Newsletter – The Sanctuary Byron Bay

Welcome to the 5th edition of our Sanctuary E-newsletter, keeping you informed of new developments in our constantly evolving Sanctuary model.

Recently, the Sanctuary Byron Bay was the proud sponsor of the 2009 BRW Client Choice Awards in Sydney, a very important event recognising exceptional client service in the corporate services industries. Like the companies honored on the night, we understand all too well, the importance of exceptional client service. Like all the award winners, we also believe that good client service is also inextricably linked to having healthy and happy staff.

More than ever, business are becoming more aware of the importance of maintaining and promoting the optimal health of their key employees, particularly as substance abuse and stress are increasingly identified as issues in the workplace.

Our own therapeutic services recognise the particular treatment needs of high achieving individuals – hence the availability of our appropriately focused Business Assistance Programme.  The Sanctuary specialises in treating executive level clients requiring positive lifestyle changes with regards to substance use or management of stress, chronic pain or emotions. Highly successful and motivated professionals are not immune to developing negative patterns of behaviour to cope with the demands of their roles. When the stress of professional life begins to flow on to the private and personal realms, sensitive and effective intervention is required. At The Sanctuary, we specialise in providing tailored assistance to corporate clients to help them regain balance and equilibrium.

A healthy corporate environment values positive and functional relationships – with clients, with staff and associated families and friends and with the rest of the community. The kind of strengths embodied in a healthy employee (i.e. balance, flexibility and a sense of achievement in the useful deployment of one’s skills and talents) are also the strengths of good companies – with a complex mutual interplay existing between the healthy state of the individual and the collective.

Facing the challenges ahead requires us to recognise the interconnections between us all.  The Sanctuary Byron Bay for example, not only provides exceptional therapeutic services to our clients, but we also support our local community and our staff. We provide ongoing employment and support to local, highly skilled and compassionate people. We advocate for the use of sustainable, organic and locally grown food.  We try to support where possible, local businesses and services and through our activities, promote the attractions of the region as a premier destination.

The year ahead seems uncertain, yet we are sure of one thing: we remain one of the most effective and unique therapeutic services in this country, if not the world; and we are always here to assist.

In this edition of our newsletter, we focus on the growing recognition of prescription drug abuse and we feature our highly experienced psychotherapy team

Please note I am very aware that some people will prefer not to receive this newsletter. In that respect, if you would like to be removed from our distribution list, please reply to this email and insert “Unsubscribe” in the subject heading of the email and we will remove you from the list. For those who are happy to continue receiving the newsletter, I sincerely hope you enjoy the information we have provided. Please feel free to contact me should you wish to ask any questions, discuss any aspect of this newsletter or find out more about our programmes.

I thank you for your time and wish you all the best in health and happiness.

Yours sincerely,

Michael Goldberg,
Director.

While public perception of drug abuse is usually centred around illicit street drugs such as heroin and amphetamines, a leading member of the Australian National Council of Drugs, Professor John Saunders has described the misuse of prescription medicine as ‘the real drug crisis gripping Australia’.  (Sydney Morning Herald, July 22, 2007).  The most common prescription drugs that are abused include opiates (eg codeine, oxycontin), benzodiazapenes (eg Valium, Xanax) stimulants (Ritalin, dexamphetamines) and tranquilisers (eg Stilnox, Rohypnol).  Often, anti-depressants and psychoactive prescription medication can also be abused or in some cases, are difficult to cease use as complicated withdrawal symptoms are likely to ensue.  As addictions can develop in just under two weeks of regular use, the perils of prolonged use becomes obvious.

Whether prescription drugs are legally obtained (through a doctor’s prescription) or by other means (by theft or deception or simply lifted from someone else’s prescription), the use of pharmaceutical drugs can be as destructive and harmful as illegal drug use.  Internationally, the abuse of prescription drugs is rising, with the US reporting a 212% increase in the number of young people abusing pharmaceutical substances in the past decade (Under the Counter: The Diversion and Abuse of Controlled Prescription Drugs in the U.S, 2003)

At The Sanctuary Byron Bay, we know that substance abuse cuts across economic lines, age, social status and culture. This is especially true of comfortable milieus where prescription drug abuse is common and tranquilisers, sedatives and analgesics easily obtained. Over the years, we have seen high levels of prescription drug abuse amongst those who would be very unlikely to be identified as addicts in their everyday high functioning lives, yet would qualify as having substance use disorders by any other reckoning.

