The journey to recovery at an idyllic rehabilitation center

High above Lake Geneva, in a historic château in the Swiss Alps, with breathtaking views and peaceful surroundings, stands Clinic Les Alpes, a prestigious rehabilitation center treating individuals dealing with physical and behavioral addictions, anxieties, and post-trauma.

The clinic has a 360-degree view of Alpine meadows, forests, snow-capped mountains, and Lake Geneva. It is a beautiful, serene, and peaceful place.

But it was not always like that. The founder, Patrick Wilson, discovered the dilapidated château while looking for a place to establish an upscale rehabilitation center.

“The feeling of freedom and tranquility from overcoming dependency is one of the greatest personal achievements anyone can attain,” he tells a small group of Israeli journalists on a visit to the clinic. And Wilson knows what he is talking about.

He had inherited a pharmacy in Mayfair, London, and together with his brother turned it into one of the largest global alternative medicine enterprises.  As a successful businessman – who inherited a pharmacy in Mayfair, London, and together with his brother turned it into Nelsons, one of the largest global alternative medicine companies – Patrick Wilson found himself traveling constantly, and he says drinking became a way of dealing with anxieties and stress.

“Before I knew it, I became dependent on alcohol. But when you are successful, it is easy to hide your addictions,” he confesses. He found help in a center in England that has since been closed. “I knew I wanted to help others, and I looked for a place that would provide wholesome medical, physical, and emotional help for those suffering from substance abuse and emotional traumas.”

He chose Switzerland because of the strict medical regulations and expertise in treating addictions and traumas. It took him 10 years to bring the château to where it is now. Wilson oversaw the planning and execution, was involved with every detail, and even chose the wallpaper and dinnerware, as well as every single piece of furniture. His idea was to create an elegant English residence where patients would feel at home while going through the difficult process of getting “clean.” And he succeeded.

The building was restored to its original grandeur. Below the main building, three more stories were excavated from solid rock, creating the treatment area. Designed with floor-to-ceiling windows, the center houses the medical facilities, therapy and counseling rooms, and a spa with pool, saunas, and treatment suites.

CLINIC LES ALPES is stunning and welcoming. Every room is furnished in beautiful old world-style comfort , with attention to every detail. But for Wilson, that was only the beginning. He wanted only the best, so he recruited a multidisciplinary team of professionals from around the world who worked together with him for months before opening the doors.

Treatment

At Clinic Les Alpes, individuals struggling with trauma are treated with a compassionate and comprehensive approach to healing. Upon arrival, each patient undergoes a personalized assessment that informs a customized treatment plan, specifically designed to address his or her unique experiences and symptoms of trauma. The clinic’s serene setting in the Swiss Alps offers a tranquil and safe environment, designed for the deep reflection and intensive therapy necessary for trauma recovery. 

Treatment often includes a combination of trauma-informed psychotherapies, such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and psychodynamic therapy, complemented by innovative modalities such as neurofeedback, which collectively help alleviate the psychological and physiological effects of trauma. The approach is responsive to each patient’s individual needs, accommodating requests such as gender preferences for therapists or increased privacy.

Additionally, the clinic integrates holistic practices into the healing journey to strengthen the mind-body connection essential for overcoming trauma. Therapeutic options include art therapy, mindfulness meditation, and guided nature walks, all conducted by skilled therapists specializing in trauma recovery. These activities provide patients with practical tools to manage stress and anxiety and help rebuild a sense of control and self-worth often diminished by trauma. 

By focusing on a balanced approach to recovery, Clinic Les Alpes ensures that each individual’s path to wellness is both empowering and sustainable, fostering profound personal growth and lasting healing.

“OUR PHILOSOPHY is to take a holistic approach using integrative medicine for each patient and to provide him or her with individual treatment programs offering the best possible chance of recovery,” says medical director Dr. Randolph Willis.

