Floating in the sensory deprivation tank at Dimensions, an all-season wellness centre in Ontario, I kept thinking of the spas I have visited and written about. There was the Ayurvedic spa in Kerala, India, where oil was dripped over me; the mud baths in Calistoga, the spa town in California’s Napa Valley. In the quiet buoyancy of the Epsom salt-filled water, designed to help the body relax and unwind, I thought of Vichy, France, where people drink thermal waters from faucets in the park. And the historic German spa town of Baden-Baden, where first-time visitors are surprised by both the grand Belle-Epoque spa building and the no-swimsuit rule.
At Dimensions, the focus is on emotional healing via the physical — from body therapies to the natural surroundings, from the treatments to the food.
The setting is Maple Lake and the adjacent 40 acres of trees and walking paths, and where the central lodge houses rooms for massage and other treatments. The main room is where meals are served on a long dining table. Comfortable, stylish chairs and sofas are where guests can lounge and meet.
Although Dimensions might resemble a lakeside country inn or a luxe beauty spa, luxury is the pleasing background, and the focus is on the somatic route to healing. Hence, the treatments include massage, Qigong, sensory deprivation flotation, mindfulness meditation, cranial-sacral treatments, Pilates, and yoga.
Many of the experiences are communal. Meals are not at tables for two but at the long dining table. Then there are the activities taking place in the large ceremonial tent. One evening after dinner, I walked down a tree-lined path to the tent where a “sound-bath” would take place. The floor was carpeted with colourful rugs and pillows. As we lay down, the sound of bells and birds accompanied directions to breathe. After an hour the session, which seemed timeless, came to an end and we walked back to our cabins.
Some Demensions Retreat activities take place in the large ceremonial tent. Courtesy photo.
Eating for pleasure and health
Essential to the healing journey at Dimensions is food. Here, that means both health and pleasure. Seated at the long communal table, we feasted on dishes that contained no sugar, dairy, or gluten. One night, the meal was a series of open-face tacos — small corn tortillas cradling a variety of fillings, from vegetables to chicken. Another night, it was a seafood extravaganza. Lunch was a robust Salade Nicoise.
Consulting chef Jordan Wagman, a James Beard award nominee, stopped by our table to talk about gut and brain health. He explained that years ago, switching to what he called pure food cured him of an autoimmune disease. Here “pure” means no dairy, sugar or gluten. Yet there is goat cheese, honey, and almond flour. And meat, chicken and fish for those who want it.
I expected tasteless food that was supposed to be healthy; instead, I got fine dining — Michelin-level cuisine minus the white tablecloths. No alcohol is served, but guests are welcome to bring their own.
A robust Salade Nicoise served in the dining room at the retreat. Photo: Jacqueline Swartz©
Healing in Nature
The Dimensions retreat is north of Halliburton and south of Muskoka in an area described as the Algonquin Highlands, a three-hour drive from Toronto. In summer, there’s Maple Lake, with sandy shores and canoeing and paddle-boarding on its clear waters. Autumn explodes with the glorious reds and oranges of the turning leaves. Even in winter, the snow-clad trees and the warmth of the fireplace makes Dimensions is a place where nature is part of healing. In all seasons, guided forest bathing (a Japanese term) inspires walkers to see, hear, smell and breathe in the trees and plants.
The 17 forest and lakeside cabins feature decor that is both chic and nature-oriented, with cedar cladding, a skylight and a front porch. The bathrooms have a stall shower and soaker tub. The fridge contains snacks and water, coffee and tea.
Dimensions Wellness Retreat forest and lakeside cabins. Courtesy photo.
Spectacular fall colours at Dimensions Wellness Retreat. Courtesy photo.
Nature views from one of Dimensions Wellness Retreat Cabins. Courtesy photo.
Nearby is the main lodge. This is where the dining room draws people to the communal table and the adjacent space feels like a relaxed living room, with comfortable chairs and sofas. But there’s a point beyond pampering here, one that involves an emotional journey, not through talk therapy but through the body.
Long communal dining table at Dimensions Retreat. Courtesy photo.
“Modern living is full of stress. It puts people in a constant state of flight or fight,” noted clinical director, Donald Currie, a registered psychotherapist who has worked with Dimensions since 2019. “Here, we offer a state of safety and tranquillity.” He described it as a kind of reset of the central nervous system.
I was there for the weekend wellness program, which included all meals, a therapeutic massage, the sensory deprivation flotation tank and a choice of other therapies.
Weekends also have a variety of signature activities, including cooking lessons and photography.
Dimensions Wellness Retreat sensory deprivation flotation tank. Courtesy photo.
Dimensions Wellness Retreat offers stunning lake views. Courtesy photo.
Ascend, a longer stay for serious psychotherapeutic work
The Wednesday through Sunday therapeutic program is called Ascend. Developed by a team of experts, the program offers some serious psychotherapeutic work. “This is for people with mild to moderate symptoms or issues,” explains Currie, adding that trauma, even in its milder forms, resulting from habitually suppressing your emotions, can get stuck in the body.
“So we work with the body.” With this approach, he explains, “It’s amazing what you can accomplish in five days.”
The program includes all meals and snacks (which you can take from the refrigerator in the main house). You can choose from five bodywork and wellness treatments, and there is also a cooking class.
One of the benefits of the Ascend program is the before and after. It starts a week before arrival, with an online group meeting, videos, worksheets and meditations. Pre-retreat orientation also includes an exploration of intentions as well as information on trauma, anxiety and depression.
During the stay, there is one individual psychotherapy session and one group session. Of course, anyone can opt out of the group sessions. But, said Currie, “Healing happens in safe relationships. In our experience over several years, even introverted people were able to connect with people in a new way.”
Outside view of the main lodge at Dimensions Wellness Retreat in Ontario. Courtesy photo.
There is also a cannabis component developed by the Dimension’s team of experts. “We teach people how to use it intentionally, as part of the therapeutic cure,” said Currie.
There is a communal cannabis ceremony in the decorated tent where I experienced the “sound bath.” Guests bring their own, but they are given advice on how to choose and measure the ideal strains of cannabis for their particular needs. The online information makes it clear: “Our medical team is authorized to recommend cannabis-assisted therapy.”
After the retreat, participants return home with a substantial two-week follow-up plan intended to continue and integrate what they learned at Dimensions. There is information on diet and nutrition, movement and exercise, meditation, changes, group sessions and a check-in with a Dimension therapist.
People are free to return and some do, two or three times, said Currie.
Dimensions is offering a ten-day program to Veterans and other First Responders with PTSD. Called Elevate, it will eventually be offered to the general public.
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