Q: How did We Care Spa begin?

Susana Belen: We Care began from my own need to find healing. After a difficult divorce, I was raising four children and experiencing a great deal of stress. I was not feeling well, and I began searching for answers. I realized I had to take responsibility for my own health and started studying everything I could.

I traveled to different parts of the world and learned from many traditions including yoga, breathwork, nutrition, spirituality and natural approaches to healing. I was curious about how other cultures understood health and the connection between the body, mind and spirit.

When I returned home, I began incorporating what I had learned into my own life. I felt better, and people around me began noticing the difference. Friends started asking me what I was doing and whether they could come and experience it themselves.

Eventually, my home became the beginning of We Care. The bedrooms became guest rooms, the living room became a classroom, and my kitchen became a place where I taught people about nutrition. That was the beginning.

Q: Did you ever imagine it would become what it is today?

Susana Belen: Not at all. In the beginning, I was simply trying to help people feel better. I wasn’t thinking about building a large business. I was sharing what had helped me.

The philosophy has remained the same even though We Care has evolved. We have beautiful accommodations and wonderful treatments today, but the heart of the program is still about giving people the opportunity to stop, listen to themselves and make changes.

Q: What can someone expect when they come to We Care for the first time?

Susana Belen: I think the first thing people notice is that they have permission to stop. We live such busy lives. We are constantly eating, working, traveling, looking at our phones and thinking about what comes next.

At We Care, we create an environment where people can step away from that. There is cleansing and nutrition, of course, but there is also yoga, movement, meditation, spa treatments, nature and time to simply be quiet.

Some people come because they want a physical reset. Others come because they are emotionally exhausted or at a crossroads in their lives. Everyone arrives with a different reason, and I believe that is important. We don’t tell people who they should be. We give them the space and tools to discover what they need.

Q: What do you hope guests take home with them?

Susana Belen: I want them to take home a feeling not just a list of things they should or should not eat.

The most important transformation is understanding that you have choices. You can choose what you put into your body. You can choose how you spend your time. You can choose what you allow into your mind and what you want your life to be about.

A retreat can give you the beginning of that change, but the real work happens when you return home.

Q: What is your secret to healthy living?

Susana Belen: I don’t think there is one secret. It is about balance and consistency.

Eat foods that nourish you. Move your body. Breathe deeply. Spend time in nature. Rest. Find things that bring you joy. Be grateful. And don’t forget the importance of your emotional and spiritual life.

I also believe we need to treat the body with reverence. Your body is an incredible instrument, and we should listen to it instead of constantly fighting against it.

Q: You’ve always emphasized the connection between the mind, body and spirit. Why is that so important?

Susana Belen: Because we are not separate pieces. Everything is connected.

If your mind is overwhelmed, your body feels it. If your body is depleted, your emotions can suffer. And if you don’t have meaning or purpose in your life, that affects everything else.

Health is not simply the absence of illness. It is having energy, curiosity, joy and a reason to get up in the morning.

Q: What role does food play in wellness?

Susana Belen: Food should be approached with awareness and gratitude. We have become so accustomed to eating quickly and without thinking about what we are putting into our bodies.

I believe in simple, nourishing foods and in paying attention to how food makes you feel. There doesn’t need to be fear around food. There should be respect.

When you eat something, appreciate it. Ask yourself whether it is giving your body what it needs. Your relationship with food is just as important as the food itself.

Q: What have you learned about wellness after more than 40 years in this field?

Susana Belen: I have learned that people are capable of much more transformation than they realize.

We often think we are stuck because we have been living a certain way for many years. But you can change. You can begin again at any age.

I have also learned that wellness isn’t about perfection. It is about making better choices, one choice at a time.

Q: What keeps you excited about We Care after all these years?

Susana Belen: The people.

I love seeing someone arrive exhausted, stressed or disconnected and then watching them begin to smile again. Maybe they start sleeping better. Maybe they discover yoga. Maybe they realize they need to make a change in their life. Maybe they simply remember what it feels like to have time for themselves.

That is what gives me energy, the possibility of helping someone reconnect with who they really are.

Q: What advice would you give someone who doesn’t have the time or ability to come to a wellness retreat?

Susana Belen: You don’t have to travel somewhere to begin caring for yourself.

Create your own little retreat at home. Turn off your phone. Take a walk. Drink water. Eat something fresh and nourishing. Stretch. Sit quietly for a few minutes. Go to bed earlier. Spend time outside. Breathe.

Even a small change can be powerful when you do it consistently.

Q: And finally, what does “living well” mean to you?

Susana Belen: Living well means being present for your own life.

It means taking care of your body, but also taking care of your heart and your spirit. It means having gratitude, staying curious and finding purpose. It means understanding that life is a gift and that we have a responsibility to make the most of it.

I don’t believe wellness is about trying to live forever. It is about learning how to live fully while you are here.