This Luxury Ranch in California is Helping Guests Cope With COVID Stress

After a year in and out of lockdown, with one eye always on the news and a constant sense of impending doom, it wouldn’t surprise us if COVID stress had got you down. Honestly, you’re not alone—at the peak of the pandemic, 78 per cent of Australians reported that their mental health had worsened since the outbreak.

There’s plenty we can do to support ourselves during this time, but we just discovered something that beats out any other alternatives: A luxury ranch retreat with a COVID-stress focused wellness program. Such a thing exists, but to get to it, unfortunately, you’ll need to hop on a flight to California.

For those of you already in the US, or with access to a private jet, you’ll want to make a beeline for Post Ranch Inn, perched on a cliff on the coastline of Big Sur. It’s a romantic luxury retreat that sits in 100 acres of redwood forest, with all of the buildings designed to look like grown-up treehouses and each of the 41 guest rooms and private houses offer spectacular ocean or mountain views.

Since its opening, Post Ranch Inn has had a focus on wellness and relaxation, through exercise, healthy eating and reconnecting with nature. After months of the pandemic, and hearing about the stress it was putting on people, the ranch turned its attention to creating a program specifically designed to alleviate COVID stress.

Post Ranch Inn partnered with BlueWave Medicine and its founder, integrative medicine physician, Dr Brad Jacobs to create a program based on Dr Jacobs’ Six Pillars of Healthy Living platform. This program is designed to help Post Ranch Guests cope with the stress caused by the pandemic, improve resiliency and enhance sleep, by increasing exercise, eating well and spending time in nature.

The six pillars referenced in the program include healthy eating, active living, restorative sleep, stress reduction and awareness, connection, passion, and purpose.

The program includes two main parts: First, complimentary virtual presentations by Dr Jacobs, clinical social worker Kristine Huffman and other health practitioners specialising in fields such as stress reduction, sleep and healthy eating. Second, a range of outdoor and on-site experiences to support the principles of the six pillars. These experiences range from nutrition consultation to Nidra yoga, and some are even complimentary.

Within the pillar of healthy eating, you might want to take a course in ayurvedic nutrition and learn about the foods, habits and practices to best feed yourself. You’ll come away with a personalised diet plan to help balance your doshas, and a one-hour session will set you back $265.

For active living, try outdoor yoga with an experienced instructor. You and a partner can do a one-hour class for $190.

For the restorative sleep pillar, take a course in sound sleep and learn to play tuning forks and singing bowls to experience soothing sound frequencies. It’ll cost $280, and you’ll walk away with your own set of tuning forks so you can continue the experience at home.

For stress reduction and awareness, sign up for something like an hour of mindful meditation and learn to focus on the moment. Achieve greater levels of relaxation and awareness for $190 for you and a partner.

The pillar of connection can be addressed with a variety of options including a 90-minute couple’s reflexology massage class. Reach a higher level of connection as a couple by learning reflexology and massage techniques using Big Sur jade stones. For $345 you’ll help each other relax and sleep better, and you’ll go home with your own body butter and Big Sur jade for ongoing enjoyment.

The sixth pillar, finding passion and purpose, offers options including astrology reading using your birth chart to map your life path and access your natural gifts. An hour will cost $295 and promises to help you align your purpose.

If the six pillars leave you any spare time during your stay, you can visit the spa for one of their signature treatments, or take a dip in one of the swimming pools. All-day dining at Sierra Mar offers local flavours and views of the rugged coastline—you’ll never want to go back to the real world.

Looking for a getaway closer to home? See the best holiday rentals in Palm Beach.

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