THE SANCTUARY BYRON BAY

Since its inception in early 2004, The Sanctuary has received considerable national and international media acclaim, including a feature article in the 2005 Business Review Weekly (BRW) Rich List issue (Australia), being named as one of the ten “Most Luxurious Places To Dry Out” in Forbes Magazine (US) and being named one of the six “Chicest Places To Go Cold Turkey” in the Sunday Times (UK).

The Australian Women’s Weekly

"Celebrity Rehabs" written by David Leser, February 2008

"In the past four years, The Sanctuary has worked with European industrialists, English aristocracy, American record producers, taipans or chief executives from Hong Kong, lawyers, bankers and chief executives from around Australia and New Zealand, and, yes, for the gossip-hungry among us, movie stars and top models, too.

...Every day, another headline, another famous person's fall from grace. Where do they go? To whom do they turn? And how do they face up to a lifetime of private pain while trapped behind a public facade? ..In a little surfing village on the most easterly point of Australia there is a sanctuary that awaits them. As [practitioner] says "We are not meeting the private jet they flew in on. We are not meeting the beautiful face in the magazine. We are not meeting what they do or who they look like. We are meeting who they are.". Some people, rich or poor, would give their earthly possessions just for that."

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The Australian

"Ab Fab Rehab" written by Susan Maushart, June 9-10 2007

" At The Sanctuary, Byron Bay - arguably one of Australia's best drug and alcohol rehabilitation facilities and, with fees of up to $28,000 a week, certainly the costliest - there is no 'there' at all: no driveway, no gates, no 'facility' of any kind, unless you count the admin office, housed in a modest, conspicuously signage-free unit on the outskirts of town.

The Sanctuary is so exclusive that it doesn't reside in ordinary space and time. Instead, it is conjured into existence, de novo, for each and every admission. There are no private rooms here. There are private residences, one to a customer, leased as needed from among 40 beachfront properties. The one I visit, alas all too briefly, is gorgeous. From its walled tropical gardens and tranquil reflecting pools to the long, sloping lawns to the dunes, it oozes the kind of Bali-wood glamour Byron is famous for."

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Time Magazine

"Check In- Room For Recovery" written by Graham Simmons, November 29, 2004

"Instead of opting for a neighbourhood 12-step program, they would rather ensconce themselves in the opulent seclusion of The Sanctuary’s beachfront villas, which come with all the accoutrements of a luxury resort."

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The Sun Herald

"Kicking the Habit in Style" written by Danielle Teutsch, January 9, 2005

"[Clients] include a high-flying CEO, a woman working in the US entertainment industry and troubled scions of old-money families. Alcohol addiction is the most common problem, followed by drug abuse, gambling and obsessive-compulsive disorders. Almost all clients have underlying anxiety and depression."

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BRW

"Rehab for the Riches" written by Emily Ross, May 19-July 13 2005

"There is no sign saying "Welcome to The Sanctuary". Ask Byron locals about The Sanctuary and they may have heard about it, but have no idea where it is. The Sanctuary's 40-year-old founder, Michael Goldberg, likes it that way. His operation is shrouded in secrecy. Its 50 employees and contractors work in the rented luxury homes in the area that are used by the clients. Each client has their own palatial house that becomes a private retreat during their stay. From the outside, the client can seem like any other up-market holiday maker."

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The Sun Herald

"Breaking the Cycle" written by Helen Hawkes, December 2008

"Addiction doesn't often present as a single issue", says Jane Williams, clinical director of The Sanctuary Byron Bay rehabilitation facility in NSW. "Other issues such as grief, depression, relationship breakdown and chronic pain can precede or accompany it," she explains, "and we're seeing more of these types of problems." Nor is there such as thing as a typical addict, William says. Those needing help vary from executives who use recreational drugs to unwind, to seniors who become addicted to medication. For those who have an addiction, admitting they have a problem and finding a suitable rehabilitation program and being treated with respect are crucial to success."

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Harpers Bazaar

"Rehab Confidential" written by Alix Johnson, December 2006

"The program is so shrouded in secrecy that a roster of up to 40 super-deluxe houses are rented (often at the last minute) to cater to the schedules of the high-flying clientele. On the surface, these burnt-out execs, aristocrats and A-list celebrities, ranging in age from 14 to 70, could be mistaken for any other upmarket tourist choosing to holiday in this alluring seaside town. But of course, they’re not."

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Forbes

"Most Luxurious Places To Dry Out" written by Christina Valhouli

"More and more treatment facilities resemble upscale resorts, complete with beach-side settings, fitness centers, tennis courts, fine dining (sans wine list, of course) and a list of fitness activities which could rival a luxury spa. At some centers, such as the newly-opened Sanctuary in Australia, patients are also provided with personal chefs, physical trainers, and dailyyoga and Pilates classes, along with Shiatsu and acupuncture treatments."

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