The Cedars Private Addiction Treatment Group

About Us

Over Two Decades of Trusted Care

Keith Wilkes, founder of The Cedars, spent the better part of his 36 years in sobriety within the addiction services industry. This vital experience helped sculpt Keith’s vision: a 12-Step based multi-disciplinary approach to addiction treatment that would impact the lives of inpatients and their families.

Beckoned by the sights and sounds of Africa, Keith and his partner, Julia, left the UK for a trip to South Africa in 2002 and it was there that they discovered the setting in which his vision would become reality. Keith and Julia came to view The Cedars Estate in Scottburgh, Kwazulu-Natal. They were instantly struck by its grand beauty and its tranquil atmosphere, offering the spaciousness, peace and sense of safety that they knew would encourage personal recovery and transformation.

Today, The Cedars has played an integral role in the recovery of hundreds of people and has grown to include three beautiful facilities around the country.

Our Approach

Every facet of The Cedars’ treatment programme is recovery orientated. We don’t believe in a generic fix for addiction and pride ourselves on offering personalised solutions for each of our client’s unique challenges. We focus deeply on a client’s personal ecosystem, helping to provide understanding and healing with self and with loved ones.

We pride ourselves on delivering a multi-disciplinary approach that ensures a range of best-practice skill sets are on offer to our clients. Many of our staff members have been through our programme, modelling the power of its impact and offering our clients unprecedented empathy and “proof of concept.”

We believe in rigorous adherence to the 12-Step program and a commitment to holistic wellbeing. We ensure our clients’ mental, emotional and physical needs are prioritised while in our care, and equipping them with the tools to sustain this lifestyle independently of their Cedars’ experience.

What Guides Everything We Do

Recovery

The Cedars’ rehabilitation and recovery ethos is based on the globally endorsed 12-Step programme, a set of guiding principles that outline a course of action for recovery from all mind-and-mood altering substances and other compulsive behaviours. Once stabilized, each client is is encouraged to complete each Step thoroughly and given the opportunity to action what they have learned in a safe and controlled environment. The Steps help our clients learn coping mechanisms for life out of treatment – allowing them to become responsible and tackle life with renewed courage, hope, and purpose.

Clinical Excellence

In line with best-practice addiction treatment, The Cedars delivers a unique multi-disciplinary approach, making sure that a range of essential skill sets are on offer to our clients. A medical examination is conducted by our medical doctor and if necessary, stabilisation medication administered by our nursing team. Our 12-Step programme is augmented through a combination of therapeutic clinical models.

Family Partnership

We believe that family members and loved ones should also receive treatment for their own benefit and healing. In turn, this healing process helps to better support the addict in their recovery process.

The Cedars Family Team is here to equip you with the tools you need to cope and heal throughout your loved one’s journey to recovery. This support is available not just to family members of Cedars’ clients, but to anyone in need of support through a loved one’s addiction recovery process.

A Holistic Lifestyle Approach

We believe that recovery requires conscious focus on holistic wellbeing – ensuring that our clients’ mental, emotional and physical needs are prioritised daily. With that in mind, we offer the following as part of The Cedars’ programme:

- Our chefs prepare healthy, dietician-approved menus daily

- A personal trainer and yoga instructors run regular aerobics and yoga sessions

- We offer activities and excursions such as boat trips, hikes and beach clean-ups to refresh and invigorate the mind, body and soul