"My Experience of Zero Protocol at Thera Bespoke Bali has been nothing but enlightening. I chose Thera on recommendation of a friend and a clinician who had known me well for years. I immediately felt attracted to the program by video calls I had with Paul Tanner, their treatment director."
"He was understanding and seemed experienced and skillful as he outlined his Zero Protocol program. I liked the sound of the flexibility of the approach, the rural tropical location and the idea of a fully personalized treatment experience. I also fell in love with South East Asia. I travel a lot, for both business and pleasure, and I have very high standards when it comes to hospitality, food, and accommodation. So, first things first, this was important for me. Thera lived up to all expectations in this area. The villas were delightful and inspiring, my dedicated chef became a friend, and we exchanged recipes and went shopping in the markets together, and the driver and vehicle were excellent. I always felt safe when we went out on excursions. Within days of arrival, I sensed that this was the right place for me. I loved the attentiveness of the entire team.
The recovery concierge tried so hard to help me with every little practical issue I had, from sourcing my favorite brand of tobacco to arranging short trips to great hotels I had always wanted visit as a base for diving in Bali. The flexibility really worked for me. I was able to arrange the sessions around my work and energy levels. I would sit with the treatment director frequently to fine tune the schedule to suit me best. The Zero Protocol program really interested me and inspired me. It was innovative and made sense to me from day one. Each session seemed to build on the previous one and was reflected across all the different modalities. It was so positive in its approach and challenged me to look beyond my jaded confusion and glimpse the man I would like to be.
I told Paul that my understanding of Zero Protocol was in a curious analogy of diamond mining. We each have a brilliant diamond of creative potential within, but mine was buried in hard earth – the chaos of my drinking. Zero protocol helped me dig out my diamond, but it was still ugly, covered in dirt and clay. That dirt symbolized the trauma that was behind my drinking. The sessions helped me understand and heal the trauma, and then finally we began to cut and shine the diamond through working with my conscious and subconscious mind. I liked the simple yet scientific approach. I was completely changed after I finished treatment. I don’t normally like to be the center of attention, but I appreciated the Balinese dinner and dance with a troupe of teenage dancers and musicians from the village that the Thera team arranged in my villa to celebrate the work we had done together. I felt privileged by glimpses into the authentic Balinese culture and found the hidden water temples a fascinating and healing experience.
I had warned Paul before arriving in Bali that I wasn’t interested in mindfulness. Still, by the time I left Bali I was enjoying daily practices like body movement, time in nature, and meditation. They had become a habit for me – so much healthier than the habits of drinking, depression, and feeling listless in life. Overall, Thera was such an enriching experience for me."
"What made the experience most comfortable is the people behind Thera who provided inspiration and guidance on what life could be like sober and healthy. I started believing in myself again."
"When I first arrived at in Bali, I had no intention of achieving sobriety. I was simply present as a further attempt to show my family that I was trying.
The truth is, I was adamant my life without drugs and alcohol would be lifeless and unenjoyable. However, throughout my journey into the program, my views quickly changed. My life was about to change forever.
Although there was a wide variety of treatments suited to each person’s needs and beliefs, I was personally drawn towards quantum meditation practices that I learned from Paul, who is extremely knowledgeable in this field. I still to this day continue to use the meditations to my benefit on a daily basis. Other beneficial programs that kept my mind and body strong ranged from Yoga, which I continue to practice, martial arts and excursions. The program was not all work, and there were plenty of fun activities which released some of the intensity of what I was learning about my condition. The rest of the staff were all extremely caring and supportive throughout the process.
The accommodation and service provided were 5-star standards, and they went out of their way to ensure I was always catered for and looked after.
What made the experience most comfortable is that I was able to meet people who were in similar positions as I was and provided inspiration of what life could be sober. Overall, the entire team did not treat me like a client but rather a member of their family. They cared truly for my well-being.
3 years later, my life has more meaning, joy and happiness. Although I have experienced some very difficult days and I have had a few short slips, I know I could always count on Paul’s loving support and aftercare, and I feel confident I am finding my way in life.
Zero Protocol has given me the tools to learn from my mistakes and I am becoming the man I want to be. My business is outstanding, and I am balancing a work life balance with daily meditation and body movement. I am also building a loving relationship and learning how to be in a committed relationship."
“Thera approached my recovery with love, light, attentiveness and understanding.”
"After trying various methods, rehabs and self-will to become sober, I was at the end of a long, tortuous road. I would describe myself back then as defeated. A slave to my addictions and their inevitable outcomes. I would think there was no saving me and that I was at the point of no return. Fortunately, I came across Zero Protocol. Initially, quantum was an alien concept to me, but after my countless failings, I decided to give going clean one final attempt. During the program, the team peeled back layer after layer of my life from the beginning, and we addressed the trauma before an extraordinary transformation began to take place inside me.
The methodology was different to what I had experienced in rehabilitation before. Paul and the team approached my recovery with love, light, attentiveness and, above all, understanding. Through Quantum meditation and prayer, my spirit began to free itself from the shackles that weighed it down. Hope, Self-Love, Faith and Gratitude replaced Anger, Pride, Judgement and Shame. All the tools I learned in Bali taught me how to cross the river of change and become the person I once thought I could not be."
“Thera's team, thank you for being a second family to us and giving us the gift of hope.”
"Eight years ago, I started to notice that my brother, who was 21 at the time, was just a very different person when he consumed alcohol. When everyone else’s night ended, his would continue onto the next day. His behaviour was aggressive in contrast to when he was sober. We had constant battles and promises of how much was to be consumed, and we started to fear any social gatherings. Unfortunately, this had transitioned to the use of benzodiazepine in the past two years, and our world had turned upside down. No matter what we tried, we were not able to stop his addiction.
We then started looking at centers online. However, none made us feel comfortable enough, and all seemed extremely commercial and unprofessional. The rest were over the top strict and used unkind methods, which we knew he would simply walk out from.
Then we stumbled across the Zero Protocol program in Bali, we connected with a member of the team, and it was an instant moment of relief. He immediately understood what we were going through and had so much knowledge of the situation from experience.
We packed our bags and headed to Bali! We were provided with a private luxury villa, a whole team of hospitality staff to look after us, and, most importantly, the absolutely amazing clinical team was out of this world. The moment we stepped in and sat down, I walked out for a stroll. I remember taking a deep breath, realizing I have never felt so much relief in years. It felt like the weight was now off my shoulders, and my brother was in the right hands.
Five weeks later, we understood that my brother had a disease of addiction. We understood why he had been different to everyone else around alcohol and why he had ended up on the path of other drugs.
After the program, things were tough in the real world; however, the team has remained - to this day - in constant contact with both of us for support. One year on, we can happily say that my brother remains sober and, most importantly, fighting to remain sober.
Thank you for being a second family to us and giving us the gift of hope. You have proven that there really can be a happy ending to our story. My brother and I will forever owe our new happy life to you."
"You have continued to be a source of wisdom and strength for me."
"Your blessings are gifts you give to everyone lucky enough to encounter you. You are open, honest, present and true, Paul. Our innocence is our foundation, and I feel honoured to share and reflect my innocence with you. You have continued to be a source of wisdom and strength for me.
I am secure and where I want to be in terms of my relationship with my children and elderly parents, as well as my business, which is an incredible gift. I find our interactions nourishing and inspiring."
