A completely new world of health

Growing up in rural Australia, Shanna says she knew very little about looking after her health. Clean eating, holistic health and many of the things she would encounter during those first 30 days were completely new to her.

She had visited another retreat previously, but it hadn’t been what she needed. At that point in her life, she was looking for more than somewhere beautiful to rest. She wanted support, and she wanted to understand her health and learn how to begin taking care of herself.

“I needed proper care and support to learn how to prioritise health – and that was exactly what I instantly got through Living Valley – from treatments to lectures and consults with their naturopaths.”

Shanna remembers feeling at home here almost immediately. It was the warmth, the people and the down-to-earth atmosphere that stood out to her. There was connection around meals, walks and the daily rhythm of the retreat, but also the freedom to step away and rest whenever she needed it.

One of her strongest memories from that first stay was connecting with her naturopath.

“I was immediately blown away by her expansive knowledge and genuine wish to help me find my way back to health.”

Through her consultations, assessments and the education she received throughout her stay, Shanna began understanding her body and her health in a way she never had before.

“I was utterly fascinated, and it was like an entire new world was opening up before me.”

Shanna threw herself into those 30 days. She immersed herself in learning, treatments, consultations and the daily routines of the retreat, taking in as much as she could about caring for a body she says she had neglected for years.

She also remembers how quickly she began to feel different. Shanna had arrived around nine kilograms overweight, although weight loss wasn’t her reason for coming.

“The day my husband picked me up, his eyes almost popped out of his head. He said I was ‘radiating’ good health and energy. I’d lost all those 9 kilos (which wasn’t even a goal, ironically), and my skin was clear, my eyes were bright, and I felt like I could run a lap of Australia with the energy I suddenly had.”

Looking back on that first stay, Shanna says:

“It was truly indescribable, and the most important investment of my life to date.”

The journey that followed

Shanna’s journey from that first stay to the life she lives today wasn’t a straight one.

Around six months after returning home, she relapsed and went through another very difficult period with alcohol. In her own account, Shanna says she was still in a form of denial before eventually reaching a point where she was able to face her addiction “front on”.

The work required to overcome her addiction was something Shanna ultimately had to do herself. What she had gained during those first 30 days was a new understanding of her health and the experience of what could change when she began to properly care for herself.

“While it’s true that I absolutely had to ‘do the work’ to turn my life around, this incredible organisation played a significant role in laying the foundations for the health, education, and wellness I live by to this day.”

In a separate reflection Shanna shared with us, she described just how significant that first stay had been:

“What happened in that period of time from education to support, rest, rejuvenation and most powerfully of all – hope – changed the course of my entire life.”

Those foundations stayed with Shanna as she continued to rebuild her health and her life. Today, she has been alcohol-free for 13 years.

A life that went on to help others

What Shanna went on to do with her own experience is a huge part of why her story means so much to us.

After experiencing addiction and the challenges of seeking support while living rurally herself, Shanna went on to establish Sober in the Country, a grassroots charity advocating for social inclusion and providing peer-to-peer support for people across rural Australia who are changing their relationship with alcohol.

Sober in the Country has spent more than a decade driving change across rural Australia, with a simple and inclusive message at the heart of its work: it’s #OK2SAYNO to booze. Importantly, its work is not about prohibition. It is about making sure rural communities are more inclusive and that people who choose not to drink are supported rather than excluded.

Shanna’s work has since received national recognition. She was named Australian of the Year Local Hero and Marie Claire Advocate of the Year, and in 2025 she was recognised with an Order of Australia medal for her significant contribution to rural community health.

Almost 14 years ago, Shanna first arrived at Living Valley feeling, in her words, “utterly beyond help”. Today, much of her work is dedicated to supporting people in rural Australia who may understand that feeling all too well.

A connection that has continued

Shanna’s first 30-day stay was only the beginning of her relationship with Living Valley. She has continued to return over the years and has recommended the retreat to many others along the way.

“Having seen it and experienced it, I now simply believe so deeply in the power of a body to heal – even after the worst adversity.”

Many of the ideas that were completely foreign to Shanna during her first visit have become part of the way she lives today. Her priorities remain closely centred around what she describes as the basics of healthy living.

There’s even some humour in how far things have come. Shanna remembers growing up in rural Australia where those who took care of their health or chose not to drink were called “mad hippies”. These days, she tells her bush mates, with a grin, that she is one herself. Her home even has its own infrared sauna, bought, she points out, with some of the money she saved by quitting alcohol.

Across her stays with us, however, it isn’t one particular treatment or facility that Shanna speaks most fondly about. It’s how Living Valley has made her feel.

“For me, the ‘family’ vibe and atmosphere, minus pretence, were what I loved so much – then and now. It felt down-to-earth, real, and like a place and a group of people who TRULY cared.”

A lot has changed at Living Valley since Shanna first came through our gates almost 14 years ago, but hearing that the feeling she first found here has remained with her means a great deal to us.

“As a human now 13 years alcohol-free and joyfully so, I will always credit LVS with the role they played in that chapter of my life, and I will always be so thankful for Gary’s vision all those decades ago.”

Shanna’s story belongs to Shanna. Her life today is the result of her own work, resilience and the many experiences that have shaped her over the years. We’re grateful that Living Valley has remained a part of that story, and that after almost 14 years, she continues to return.

Perhaps Shanna says it best herself:

“This experience changed my life, and I only wish more people would prioritise their health and choose to invest in a health detox, instead of more of the same material things…”

And thankfully for us, she isn’t finished with Living Valley yet.

“I wish I could visit again tomorrow. I hope to, soon.”