Willis is a distinguished physician renowned for his expertise in addiction medicine and mental health. He is known for his compassionate approach to patient care, combining evidence-based treatments with personalized care plans tailored to each individual’s unique needs. Willis’s unwavering commitment to improving the lives of his patients has earned him a reputation as a leading figure in his field, making him a trusted and respected professional in the medical community.

The team, consisting of renowned medical, psychological, and nutritional specialists, works together. All the staff members meet every morning to discuss their patients, and what the housekeeping staff have to say just is as important as the medical members of the staff. “Cleaning the room, serving the meals, and clearing the dishes gives us a lot of information we might otherwise miss,” Willis says.

The clinic is a fully licensed, in-patient Swiss Medical facility, with doctors, counselors, nurses, and medical personnel on duty and available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to ensure that patients receive the best possible care.

SIX YEARS after opening its gates, the center decided to expand its focus to other areas of the world, including Israel. “We planned to reach out to the Israeli population as early as the beginning of 2023, long before the tragic events of Oct. 7,” says Wilson. “Israel has a sophisticated economy and a relatively small but dynamic population, geographically close to Switzerland.”

But Israel, as I discovered during my trip to the clinic, also ranks among the top countries in the world regarding addiction to painkillers, antidepressants, and anti-anxiety medications. A study conducted by the Taub Center in 2020 presented some disturbing facts regarding narcotic consumption for pain relief and its devastating effects. Israel was ranked number one that year in the world in opioid consumption – including pain narcotics, among them fentanyl, which is 50 times stronger than heroin – and has overtaken the United States.

“Addiction is a universal problem. Its effects can be found in every country, race, and gender,” Wilson says. “Every addiction creates a feeling of chaos and helplessness. I spent part of my life dealing with issues of dependence and mental well-being, and the clinic is the result of my journey to liberation from that.”

As part of focusing on the Israeli market, the center offers kosher meals and unique post-trauma treatments. As for the cost: A weekly stay costs about 45,000 Swiss francs (almost $50,000). 

“Many guests dealing with trauma and post-trauma come to Clinic Les Alpes,” says Wilson. “They find a compassionate and comprehensive approach to healing here. Each such patient receives a personalized treatment program aimed at addressing the unique symptoms of trauma. 

AFTER SPENDING two days at the enchanted château, I got a glimpse into what it means to take a personal journey for each patient, a journey into the body and soul that begins the moment you arrive at the secluded place, designed to provide peace to one’s soul.

As mentioned, every room or suite has stunning views of the green meadows, forests, snow-covered mountains, and Lake Geneva. Initially, patients undergo a series of comprehensive medical examinations, analyzing their health, physical and mental condition, and lifestyle habits. 

At the end of the process, depending on their condition, a personalized program is tailored for them, sometimes including spiritual assistance. 

“Sometimes spiritual guidance, by a priest, a rabbi, or a healer, is what we need for a breakthrough,” medical director Willis explains. The therapists include carefully selected expert doctors, psychiatrists, psychologists, nutritionists, fitness trainers, and sports and art therapists.

Discretion is very strict. One cannot simply roam the halls of the place or jump into the pool. You need a staff member to escort you – and they make sure you don’t meet other patients, at least not until you are ready to do so.

The minimum recommended stay time for rehabilitation, according to the clinic’s experts, is 28 days. The staff is available 24/7, and even after the treatment ends and the patient leaves the center, contact continues to ensure the success of the treatment.

“It takes courage to decide to seek help for emotional/mental health,” says Wilson. “At Clinic Les Alpes, we want to assist in making the situation clearer, to help people realize that there is a solution, a way to free oneself from the self-constructed prison of dependency and the diminished joy of life from mental and emotional issues,” he says. 

“The journey of recovery has a different path for every sufferer,” the clinic’s founder concludes, “but the feelings of liberty and peace of freeing oneself from substance dependency or unhealthy patterns of behavior is, in my view, one of the greatest personal achievements an individual can attain.” 

For more information contact: cliniclesalpes.com

The writer was a guest of Clinic Les Alpes.