When you arrive at our rehab retreat, exercise might be the last thing on your mind. And that’s completely okay.
For some people, movement has always been an important part of feeling well. For others, exercise may have vanished from their routine somewhere along the way. Maybe you’re feeling tired, physically run down or disconnected from your body. Or perhaps you just haven’t felt like moving much for a long time.
There’s no expectation that everyone who comes to The Bardo should exercise in the same way. Instead, we look at where you are when you arrive and find ways to bring movement into your stay that feel right for you.
Why movement is helpful during recovery
There’s more to movement than simply reaching your fitness goals, managing your weight or how you look. Movement adds structure to your day, provides a change of scenery and offers a healthy way to release some of the physical tension that can come with stress and anxiety. It can also be an opportunity to reconnect with your body and notice how you’re feeling.
When you’re going through addiction recovery, experiencing burnout or working on your mental health, what your body needs can change every day. Some days you might feel ready for a more active session. On other days, you may feel like slowing things down. Both have a place at The Bardo.
What does staying active at The Bardo actually look like?
There isn’t one exercise program that suits every individual. Just like the rest of your treatment, our approach is personalised. We take into account your health, current fitness, how you’re feeling and what you actually enjoy before deciding what movement might look like during your stay.
Our health and wellbeing team includes a personal trainer and fitness professional, as well as practitioners offering yoga, Yin Yoga, bodywork and other complementary therapies. This gives us different ways to incorporate movement depending on what feels good for you.
Perhaps you want to rebuild strength and enjoy the routine of regular exercise. Or for you, it could mean some gentle yoga, stretching and learning to slow down and reconnect with your body.
You don’t need to arrive fit, and you don’t need to become fit while you’re here. The goal is to find movement that supports how you feel.
Starting from exactly where you are
One of the most important parts of a personalised approach is understanding that everyone has a different starting point.
If you’ve been struggling with alcohol or drug dependency, stress, burnout or your mental health, looking after yourself physically may have become too difficult. Sleep, appetite, energy and motivation can all be affected. Jumping straight into a vigorous exercise routine isn’t necessarily what your body needs right now.
Because your treatment plan is built around you, movement sits within a much broader approach to recovery that can include clinical and psychological support, counselling, nutrition and complementary health and wellbeing therapies.
Some days, rest might be your priority. Other days, getting outside and moving might feel good. As you begin feeling stronger, what you want and can do may change, too.
We always encourage you to listen to your body and work from there.
Finding something you might want to continue
At The Bardo, we want to help you discover something realistic, that could potentially become part of looking after yourself when you return home. That could be going for a walk when your head feels busy, returning to a sport you once enjoyed, continuing yoga or finding a form of exercise that gives you time away from the pressures you feel.
Small routines can become useful anchors when life starts getting busy again.
If you haven’t enjoyed exercise in the past, that’s okay too. Recovery isn’t measured by how many workouts you do. Movement is just one of the many tools available to support your overall wellbeing during recovery.
Recovery that considers the whole person
Located in the hinterland between the Gold Coast and Brisbane, The Bardo is a private and confidential rehab retreat where every part of your stay is shaped around your individual needs.
With only four guests at a time, we can take a genuinely personal approach to recovery and wellbeing. That includes how you stay active. Whether movement for you means building strength, practising yoga, stretching, or simply starting to move your body again, we’ll meet you where you are and help you find an approach that feels right.
If you’re considering rehab on the Gold Coast or Brisbane, contact The Bardo for a confidential conversation about our approach and what a stay with us can look like.
