountainhead Method® has made such a difference to his life.

Guest Interview with Matthew
28 Days to Change your Life – March 2012

Q. Matthew, you have been at Fountainhead for almost a month, how would you say you feel now you are at the end of your program?
A. Oh, just awesome. When I came along I had been suffering with anxiety for about 4 years, I was really wanting some help. The Dr’s and physiologists that I saw offered me medication, but I just didn’t want to take anything – so when I researched on the internet about anxiety retreats, Fountainhead looked like it was something that would offer me what I was looking for.

Q. How did you go about booking in; did you know which one of the programs you wanted to attend?
A. I spoke with a really helpful guy called Doug who took my call. He was so honest and helpful; he managed to work out the program that would best suit my individual needs. Doug even suggested I came along to the retreat to have what’s called a ‘site inspection’, so I could be assured I was making the right decision to come along before I made any commitment. It was his attitude that made it easy for me to know I was in the right hands.
We decided on the 28 Days to Change Your Life Program, which had a bit of group therapy and some one on one coaching. I found benefit in both types.

Q. Would you say that you have addressed the main reason you came along to the Retreat?
A. Oh definitely, I wouldn’t like to go as far as to say that I’m ‘free’ of anxiety, but I have enough tools to use when I leave here to be able to cope with it myself.
One of the biggest realisations for me was being able to let go of the guilt that I had around having anxiety – and not having to hold onto it.

Q. Which part of your program do you think has made the biggest impact on you?
A. Well, that’s hard - everyone has been so supportive.
When I first arrived I was quite upset about leaving my kids and wife – we’ve hardly ever been apart perhaps for a couple of days but never a month, so I really felt that. But I could always find someone who would help me through those tough moments – I felt like I could talk to any one of the staff and they all genuinely cared.
I think the Life Coaching with Jackie has been unreal, she was my personally assigned Life Coach and a perfect match for me – she totally understood what I have been going through… yes, she was incredible.

Q. Apart from Life Coaching, what other therapies did you have during your 28 days?
A. I had some Journey Therapies; I never knew about that until I came here – I found they worked really well after I had done my journaling, as it really went deep into my understanding of past events…. Yes, really good.
I did the Mindfulness Intensive – I enjoyed that. I bought some more sessions of that too during my stay as I wanted to get the most out of it, so I had some guided mindfulness… I’ll definitely continue with that when I get home too.

After the first week I arrived, I did the Weekend Intensive seminar – this was fantastic as I had just started to understand the Fountainhead Method, so it really helped.
My wife also came up from Sydney the following fortnight to do the Weekend Intensive – she thought it was great too.

Q. How did you feel about the type of food they serve at Fountainhead, no dairy, no salt and mainly organic and grown on our own 40 acre farm?
A. Ha, well it suits me – my wife is a chef and so I’m used to eating this way! It was wonderful to get a plate of food put in front of me like I eat at home. In fact when my wife came for the Weekend, she had even more inspiration – last time we spoke she said she had replaced some of our products for organic… I can’t wait to get home and carry on!
The chefs here are great, so inventive the way they create such great meals considering the restrictions on dairy etc.
Matt is really passionate about his job, he really cares about the food and the guests – he takes time to sit and explain anything you ask him about, really great.

Q. If you don’t mind me saying, you look great! – did you enjoy the other personal therapies and training?
A. Ha, yes! I had all types of pamper therapies and several different types of massage including a hot stone massage which was unreal. I tried the ginger compress, which I think I’ll have another go at when I get home, as it’s meant to draw out toxins from the body. I thoroughly enjoyed the steam and plunge too.
I think the highlight was the Personal Training sessions I had with Dom, he was awesome. I even upgraded all my sessions from 30 minutes to an hour; I just got so much out of that. Dom was not only a great PT instructor, but he also really listened to me and understood my feelings.

Q. This is a great cabin you are staying in, Cuban, right? – have you been comfortable in your accommodation?
A. Haha, yes, just look at it – how could I not be comfortable here! It’s been great and the housekeepers are so attentive. Tina is fantastic at her job, I don’t know how she does it with all the cabins and the lodge… luckily, she has a great helper too!

Q. Anything else you would like to comment on before I let you carry on with your program?
A. I felt I have made great connections with all the staff members here, but I would just like to make a special mention to Mia, both my wife and I both felt a special connection with her, she is a beautiful person.
Oh, and also Tamara – I joked and told her I was going to give her a bad report – but she knows I was only kidding, she was wonderful too.