A Medically Supervised Health Program in a Relaxed Retreat Setting

An educational health retreat, A Pattern is nestled in the beautiful Meramec River region of east central Missouri, only an hour south of St. Louis. The facility is a lodge-like construction in a beautiful country setting, only minutes from Onondaga Cave and State Park as well as Meramec State Park—just the place for that longed-for health vacation.

Our rural retreat offers a relaxed vacation setting with the addition of alert medical personnel to help guide you through the process of health restoration, whatever the condition that has negatively affected your body, mind or spirit. You will have an initial visit with your doctor to assess your health status. Preceding and/or during this visit, we will take a complete health history. It will be helpful to bring any recent laboratory results (done within the past three months). If you have had no recent blood work done, we can obtain whatever is needed from a local lab here. Follow-up consults will be planned as needed.

We will offer you both the relaxation of spa treatments tailored to your needs and/or preferences, and mentally stimulating health presentations prepared with the most current health data connected with time-honored and proven medical knowledge. Your spa experience may include massage, various hydrotherapy procedures (such as steam bath, contrast shower, hot and cold packs) on a schedule planned with you by our staff. It will also include a personalized exercise routine, structured just for you. Scheduled times with our fitness trainer can be supplied as needed, and a home exercise routine will be shared prior to your return home.

While we cannot offer you a college course in health during your stay with us, we promise a thorough introduction to the subject of mind and body restoration.

Your classes will begin with Nutrition, since we need and enjoy tasty, healthful food. Cooking lab instruction will be given in the preparation of a unique cuisine consisting only of plant-based ingredients, and including none of the high-fat, no-fiber animal products. Personal time with our chef(s) can be arranged for those whose experience with this is limited. All guests will be included in the interactive labs, engaging in the preparation of food you will later critique.

Many health topics will be covered in the morning and evening lectures. Some of these topics are generally applicable health and wellness presentations, such as stress management, the use of natural remedies at home, issues relating to healthy spiritual and mental outlooks, and are of interest to all. Other lectures will deal with specific health issues, such as recognizing and addressing the different aspects of heart-related diseases (high cholesterol, hypertension, targeted stress management, obesity, etc.), managing or reversing diabetes in all its types and effects, depression recovery, and many others. Overweight/obesity, the growing epidemic in the world today, will be studied in several talks.

Some fun classes are presented, too, such as preparation of herbal salves, organic gardening, or Scripture memorization.

The Retreat is capable of handling up to twelve guests in grouped settings, or six if requesting single occupancy, offering the choice of private bedrooms with bath, or suites of two bedrooms which share a bath—all with a comfortable, country cottage décor. The dining room provides community, while each guest is individually served with vegetarian cuisine planned just for their health needs.

In addition, outings are included to many local scenic venues and when applicable, airport transport is provided.