Chris Griffiths' story
"Everything you could possibly hope for..."
Chris Griffiths knows a thing or two about women’s wellness. As a psychotherapist, registered nurse, author and holistic health practitioner, she has devoted her life to helping people – especially women – struggling with addictions and mental illness. So after a five-day stay, how did she rate the wellness experience on offer at The Monastery? “The Monastery,” she says, “is everything you could possibly hope for…”
At the start of 2011, Chris Griffiths decided she needed a change. Normally Chris uses her three weeks of annual leave to tackle an adventure like the Milford Track or the Grand Traverse. This year, however, she felt she needed to “practise what I preach”.
“I work hard, dividing my time between clinical mental health work, professional supervision and working as a volunteer registered practitioner with First Light Flower Essences,” says Chris. “I decided to plan ahead during 2010 and realised that I needed to do what I tell everyone else to do – take some time to have a complete rest!” The answer, for Chris, was a five-day wellness retreat at The Monastery.
“I was impressed from the moment I arrived at how thorough and professional The Monastery staff were,” says Chris. “I had a wellness consultation that lasted three quarters of an hour and was really comprehensive. I was, of course, at The Monastery mainly to have a rest – but I could see that if I was staying there because of more complex issues, I would be well taken care of with counselling and careful, responsible and professional support.”
Chris stayed in the warm, relaxing Hibiscus Room, which offers direct access out to the veranda and the gardens. “Spending time in the gardens was such a highlight of the stay for me,” says Chris. “The gardeners were so lovely and so helpful – they were willing to share their knowledge as well as show us around.”
During the main garden tour, Chris was inspired by The Monastery’s organic vegetable garden – but lamented her own lack of space for growing vegetables. “The gardener said not to worry about having a small garden – just buy some compost bags, cut holes in them and pop the plants straight in!” says Chris. “So now I have mesclun and cavallo nero – which is so packed with nutrients – growing in bags in my little garden in Takapuna! It’s very inspiring.”
The purpose of The Monastery’s vegetable garden is to supply the majority of the organic fruit and vegetables used in The Monastery’s cuisine. Chris appreciated knowing that the food she was enjoying so much was absolutely fresh – straight from garden to table, with help from The Monastery’s culinary team!
“The food was just amazing – I’ve been raving about it to everybody,” says Chris. “Never mind ‘New Zealand MasterChef’ – I told The Monastery staff that this was like ‘World MasterChef’. It was just outstanding – the colours, the textures, the presentation... I felt like I must have put on five kilos by the time I left but of course I hadn’t, because it is all so healthy as well as being delicious.”
During her stay, Chris also enjoyed a massage – “absolutely the best massage I have ever had in my entire life!” – and holistic pulsing and reiki sessions. Chris left The Monastery “one hundred per cent rested, relaxed and rejuvenated”.
“I took a pile of brochures with me to give to all my friends,” says Chris. “I think it’s such a worthwhile investment in your wellbeing to do a retreat at The Monastery – my time there has set me up for the year. They offer such a wonderful, empowering wellness model. A stay at The Monastery is everything that you could possibly hope for.”
