Parkland Place, recently opened in Colwyn Bay to offer residential therapy to people struggling with addictions, could be the perfect place to launch your recovery and get your life back on track
People from all backgrounds can find themselves on the wrong side of addiction. Frequently they have arrived there one small step at a time, until suddenly harmful behaviours govern their life and control is lost. Addiction might mean drugs of course, but usually it’s more likely to mean alcohol – accessible and fun, until it isn’t. We’re all increasingly aware of non-substance addictions too – gambling, shopping, infidelity maybe – all of which can destroy lives; and all of which can be beaten, with the right help from the right people in the right place.
Parkland Place is the first private rehabilitation centre established by CAIS, a charity that has run residential rehabilitation programmes for more than two decades, serving the NHS and social services across Wales and the UK.
‘We accept people who self-refer,’ says manager Julie Coates ‘and people pointed in our direction by a GP or private therapist. We understand the stigma around seeking help for behavioural and addiction issues. People can call on us with no fear of judgement and with every confidence in receiving the help they need.’
This ethos – “no judgement, just help” – vibrates through every sentence you will hear from every person you will meet at Parkland Place.
‘Our experience with NHS clients means that we have worked with many, many clients with complex needs and in complex circumstances,’ says Elen Richards, the admissions manager. ‘Our therapeutic team has years of experience in the fields of addiction, rehabilitation and recovery and are so dedicated to their work. You really couldn’t be in better hands.’
Parkland Place is rather like a comfortable, country house hotel. Every bedroom is different, warm and welcoming. Each room is, of course, en-suite and, as the house was originally built in the 1880s by a Lancashire cotton magnate seeking a country retreat, is elegantly proportioned and completely, utterly silent.
‘Comfort and confidentiality are absolutely crucial to our guests and of course to us,’ says Elen. ‘We can discreetly collect people and return them home, provide truly comfortable surroundings during their stay here, and make sure they enjoy the meals they want to eat. We know our guests lead busy lives and may have family or business commitments, so we’re pleased to do whatever we can to support them to access our service in a way which suits them, and in complete privacy.’
Parkland Place’s excellent kitchen serves bistro-quality meals in a small, friendly dining room. Menus feature the finest, locally-sourced Welsh produce wherever possible. Over dinner, guests meet and mingle, and support and reassure one another. There’s also a programme of weekend visits to some of this stunning region’s most culturally significant and historic beauty spots – enabling guests to experience the best of Wales.
‘The therapy is intense,’ says Julie. ‘People usually commit to a three or four-week stay here, but before that we can help our guests deal with the physiological aspects of their addiction, should that be necessary, by referring them to our own specialist detoxification clinic. Then, at Parkland Place, we can address the psychological background to their addiction and the social circumstances that have enabled it.
‘To heal someone you must look at the whole person, not just the symptoms. As such, our therapy is fully bespoke, and tailored to the needs of the individual. We undertake a thorough assessment of every prospective guest before they arrive, so we can begin to build a therapeutic plan around them. Group and one-to-one therapy are of course a huge element of it, family therapy is vital for some too, and we also seek to put in place cognitive behavioural approaches that our guests can carry on themselves when they return to their lives. Meditation, yoga, massage… we look for those techniques which help each person continue on their path.
‘Our support doesn’t end when our guests leave, of course. We put in place a 12-month aftercare package to continue their therapy and ease them back to their lives feeling safe and supported. We have a huge network of connections that will ensure the support they need is there for them in their own community.’
With modern life increasingly intensely stressful it’s no surprise that more and more people are struggling to cope and seeking to escape through drugs, alcohol or other means equally harmful. When the time comes that these people tip from social to unsociable users and realise that they can’t make a change themselves, then Parkland Place is there with everything necessary to effect positive, healing change.
It’s quite a comforting thought, isn’t it?
Colwyn Bay | 01492 203421
Facebook: fb.com/parklandplace
Twitter: @parkland_place
Instagram: @parkland_place
This promotional feature was brought to you by the editorial team at Cheshire Life. If you would like your business to feature in our pages please contact Matthew Rogers on 01925 969 012.