Because prescription drugs are usually legally obtained, ongoing use is rarely questioned, yet for those needing help, continued use exacts a toll. Ongoing use diminishes quality of life – with side effects sometimes causing more problems than the symptoms the drugs were initially deployed to treat.  Yet, withdrawals can be prolonged, difficult to manage and sometimes so destabilising that people can feel as if they are suffering a serious crisis.

Detox from prescription drugs is necessarily a medical issue.  Withdrawals must be stepped, monitored and supported by appropriate professional attention.  At the Sanctuary Byron Bay, we are experienced in assessing prescription drug abuse and we are able to devise the most humane, effective and nurturing detox regime necessary to safely and comfortably reduce reliance upon prescription drugs. As our focus is multi-disciplinary, many of the symptoms of withdrawal can be mitigated by less invasive therapeutic modalities such as shiatsu, acupuncture and yoga; with the withdrawal process constantly monitored by registered nurses and specialist medical personnel.

We encourage anyone regularly using sedatives, tranquilisers and stimulants to review their continued use of such substances and to get support where required.

This year, the Sanctuary Byron Bay proudly sponsored the 2009 BRW Client Choice Awards, regarded as the most prestigious awards for professional services firms in Australia. The Awards are open to all professional services firms, including law, accounting, IT consulting, consulting engineering, architecture and actuarial firms. The BRW Award winners are selected from a rigorous survey process, conducted by Beaton Consulting on behalf of BRW Magazine, to assess the views of clients of professional services firms.

At the Sanctuary Byron Bay, client satisfaction has always been the backbone of our success.  In striving to be one of the world’s premier therapeutic retreats, we have learnt that good client service starts internally and that all high performing, successful companies create workplaces where people want to belong.

At the Sanctuary, members of our treatment team are carefully chosen as being the best in their area of expertise, and these highly skilled practitioners are supported to work in an integrated fashion.  Practitioners report that being part of a coordinated team where their contributions are drawn into a greater whole, accounts for higher job satisfaction with more direct benefits to the client.

Sponsoring the Client Choice Awards has confirmed what we already put into practice – that client satisfaction flows on from fostering a dynamic, supportive and loyal team.

Accepting the award for the best Victorian law firm, David Fitch, managing partner of Landers & Rogers concurs:  “Clients and employees want the same things – so if you please one you please the other. If your employees are engaged, fulfilled and happy, they will want to meet client’s needs. Then if they do a good job, the clients will be happy and satisfied and that pours back into our people feeling even more fulfilled”.

Winners of the BRW Client Choice Awards agree that establishing a healthy culture in the workplace where customer feedback and employee health are equally valued, is the crucial and necessary step to maintain client satisfaction.

At the Sanctuary we recognise that whether principles of excellence are applied to customer service or to staff satisfaction; adopted as the values for more conscious individual living or adopted as policies and procedures for companies; these principles can nevertheless be distilled as follows (BRW: 12/3/09; At Your Service):

• Get the basics right
• Don’t be complacent
• Innovate
• Invite criticism
• Self-improve

We look forward to further involvement with BRW and invite anyone from the corporate sector to contact us for information about how we can assist to improve the health of employees in the workplace.

Welcome to our fourth Sanctuary E-Newsletter. The purpose of this newsletter is to keep you informed of new developments in our constantly evolving Sanctuary model.

As the year draws to a close, the Sanctuary Byron Bay continues to lead the treatment field with its unique integrated treatment philosophy drawing together the best of both medical and complementary healthcare approaches.  The Sanctuary has been operating at capacity for most of this year, and as we consolidate our reputation as one of the best therapeutic retreats in the world, we continue to strive for treatment excellence and innovation.

The Sanctuary Byron Bay’s model is increasing recognised as a best practice approach to the resolution of complex health issues.  We are now considered THE premier therapeutic destination in Australia with increasing media coverage of best practice principles in the treatment of addictions, mood disorders and chronic pain making reference to our model.

In a rapidly changing world, the Sanctuary Byron Bay represents the maturing of a much needed shift towards holistic healing where body and mind are inseparable and where a range of healthcare perspectives are harmonised in service of a client’s healing.

