Guest Spotlight: Meet Cece Bowen, a devoted guest who makes OHI a priority in her life!

 Cece Bowen believes in God winks. “Divine intervention first brought me to OHI,” said Cece. “The story starts with my sister being diagnosed with melanoma. That prompted me to go to a dermatologist for my own baseline screening. They found melanoma on my hand, and I needed surgery. Later, the dermatologist found a second growth in the corner of my eye, so I followed up with Mohs surgery. I felt very blindsided by my health opportunities, and I realized I was living in a very unhealthy marriage. My doctor said my unhealthy marriage was contributing to my health issues, and my homeopath said my entire immune system was shutting down. 

A person who was a new acquaintance at the time saw my struggle and invited me to come with her to OHI. She said, ‘If you only do a physical detox, you’re not going to get better. At OHI, you’ll get the emotional and spiritual detox you really need.’ I felt like God was speaking to me through her. I hesitated for a few days and finally decided to take a huge leap. I asked my husband for a divorce, then got in the car and drove to OHI.”

It took Cece time to process all she was going through during her first visit to OHI. “I started very closed off during my first visit,” said Cece. “A guest gave me a copy of Codependent No More by Melody Beattie. That book helped me open up, and OHI has been my lifeline ever since. I went to the San Diego campus annually for a few years, but I knew I needed more support. I started going to the Austin campus twice a year and felt so much better for it. I took a bit of time off during Covid, but after suffering some major personal setbacks — my mom, dad, sister, and ex-husband all passed over the course of several years, and my health took some major hits (Covid, shingles, a kidney infection) — I knew I had to get back to OHI to focus on my own wellbeing. I now go to OHI twice a year for two weeks at a time. It’s been 13 years since I first visited OHI, and I am a completely different person than when I first walked through those doors. OHI is a HUGE part of my personal growth.”

Cece has been an OHI guest for years and approaches each stay with a fresh curiosity as to what God will reveal she needs to work on. “The first week of any visit gives me an opportunity to focus on the food/diet and reboot myself physically,” said Cece. “The second week is when I go inward and give myself a much-needed spiritual reboot. It’s like I’m peeling back layers, and something new reveals itself for me to work on each time. Through Louise Hay’s book, You Can Heal Yourself, I have learned how the emotions we hold in our body turn into the health opportunities we end up dealing with later. The Mental Detox, Emotional Detox, and Vocal Toning classes really help me peel back those layers to get to the essence of a healthier me.”

Cece says OHI offers her a much-needed timeout in her life. “Being a guest is never the same experience twice,” said Cece. “I turn off the phone and computer and fully immerse myself in the experience. It is so inspiring to be surrounded by like-minded people, all putting in the work. I make it a priority to take advantage of all the spa services at both OHI locations — Reiki, energy work, massage, salt scrubs, colonics, chiropractic — I find that these services support my efforts to work through emotional detox.”

There is one practice Cece learned in the Emotional Detox class that she uses consistently. “I have a God Box,” said Cece. “It’s a little needlepoint box my mom made me, and when I feel like I’m spinning, I write my worries on a Post-It Note, put it in the God Box, and release it up to Him. When my box is full, I’ll dump the notes out and read through them to see how God has answered all my prayers, one by one. It’s so powerful.”

Cece has some heartfelt advice for anyone considering a visit to OHI. “If you’ve gotten a tap on the shoulder from God, follow it,” said Cece. “Going to OHI the first time was divine intervention that changed the trajectory of my life. Every visit I learn something in a class that I’ve never heard before. Every visit, my body reacts differently to the detox. I have found that God makes sure you get exactly what you need in the moment when you visit OHI.”

Feeling called to reset, reflect, and renew? Follow that nudge. Your own healing journey may begin—just like Cece’s did—the moment you say yes to OHI. 

To learn more about the OHI for Life Body-Mind-Spirit Program, call (800) 588-0809.