A formal partnership between US physician Dr Neil Nedley and Adventist Health will see refreshed Depression Recovery Program resources arriving in Australia and New Zealand from September.
There is a role for surgery, there is a role for medication in certain diseases; but there’s also a much more powerful role for nutrition and lifestyle measures than many Western-trained doctors actually realise.
Dr Nedley claims a 98 per cent response rate for his residential depression interventions, which combine the healing effects of cognitive-behavioural therapy, light therapy, Omega-3, exercise, a plant-based diet and spiritual activity. The community-based Depression Recovery Program draws on this success and makes many of the same insights and tools available to groups meeting in church halls or other venues.
Dr Nedley denies that his program is intended to replace psychiatric medication in every case but it’s clear his emphasis is on wholistic care.
Individual local Adventist churches in the South Pacific region have previously connected with their local communities by running Depression Recovery Programs—liaising directly with Nedley Health Solutions in the United States to do so. The positive results of these programs lent a buzz to Dr Nedley’s appearance at the jointly badged Complete Health Improvement Program (CHIP)/Depression Recovery Program summit held at Avondale College (NSW) in February.
Similarly to the process undertaken when Adventist Health acquired CHIP, the Depression Recovery resources are being updated to reflect the latest research and given a fresh new design.
Adventist Health is taking enquiries from churches and other community groups hoping to run Depression Recovery Programs. Email <healthinfo@adventist.org.au> or phone +612 9847 3333.