Addictions are always challenging and painful to deal with, and you have probably never associated them with going away on holiday. Up until recently, the choices for addiction recovery have been minimal and uninspiring. These days, people travel to Asia, Mexico, Africa, Europe, and practically all over the world – often away from home – for the most luxurious addiction treatment. We take a closer look at how Seasons Bali, under the leadership of Dr. Richard Smith, has become so popular.
There was a gap in the market concerning this hugely important service that saves lives. Faced with low-quality rehab facilities, if you were on the lower-income scale or costly retreats, if you were rich or famous, the choices for middle-income families were somewhat limited.
However, rehabilitation treatments are changing, and so are some of the places that offer them. A variety of options are now available in Asia and other countries that have a low cost of living, making some of these effective and luxurious alternatives more affordable and accessible to more people.
Affordable Asia
Activity-based rehab in Bali is the innovation of Dr Richard Smith. The Associate Professor at Paramadina University and founder of Seasons Bali is also the founder of the Hader Clinic in Melbourne. Always forward-thinking, Dr. Smith realized that people could benefit from rehab in a setting away from home and focused on creating a program based on doing things differently.
Addiction recovery at Seasons Bali has steered away from the endless lectures and sterile environment and offers people new purpose through a journey of self-discovery and community-based program.
Asia is affordable and can offer high-quality rehabilitation that matches even the best in Western Countries, at a fraction of the price. Coupled with a perfect climate that includes lots of sunshine, endless tropical beaches, and cultural activities, rehabilitation has taken on a whole new meaning.
However, Dr Smith knew that he would need to obtain ISO9001 certification as there tends to be a misconception among people that countries in South East Asia offer sub-standard medical services. This notion was right for a while as consumers flocked there for cheaper services, causing a drop in quality.
Standards have since risen dramatically, and people visit countries like Singapore and Thailand for various medical procedures. For Dr. Smith, ISO9001 certification was essential because it proves that the rehabilitation facility not only meets and but also exceeds the standards of the best rehab centers in the West.
Implementing and meeting ISO9001 standards is not for the faint-hearted, and the work and time needed can be quite daunting, especially in an area where it’s not required to operate a rehab center. Seasons Bali, with this move, proves that high standards are an essential part of what their innovative rehab center offers its clientele.
Even though conventional rehab models for various addictions have been successful, like everything else today, they were due for remodelling. Many cultures contributed to the shaming of addicts, but society is starting to understand that individuals struggling with addiction need change.
Experience from years of running rehab centers in some of the major Australian cities reproduced the principles for Season Bali. It was clear to Dr. Smith that those trying to rehabilitate needed to get out of their comfort zone and away from ingrained habits and triggers.
Data collection has become so much easier in this digital age, and this is paving the way for helping people change from a negative to a positive mindset. A lot of the traditional rehab models are still followed, but they are removed from a clinical setting and placed in an idyllic setting. Finding purpose in life and offering support to others empowers the clients and is a crucial aspect of their recovery. At Seasons Bali, clients are encouraged to provide each other with support from the start.
The elements that provide healing and rehabilitation include the natural beauty of Bali and the nurturing environment of belonging to a community. Several activities help clients to embrace life and expand the horizons of the mind rather than allowing it to adopt a sense of denial. These include activities like surfing, cultural events, and volunteering at local orphanages.
Seasons teaches clients to transcend their issues and become a leader and helper. The program is based on therapy sessions and alternative therapies offered by world-class counsellors and instructors. The therapy sessions focus on the five essential elements of recovery: physical, psychological, emotional, social, and spiritual. During the week, all the hard work is completed so that clients can explore and experience the beauty of the surrounding natural environment, something as important as the week’s therapy sessions.
Clients in the Seasons Primary Residential Program can opt for a 30, 60, or 90-day stay. Everybody is treated with respect and offered complete anonymity. Since recovery is a great equalizer, everyone is treated the same, no matter how famous they and from whichever corner of the world they’re from.
For those needing an extra degree of privacy and luxury, there is also the option of the Bespoke Program.
With 100% of clients still recovered after following the 90-day program and six-month transitional housing program, it shows that doing things differently can often convey the desired results.
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