Istana Bespoke Health - Barbados

Bespoke One-to-One Treatment for Substance Dependence, Depression, Anxiety, Burnout & PTSD

What to Expect During a Stay at Istana

Clients are housed in their own private 5-star villa set on large grounds complete with pool, discreet domestic staff, security and personal chef. Each villa is a sanctuary and its own private treatment centre. When a client decides to come to Istana, they are presented with a few villa options to suit the individual’s taste.

At Istana, clients are not asked to fit into a predetermined program or attend group therapy. Instead, each program is bespoke, designed to meet each client's unique needs and achieve their goals for recovery. An elite team of international specialists provide each client with their undivided attention. Some of these specialists will have personal experience with the issues the client is dealing with, helping them provide more personalized and practical support.

Anything that is required to assist a client’s recovery can be integrated into their program.

Many of the complementary therapies provided can help soothe and accelerate the detox process and promote overall peace of mind. They only need to let Istana know their treatment interests, and their team will organize the appropriate resources.

Istana strives to make each client feel safe, understood, and expertly cared for at all times. Clients can feel daily momentum and progress by understanding and resolving underlying issues that drive their distress and subsequent behaviors.

Istana believes getting well should be an uplifting experience without worry or care for the outside world, and that rediscovering joy is a key component of their recovery.

Additionally, clients maintain their sense of authority, retaining their cell phones and devices.

PA & Concierge Services

Confidentiality is critical to most of Istana’s clients and many come to them with ongoing pressing business and/or family issues that need to be attended to. Each client has a rotating team of 3 concierge/PAs, one of whom is always present day and night. To further relieve any stress the client may be feeling, the concierge team can alleviate any outside concerns by acting as proxy PAs and can discreetly liaise with EAs and/or family as much as desired. They regularly work with security teams, agents, business managers, board members and EAs.

All team members are bound by internationally applicable Confidentiality Agreements.

INDIVIDUAL TREATMENT PROGRAM AT ISTANA

To begin

Istana recognises that a client may be feeling anxious on arrival and welcomes them into a relaxed atmosphere, taking care of everything a client may need.

Clients are met at the airport by a senior member of the Istana team. Arrangements are pre-arranged to fast-track them through immigration/customs, and take them to their private villa. The client then has time to decompress and acclimatize to their surroundings.

The client’s medical team will be at the villa on their arrival for observations, immediate treatment, medication, and ongoing medical care, including 24-hour nursing if required.

Also present is Istana’s Istana’s Director of Client Services, who will be their day-to-day point of contact and in charge of all aspects of co ordinating their team and program. Medical screens and nutrient deficiency tests will be done after settling in.

Detoxification (if required)

Istana’s aim is to help clients through this period as comfortably as possible. Before arrival, Istana conducts a preliminary clinical assessment of each client’s detox requirements. On arrival, Istana’s detox medical team will meet the client at the villa for a precise assessment and provide the immediate treatment and the ongoing support required to get each client through this phase safely and with as little discomfort as possible. If required, clients have 24/7 medical care, daily doctor visits, and live-in nursing during this period.

In addition to traditional medical detox support, various healing therapies, such as relaxation techniques, massages, meditation, acupuncture, restorative yoga, and gentle personal training are on offer. Working together with the medicated detox, these practices help remove toxins, improve physical well-being and overall peace of mind.

Istana also analyses each client’s nutritional requirements and implements a plan that includes nutritional supplements and a healthy diet to help ease them through the withdrawal process. The client’s personal chef will curate a delicious and healthy menu to suit their taste and personal preferences. Istana works with each client to ensure their specific dietary requirements are met and nutritional well-being is cared for.

Psychology and Psychotherapy

Psychotherapy sessions take place in the client’s villa and are informally set. The techniques utilised by their psychologist are determined by each client’s needs and what they respond to in the most positive fashion. Istana blends advanced medicine, progressive psychotherapy, and evidence-based Eastern practices. Clients normally have 3-4 psychology sessions per week, though they ultimately receive as many as needed. During these sessions, clients are able to explore and resolve the underlying issues behind their struggles and learn how to healthily manage stress to their advantage. During these sessions clients also come to recognise, examine, and discard any unhealthy coping mechanisms they may be using to get through the day.

