I’ve just arrived back from Bali and have had the most wonderful birthday Bali trip with my besties! Bali is a very special space for me, I love the food, the climate, the energy of the place, all the healing options, and most of all, the people. It has been so good for my soul, with a focus on spa, wellness and healing treatments, and an incredible week at the internationally awarded women’s retreat, Escape Haven in the middle of it all. My dear friend Janine owns Escape Haven, so this was my 5th or 6th Escape Haven retreat, but my first in their new healing Sanctuary, built during the pandemic lockdowns. Check it out on IG @escapehaven, it is spectacular!
Each room at the Sanctuary is named after a goddess, so it was interesting (and apt!) that my room was called Kali – the goddess of destruction and transformation, especially after my journey with cancer over the last couple of years. The message for me is that sometimes things need to break down to transform. I certainly feel like my body is now in the best physical shape it’s been in a long time, thanks to my focus on healthy eating, intermittent fasting, low-intensity exercise, avoiding alcohol and ensuring sufficient sleep, in an effort to manage the intense fatigue I’ve experienced over the last 5-6 months! I was moved to tears when I came into my room and saw the message ‘Welcome Home, Cat’ spelled out in flowers on my bed. It really did feel like a homecoming to me. From the moment I stepped onto the retreat, I was cared for and nurtured by the most wonderful people. Everyone always has a smile on their face, and nothing is a problem to organise. The hardest decisions were which daily spa treatment to choose and whether I wanted a young coconut water or ginger tea!
I started on the Ayurvedic healing package (which is their most popular healing package) with an Ayurvedic consultation and then lots of Ayurvedic healing and spa treatments. I already know a little about Ayurvedic Medicine, and have several times considered training in it. Still, I got some excellent advice and reminders during my consultation that I have been implementing into my daily routine, with good success. There are many reasons that women come to Escape Haven to retreat and be nurtured, and on this retreat, we had all sorts of life transitions – major birthdays, relationship breakups, career decisions, and just ‘time for me’. On every EH retreat I’ve done; we meet as strangers and leave the retreat with deep sister bonds. There were several of the Escape Havenettes I was with who were doing the Balinese Healing package, and I loved the sound of the healing modalities they were experiencing, so after a couple of days, I asked whether I could change packages mid-retreat. I love that it was absolutely no problem, despite the major reshuffle in treatments it would involve!
I was especially interested in the Balinese Letting Go ceremony, as I had a lot to let go of with the cancer journey over the last couple of years, and the recent news that my dad’s chemo has stopped working. If you’ve been to Bali, you’ll know that the Balinese have lots of ceremonies, which I believe is part of the incredible healing energy on this very special island. For the Letting Go ceremony we wrote a letter of what we wanted to let go of, then went down to the beach with a wonderful female priest, who blessed us with holy water, said prayers and made offerings, and poured water over our heads! We then took the offerings to the ocean and threw them into the ocean, to signify letting go. I have chosen to let go of the cancer, and also the fear of it coming back, which has been sitting on my shoulder since I had news of the recurrence, and then being unable to tolerate Tamoxifen. Rather than letting the fear pull me down, I choose now to let it go and experience life to the fullest degree possible while listening to my body’s need to ‘slow down’.
Another highlight was the ‘Chasing Waterfalls’ day trip – travelling as a group to take in some stunning waterfalls! At Kanto Lampo, the first waterfall, we had some spectacular photos taken in the waterfall. Every woman in the group looked and felt incredible, like a goddess, and I am so proud of my body in these photos – after all the anxiety and nerves about the impact the surgery would have on my body, it’s looking possibly the best it ever has!
The Cacao Ceremony on the beach also took me deep into a healing space, and the daily yoga/meditation along with the beautiful food, daily spa treatments, playful adventures and deep connection with self and others have left me feeling renewed and refreshed. The team surprised me with an early birthday celebration and a beautiful flower bath! Interestingly, with the nurture and care, early nights and healing treatments, the fatigue hasn’t raised its ugly head while I’ve been away!
You can check out my Escape Haven story highlights on my IG @drcatstone if you haven’t seen them already. If it’s something that is calling to you, the team at Escape Haven have offered a free healing package if you book the base retreat and quote my name!
On either side of the Escape Haven retreat, we celebrated the birthdays of my best friends Eliza (16th August), Anna (28th August) and me (29th August). Whereas in the past I would have had a big party, the focus for this trip was relaxation, healing and connection. For the last 2 years, I’ve had ‘virtual’ birthdays in lockdown, so it has been super special to reconnect with some of my deepest friendships from around the world. We started the trip with kundalini yoga at Desa Seni, the yoga resort where Eliza and I first discovered kundalini yoga 11 years ago, and I finished the trip the same way, with Anna. Kundalini has paid a significant role in my recovery from the first cancer, and it was a great reminder of its power to help with my energy now. We did lots of incredible healing, massages and treatments, as well as an abundance of laughs, tears and chats. I also got to share time with my dear friend from London, @DrSophieShotter, for one night at the Bulgari Resort. It has filled my soul having the opportunity to be surrounded by my soul sisters, old and new, and I feel full to overflowing with love, gratitude and joy 💗
The birthday celebration continues back in NZ, as we have the incredible prize pack for one lucky winner to celebrate TFP’s 21 years in business! Make sure you’re booked in September to enter the draw!
Now that I’m back I will be facilitating the occasional training workshop, including the Hyalase Workshop in September and training newbie injectors for Allergan. I’m still not yet back injecting, as I need to gauge where the fatigue sits, but am working with my occupational therapist on this. Our team continues to do an incredible job with our new GM, Nicci, at the helm. Our team will be demonstrating the Vampire Facelift and discussing other treatments with PRP at the Beauty EQ Long Lunch this Saturday. If you are interested, you can book tickets here.
When the pandemic hit we stopped charging the Sustainable Salons $2 green fee across the board. This initiative allows us to recycle up to 70% of the waste that would otherwise end up in landfill, and we have been the trial clinic for more sustainable sharps bins, which could have a massive impact on the medical waste produced by hospitals and clinics. The proceeds of everything recycled goes to help feed underprivileged kids through KiwiHarvest. We will be reinstating the green fee from this month. If you prefer to not contribute, please let the team know on the back of your consent form, and we will pay your fee for you. We are passionate about having a positive impact in a holistic sense and appreciate your support in this incredible initiative.
Yay! It’s officially spring, and it’s been wonderful to see daffodils blooming and the green shoots starting to sprout from the trees. If you’ve been considering IPL, you should be prepping your skin now, as we will be finishing with the IPL machine in a month’s time, and recommencing in April next year. It’s also time to start booking your pre-holiday treatments, as we always book up solidly in October, November and December… make sure you get in early to secure your spot!
Celebrating my birthday after the cancer journey I’ve been on the last couple of years has had me reflecting that growing older is a privilege. Saying that just because we grow older doesn’t mean we have to look (or act) that way! I have a real issue with people talking about anti-ageing, instead, I believe we should age positively, and this is reflected in our policies and results at The Face Place, celebrating natural results that are both age-appropriate and ageless.
Wishing you health, happiness and many blessings in your life as the days start growing warmer. Thank you, as always, for all your love and support.
Love and hugs,
Dr Cat 😻
