We Care Spa: The Last Resort

“This place saved my life.” A sentiment I heard from not one, but two different women while I was staying at the Desert Hot Springs oasis last month. One of whom was a Montecito resident celebrating her 50^th birthday. This was her sixth visit to the spa and even after not having eaten solid food for 5 days she said she had never felt better.

As I walked the peaceful paths to and from my stunning room each day, I could see why. The stillness of the desert and the scurrying rabbits alone seemed to be curated by some sort of spa goddess talent coordinator. “Queue the roadrunner. Stand by for the breathtaking sunrise!” Around every corner there was another beautiful sculpture of an elephant, a little Buddha, a labyrinth, St. Francis, a rabbit (wait, that one was real) – and shaded, comfy seating at every turn. A floating bed, infrared saunas, lounge chairs, a gorgeous pool with a juice bar… you get the idea.

While I have been a guest there before, this time I was visiting from a new perspective; how to incorporate the healing you experience into lasting change. 

As a health coach, I am always interested in ways we can implement big changes through small, realistic steps. Health goals can often feel daunting until you break them up. “Eating healthier” can start with cleaning up your breakfast. “Starting to be more active” can begin with doing squats in between Netflix episodes. You get the idea. 

But how can we best incorporate the teachings of a five-star health getaway into our normal lives once we get back home?

The answer could be found in We Care’s origins. It has been around for over 40 years and while the name refers to it being a “spa,” it is so much more. As the General Manager, Jim Root, explained to me, “We Care is actually a ‘destination spa.’” Meaning that it has a designated program. You don’t just go there for a getaway to rest and come back with dewy skin (although I must say, mine was pretty darn dewy when I got home). They have created a tried a true protocol designed to heal you from the inside out. Don’t get me wrong, you can also receive the most relaxing and restorative treatments you have ever had, but the true goal is to clean out your intestinal garbage and restore the pH of your entire system. Stick with me here and I will explain what that really means.

The protocol was invented by the founder, Susana Belen, who 40 years ago found herself a severely stressed-out single mother of four. She began searching for a new way of living, a new way of being. Through intense research and travel, she wove together a program; one that for her is a way of life. It involves complete detoxification – spiritual (through breathwork, yoga and meditation), physical (daily movement and lymphatic drainage), and nutritional (incorporating liquid nutrition and strategic resting periods for your detoxing organs). She feels that as our bodies are constantly in a state of toxic overload from our environment and the food we choose to eat, it is imperative that we not only regularly clean it out, but that we incorporate these teachings into our daily lives.

Her key philosophies are maintaining your body’s pH balance (by drinking alkaline water and avoiding highly acidic foods like coffee), incorporating at least one liquid meal each day, doing a liquid diet once a week, getting colonics and being mindful of what and how we eat.

I took one of her many classes, and she is emphatic that we follow these easy steps whenever we are eating:

1. Do not drink any liquid with your meals as it interferes with digestion.

2. Be mindful and thankful of the food you are eating.

3. Fully chew each bite before having another.

4. When eating anything that has been cooked, take it with digestive enzymes.

5. Fully wash your produce in water and a cup of vinegar before you eat it.

These are powerful, attainable takeaways we can incorporate into our lives. From the perspective of lasting change, these are sweepstake-level winners. 

In addition to the complimentary classes they offer, you can choose from an extensive menu of spa treatments. I tried a little bit of everything, but here are my highlights: thermal mud wrap, a “Holi” facial, Biofeedback, the We Care Euphoria (2 hours of sheer bliss), mineral wraps and – drum roll – Shamanic Healing for 90 minutes. Yes, Shamanic Healing. One of the coolest and strangest experiences I have ever had. Mitzi created a very safe and gentle healing space in her fabulous “tent.” Tent isn’t really the right word though; it was more like a Five Star Poser Excursion Meets Out of Africa 2024 kind of deal. I kept waiting for Robert Redford to come and wash my hair, but apparently I had to book that part in advance. 

Each staff member, masseuse, manager, and wait for it… Colonic Hydrotherapist… was so very kind and incredibly knowledgeable about the human body and its systems. It truly felt like the healthiest and happiest place on Earth.

The protocol’s must dos involve having a series of drinks every 30-60 minutes. This non-stop ingestion of liquids will not only have you visit the loo every 10 minutes, but miraculously also keeps you from being physically hungry (the mental and emotional hunger is different for each person but mine didn’t rear its vicious head until my last night there).

In addition, you get daily colonics. Colonics are somewhat controversial out in the real world, some citing that they interfere with the healthy bacteria in our gut, but at We Care, colonics are one of the key ways Susana managed to heal herself and her daughter of serious illnesses. 

There are so many subtle and complex ways this place fosters healing that I feel one article cannot begin to do it justice. But for many locals in our town, they have internalized its power enough to make We Care a regular (and costly) part of their life.

For me, I have chosen to continue the dry brushing and detox baths, not having liquid with my meals, having at least one liquid meal each day, and taking food enzymes when needed (and when I remember). I have realized that like so many things in our fast-paced lives, the true change comes just from slowing everything down. We can’t wait for a spa retreat to eat slowly and appreciate our food. A little mindfulness really does go a long way. 

Regardless, next time I am determined to request the Out of Africa Hair Washing with the Shamanic Healing. Now that would be truly life changing.