The Place Retreat
Seminyak, Bali
Exquisite, calming sanctuary with psychotherapy for short and long-term stays
Belgian psychotherapist Jean-Claude Chalmet has created a professionally run, beautiful and calming sanctuary in the heart of cosmopolitan Seminyak in southern Bali for burnt out, exhausted and unhappy individuals, couples and families in need of holistic and psychological healing. Taking the best of western and eastern practice, his family of practitioners works in unison to create hand-held, transformative retreats of up to 90 nights.
our Reviewer annabel heseltine says:
‘Be they burnt-out bankers, traumatised divorcees, crashed widows, anxious mothers, lost teenagers or just people seeking a new way, guests rarely come for just a week. More usually they stay a month or two or three’
our Reviewer Nilufer Atik says:
‘The private therapy sessions with Jean-Claude were where the real self-work took place. I had five during my stay and achieved more in terms of emotional healing in those few hours alone than I’d had in two years of counselling’
Queen of Retreats says:
‘Your pre-arrival chat with the enchanting Jean-Claude will give you a strong sense of whether this is the right place for you. All therapists are superlative - Phonik’s Essalen massage is out of this world. Guests are encouraged to treat the gorgeous grounds like home. Bring a change of clothes for the evening if you want to eat out locally, where restaurants are cool and sophisticated’
Experiences
Programmes are personalised to meet your needs, and can cater for individuals, families and couples. Each will include a minimum of three private, integrative and collaborative hour-long psychotherapy sessions with Jean-Claude, a Belgian who has lived in Bali since 2015 and has over 20 years of experience in his field.
The exceptional team specialise in the treatment of depression, emotional abuse, sexual orientation, sexual issues, self-esteem issues, anger and anger management, addiction, food concerns, breakdowns, divorce, redundancy, dysfunctional relationships, and destructive behaviours, both to the self and to others.
The therapeutic approach includes morning classes of kundalini or hatha yoga, bi-weekly yin yoga, group workshops and various complementary therapies, tantric practices and spiritual rituals to help you break down external walls and open up to your internal emotions and sensations.
Craniosacral therapy, Chinese osteopathy with Japanese acupuncture, sound and colour therapy, shamanic sound healing, watsu, energy healing, qigong and clinical hypnosis are all expertly carried out. Regular Balinese massages relieve physical tension and offer a little pampering.
Between sessions, float in the pools, flop with a good book on a sun lounger, mingle with fellow guests or watch DVDs in the outdoor living room. Seminyak beach is a cool five-minute stroll through rice padis and local markets. If you’re here for a month or more, consider signing up for a local course in music, ceramic or art.
Spaces
The Place is divided between two sites five metres apart. Everyone eats and hangs out in the main space, and guests are escorted down a quiet alleyway to comfortable and spacious treatment rooms, which are softly lit and quiet, with full bathrooms and dressing areas.
Buildings are in the traditional Balinese Balé style, while books, fine antiques and paintings, many from Europe, are mixed with beautiful Buddhas to create an elegant home-from-home feeling.
An external wooden staircase entices guests to explore the yoga shamballa on the roof. Without walls, it catches the breeze all day for those wishing for a quiet space to meditate.
Lush tropical gardens are shaded by palms, magnolias, mango and coconut trees, there are three marbled swimming pools with their own exotic flavour and shape, while an open-air kitchen festooned with orchids overlooks a carp-filled lily-pond. The large communal table is the heart of The Place.
Four-poster beds cocooned in soft muslin dominate beautifully decorated bedrooms with their own sitting areas including a large desk. Bathrooms vary with either powerful showers to some with outdoor stone baths.
Sustenance
Guests are offered an extensive menu on arrival and asked to choose their meals for the week, but chefs are equally happy with choices made 24 hours in advance.
Tasty and nourishing meals using the freshest seasonal and organic ingredients cater to all tastes, from meat eaters to vegetarians, vegans and pescatarians.
Delicious breakfasts served until mid-morning include smoothies, coconut water, juices, fresh fruit, home-made granolas, hash browns, corn fritters and eggs done any style.
Lunches and suppers might include salads like beetroot carpaccio with maple syrup and rocket with olive oil, quinoa salad with hummus and chicken or local dishes such as stir fry rice paper rolls with dipping sauce, gnocchi pesto with shrimp or Thai fish soup, pasta with lamb meat balls and chicken sate.
Coffee, juice and nourishing snacks are on tap all day.
