Fountainhead Organic Health Retreat

No Fountainhead Complaints here - A lady of retirement years, was looking to find a new way of managing her anxiety and depression. She had tried many self-improvement techniques and although she learnt a lot from them, she found that The Fountainhead Method® was the solution she had been looking for…

As we begin our interview, a rather noisy gaggle of geese appear beside the cabin – I start by asking our guest if she has had enjoyed staying at the Fountainhead Organic Health Retreat:

A. Oh, I have just loved it – it brought me back to my childhood. I was brought up on a farm, and we also kept geese, so the familiar sounds of them certainly took me back to a happy place. I don’t believe the Fountainhead Retreat could be set in a more relaxed atmosphere. Even when I first arrived and I was settling into my cabin, I felt so peaceful – and that was even before I started on any of the therapies.

Yes, I have thoroughly enjoyed this whole environment. I have no Fountainhead Complaints

Q. You have been here for over 30 days now, how have you found day to day life during your Fountainhead Organic Health Retreat  program?

A. Well, it’s a funny thing really, I have always put my husband and daughter first before my needs – probably like any wife and mother, but it took a bit of getting used to when I arrived here, because suddenly all I had to think about was myself. I almost felt spoilt. My personal Life Coach Jasmin has helped me enormously to realise that I, too, am worthy of my own attention. Since then I have embraced the time to myself, I have learnt so much in this program.

Q. Was having time to yourself the main reason that brought you along to do the Fountainhead Organic Health Retreat Program?

A. No, not at all – I hadn’t even thought about doing anything like this. It was my daughter who looked into the Fountainhead Retreat, she knew that I had been suffering with anger issues and when it all came to a head earlier this year – she decided it was time to do something about it. It was her and my husband who did the research, and this seemed to be the most fitting place for me to get myself some time and help to see clearly again.

Just their act of searching for some help for me has made me see that they really care, and that has helped me clarify that I am so worthwhile.

Q. So this was all new to you – the holistic approach to anxiety and depression?

I can’t say it is all new, I've been reading self-improvement books for years but I have always found I could never shake off the negative attitude I had, I didn’t know why I couldn't do it. I never wanted to take any medication from the Doctor, but all I wanted was to have a more positive outlook so that I wasn't bringing my daughter and husband down.

I found that throughout my program, through the Life Coaching, the other therapies and learning the Fountainhead Method (no fountainhead complaints about the method) , I have been able to see the root cause of why I have been doing this behavior.

It’s freeing to have some answers that I hadn't known before.

Q. Are you ready to use what you have learnt here, in the outside world?

A. What I have learnt is that you are always learning, so even if I do start to fall back into the old patterns, I can always use what has happened as a learning opportunity and to upgrade my thoughts. I know it is going to take some practice, it is like learning a new language – but I certainly feel much closer to the mark than I ever have.

I found that Mindfulness has made a huge impact on me – just to be still and in the moment, it has helped with the anxiety, so I will be practising mindfulness for sure.

Along with that I think I will have my ‘pause button’ at hand, it’s just to stop me reacting immediately – having this ‘tool’ will make me more mindful of how I react in certain situations. This is very powerful I think.

Q. Was there a particular moment or therapy that you enjoyed the most, during your stay at the Fountainhead Organic Health Retreat?

A. I thought the Life Coaching was fantastic, but there was a moment one morning when I woke up and I had such a sense of peace and clarity. Not only within, but also visually – it was so strange as all the colours in the cabin were vibrant. I had been in the cabin for well over a week, but never realised what beautiful shades of different blues where around me, I just couldn't stop staring. This happened the day after having my first Journey Therapy. I certain did not have any Fountainhead complaints.

But then, within a couple of days and for no reason at all, this feeling suddenly left me. I was quite upset really, frustrated even.

Then Mia came to see me, we talked for a while then something she said me really resonated, and I started to feel content – not exhilarated like I had the previous day – but different. She told me that it was only myself that had managed to make me feel that way – no one else, and I have the ability to find that again for myself, it was still there.

After this I didn’t feel the frustration I had, more of an acceptance. Mia had shown me that this was the journey, and we have to be able to take the highs with the lows, and this experience I just had was exactly that. Her whole essence and her wise words were quite a key point in my stay here.

Q. Thank you so much for chatting with me, do you have any other comments you would like to share about your Fountainhead Organic Health Retreat Program ?

A. Oh, just that I can’t tell you how much I have enjoyed my stay…this environment…my cabin, even my bed was so comfortable and I felt so spoilt having Tina change my sheets every 2 days!

