Camino Recovery
About Camino Recovery The Camino Recovery Centre is an intimate eight-bed facility specialising in the treatment of addiction and (co-morbid) conditions such as trauma and depression. It is based in Velez Malaga in southern Spain, and is easily accessible from the UK via regular flights to nearby Málaga Airport. The Centre’s Programme Director is American psychotherapist, Don Lavender. He has held clinical management and consultative p... (Show more)
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- nice staff (2)
- totally competent (2)
- bad behavior (1)
- bad communication (1)
Camino Recovery Reviews
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Mr Don Lavender
Don Lavender is Camino Recovery’s Programme Director. He is an American psychotherapist with more than 30 years experience in clinical management and consultative positions. He has worked in some of the most effective and best-known treatment centres in the world, including the Priory hospitals in the UK and Sierra Tucson in Arizona. At Sierra Tucson he was the Director of the family programme and established a new, 70-bed eating disorder facility. Don is perhaps best known for his pioneering work in equine assisted psychotherapy, or EAP, which he helped to develop in US treatment centres some 20 years ago. EAP is now widely used in the treatment of trauma not only in addiction services, but also to help former soldiers who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD. Don also specialises in EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprogramming), an intensive treatment that has had proven success in the field of trauma. Both EAP and EMDR are available at Camino Recovery. Presently he is a member of FDAP (Federation of Drug and Alcohol Professionals) and EATA (European Addiction Treatment Agencies) in the UK
Specialities
Mr Ameet Braich
Ameet Braich is a primary therapist who was born and educated in London. He has a Bachelors degree in Biochemical Engineering from University College London. His interest in the addiction field, led to an MA degree in addiction counselling from Hazelden (Minnesota, USA). Ameet is a licensed member of the International Certification and Reciprocity Consortium. His other training includes Equine Assisted Psychotherapy, or EAP, non-violent crisis intervention, adolescent behaviour, gambling treatment, multicultural issues, and family interventions. He specialises in addiction and trauma resolution.
Specialities
Mrs Meena Lavender
Meena Lavender is a family/intake counsellor who trained in bi-lingual counselling with a certificate in addictions counselling at Greenwich University in London. Meena has a wealth of experience working in the field of chemical dependency, with a particular interest in family dynamics having taken part in the Family Programme at Hazelden in Minnesota. For the past 10 years her work has included utilising a multi-disciplinary approach to healing including art therapy, Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) and Equine Assisted Psychotherapy (EAP). Meena has worked as an addiction counsellor with a particular interest in family dynamics and eye movement desensitisation and reprogramming, or EMDR. She specialises in Family and Trauma resolution.
Camino saved my life. If you are reading this, I wish you the best of luck. I thought it would take me years (if ever) to get out of the hole I and my family was in. It didn't, thanks to the Camino team.
Camino was a life changing experience for me. The staff are all amazing, caring people. It’s tough to adjust to the structure at first but it’s 100% worth it. I was in there for around 6 weeks, and they were probably the 6 most important weeks of my life to date. Thank you to all of the Camino Team for putting me on the path I’m now on.... (Show more)
The “care” I received was dangerously poor. I received no individual therapy at all. The staff made homophobic comments. They screened the film “To the Bone” to an anorexia patient. The therapists were deeply unkind and cruel. This place is a cash grab. It should be shut down. I advise anyone looking for help to seek someplace else.... (Show more)
This place was appalling when I went there. 3 months of punitive hell without proper psychiatric support and barbaric ‘tough love’ approaches. I had to go to another centre after just to get over this. It did more damage than good. Filthy dirty, revolting food and only one therapist worth her salt who doesn’t work there anymore. Don’t do it. Don’t place your loved one here, they are charlatans; egos bigger than their professional credentials. Hell on earth.... (Show more)
About 15 years ago the pains of a dysfunctional childhood and a successful professional career were increasingly at odds with each other. Thanks to the genuine compassion, empathy and professionalism of Camino Recovery. I was guided through a therapeutic process that swiftly resolved the conflicts and compensating behaviours. I remain forever grateful for trusting and choosing Camino Recovery.
As an addiction professional I have known some of the staff here for nearly 30 years and when I needed help it was the only place I called. They are very skilled professionals who both support and also challenge where needed. The inpatient treatment was excellent and support afterwards was great. As far as I am concerned they have the only real family programme in Europe and all of my family benefited from the experience. Love these guys. (Even the ones that challenged me).... (Show more)
Beautiful picturesque place located in the rolling hills of Andalucía! Incredibly well run by lovely accommodating people!
I have deep respect for the staff at Camino. I have the experience of been treated with the kindest regard and care. The grounds are a wonderland of impressions. A true oasis of bliss. I recommend Camino Recovery to anyone looking to truly invest in themselves. Camino Recovery makes Recovery possible. Keep up the good work.... (Show more)
3 words come to my head when I think of Camino. geniune- compassionate- LOVEful. Don, Mina, Ameet, Lauren, David and the rest of the therapists were so understanding, so positive and encouraging. I felt at home, I felt in a safe environment that nobody would judge or reject me. apart from addiction they did very serious work to enhance and repair the bad communication and destroyed balance between my mother,sister and me in our group family sessions. the energy of the building and surrounding gardens, decoration etc were extraordinary, peaceful and tasteful and the food and desserts absolutely delicious! thank you for everything, don't change a thing, Dafni Greece... (Show more)
This is a review of Camino’s ‘family week’ not of the centre as a whole. I attended the family week to support a family member and to, I imagined, gain some tools for moving forward after they left. I found the communication from Camino prior to the week to be very poor and a lack of information given. I have probably received one reply for every 4 emails id sent. I found the lectures to be very dumbed down and Americanised and I didn’t learn one thing that I didn’t already know. And it is 100% ‘group work’ which I found very unhelpful, I expected there to be an aspect of one to one therapy with a councillor and your family memeber. I also found Don’s attitude very poor. He didn’t introduce himself when I introduced myself and then when I asked where I could take some time out in the very emotional week, he got up and stormed off. I only stayed for two days as I found it so awful. I’m sure the week would suit some people but I’m very disappointed after spending money on flights and 6 nights in a hotel to have received so little useful content or support. Just make sure you know more than I did about it before you go. Best of luck.... (Show more)