Our Team
Our approach is holistic, combining the best of allopathic and complementary medical traditions.
We bring together leading multi-disciplinary therapists who work together as an integrated treatment team coordinated by expert clinical consultants.
Together we strive to treat and heal your whole being.
Our treatment teams consist of highly experienced practitioners from a broad range of professional healthcare backgrounds. All practitioners are fully qualified and/or certified, and are considered outstanding professionals in their respective fields. This is one of the many reasons we are a premier therapeutic service.
Our therapeutic teams are guided by highly experienced clinical consultants who are leaders in treating complex problems. All practitioners are supported and trained to work together in an integrated and coordinated manner. Each therapeutic team follows an integrative care plan conceived by multi-disciplinary practitioners with regular and frequent team briefings.
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Nicholas Russi
International Clinical Program Consultant
Nick has a deep understanding of this niche healthcare sector and has worked in the field for over twenty years. His initial motivation stemmed from exposure to family health issues and his own associated personal health challenges. Nick has worked from the ground up in the industry and has gained an appreciation of the multiple aspects of integrated teamwork that are required to achieve sustainable quality client outcomes. He has consulted for multiple international sites in the implementation of intricate behavioural healthcare operations. This has included establishing triage and intake systems, policies, procedures, guidelines and documentation protocols while adhering to compliance and regulatory needs. He established and operated a 60 bed addiction recovery facility in Southern California and a large behavioural health centre in Costa Rica. He has held multiple senior management positions.
Nick continues to maintain certification as a licensed addiction counsellor and certified clinical supervisor. His desire to help people become free from the grips of addictive disorders and crippling mental health problems has become a passion and the driving force in his life.
Nick is of Swiss/Italian descent and has a deep appreciation for family. In his free time he enjoys travel and collecting vintage cars.
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Dr Carlos Nuñez
Director of Psychiatric Services
MD, FRCPC, DABPNDr. Carlos Nuñez is a US trained Psychiatrist. He has extensive clinical experience with over a decade of expertise dealing with complex clients and cases. He attended medical school at the University of Arizona College of Medicine and completed residency training in General Psychiatry at the University of Illinois. Following this he completed an additional year of training in psychodynamic psychotherapy at the Chicago Psychoanalytic Institute.
Carlos relocated to Vancouver in 2012 and has maintained positions at St. Paul’s Hospital and as a Clinical Instructor for The University of British Columbia Faculty of Medicine. He has provided outpatient addictions treatment in Vancouver and conducted clinical research with The British Columbia Centre on Substance Use (BCCSU). Dr. Nuñez has additional expertise in the field of occupational psychiatry and service development. He has been on a number of review committees and regularly provides expert opinion to international industry and government.
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Dr Leon van Huyssteen
Psychiatrist
Dr van Huyssteen completed his medical training at the University of Stellenbosch, South Africa in 1994. He then worked at the Livingstone General Hospital where he gained experience in Emergency Medicine, General Medicine, Paediatrics and Surgery. He came to the United Kingdom in 1996 working in Accident and Emergency units and Orthopaedic Surgery. He joined the Royal Free and Associated NHS Trusts training scheme in Psychiatry and became a Member of the Royal College of Psychiatrists in 2003. He is dually accredited as a General Adult Psychiatrist and Substance Misuse Psychiatrist and registered with the General Medical Council (GMC).
Dr van Huyssteen runs a thriving private practice at the King Edward Hospital in London and the One Hatfield Hospital in Hertfordshire. He has also worked in the United Arab Emirates, Switzerland and the Caribbean.
His approach to working with clients is collaborative and patient-centred and he has an established network of psychologists, therapists and other clinicians he works with very closely.
He is keenly interested in medical innovation including Pharmacogenetic testing, tDCS (Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation) and Health Tech.
Dr van Huyssteen is happily married and has a very active family life. He enjoys skiing, travelling, photography, watching South Africa play rugby and anything that allows more time outdoors.
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Dr Shahar Rabi
Psychotherapist / Case Manager
PhD, MA, MEd, BADr Shahar Rabi applies an evidence based approach to lead an exceptional truly integrative team.
His therapeutic strategies provide a healing space for clients to explore the feelings, thoughts, behaviours and relationships that cause difficulties in their lives. His academic research has been focused on mindfulness and body-centered interventions as means for wellbeing, connection, and growth.
Shahar is an Adjunct Professor in Counselling Psychology at Alder University. He has a diversity of experience which has equipped him with a broad understanding of the challenges of the human condition. He has been a choreographer, yoga instructor, and philosophy teacher. He also spent years of study and practice in meditation in monasteries in India, Nepal and Thailand.
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Dr Charlie Easmon
Director of Medical Services
MRCP, MBBS, MSc Public Health, DTM&H, D OccMed, DFPHDr Charlie Easmon trained at St George’s London. He has a focus on international healthcare delivery and has been privileged to work and visit over seventy five countries. Charlie has been a TEDx speaker on global health issues and has been featured in Time Out Magazine and on CNN African Voices.
During his initial training Charlie completed an elective in Ghana (his country of birth) and subsequently worked in Rwanda (with Merlin, Raleigh International and Save the Children) and in Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan (for Project ECHO). Charlie is a Lecturer in Occupational Medicine at the Royal Society for Public Health and was the previous president of The International Association of Physicians for the Overseas Services (IAPOS).
