Terri Havens: President & Co-Founder of World-Renowned Cal-A-Vie Health Spa by Morning Cup of Faith Podcast

We love to highlight strong women of faith and resilience like the beautiful and inspirational Terri Havens, the President and co-founder with her husband John of the world-renowned resort Cal-A-Vie Health Spa (cal-a-vie.com) located in the flower-filled hills north of San Diego, California. January is a month of wellness and “reset” for all of us, and who couldn’t use a dose of Vitamin C and positivity? Cal-A-Vie was voted number one Destination Health Spa by Travel Leisure magazine and attracts stellar guests such as Michelle Obama, Gwynth Paltrow and Oprah Winfrey.

A free spirit with passion for creativity, Terri is a forward thinker who thinks out of the box. Terri grew up in New Orleans and she’s well known for her famous Southern hospitality and her exquisite taste which was inspired by her love of Mardi Gras. She’s a lover of European history; she travels with her family to France every year which explains why Cal-A-Vie looks like it belongs in the 17th Century French Countryside. Terri and her husband are both history buffs who have filled the resort with historical pieces and antiques from Europe.

Terri shares, “Every little detail is taken care of because when you’re in a place of beauty, you feel good. Anyone who comes to Cal-A-Vie for ten weeks or more gets an orange tree planted in their name. We have over two hundred trees planted in guests’ names. One time I saw a car pull up and the car door opened with the most gorgeous leg stepping out. It was Gwynth Paltrow. She’s a total natural beauty; it was wonderful to meet her. She walks the walk which is why she looks so good."

When Terri and John's guests asked for something more “spiritual,” they found a 400 year old chapel that was dismantled in France and reassembled at Cal-A-Vie.

Terri is also the author of the sought after best-selling cookbook: "Beautiful Living: Cooking the Cal-A-Vie Health Spa Way” featuring over one hundred of the five-star retreat’s delicious and healthy recipes like chocolate mousse made with cacao powder and avocado. One of the wellness practices Cal-A-Vie recommends is kicking off a new health program with a liver detox. Terri explains, “One of the best things you can do is to start off with a liver detox. It’s not hard, because you’re not going to not eat. You’re just going to detox your liver. Your liver is in charge of getting rid of toxins and harmful things from your body, so when you’re stressed, not sleeping or eating unhealthy food, your liver backs up which causes you to gain weight. Try a liver detox for four days."

Terri is involved in many charities and philanthropic causes around the country, and most importantly, she’s the proud mother to three wonderful children. Terri believes, “Faith in God is what allows us to have stability in the middle of instability. My faith has gotten me through everything. We can choose to worry or choose to have faith." (Matthew 6:27-30)