I loved my shower, I even tried to see who made it so I could get one!

Everyone has been so supportive, as I mentioned Mia was wonderful and also Mark was so kind, his approach is lovely. I certain did not have any Fountainhead complaints.

And what can I say about those geese!

THE FOUNTAINHEAD RETREAT

AN INTERVIEW WITH A YOUNG GUEST FROM SOUTH AUSTRALIA

A young man in his twenties had found himself in a downward spiral of drug addiction over the last few years, he had tried many rehabilitation centers – but the cycle of his addiction was not being broken. He came to the Fountainhead Retreat in a terrible way, thinking that he would use his 28 day Change Your Life program to simply rid his body of the drugs for yet another time…

What he didn’t expect was to receive a whole new outlook on life at the Fountainhead Retreat, finally freeing himself from his inaccurate beliefs and most importantly, breaking the habits that had held him captive for so many years.

Q. You’ve come a long way, I see – all the way from SA, have you been to retreats before nearer where you live?

A. I’ve tried other places, more like rehabs – but they never worked for me, as soon as I left I went straight back to my supplier and started on the drugs again.

Q. What makes you think this time the Fountainhead Retreat will be different?

A. It’s totally different here to any rehab I’ve been too, I didn’t realise that it was like this. My father looked into the Fountainhead Retreat and arranged for me to talk with the Fountainhead Team, then he organised to book me in. I was really ready to come because I knew I’d had enough of the drugs I was taking. I’d been smoking marijuana since I was 15 and using ice and meth since 18, so I really needed some help to quit. I thought at first that this was just another rehab, but no – I have done so much learning about myself since I’ve been here. I thought I was just coming along to get off drugs, I had no idea I was going to find out the reason why I was taking them! I actually resisted for a while, didn’t really want to open up – but when I did, well – I just didn't realise I needed to be knocked down before I could get back up. My Life Coach really found that out!

Q. What have you learnt about yourself in particular since you've been at the Fountainhead Retreat?

A. That I have will power and that I have much more self-confidence than I thought.

Q. I would never have thought you lacked self-confidence the way you have been sprinting about all over the farm and the friendly waves you gave everyone.

A. Hmm yeah, a bit different to when I arrived, I kept my hat on and my sunglasses, had a moustache and was a bit huddled over. I suppose I just didn’t want to draw attention to myself. I needed a few days to get my head clear and I was glad to have my Fountainhead Retreat Chaperone, she was great.

I think the fitness part with the Fountainhead Personal Trainings has been brilliant. I had no idea how unfit I was though, underweight too. So it was great to have a personal trainer, it got me right back into the fitness. I kept running around the farm just to keep up the training even when I wasn’t having the PT, and I used the gym facilities a lot too… and the detox box.

Q. You say you were underweight when you arrived at the Fountainhead Retreat, how have you found the food since you have been here?

A. It’s not something I’ve ever eaten like before, but it was great. I’ve put on weight since I’ve been here and I found out so much through Matt about food and stuff, plus he was a great laugh too.

I did the Fountainhead Retreat Food School too; I made minestrone soup – pretty easy!

Q. Did you find that the 28 days Change Your Life program have been enough? You had a lot to deal with, coming off the drugs and learning the Fountainhead Method.

A. I know it’s something I am going to have to work at, but I’ve already made plans to set up a study when I get home, with all my Fountainhead Retreat stuff. It’ll be my personal development room. I pretty much have got the hang of upgrading my thoughts, I can do it almost automatically now, it’s just when I leave and I come across bigger obstacles – that’s when I will have to write down, journal and upgrade it that way.. but I’ll have my room to do that.

I think I will come back again though; I’m interested in finding out more about Life Coaching, and doing the stage three and four.

I know so many people who would benefit from coming along here, so I think I’d like to help with doing something like that. Kids too, I’d like to be able to help them; I think this method would be great.

Q. So it really looks like you have got a hold of the Fountainhead Method, which other therapies did you find helpful at the Fountainhead Retreat?

A. I enjoyed the Fountainhead Mindfulness Intensive day,  the therapist was really great, she always has a happy face. I was surprised about the group discussions, I thought I didn’t like them much – but I really made an effort to participate and it ended up being very helpful. I wanted to do the Weekend intensive too, and I ended up doing that twice. I understood it the first time, but the second time really cleared things up and I got a lot out of it, a lot more information. The Life Coach was so motivational the way he talked in front of the class. The Life Coaching and Journey Therapies were brilliant. I really got deep down with those. I think the Fountainhead Retreat has been great; everyone in their own way has made a contribution into getting me well again.

