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What is a Health Retreat?
80% of Guests visiting a health retreat are doing so for the first time. So there is obviously a large amount of trepidation as one considers, is a Health Retreat for me? Let's first consider what a health retreat is before we look at what is available and their differences and similarities.
The term retreat has several related meanings, all of which have in common the notion of safety or temporarily removing oneself from one's usual environment in order to become immersed in a particular subject matter or to find answers. A retreat can be taken for reasons related to stress, health, lifestyle, social and emotional concerns and in modern times addiction depression and anxiety. A retreat can either be a time of solitude or a community experience depending on the issue and severity of the situation the person is to focus on.
What they used to be
The concept of health farms was developed mainly in Europe and then America over the last one hundred and fifty years. The well to do would go and "partake of the waters" in Europe or do a detoxification retreat, or visit a sanitarium that had a cancer, or weight loss, (the term fat farm comes from here) primary focus. The most famous 'health retreat" historically one was Dr Kellogg's Battle Creek Sanitarium at the turn of the century.
Australia Today
Golden door, Camp Eden, Living Valley Springs and Fountainhead Organic are the establsihed players in the Australian market of health retreats, and have developed particular niches which they serve well. No need to go past these four for anything you may need. The rest are just spas.
Pampering
I think Golden Door are the leaders here. A huge choice of what to do in the Spa, good food and healthy lifestyle education. Most popular program is the seven days and you will be one of 40-50 guests. Lots of ladies from the "North Shore", ask for the hot stones. Golden door is choice. Some accommodation getting a little tired. Gold Coast location.
Fitness and Weight Loss
Camp Eden do this area well. Lots of activities, group and one on one, weight loss well catered. 1-2 week is the time frame and expect another 30-40 people doing the same thing. Food does not get the raves of Golden Door and Fountainhead, hey, but if you are focussed on losing weight-grin and bear it. Have your own personal trainer. Camp Eden is fitness. Gold Coast Location.
Big Decisions and Reflection Time
Fountainhead Organic, took this niche about ten years ago and now are thought of as the experts in this field Australia, and some say world wide. Only 8-12 guests at a time, but guests stay 14-28 days. They focus on education that you "take with you". Depression, anxiety, bad habits, their Fountainhead Method Journey Therapy and Mindfullness are the tools to show you what is behind your behaviour. The only one with a real Organic Juice Detox Option and Food School. My personal favorite. Fountainhead is Holistic and the only one of the Big four that are certified Organic. New division, Palladium Private does everything the same BUT all one on one. Sunshine Coast - Glasshouse Mountains -beautiful location.
Naturopathic
The seven day adventists at Living Valley springs are the clean living gurus. Blood analysis, urine analyisis, they can analyse just about anything as they look for your addictions and help you undo them. More basic food, 12-15 Guests normally, 10-14 day stays, more a traditional health retreat. Daily exercise, and enemas available. Solid serious performers. Kin Kin, Qld, off the beaten track.
Article reprinted with permission of Deraht Fueller, from his upcoming book, Health Retreats of the World.
Guest story below on comparison of Fountainhead Organic to Golden Door and Camp Eden
"I am a 50 year old woman and I have been to the Golden Door Health Retreat four times over the last 12 or so years. I work in business and “The Door” has been the place where friends and I have gone to remember that we have a life when things have just got too much or too busy.
I originally went to the Golden Door Health Retreat after a miscarriage when I was full of sadness that eventually lifted. I went there again a week before my first wedding to chill and prepare. I went when I split from my first husband and I went there after my father passed two years back. I love the massages, the choice of activities and the “me time” that The Golden Door Retreat provides in spades. I had tried the other biggie Camp Eden once, it was OK, but I preferred My Golden Door.
After a visit to the Golden Door Retreat I always come home relaxed and with new convictions to try that bit harder.
You can imagine my shock when my husband presented me with a gift voucher for my 50th birthday for Fountainhead Organic Retreat? This was not the Golden Door. Not My Golden Door. I rang and asked Fountainhead could I have a refund but they politely explained that the Vouchers were not refundable. I bit the bullet. I decided to try a new Health Retreat. I went to their web site and checked it out.
The very different approach that Fountainhead was claiming made me a little nervous. Their slogan is “you are what you think”; what does that even mean, (I thought I was what I ate, which was always a little too much). They referred to “The Fountainhead Method” whatever that was.