In this issue, we feature one of our key practitioners: physiotherapist and craniosacral therapist, Claudia Mirdita.  We also invite medical, allied health and complementary health practitioners to contact us to find out more about how a collaborative stance can improve patient outcomes.

Please note I am very aware that some people will prefer not to receive this newsletter. In that respect, if you would like to be removed from our distribution list, please reply to this email and insert “Unsubscribe” in the subject heading of the email and we will remove you from the list. For those who are happy to continue receiving the newsletter, I sincerely hope you enjoy the information we have provided. Please feel free to contact me should you wish to ask any questions, discuss any aspect of this newsletter or find out more about our programmes.

I thank you for your time and wish you all the best in health and happines

Yours sincerely,

Michael Goldberg,
Director.

If you are an Australian resident, you are welcome to bring a domestic animal companion (for example, a dog) with you while you are undergoing treatment. Most domestic air carriers will safely transport animals in special pressurised areas of their cargo holds. If you would like to bring your pet, please let us know beforehand and we can help you make the necessary enquiries and arrangements prior to your arrival.

 While you are in residence, we can help you organise pet care, veterinary assistance and any specific equipment such as toys, leashes and bowls.

 Please note that due to strict quarantine rules, animals arriving in Australia from overseas are subject to import licences and long quarantine periods.  Any arrangement to bring a pet from overseas will need to be authorised by Australian quarantine officials a number of months before arrival.  Due to the lengthy process and strict restrictions applying to importation of animals, we recommend that you do not bring a pet from overseas.

One of the most rewarding aspects of working at The Sanctuary is witnessing the profound transformations clients undergo during the process of recovery and change.

Essentially this process arises from the synergy of treatments creating a nurturing environment allowing clients to develop an awareness of their strengths and weaknesses and develop skillful tools to adapt with more ease in the world.

Yoga is one of the modalities here that allows the insights of psychotherapy to go deeper. What one initially develops in yoga practice is an awareness of the body; its muscles and fibers and what feels comfortable and uncomfortable and how to move in that body in a non-aggressive and non-mechanical way.

The word “yoga” is normally associated with health and well being. Working in the body in such a way allows us to develop an aliveness that surpasses the ‘no pain, no gain” mantra still imposed by more mechanical training regimes.

Through yoga, we learn to inhabit our bodies rather than treat them like cars in which we never check the oil levels or tyre pressure or even maintain on a regular basis. Through yoga, our bodies become once again, the important vehicles through which we exist and act upon the world. Yet ultimately, yoga training develops the mind. We develop a capacity to observe what is going on in the body and transfer this skill to the mind in meditation.

At this point, in what is called “mindfulness practice” does the yoking of yoga and psychotherapy occur. As you learn to watch the mind you develop insight into your feelings and processes which the psychotherapists can expand upon and help you to develop a clearer perspective. The mindfulness of yoga is no other than the mindfulness strived for in psychotherapy – with both modalities ultimately working together in synergy to develop a clearer mind.

From my observation, this depth of field develops exponentially together than if you were to pursue these activities in isolation.  The uniqueness of the Sanctuary programmes is that synergies are always sought between different therapies and this holistic focus is what sets us apart.

Consta Georgoussis
Senior Yoga Consultant
The Sanctuary Byron Bay

A highly experienced physiotherapist renowned in the Northern Rivers area for her ability to treat complex health issues, Claudia Mirdita has been a welcome addition to the Sanctuary team since February this year. Claudia completed her physiotherapy training in Salzburg, Austria over twenty years ago before following her heart, accompanying her partner to Australia not long after completing her studies.

Claudia immediately adapted to the Australian landscape and way of life, feeling more at home here than in Austria.  Reacting to the deeply entrenched conservatism of Europe, Claudia had never really felt she belonged, but in Australia, she finally found space and freedom to extend herself in a variety of ways, with her physiotherapy work taking on a number of new dimensions. Since her arrival more than two decades ago, Claudia’s clinical skills have been augmented with further training in Craniosacral Therapy and Acupuncture, with Claudia combining these modalities and her core training in her physiotherapy practice with great success.