Q. Thanks,  do you have anything else to add before I let you get on with your schedule?

A. Oh, the hot water is out! (he laughs) but really, what I’ve come to realise is that you could have put me up in a tent here, it’s not about where you are staying or what you have, it’s what you have inside… and what you teach at the Fountainhead Retreat has made a huge difference. I’ve come to look at everything differently, and I know it sounds funny but even looking at things around the farm… the notches in the tree trunks, just things I’ve never even noticed before – I think being mindful and being in the moment is a great thing to practice.

THE FOUNTAINHEAD RETREAT – Help with Depression and Anxiety

THE FOUNTAINHEAD RETREAT – Help with Depression and Anxiety

What is Depression?

Depression is said to effect 1 in 6 men and 1 in 4 women in Australia – making it one of the most prevalent mental illness in the modern era. It can be very difficult to identify at its early stages and the onset can be varying in speed; making a certain diagnosis often a difficult thing to achieve. When one is depressed their mood changes and behaviours can become dulled or even erratic – ranging from lack of energy and a withdrawn personality to more aggressive acts such as substance abuse and anger.

Get Help with Depression

The Fountainhead Retreat offers a holistic approach to depression but there are quite a variety of proposed treatments for depression – some of them are quite helpful and some can be more detrimental to your health. If you were to go at almost any General Practitioner in Australia and receive a diagnosis of depression they will often jump straight to a prescription of a chemical medication such as Sertraline (commonly Zoloft). It is important to understand that a chemical or anti-depressant treatment, while it can be helpful to some, it is rarely a complete solution to the problem and most medical practitioners will agree that it is just one step towards a cure. This is more often that not, a journey itself. Anti-depressants can come with a variety of side effects including suicidal thoughts, worsening of depression, loss of sexual function, nausea, sleepiness and more. The Fountainhead Retreat does not support the use of Anti-depressants 'long term'.

How Will We Help

At the Fountainhead Retreat we use the Fountainhead Method of treatment and firmly believe that this is one of the most realistic and genuinely helpful approaches to depression and anxiety. The method of treatment is all about assisting you in understanding exactly why you feel and act the way you do and teaching you how to change your beliefs towards these feelings and behaviours. By the end of the Fountainhead Retreat course you will have a greater understanding of your own mind and will come away with the answers that we’re sure you've been looking for.

What is Anxiety?

A debilitating mood disorder that is triggered by an often unidentifiable stimulus which then results in uneasiness, apprehension and fear. Panic attacks, poor sleep patterns, constant worrying are the normal accompanying symptoms. Co-morbid issues that commonly develop are reliance on drugs or alcohol to cope making relationships and family matters from challenging to impossible.

“I thought my issue was alcohol, it was anxiety.  I was told I could not be fixed; it was just the way I was, I could not change the way I was. The Fountainhead Retreat showed me that was wrong.”

Why can’t traditional methods fix anxiety?

The Fountainhead Retreat uses a holistic approach to treating anxiety but traditional therapies focus on the symptoms not the cause. Psychotherapy spends lots of therapy time searching for individual triggers and the history of these triggers. Psychoanalysis spreads its talk therapy out-often over a number of years and relies often on medication to help manage the symptoms –again not the cause.

“Twelve year since my accident. Twelve years with the agony of anxiety. I still can’t believe it was this simple”

Why The Fountainhead Retreat works for Anxiety

Clients suffering from anxiety make up the second largest group attending the Fountainhead Retreat programs. Fountainhead Retreat approach to anxiety disorders is completely different to traditional methods that are low on results. Our solution has three major components:

·      We only use Fountainhead Method TM, trained life coaches. “The Fountainhead Method is the number one system for understanding stress and its application to health in the world today” (1)

·      It is supported by Journey Therapy. Developed originally by American author Brandon bays similar to time line therapy but different in that the focuses is not only to identify your patterns of  behavior and its origin-but to change the pattern then and there. “Where was this when I was studying psychology at University”(2)

·      It is underpinned by Mindfulness training which has existed for millennia but has only been explained scientifically the last twenty years. “One has to try to develop one’s inner feelings, which can be done simply by training one’s mind.” (3)

“Depression-anxiety, anxiety depression. It did not understand the link. NOW I understand the lesson. The world should know about these programs. Thanks - you saved my life”