Less Is More

We Care Spa is a desert oasis for healing from the inside out

The scent of newly blooming flowers mingles with the promise of possibility; nature's sign that spring is around the corner. While some use this time to focus on their external world—through deep cleaning and closet revamps—I like to apply the same concept to my inner world, specifically, my health. I’ve done countless cleanses, detoxes, and diets over the years, both on my own and at wellness facilities around the world, but when looking for a place that honored my commitment to holistic health for a yearly reset, I opted for something new to me, yet tried and true since 1986. We Care Spa’s famed detox program was created by founder Susana Belen, based on her philosophy (and personal experience) that removing emotional, spiritual, and physical toxic build-up in the body gives it the space to heal itself. With incredible success, it quickly picked up popularity in her circle. Today, it’s adored by wellness connoisseurs and celebrities alike—all enticing selling points in my book. 

Set in Desert Hot Springs, the 20-acre property is vast, and the tranquil energy is palpable from my very first step onto the land. I feel as though I have entered a healing portal, where time moves slower and the outside world fades away like a mirage in the wind. I settle in my suite whose floor-to-ceiling windows open to a sweeping view of unobstructed desert stretch, further grounding me into the present experience.

The first activity on my itinerary is a colonic—my very first…Detox programs at We Care Spa are based on a liquid philosophy: that consuming nutrient rich foods in the form of liquid nutrition floods the body with vital micronutrients, which when coupled with natural laxatives and colon hydrotherapy, is the quickest way to flush out toxins and help heal the body from the inside out. My treatment room entirely lacks the drab sterility I was expecting. It’s pristine and relaxing; the type of space a heavenly massage would take place. Eladia’s warm nature and clear rundown of the processes helps ease my discomfort, and we dive in with a digestive release—an abdominal massage to get things moving. Although there are clear benefits to colonics, like clearing years of built-up toxins and waste often stuck deep in our large intestines, there is also an energetic component. Since emotions and trauma are stored in the body, the physical release can trigger an emotional one as well—and who doesn’t love a two-for-one special? Aside from some minor discomfort in the beginning, the process is seamless, and I leave feeling lighter, in more ways than one.

I grab a Blood Purifier tea from the lobby, which also serves as the communal “kitchen.” Here, guests can make Detox Drinks, enjoy soups, juices, and choose from an array of infused waters to hit the program’s daily goal of consuming half one’s body weight in H2O.

This is also the meeting place for treatments—essentially the nucleus of the facility. I sip on the warming Lapacho bark—surprisingly delicious, like the rest of the meal replacements—and review the selection of offerings. From the latest biohacking to ancient techniques like cupping, the gamut of wellness practices serves every palate. After a particularly tension-relieving deep tissue massage I help myself to a rich cup of carrot soup accompanied by supplements. I sip on my dinner as vibrant flames dance in the fire pit before me, while the sky reflects coral, peach, and orange sorbet hues in the background.

Since my evening consisted of an Epsom salt bath, journaling, and sleep before 10 p.m., I awake bright and early to catch daily yoga prior to tackling my “morning drinks”: lemon water with two food enzymes, green food drink (made in my room), and detox drink paired with a regulator chaser. I save the rest for post-reflexology treatment, so I don’t explode from what feels like a liquid overdose compared to my usual under-hydration…The trigger points addressed during the procedure further amplify detoxification, making it ideal for pre-colonics. I take my morning green juice and Liver Kidney Tea to go and find an oasis for meditating. The property is full of nooks and quiet zones that encourage such deep presence. I choose a swinging daybed tent whose gentle motion accompanied by faint bird songs lulls me past meditation and into a nap. 

For those who want to maximize the impact of the program, the System Recovery Master Treatment is the way to go. In 90 minutes I am lathered in castor oil, swaddled like a baby in a heat wrap, and laid atop a grounding amethyst mat, while enjoying a scalp and foot massage. The combination activates the liver, helps reduce abdominal discomfort, and supports bowel movement. From there, it’s straight to colonic number two, paired with a cocktail of probiotic supplements.

After an Olympic circuit of detoxing, I replenish my body with the soup du jour, adding cinnamon to enhance the butternut squash flavors and refill my water thermos for the third time that day, to hit my hydration goals. Mari is waiting for me in front of a giant tent, aglow. She explains the Shamanic session ahead: reiki, sound, and quantum healing, before we dive into my struggles—emotional, spiritual, and physical—and the recent self-discoveries around purpose I’d like to explore. I lay down as she begins to sing, chant, and channel. The messages and visuals coming through her and that I am receiving, are akin to a psychedelic journey. I’m called by my spirit guides to reclaim soul parts that have been repressed or lost within myself, my family, and the generations that came before us. My eyes are closed, but visuals pierce through like intergalactic auroras. I’m moved emotionally, and through a powerful recalibration of my chakras, I feel my misaligned spine shifting as well. Call it magic or science, but if energy is everything—within us and around us—then all it takes is tapping into a specific frequency through the help of a shaman like Mari, to experience the extraordinary. 

Wind chimes ring in the evening breeze as the setting sun ignites the sky with fluorescent wonder. All evidence points to this being some sort of vortex…of wellness. I join my fellow detoxers in the property’s Lotus Room for one of the many group class offerings that range from nutrition to building healthy mental habits. This evening the focus is on “Unwinding the Body and Mind”—easier said than done after an interdimensional healing. The tips are tangible and useful, especially for most of us who constantly work on our phones with no clear boundaries. I get another cup of soup and tea from the lobby before retreating to my suite for yet another Epsom salt bedtime bath.

To maximize solo time—one of my goals for the stay—and to make the most of my accommodations, I take my morning beverage bundle to the outdoor daybed. I read and journal as the early desert winds plays with my hair. I feel at peace, yet simultaneously so energized; I can’t remember the last time I felt so good in my body. Before colonic number three, I stroll through the on-site labyrinth, which is coincidentally a symbol of transformation, a fun fact I learned at orientation. Another successful session with Eladia and I’m off to a “Sublime Skin Ultra Glow and Lift” facial. Like the rest of the We Care Spa treatments, the approach is holistic, and Cheryl not only caters to my skin in the moment but helps set me up for success after I leave. The results live up to the name and I start doing mental math to see how often I can make the drive down to keep up this supple radiance. 

I have the “bartender” prepare my final Detox drink poolside, which like the lobby acts as a sort of watering hole, where guests can share takeaways, offer recommendations to one another, and make new connections when feeling social. Mother-daughter duos, friend groups, couples, and single visitors fill the communal spaces; we’re all here with the same overarching goal: to transform. Naturally the theme of the evening soundbath is transformation too…I let the melodic meditation move through me. There is without a doubt more room within my physical system, but it seems like my emotional center has a newfound lightness as well. The studio is filled with blissed out faces, and I feel like, well…Buddha. Whether this is the path to nirvana or not, I’m in.