With the help of their psychologist, each client will set ambitious yet attainable life goals that benefit their well-being. Additionally, clients have the opportunity to practice and implement coping skills to manage triggers as they arise in their personal and professional life, and thus help prevent reoccurrence or relapse.

Ultimately the client can arrive at a place of resolution where the current state they seek reprieve from and its subsequent behaviours are actively worked on and no longer a part of their life.

The Environment, Therapeutic Team and Support Staff

Each client’s treatment team includes any and every treatment professional they need. Medical doctors, psychiatrists, psychologists, therapists, and a multitude of other professionals are available. Istana prioritises every client’s therapeutic requirements over business decisions. They are unbound by institutional requirements and dogma.

Client confidentiality and a relaxed atmosphere are paramount. Istana’s cars are discreet, client villas are unbranded and their team don’t wear uniforms. Istana hopes that clients laugh every day and enjoy the company of those around them as much as they respect their professionalism.

To this end, each client’s team is curated for both a cultural and therapeutic fit. Their team will all be compassionate, empathetic, and specialists in resolving the issues that clients are seeking reprieve from.

The Program

Istana goes at their client’s speed and the scheduling is collaborative; they welcome suggestions in planning each week’s schedule. Each client’s program is bespoke, holistic, and its components carefully integrated to resolve their issues and match their interests. Every element complements and enhances the effects of the others, making the whole greater than the sum of its parts. Programs consist of a combination of progressive psychotherapy, medicine, and complementary modalities such as yoga, meditation, breath-work, Watsu, personal training, inner child, and martial arts, to name just a few.

Essentially, whatever is required for a successful and sustainable treatment outcome can be integrated into their program.

Aftercare

The level of aftercare required will become apparent and agreed during treatment and through conversations with partners, if clients wish to involve them in this decision. Aftercare can range from intensive levels, such as sending a team of 2 back with the client to help them re-acclimatise (either live-in or nearby), to remote sessions with their Istana psychotherapist, or to Istana organising the best possible therapists to replicate Istana in a client’s hometown.

Evolving information provides clients with a definitive and collaborative plan for their departure and ongoing care. Istana takes care of their needs to ensure their return home is satisfactory and continues the positive trajectory clients leave on.

Recreation

Many of Istana’s clients had forgotten how to have fun and enjoy life. Istana believes recovery should be an uplifting experience and makes every effort to bring this about. With this comes an increasing sense of freedom from the past, hope for the future, and eventually joy in the present. Anything that relaxes an individual, puts a smile on their face, or just makes them feel happy can become a component of their program. This can range from relaxing by the pool to watching the sunrise from the lip of a volcano and anything in between.

Istana can also help clients reignite old passions and discover new interests. Every client is welcome to try out any therapeutically beneficial recreational pursuits they are interested in, such as surfing, cultural experiences, martial arts, hiking, spiritual exploration, writing, photography, diving, snorkeling, and sailing. Their team will organise everything.

Accommodation, Down Time and Business/Family Obligations

Each client is housed in their own secluded and private villa. Istana’s villas are all fully staffed (including security) and all have private pools and spacious gardens. Clients will have time to themselves to watch TV, read a book or just enjoy the beauty of the surroundings. Istana’s clients come to them with real world responsibilities that often can’t be ignored. Istana provides assistance and as much time as needed to catch up with work and family but recommends that clients digitally disconnect as much as possible.

Support staff are experienced in acting as proxy PAs. They can actively assist each client or discreetly liaise with whoever clients nominate in their office to ensure essential business and/or family obligations are met. A client’s villa is their sanctuary and Istana would like them to consider it as their home, with any requirements or preferences met. A member of Istana’s team will always be discreetly on hand. Their support staff know when a client would like company or needs space, so while clients will never feel alone, they will also never feel crowded by Istana’s staff.

Istana also welcomes family members. Clients who wish to have family can consult their psychotherapist to find the best way to manage this without interfering with recovery.

Nutrition

Each client’s menu is personalised to their preferences and therapeutic needs. Unless a client is eating out, all meals are freshly prepared in the villa by their chef. Clients are always welcome to go out if they feel like sampling any of the excellent international or local restaurants. They need only let support staff know and Istana will take care of everything. Istana’s chefs can cater to all personal and religious dietary preferences.