A Message from the CEO
“Miracles happen here,” Lorraine would remind me, and I see proof of this every single day.
January 13, 2021
Glad To Be Back
Returning to the helm of South Pacific Private after almost a decade with St Vincent’s Health Australia hospital group has been a satisfying and invigorating experience. I feel immense pride to be returning to a team which leads the nation in treatment for addiction, trauma and mental health.
Like many of our staff, the mission of South Pacific Private has personal significance for me. I have loved ones who have struggled with the weight of depression and have turned to substance misuse as a coping mechanism. My family has experienced first-hand the painful cycle of mental illness and addiction as they fuel each other and inflict a devastating toll on the individual, their partner and the entire family.
The impact of the work we do here at South Pacific is inspiring. Our focus on family systems and relationships remains unique and powerful, and our expertise in identifying and addressing underlying trauma is one of the most transformative aspects of our work. We provide, to those who reach out, the power, knowledge and tools to free themselves to live full, rich, happy and healthy lives – something everyone deserves, but which too often feels out of reach.
My vision for South Pacific Private in the years ahead is to build upon these elements of our program, to refine and formalise our long-term recovery program and to share our framework and expertise with the broader community in Australia.
We remain committed to being there for the client community every step of the way.
As leaders in dual diagnosis, sex addiction and complex trauma, I believe we have an obligation to extend our training and education programs to the broader Australian mental health professional community and I’m excited about the opportunity to help shape and inform Australian best-practice.
In the immediate term, we know that COVID-19 has brought its own complex set of challenges not only to our operations as a rehab in Sydney, but to our clients, alumni and the broader recovery community.
We recognise that the pandemic has had a significant impact. The emotional, financial and social challenges are testing the resilience of even the strongest among us. To help, we have added a suite of face-to-face and online programs, and encourage everyone to contact us if they feel in need of additional support. We remain committed to being there for the client community every step of the way.
I remember when Lorraine Wood (our founder) first told me that at South Pacific Private, our clients can truly expect a miracle. “Miracles happen here,” she would remind me, and I see proof of this every single day.
It’s a privilege to be returning to the team at South Pacific Private and to work with Fran Hansen and Fleur Wood to carry forth Bill and Lorraine’s legacy of hope, compassion and excellence into the 2020s.
I can’t wait to see what we accomplish in the years ahead.
