Pretoria Psychiatric Hospital Combines Integrative Therapy with Tranquil Surroundings
Whether you may have come to terms with the reality of an addiction and are ready to seek a solution or if you are battling with a mental illness and in need of support, some form of professional therapy will prove essential. While out-patient counselling sessions are able to play a valuable role in the recovery process, in many cases they are better employed as an adjunct to residential care rather than as an effective alternative.
Over the years, both the nature and the role of the psychiatric hospital have undergone a marked and much-needed metamorphosis. Establishments in Pretoria and other parts of South Africa now favour a more holistic approach to the treatment of addiction and psychiatric disorders, concentrating less on exploring ways in which to supress their symptoms and more on identifying and treating their root causes. The image of chemically induced passivity, austere surroundings and punishment portrayed in the black-and-white productions from the ???Hammer House of Horror??? belong to a long-gone age and have been replaced by a regimen in which a beautiful and tranquil environment and specialised, individual care now play the leading roles.
This so-called integrative approach begins by setting the goal of treatment as not just ensuring the absence of illness but of re-establishing a state of optimal, mental wellness. Simply put, this means that the treatments provided at a psychiatric hospital, whether in Pretoria or Pofadder, should be aimed at helping its patients to achieve happiness and fulfilment within the context of their daily lives, and not merely at ridding them of depression, anxiety or some form of addiction.
While integrative therapy will inevitably involve the use of medication, individual and group counselling, as well as occupational therapy, each play an equally vital role in the treatments conducted at the Beethoven Recovery Centre. Our focus extends beyond that of mental welfare to encompass both physical and spiritual wellness, and this begins by providing an environment that offers our patients the peace and tranquillity that is such an important component of the recovery process. Set amid the beautiful landscape of the Magaliesberg and surrounded by well-kept gardens, our psychiatric hospital is within easy reach of Pretoria and offers air-conditioned, double-roomed accommodation that is spacious, furnished to the highest standards, includes DStv and is serviced daily.
Though each room has its own fully-fitted kitchenette, central facilities include the services of an experienced chef who is able prepare meals to comply with most dietary requirements. For relaxation, in addition to the gardens, the centre provides a gym, pool table, swimming pool, table tennis and a volleyball court.
We are all individuals and no less so when we are ill. It is therefore essential that specialists at a psychiatric hospital take account of this individuality when compiling treatment programmes. At the Beethoven Recovery Centre in Pretoria, each patient is evaluated at length in order that their programme can be tailored using the proven interventions that are deemed most appropriate to the specific needs that were identified. Continuous monitoring of these programmes allows the relative efficacy of these interventions to be assessed and modified, where indicated, based on clinical evidence. The close bond maintained between patient and therapist further accounts for our record of success.