David Rowe often wakes up early, brews a strong coffee and if the surf is rolling, he drives his scooter complete with his board on a rack down to Berawa Beach to catch a couple of waves before heading to SivanaBali drug rehab. Starting the day, the right way is an important aspect of drug and alcohol recovery and part of what he teaches his clients at the rehab centre. Strolling in his shoes, it quickly becomes apparent that this is a man who not only talks the talk but also walks the walk.
Morning handover with the team
By the time David arrives at the drug rehab centre the clients have either been to the gym or out on a beach walk supervised by recovery coaches. The morning handover starts at 8.45 where a full complement of clinical and nursing staff meet for a run down of what has happened during the previous evening and overnight. David listens intently with a poker face, occasionally cracking a smile when he hears something pleasing about the progress of one of his wards. After this, he quietly settles at the desk to catch up on some clinical notes or heads up to the clients sitting room to see how everyone is going.
David understands the struggle with addiction
David is from Sydney and he found his recovery in 1982 after a long struggle with addiction. He said, “My relationship broke down because I went back to using heroin and that was the catalyst to seek help. I went into a detox centre for seven days and that was the start of my recovery.” Before this, he had spent many years chasing the dragon through South East Asia and when he returned home he tended to drink and use drugs other than heroin.
The first big task of his working day starts at 10 am when he facilitates the process group. This takes place in an idyllic room on the second floor of the main building overlooking the swimming pool and the rambling tropical greenery surrounding the drug rehab centre. A truly serene space for the guided meditation which begins every group session.
The clients settle either in chairs or on cushions on the floor and as the first sounds of the guided meditation begin to echo across the space, silence descends and it is only the breath, the gentle breeze in the palm trees and the sound of the birds that can be heard. After meditation the clients work on expressing themselves, reframing events using a CBT model and assertiveness practice under David’s mindful facilitation
A love affair with recovery
“Working in recovery has been a 30-year love affair for me, said David, “I love watching people get well and seeing them reconnect with themselves, their families and the world around them, it is still truly magical even after all this time. My favourite part of the working day at Sivana comes in the form of every interaction I have with the people here and being involved in their awakening from the degradation of addiction.” Frequently, when David is not facilitating groups, he can be found participating in ping pong competitions with the clients in one of the communal areas or chatting with them over a coffee.
David has worked in drug and alcohol treatment for over 30 years in a range of different capacities from counselling clients with HIV and trauma to working in harm reduction programs and setting up addiction treatment programs in prisons. He was one of the first people to undertake the 3-year diploma in AOD in Australia which was literally being written as he was completing it. As well as this he has countless qualifications in everything from conflict resolution, Motivational Interviewing and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy to suicide awareness training. A calm and reserved presence, he immediately puts people at ease and is conservative with his words giving them a certain gravitas.
After process group, David attends to any of the logistical organisation that needs to take place which may include taking care of weekend plans or organising things like counselling times, massages and haircuts. The clients go out on a variety of adventurous and cultural activities around the island at the weekend including visiting the orphanage, the waterparks, the beach, wildlife centres, the monkey forest, the spa and touring a chocolate factory.
Educational workshops at SivanaBali
The educational workshops which take place every day during the week form an essential part of the SivanaBali drug rehab program. David facilitates all the group work as well as some of the individual counselling and this helps the Clinical Team, to identify and address each client’s underlying issues. David works closely with Nadine Winter, the Clinical Director, David Elsey, the Head Counsellor, and the recovery coaches.
David said, “The educational groups are a Sivana are great is because they really offer an opportunity for the clients to develop the idea that they are the experts in their own lives and that they know so much more than they think. I am simply there to help join up anything that they are not connecting with and to facilitate appropriately the support that the clients receive from each other.”
These workshops run over 8 weeks and cover all sorts of addiction-related topics including the chemistry of the addicted brain, self-esteem, anger, relapse prevention, CBT and mindfulness. David explained, “Ideally I want the clients to come up with how they relate to whatever topic we are discussing and help them to develop a relevant model that works for them. It is not about telling the clients what to do but just reframing and adding to what they already know.”
Each client is an individual
After the daily education workshop, David has one on one counselling sessions. He works with each person in a slightly different way and during his many years of experience, he has learned to adjust his approach according to the needs of the person that sits in front of him. Everyone who comes here has their own story and their pathway both into and out of active addiction and due respect is always given to this.
Positive Wednesdays
On a Wednesday, the schedule is a little different with the process group occurring earlier and then everyone hops on the bus and they go to a lovely nearby hotel right on the beach. At this incredible location, the clients participate in their education workshop and then spend an hour relaxing in the sun. Wednesday is also always known as ‘Positive Wednesday’ as an accolade to a former client and always features a certain medication and the giving and receiving of positive feedback.
David’s busy day comes to a close with an evening a handover at 4.45 pm at the end of which he and Nadine traditionally walk out of the centre together and head home. Often this is not the end of the day as one or the other of them are on call for the team at the centre. When David is not at work he enjoys hanging out with his family and friends, exploring the island or heading to the ocean for a surf.
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