There’s a colourful sign that reads ‘Wandi Nerida’ at the entrance to 228 Old Gympie Road, a beautiful 10-hectare parcel of land in the lush Mooloolah Valley. Some motorists driving past may wonder fleetingly what the name means. Most would have no idea that it is home to Australia’s first residential recovery centre for eating disorders, a sanctuary that not only offers hope but saves lives.
The name Wandi Nerida was gifted by local elders of the Kabi Kabi nation and means “gather together to blossom”. As I soon discover, it’s a perfectly apt name.
Driving down the long driveway surrounded by paddocks and beautiful, mature trees, there’s an overwhelming feeling of tranquillity. A horse ambles over to the fence where I park my car. Equine therapy is part of the program at Wandi Nerida (affectionately known as ‘Wandi’), and you can understand why when you look at the horse’s wise, kind eyes.
Although Wandi is classed as a private hospital, the guests are referred to as participants, rather than patients. They are invited to share messages of encouragement for future participants, and I stop to read some of the messages painted on signs in the garden.
I sense that Wandi is a very special place.
“Sometimes what you’re afraid of doing is the very thing that will set you free,” wrote Emily; “Keep going and only look back to remember how far you’ve come,” Charli shared. And a message from Tyler that will bring a smile to your face: “You will laugh, smile and dance around the kitchen sometime soon.”
A smiling Carmel Gurnick meets me at reception. Carmel is the human resources director of Wandi Nerida, a fully registered deductible gift recipient charity, which is owned and operated by the Butterfly Foundation.
She proudly takes me on a tour of the grounds, including the veggie garden, chicken coop and the pretty pavilion where participants do yoga and art.
Back inside the building, there’s a homely lounge with a guitar in the corner, a library crammed with books and puzzles and an attractive dining area with a large open-plan kitchen where a chef shows participants how to prepare meals. Yes, there are also clinical treatment and therapy rooms, but they don’t look anything like hospital treatment rooms.
“The catchphrase ‘everyone is working towards a common goal’ is often a misnomer,” Carmel says. “I had never seen it put into practice until I joined here. Everyone, regardless of their background, is truly working towards a common goal and it’s really refreshing to see.”
Carmel adds that 58 per cent of Wandi’s staff members have a ‘lived experience’ or experience caring for someone with an eating disorder. “It’s a very well-informed work group,” she says.
At the helm of the Wandi Nerida team is CEO Brian Mayahle, who has extensive experience in mental health services in the UK and Australia, as well as a PhD. Importantly, in 2023, he secured funding from Queensland Health for eight of the 13 beds at Wandi.
“Our funding model is quite complex. There are eight publicly funded beds that have been contracted by Queensland Health for Queensland residents and five for private participants, which are full-fee paying or partially fee-paying, if they are subsidised by our financial assistance program.
“That funding program must be replenished all the time, so donations are always welcome,” he says.
Another key person is operations director Dani Dougherty, an experienced healthcare leader with a background in nursing, midwifery and Indigenous health. Both Brian and Dani speak passionately about the unique mix of therapies at Wandi, including permaculture, movement, art, music, drama, sewing, equine, group and family therapy. There’s also a beautiful resident therapy dog, Triya.
“Those are mostly the adjunctive kinds of therapies, but we also have evidence-based clinical therapies, such as cognitive behavioural therapy, enhanced cognitive behavioural therapy and dialectical behavioural therapy,” Brian says.
“The special thing about Wandi is that we do that in conjunction with the 8 Keys to Recovery from an Eating Disorder, which was developed by Carolyn Costin in 2008,” adds Dani. “Carolyn’s model was very much about integrating the eating disorder self with the healthy self. Not seeing the eating disorder as a disease and something to get rid of but, in fact, a part of who you are. It can be integrated with having more healthy behaviours around food.”
Brian says one of the key aspects is the group therapy. “This is at the core of everything we do because in this model, participants work together. Peer support is critical in talking about their behaviours and how they can manage that as a group as they move forward to their recovery.”
Since opening in 2021, there have been 202 participants at Wandi. They stay for between eight and 12 weeks. Dani says that because an eating disorder is a relapsing kind of illness, some may return for follow-up treatment. “People don’t always leave Wandi fully recovered, but they’re on the journey to recovery and have spent time with other people who are on the same journey.”
Brian points out that a “successful recovery” much depends on the individual’s circumstances. “For example, we may have a participant who was at a university, but they couldn’t continue because of their eating disorder. When they are discharged from here and can go back to university, or a job or a school, or function better as a mum, when they go back to the community and lead a fulfilling life, then that is success.”
Although there are many challenges for the team at Wandi, there are many highlights too. Says Dani: “It’s so worthwhile when you see someone coming to Wandi and they’re so unwell and sometimes lacking hope, and over the weeks you see them start to form relationships with their peers and the staff. Then 12 weeks later, they are telling us and their peers that they have dreams for the future.”
Together, the Butterfly Foundation, the Wandi team and participants have created a nurturing, life-saving retreat that the Sunshine Coast can be proud of.
To inquire about admission to Wandi Nerida or to donate, visit their website.
Letters of hope
One of the highlights at Wandi Nerida is the graduation ceremony, where participants write ‘Letters of Hope’ and read them to their families and peers. “It’s a beautiful thing to see,” says CEO Brian Mayahle. “One common theme that has been said repeatedly is ‘Wandi saved my life’.”
Here are excerpts from some of the Letters of Hope:
“Wandi has been one of the hardest but most amazing experiences of my life. I am leaving here changed and not afraid to be myself, have emotions or live my life anymore.”
“Wandi has set me up with skills that I’ve never learned from professionals before – portioning, baking, cooking, shopping, becoming my nourished self and capable of doing all of this.”
“A big part of my Wandi journey was finding who I am outside of my eating disorder and actually putting plans in place to create the life I want.”
“Wandi came into my life when I needed you most and gave me hope and the skills I need to finally leave my eating disorder behind.”