Ruth Limkin
Founding CEO – The Banyans Health and Wellness
Queensland, Australia

In Australia, the wellness market is still developing, and there are limited options for those seeking comprehensive, integrated wellness programs.

Whether the health concern is lifestyle stress for busy executives; depression or anxiety; or overuse of alcohol or other substances as self-medicating pain or distress; the main programs that have been available are traditional institutional hospital programs, therapeutic community programs, or outpatient programs.

While residential programs with a wellness focus are slowly becoming more popular, there has still been a need for a comprehensive program offering best in field practitioners and a truly integrated approach that provides privacy and individual therapy.

Over the last 18 months, I have been involved in the establishment of a new wellness centre. Called, The Banyans Health and Wellness, it was purpose-built to provide tailored programs for discerning individuals, and with the highest level of specialist practitioner support available within the Southern Hemisphere. Drawing guests from around Australia, from the USA, New Zealand and Singapore the results are a testament to the benefit of a model that is medically informed and integrated with biopsychosocial care.

We have drawn on the Dimensions of Wellness from The National Wellness Institute, and trained our foundation staff in this model. This has meant that we take an integrated and holistic approach to wellness which informs every part of our program, and the shared language of staff helps our guests to understand the breadth of wellness.

For instance, with a Nutritionist on board, our team understands that proper nutrition and hydration are key to help restore physical and mental health and improve the chance of recovery. They understand that macro- and micronutrient deficiencies can lead to symptoms of depression, anxiety, and low energy, all of which can lead someone to start bad habits or learn maladaptive coping mechanisms in an attempt to soothe, comfort or distract themselves from the pain of their condition or symptoms of disease.

This integrated approach provides the best of both worlds, with robust medical care as needed and allied health providers working to provide more broad approaches to health and well-being. This means that medication is not feared nor is it seen as the only way to assist emotional and mental well-being.

As the Founding CEO, it has been a privilege to work with a large team to create wellness experiences for guests who have measurable, demonstrated results. It has been a joy to see the multi-modality of therapies being delivered successfully.

Our Clinical Director Peter Hayton explains the benefits of integrated residential programs in comparison to consultations in an out-patient mode. He says, “Many Psychologists in less frequent models of delivery, such as occasional appointments, need to rely on a client’s own motivation to address areas of physical well-being. This can be a difficult scenario, as the reason a client is seeing a therapist often means they have reduced motivation. Therefore, a psychologist may need a number of consultation sessions just to address this motivation and need to improve physical health concerns. However, in a residential wellness program, the aspects of diet, nutrition, exercise, and sleep are not only coordinated with the support of other professionals in the program, but are also scheduled into the daily program, freeing the counselling and psychological therapy time to address other concerns.To be successful, counselling and psychological treatment also require that clients allow ample time for contemplation, adjustment, and implementation. Less frequent therapy programs offer this space in between the weekly or monthly consultations and while therapists may set homework, the busy schedule of life can get in the way. This can make it difficult for clients to follow up or even take the time to practice new skills and learnings. In a residential program, while the program can be busy, there is also time specifically allocated for reflection, without the trappings and distraction of normal schedules and responsibilities. Thus the impact of transformation can be enhanced. Moreover, activities like yoga, music, and artwork often work hand in hand with the therapy components, adding power and emphasis to the change process.”

This is supported by research, with a broad study by Sheffield Hallam University showing that there was strong and consistent evidence for residential programs including:

• Residential programs provided benefits in physical and mental health and reductions in substance use.
• A study of females showed a clear benefit from residential treatment programmes in the area of psychological health.
• Greater overall improvement in physical health was related to residential programs than other forms of treatment.
• Long-term outcomes provide a strong endorsement of residential treatment and the longevity of its positive effects.
• Residential programs were significantly implicated in positive health outcomes, especially for those with alcohol, in the Australian Patient Pathways study.
• Residential programs are generally dealing with complex health needs, yet generally achieve equivalent or better results to other modalities of treatment.

For many people who have significant professional or personal responsibilities, investing one month in an intensive therapy program followed up supportive aftercare is much more attractive than eight months of trying to fit therapy in amidst the rest of life. Many guests also value the confidentiality that comes with one on one therapy rather than having to disclose personal details in group therapy.

Perhaps the most unexpected lesson over the last 18 months of operation is how discreetly people seek wellness programs like ours. With most guests finding us online, they are preferring to research options themselves online rather than talking to health providers. This has meant we have continued to refine our online communication and will do so on an ongoing basis.

A focus on wellness today provides greater quality of life for many years to come—it’s an investment with healthy returns.

Wellness practitioners who would like to see case examples are welcome to contact me at ruth@thebanyans.com.au for these or further information.

Ruth Limkin is a leader and communicator. Ruth is passionate about creating a better tomorrow and this has led her into all sorts of interesting spaces and experiences in media, politics, charity and business. Recent professional roles have included CEO of a charity, Chief of Staff to the Speaker of Queensland Parliament and currently, the CEO of The Banyans Health and Wellness (www.thebanyans.com.au), running a Wellness Residence. Born in Japan, Ruth has lived most of her life in Brisbane, and has enjoyed travels around Southeast Asia, the Pacific, UK, Europe, and the U.S.