Spas and retreats now address mental health and well-being - in luxury

Nov 7 , 2013

Holistic approach shifts focus to concentrate on the well-being of the mind and soul

It can be very hard to change a lifelong habit or deal with stress and still maintain a daily routine, but extra help is at hand. Destination spas and retreats are now attending to their clients' psychological and emotional issues, and offering fitness guidance and aesthetic treatments. These extra services have created one of the fastest-growing niches in the travel/spa industry.

One of the most respected entrants to this movement is the new Legacy Retreat (www.thelegacyretreat.com), which is held "in select serene and beautiful locations across the Asia-Pacific".

From the Legacy Retreat experience in Vietnam: Nam Hai Hoi An pool villa courtyard

"All of us have to deal with high levels of stress, whether it is the unpredictability of the economy, demanding jobs, or trying to make the work-life balance work," says its founding director, Crystal Lim Leahy.

"We believe there are four basic aspects to life - body, mind, emotions and spirit. We wanted to create something which nurtured all four aspects to achieve a deeper, more sophisticated level of well-being. Nothing we saw in this market addressed emotions and mind in tandem with body and spirit."

For that reason, the retreat's menu offers qi gong, acupuncture and meditation, to psychotherapy workshops on stress management. Locales such as Bhutan only add to the feeling of being completely unplugged and able to concentrate on bigger issues, from the physical to the emotional.

The retreat's all-inclusive five-day programmes cost between US$7,500 and US$9,500, depending on the location, and it hopes to launch weekend retreats and workshops in the US$3,000 price range in the near future.

For a generation where subjects such as Alzheimer's, and the effect of longer life expectancy on psychological health, are increasingly in the headlines, the esteemed Canyon Ranch (www.canyonranch.com) with outposts across the US in Tucson, Massachusetts and Miami, has unveiled a new programme called "Focus on Brain Fitness and Longevity".

Neurofeedback lectures on healthy eating for the brain - stay away from inflammatory food - plus meditation and tai chi are covered in the programme.

"Through our integrative approach to wellness, Canyon Ranch is able to offer our guests the tools they need to age healthily," explains its corporate medical director, Mark Liponis.

"Exercise, nutrition and stress management all play a role in boosting memory and brain power, and now more than ever our guests are realising that they can and should be proactive in ensuring cognitive vitality for the later years in life."

Canyon Ranch has always aimed to be at the cutting edge of more innovative and truly holistic approaches to health. The integrative approach to wellness focuses on everything from nutrition to stress management, along with exercise, physiology, sleep habits and brain health.