High above Lake Geneva, in a historic château in the Swiss Alps, with breathtaking views and peaceful surroundings, stands Clinic Les Alpes, a prestigious rehabilitation center treating individuals dealing with physical and behavioral addictions, anxieties, and . The clinic has a 360-degree view of Alpine meadows, forests, snow-capped mountains, and Lake Geneva. It is a beautiful, serene, and peaceful place.
But it was not always like that. The founder, Patrick Wilson, discovered the dilapidated château while looking for a place to establish an upscale rehabilitation center. “The feeling of freedom and tranquility from overcoming dependency is one of the greatest personal achievements anyone can attain,” he tells a small group of Israeli journalists on a visit to the clinic.
And Wilson knows what he is talking about. He had inherited a pharmacy in Mayfair, London, and together with his brother turned it into one of the largest global alternative medicine enterprises. As a successful businessman – who inherited a pharmacy in Mayfair, London, and together with his brother turned it into Nelsons, one of the largest global alternative medicine companies – Patrick Wilson found himself traveling constantly, and he says drinking became a way of dealing with anxieties and stress.
“Before I knew it, I became dependent on alcohol. But when you are successful, it is easy to hide your addictions,” he confesses. He found help in a center in England that has since been clos.