Craniosacral Therapy has its roots in the early 1900’s with the pioneering work of Dr. William Sutherland, (1873-1954), who studied under the founder of osteopathy, Andrew Taylor Still, at the first American School of Osteopathy (now A. T. Still University).  Sutherland’s initial work was developed into an osteopathic system of treatment by Dr. John Upledger at Michigan State University with non-invasive, subtle body work now the cornerstone of this method of healing.  The craniosacral method involves very gentle touch with the therapist placing her hands on key places on the body, in particular the bones of the head and spine in order to re-balance the cranial system.  The craniosacral method has been used successfully to assist those suffering chronic pain, anxiety, depression and stress related problems and when combined with more traditional physiotherapy treatment, helps to support the inherent health of the human body.

Since joining the Sanctuary team, Claudia has enjoyed the support of her colleagues, in particular, learning from the team’s focus on the subtle interplays between mind and body.  Being part of an integrated team has allowed Claudia to work in the holistic fashion she has always aspired to but which is difficult to achieve in the primary care setting.

Claudia’s unwavering commitment to her clients is reflected in the warmth and depth of her clinical style, one that is absolutely congruent with that of the overall approach of the Sanctuary Byron Bay.  We are honoured to have Claudia as part of our integrative clinical team!

Welcome to our third Sanctuary E-Newsletter. The purpose of this newsletter is to keep you informed of new developments in our constantly evolving Sanctuary model.

We have had significant media attention over the past few years focusing on The Sanctuary being ‘luxurious’ and ‘indulgent’. However, the reality is that The Sanctuary leads the integrated treatment field, not because the comforts we can provide, but because of:

- the highest staff to client ratio found anywhere amongst its peers around the world;
- our ability to respond and adapt treatment to the client’s needs on a DAILY basis;
- our flexibility in being able to offer a wide variety of treatment settings for each client according to their specific needs; and
- the exceptional quality of our staff who are leaders in their respective areas of expertise.

The fact that our programmes are always one-on-one and individually customised, means that each client has available to them, an enormous range of resources dedicated to their recovery.  They have their own homes, their own staff and an entire team of practitioners from different modalities treating each client under an integrative care plan conceived and monitored by highly experienced clinical consultants who are leaders in treating co-morbidity.  It is this very integration of outstanding medical and complementary healthcare that distinguishes the Sanctuary Byron Bay from other treatment centers around the world. Moreover, our infrastructure is extensive and is structured to maximise security, confidentiality and discreet privacy.

We are a PREMIER therapeutic service with every part of the therapeutic experience – from environment through to treatment – carefully conceived and choreographed for optimal results.  Our aim is simply to provide the best therapeutic service possible – and while we undoubtedly provide one of the most comfortable and responsive treatment settings in the world, our real value lies in the exceptional quality of our clinical services. For those who want the best integrated treatment, our services are no mere indulgence nor luxury, but a potentially crucial life-changing opportunity.

Please note I am very aware that some people will prefer not to receive this newsletter. In that respect, if you would like to be removed from our distribution list, please reply to this email and insert “Unsubscribe” in the subject heading of the email and we will remove you from the list. For those who are happy to continue receiving the newsletter, I sincerely hope you enjoy the information we have provided. Please feel free to contact me should you wish to ask any questions or discuss any aspect of this newsletter or our programmes further.

I thank you for your time and wish you all the best in health and happiness.

Yours sincerely
Michael Goldberg
Director

In July 2008, I established an Early Recovery Settlement Fund, a new philanthropic venture fulfilling a long cherished dream of mine to assist those in need in the larger community.

The fund provides those without means who are in early recovery from substance misuse, with a $250 grant able to be applied towards settlement costs in the Northern Rivers area.  Such costs might include:

• household set-up including bond and purchase of household items such as furniture, bedding, kitchenware;
• fees for health promoting activities eg. gym memberships, yoga classes, treatments; and
• fees for further education including course or class fees.

The establishment of the Early Recovery Settlement Fund marks an exciting new direction for The Sanctuary’s involvement in local philanthropy, helping to establish and build community generosity for the benefit of those less fortunate.  The establishment of the Fund has attracted interest from both businesses in the area wanting to contribute services in-kind and people in local recovery networks who have expressed the desire to help – highlighting a community spirit that is alive and well in Byron Bay.

The Fund’s fundamental aim is to help motivated people get their life back on track and most importantly, remind them that the community cares!

The Sanctuary Byron Bay is happy to assist those with any queries about the Goldberg Early Recovery Settlement Fund:

Please call +61 2 6639 8888 (The Sanctuary Byron Bay)

Michael Goldberg – Director