I had never been to Maleny Queensland though I had heard of the Glasshouse Mountains many times. Breathtaking would be the only word to describe the setting. Australia has a minimal variety of Landscape views compared to my European roots but here was something completely different.
I arrived on a Sunday night after being chauffeured from Sunshine Coast Airport, (did not know there was an airport there) and my program said “Fit for Life” whatever that meant. I was greeted by a lovely lass, Tracy I think, whom settled me into my huge Spa lounge and bedroom. My new husband had spared no expense.
Monday kicked off with a 7am Rainforest walk then an option of sweat together or stretch together. I took the beginners Yoga. I did not wish to ruin my new exercise garb. Then to breakfast, but alas, I had forgotten. Tracy the night before had talked me into the optional Juice Only Detox. So “no” to all food for three days. This was a little scary. I had heard of a juice fast but never done one. What was interesting though was about 15 of the 19 guests had all “chosen” the hard road.
We then met most of the staff, (there must have been at least 30 and they were an interesting bunch, full of personality and confidence). What I had already started to notice during the orientation, Detox explanation and Staff meet and greet was that the team were all on message. They were trying to tell us something. The phrases that I had already heard dropped a few times were that I could not miss out, that we were always on the right path and that I was always doing my best. When I queried one of these statements I was given a short and clear explanation from Sue our Hostess that some how left me feeling warm inside. What was happening?
I then went up to their rustic Avocado Packing shed / Gym Conversion, (they do not use the Gym word) and had my fitness and body composition tested by Kymara. A lovely ex childhood actress whom had worked at Fountainhead over most of the previous three years and whose partner worked there as well. She had been in Fitness most of her adult life and was very attractive. She shared some younger day body hang-ups, (I could relate to this way of thinking still). Too fat. Mild eating hang-ups when I was young. Never feeling attractive enough. After we finished our Personal Training session together I realised she had threaded even more of these, “Fountainhead ideas” into my psyche.
When I had subtly, using humor as we often do, put myself down. Kymara had not accepted it. She had subtly pointed out that while great fitness is an honorable goal, surely being brave enough to set goals was reason enough for self esteem. I pondered her musings.
Before our Juice Lunch there was the first “ Fountainhead Method” lecture by head life Coach, Salima. Now I was beginning to get excited. Salima explained that the major cause of stress is the same for all people, (I thought we were all different). She explained that we all had a fear of missing out in life/ on life. She further explained that once we accepted that life was not supposed to go to plan, we would feel much of this self imposed stress lift. Hey wait a minute, hadn’t Salima read The Secret?
Poppy cock was her response when I meekly suggested the contradiction. Balance and the Search for it, she also went on to explain was another cause of stress. Hey wait a minute. My Golden Door always told me that they would help me find my balance. Salima asked us all to visualize a role model to emulate for our balance goals. After we opened our eyes, 17 out of the 17 Guests present had not found one. How can we aspire to something we had never seen, Salima challenged. She then offered a rational alternative. Priorities. Adjust your priorities. I went away feeling like a weight had been lifted from around my neck. I went to bed that second night feeling unsettled but strangely excited. I slept like a baby.
That week at Fountainhead I tried more new things then I had in any 7 day period of my life. I steamed until I was going to melt, and then jumped into a Freezing Mineral water pool. I had lovely relaxing Hot Mineral Water baths each night before dinner. I met a Nutty Professor Chef, Karen whom taught us that live food, (unprocessed and where possible un cooked) could be turned into everything from Pizza, to ice cream, to cheese cake and in this form, I could eat to my hearts content.
However what takes center stage at Fountainhead, is not their Organics, nor their Permaculture not even their very motivated staff, but their ideas. I finished the week never before in my life clearer of who I was and why I was here, (I mean on earth). I tried Journey Therapy and booked my own Fountainhead Method Life Coach, Jasmin. Jasmin took me step by step through all sorts of guilt I did not realise I was even carrying until it lifted. Guilt about being a better mother, guilt about not being good enough, guilt about not being pretty enough. I left feeling that its OK, because I am always trying my best naturally.
I brought all their books and still read them now when I get stressed, even though that is much less often. I have since sent my eldest daughter whom was suffering with Clinical Depression for two years, and Jasmin has another success story to share there.
I have one goal in life now; that’s right, one. To learn. That is what The Fountainhead Method said to me. I may return to The Golden Door one day if I want a special break or Pamper, but at the moment, they did such a good job, I don’t need My Fountainhead."
Cathy Pritchaird/Journalist
Beat The Blues
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