Back at Harley Street London Charlie spent twenty years developing his own private medical service and is the Co-Founder of Global Health Action Strategies & Solutions (GHASS) and Your Excellent Health Service (YHES).
Charlie has been a former honorary lecturer at UCL Performing Arts Medicine and has been part of the development team for the UK Black Cultural Archives. He has served on several charity boards and is a school governor.
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Dr Chris Lack
Pre Admission Medical Consultant
FANZCA, FACRRM, MPH & TM, MBBS Hons, B.Med (TCM), BAChris is a medical specialist with a diverse range of skills, which include consultant anaesthesia, rural & remote medicine, general practice, aeromedical retrieval, and international aid work. He has acquired a broad spread of experiences from having worked on 5 continents, and he has completed tertiary degrees in medicine, anthropology, Traditional Chinese Medicine, and tropical medicine & public health.
Outside of medicine, Chris loves to spend time in nature, and he is passionate about reading, staying fit, and learning languages. He is an avid traveller & hopes to keep exploring all the fascinating delights that the world has to offer.
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Zackary Green
Ship to Shore Liaison & Concierge Service
Zack brings the attention to detail required to ensure that our clientele experience the highest levels of dedicated personal service and support within their luxury yacht and at their various destinations. Zack’s goal is to maintain the highest standards available to make a client’s journey as effortless and pleasurable as possible.
Zack refined his skills with years of service at The Fairmont Empress, a landmark hotel in Victoria, BC, Canada. He makes for a seamless voyage and a smooth client relationship experience.
Outside work Zack enjoys hiking, tennis and golf. He loves international travel and has lived in Dubai, UAE, Australia, New Zealand and Canada.
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Dr Tanis Farish
Exercise Physiologist YOGA
PhD, RYT, CSEP-CEP®Tanis has an insatiable curiosity for how we can live our best life. With a focus on lifestyle medicine, she is a somatic movement practitioner and behavioural scientist working in academia, private practice and as a researcher with Lululemon.
Tanis’ work focuses on comprehensive qualitative research projects to understand our stories and the impact of movement on wellbeing. Her training in exercise physiology, neuroscience and yoga informs her teaching and personal practice through sharing powerful rituals such as breathwork, meditation, running and yoga.
Tanis is passionate about working with individuals and provides opportunities to develop whole body health as the very core of how we perform, connect, and design our lives. Most importantly, she is a mama, a partner, a sport and outdoor enthusiast and a foodie.
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Meesh Coles
Chef and Nutritionist
Meesh began her career as a chef working in the film industry preparing meals for clients with specific dietary needs. In 2015 she studied Holistic Nutrition in Vancouver BC and has since applied her culinary skills in a wide array of settings including corporate events, wellness retreats, yachts and sailboats.
Meesh always incorporates her knowledge of wholesome ingredients, diverse cuisine styles, and dietary preferences into her menu preparations. She takes pride in designing meals for each client that are uniquely nourishing, flavourful and creative. She is immensely passionate about utilizing foods that are local and in season. She forages, grows and catches food supplies wherever possible.
Meesh lives on Vancouver Island and in her free time enjoys sailing, Shambhala, and spending time outdoors in nature.
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David B Green
Executive Director & Co-Founder
Vice Chairman - The Sanctuary WorldBased in Victoria BC, David has enjoyed a 35+ year career in International Healthcare Management in major medical service lines, delivered on most continents. David has extensive operational connectivity and experience on a global scale. As a dedicated professional, he is used to delivering strong consistent results.
David is the co-founder of The Sanctuary World and The Sanctuary Vancouver Island. He is a Strategic Director with a remit to maintain the highest standard of ethics and quality and oversee the non-clinical aspects of our luxury healthcare delivery businesses.
Originally from Nottingham, England, he is a dual citizen of Canada and the UK, and divides his time operationally between the North American and European continents.
David and his wife have seven adult children and nine grandchildren, and have lived in Canada for 27 years, in Montreal, Quebec, Niagara-On-The-Lake, Ontario & Victoria, BC. They have also lived in Australia, the UAE and Spain. David’s interests outside of international business include travel, cinema, theatre, film production & crime-writing. He’s an ardent England TEST Cricket supporter and author of the ‘Oscar Phelps’ series of novels.
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Dr Rob Walsh
CEO - The Sanctuary World
FACRRM, MBBS Hons (USyd), MA, BA HonsThe Sanctuary model of care has been refined over 18 years and Dr Walsh has the responsibility of ensuring that our exceptional treatment systems are available to clients across the variety of our beautiful settings.
Dr Walsh commenced his career in intensive care medicine. In 2010 he switched focus to community medicine and worked as a Senior Medical Officer for The Sanctuary Byron Bay until he took over the company in 2017. He co-founded The Sanctuary World in 2021 with the view to ensure that all of our clients have timely and accessible care, regardless of their cultural background or geographical location.
Rob gives back to his profession with multiple roles in Australian Medical Education. He has held the position of a Senior Lecturer for the University of Queensland School of Medicine, and is currently a Staff Specialist for NSW Health, a Senior Medical Educator for the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, and is the National Medical Lead in Advanced Skills Training for the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine.
Dr Walsh lives with his wife and three children on a certified organic avocado farm and enjoys maintaining a healthy lifestyle by surfing every sunrise, reading hardcopy books, and listening to a wide variety of music.