I’m a big Own Wilson champion in terms of his road to recovery. In his case, he doesn’t just need to recover from addiction, but from depression as well. He’ll also have to deal with lingering feelings about his suicide attempt, which will include both his own issues and the way it impacted those in his life. It’s a painful process, but it seems like the guy is essentially a good person with a good family, and that means everything in a situation like his. There are all sorts of roads to recovery, and when someone has as many issues as Owen, it gets a little more complicated. But I think that – although is treatment plan is certainly unorthodox – he’s trying to figure out something that’ll work for him, and it’s not really possible for the rest of us outsiders to know whether he’s got the right idea.

Owen Wilson, to the shock of his friends and family, is opting for a “sober trip” instead of rehab, says an insider. “Owen believes a spiritual journey, which includes holistic practices, is what can bring him back to total mental and physical health,” says the insider. He also wants to get out of L.A. because “he feels it’s full of negative, harmful energy,” adds the insider.

Owen will first stop in Sedona, Arizona, where he will use a Native American sweat box to get rid of toxins. Also on his itinerary: Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapy, group drug-addiction meetings at the Esalen Institute in Big Sur, California, hypnosis and rebaptism in a river or lake! The Darjeeling Limited star will be accompanied by a “sober companion” on his trip.

[From Star Magazine, print edition, October 8, 2007]

I’m a big proponent of both traditional and alternative medicine and healing. I think that a lot of practices beyond the scope of the doctor’s office have merit. Owen is lucky to be in a financial situation where he can avail himself of so many facilities. The guy definitely has some serious issues to deal with, and it sounds like more than anything else, he just wants to be happy. And that is a great thing. As long as we can deal with our sadness a little bit and then move on, there’s hope. I really hope Owen gives himself the time and the space to really get better and feel whole again.