What I needed in recovery, but couldn’t find anywhere

After a relapse in 2020, I had one clear need: to get out of my environment in Amsterdam. Not because the city was bad, but because it no longer felt safe for me. Too many memories, too many patterns, too many triggers on every street corner.

By that time, I had already been in a clinic twice. Those experiences gave me a lot of insight. I understood my patterns, my triggers, and my boundaries. What I needed at that moment wasn’t another treatment program or therapy. I needed peace. Space. Nature. Time to be by myself without pressure or expectations.

So I literally went into the forest. Walking, sitting, thinking. No big plan, no schedule. Just moving, eating, sleeping, and starting again the next day. In that silence, the insights came naturally. I started exercising again, eating healthier, and slowly some structure returned to my days. On my own strength.

During that period, I also realized that Amsterdam was no longer the right place for me to start over. We had already sold our company, many friends had moved away, and there wasn’t much left that truly anchored me there. Moving to Spain didn’t feel like an escape, but like the closing of a chapter. A conscious choice for a new beginning.

When I eventually arrived in Spain and bought Villa Torrent, a new phase started. I redesigned the place step by step, exactly the way I liked it. Calm colors, open spaces, places to sit outside, move, cook, talk, or just be alone.

Slowly, my life found its rhythm again. Structure, health, simple routines. Nothing extreme, just the basics: good food, movement, nature, and a calm environment.

At some point, the realization came almost naturally: this is exactly the kind of place I was looking for after my relapse.

A quiet, safe environment.No clinic.No therapy program.Just a place where you can land, reconnect with yourself, and rebuild some structure.

That was the eureka moment. Why not open this place to people who are in a similar phase? People who are already in recovery, but need some distance from their daily environment. A break from triggers, pressure, and old patterns.

By then, I also had experience organizing retreats and cooking for groups. That always felt natural to me: bringing people together, creating a warm atmosphere, serving good food, and offering a place where people feel welcome. Everything came together here.

Villa Torrent isn’t a business concept that was designed on paper. It’s a place that grew organically out of my own recovery and life choices. Everything here reflects what matters to me: peace, nature, simple structure, movement, good food, and honest conversations.

It feels like a true win-win.I get to live a life that suits me, close to nature, with a calm rhythm. And at the same time, I can share this place with people who are in a similar phase and also need space, peace, and structure.

An unexpected but important part of my own recovery were the dogs. Especially Guus played a big role. During times when my mind was all over the place, he was simply there. No judgment, no questions, just presence. He needed to go outside, wanted to walk, wanted to play. And that gave me structure and movement on days when I didn’t feel like it myself.

Here at Villa Torrent there are two other dogs as well, both of them love hiking in the nature around the house. For many guests, that becomes a gentle and natural way to get moving. No strict sports program, just heading out together into the hills, breathing fresh air, feeling the sun, with a happy dog walking next to you.

Often it’s the simple things — a walk, a dog lying next to you, sitting outside together — that help you settle back into yourself.

Not to “fix” anyone.Not as therapy or a clinic.Just a safe place to land for a while.

If you feel this kind of environment could support your recovery, you’re very welcome to reach out. You can always send me a message to see if it’s a good fit. There’s no pressure, we’ll just see what feels right. Click here