Guest Interview with Ryan
8 weeks Palladium Private – March/April 2012
Ryan, in his early thirties, came along to Fountainhead Organic Retreat to do the Palladium Private Program on a two month stay.
He wanted to address his heavy drinking which he had been doing for 10 years and to understand his depression.
Q. Hi Ryan, how does it feel to be at the end of your program, now that you’ve made Fountainhead ‘home’ for the past 8 weeks?
A. I’ve enjoyed my stay, every single person has been so positive and my cabin was more than comfortable… the only thing was the noisy frogs at night outside in the pond!
But no, I’m ready. I’m ready for the change of routine when I get back. I have new plans to change my career and I’m looking forward to that.
I’ve been in sales for an electrical company for 12 years, but I’m ready to do something different now – I’m going to do a personal training course, I’ll still have to do the sales job part time until I finished the course, but I’ll be glad of the change.
Q. Good on you Ryan, so you must feel a change in yourself since being here?
A. For sure, I feel more self-confident – yes, much more confidence in myself. I actually feel like I’ve become more human.
Before I came to Fountainhead I had been drinking heavily for about 10 years – I came along to quit the drinking and overcome depression, I guess I have really addressed this since I’ve been here. Well, I’ve not even wanted to drink since I arrived.
The Fountainhead Method ® has helped me understand how easily you can attach your self-worth to things, like relationships. I’ve now got a much greater understanding, I realise we all have 100% self-worth just for being ourselves, there is no need to attach anything to it.
Q. Which of the personal therapies do you think has helped you the most, or has it been a combination of all of them?
A. Oh yes, I got a lot out of the Journey Therapy sessions… a couple of sessions I struggled on, but mostly they were great.
I had Jasmin for both my Journey Therapies and my Life Coaching; the sessions were all really good.
I enjoyed the journal writing, but as I’ve been here for so long now, I can upgrade situations almost in my head – when I get any big events when I get back, I’ll use journaling to upgrade them though.
With the mindfulness, it took me a while to get into it, sometimes up to 45 minutes in the session, so I’m not sure I’ll keep on with that one when I get home – although I might give it a go!
What I did learn from mindfulness is that I no longer have to dwell on the past – or worry about the future.
Q. What about the other therapies – you must have tried a whole range in all that time!
A. Yes, I’ve tried all types of the health and fitness activities, I had a few deep tissue massages with Gillian and Ayo and the Hot Stone Massage was good too.
I found the detox box to be a bit dry for me, it just wasn’t my thing - so I changed my sessions for the steam and plunge, which was great.
I tried mud wraps and seaweed wraps, the mud was fine – but the seaweed was a bit hard to get off… plus it stinks!
I really enjoyed the Scenar Therapy though, I found after a few sessions I had a better posture and my range of movement was much better too. Yes, I thought that was great.
I had a go at Yoga, which I found a bit challenging as I’m not very flexible!
But I have to say, the personal training sessions with Dom were fantastic, he really works you.
Q. Being on the Palladium Private Program gave you the option of being completely private if you wanted too, did you mix with the other guests, or were you happy to have the time to yourself?
A. No, I joined in with the others, although I was glad to have my own cabin – especially with the big screen TV were I could watch some of the retreats DVD’s in the evening.
My program gave me the option of having my meals brought up to my cabin, but I found if I went down to eat at the main building – I could get seconds… so I kept going down there!
But no, I joined in with lots of the activities, like the food school where I made pumpkin soup, that was good fun!
I also went to a few of the themed dinner parties; actually I think I went to every one…
The beach trips were good, well, the first one was ok – but I got dumped by a wave the next time!
I liked going on the bush walks and I sat in with the group discussions too, yes I got to know the others here alright.
Q. I’m sure you’re keen to get on with the rest of your day, so I won’t keep you any longer, but do you have any other comments you’d like to share before I go?
A. Oh well…. the grounds are beautiful, and the housekeeper Tina was fantastic – she even folded my clothes for me one day!
Jasmin and Craig have really stood out to me.
Yeah, it’s been great.
