In 2001, Cathy Brillantes moved to a plot of land in Tagaytay to recover from the collapse of her marriage. What began as a personal refuge soon became Nurture Spa, a modest retreat with just four employees. At a time when spas often looked to Western and Balinese concepts for inspiration, Cathy took a different path, drawing on Filipino healing traditions such as hilot and other traditional therapies.
Over the next two decades, Nurture Spa grew into Nurture Wellness Village, earning an international reputation for holistic health and social entrepreneurship. Cathy and her second husband, Dr. Mike Turvill, added an organic farm, wellness programs supervised by Dr. Sam Dizon, and farm-to-table dining. They also built the business around the people of Barangay Maitim, employing local residents and housewives, many without college degrees, and training them in hospitality. The benefits extended beyond the village, bringing business to tricycle drivers, farmers, and community artisans.
“Nurture Wellness Village is not just about spa treatments. It’s also about the impact on the community,” Cathy said. She recalled receiving a surprise birthday video from scholars supported by the business, children of longtime employees who had grown from five-year-olds into high school graduates and young adults.
“That’s the most important thing about this whole journey,” she said. “I was put in a spot, and went through great difficulty. I realized that my mission was to help these other people also. It’s amazing how a lot of them have become so self-confident, particularly the women. The men cannot beat them anymore because their wives are now the breadwinners. So there’s a lot of respect for them.”
Cathy went on to receive industry awards, lead spa and wellness tourism organizations, and earn international certifications in various practices.
Then came the double blow of the Taal Volcano eruption and the pandemic in 2020. The Turvills had just come off a record financial year in 2019 and mortgaged their Manila home to finance a nationwide expansion. When borders closed and tourism ground to a halt, their ambitious plans turned into a fight for survival. With the bank threatening foreclosure, they had to make drastic cuts to save the business.
In 2022, they sold their custom-built Manila home, closed Nurture Farmacy (heir farm tourism facility), put their glamping operations up for sale, and arranged for Maria Clara, their carabao mascot, to be adopted.
They moved permanently to Amadeo, Cavite, converting a 100-sqm former conference center into a modest family home. The move turned out the be beneficial. It cut their daily four-hour commute between Muntinlupa and Tagaytay and allowed them to supervise operations more closely. It also helped them keep the business going through the prolonged tourism slump. Three years later, the Turvills built a new home near Nurture Farmacy.
“Now we’re rising from that,” Cathy said. “It’s all about resilience. I always say, ‘Look deep inside, then look up, pray, and then move forward.’ We often ask ourselves, ‘Why do these horrible things happen?’ In the end, the answer shows itself, and it’s a beautiful answer. We just have to hang in there and wait for the beauty to show, just like a butterfly.”
Bringing the Filipino experience
Nurture Wellness Village has plenty to celebrate on its 25th anniversary on Oct. 20. What began as a personal refuge has survived heartbreak, financial upheaval, and a pandemic, emerging with a renewed focus on helping people live longer and better.
To mark the milestone, the Tagaytay resort is introducing new longevity-focused initiatives. In partnership with Farmer’s Table restaurant, it is launching a longevity menu inspired by research into the world’s Blue Zones, where people are known for their exceptional longevity. The menu adapts dietary practices associated with these communities.
The resort is also partnering with internal medicine specialist Dr. Hernando Delizo, founder of Clinica Manila, to open Balai Sigla in one of its bungalows. The center offers preventive health assessments, predictive risk analysis, health optimization, regenerative longevity treatments, weight management, and sleep recovery. Diagnostic equipment helps assess clients’ current health and identify potential risks, allowing them to take preventive action.
Cathy Brillantes Turvill on book cover
Cathy is also releasing an updated, hardbound edition of her book, C.H.O.I.C.E.S.: Holistic Anti-Aging Secrets: Achieve Beauty and Vitality the Natural Way. Published by New York-based Victoria Mascetta, the new edition follows the sellout of the original 2014 release. Part memoir, part wellness guide, the book looks at anti-aging from a broader perspective, moving beyond creams and cosmetic procedures to explore how everyday habits, emotional well-being, and a sense of purpose shape the way we age. Cathy draws on her experience, from starting a spa on 1,800 sqm of land using salvaged wood to building a wellness enterprise in a 9,400-sqm development, based on Filipino values. Insights from medical experts likewise lend gravitas. The book’s premise is about how to age gracefully based on scientific evidence.
Fresh salad from the farm for detox programs
The updated C.H.O.I.C.E.S. acronym turns these ideas into a practical framework for aging well, covering everything from healthy habits and mental wellness to finding purpose and managing grief.
“Living well as we age isn’t complicated, but it does require conscious choices,” Cathy said.
C stands for choosing gratitude, managing stress through self-awareness and finding purpose, or ikigai, to keep the mind engaged and youthful. H and O address the physical basics, from hydration and healthy eating to oxygenation and movement, which helps deliver oxygen to the body’s cells.
The letters I and C focus on immunity and cleansing. Plant-forward nutrition helps support the immune system, while cleansing extends from digestive health and our physical surroundings to mental well-being and the company we keep.
E encourages natural therapies such as massage, acupuncture, and other traditional healing practices.
Finally, S brings together self-care, social connection, skin health, sleep, and spirit. Aesthetic medicine specialist Dr. Michelle Rivera adds another dimension to personal care, presenting it as essential to maintaining the vitality, rest, and spiritual well-being needed to care for others.
Doctors help address the physical basics and monitor patient health.
Growing older is inevitable. Letting negativity take over is not. In her book, Cathy makes the case for a healthier mindset, starting with how we talk to ourselves and respond to the world around us. Rather than dwelling on mistakes, expecting the worst, or brushing off our achievements, she encourages readers to look for the good. Keeping a gratitude journal, replacing harsh self-criticism with kindness, laughing often, and spending time with positive people can lift our spirits and support our well-being.
Keeping the mind sharp matters just as much. The book encourages readers to stay curious, try new hobbies, pursue creative projects, and remain involved in their communities. The point is to keep learning and discovering, whatever our age. When did we last try something new? What still makes us laugh? These simple questions can prompt us to look at our lives with fresh eyes.
Cathy also explores ikigai, the Japanese concept of purpose found at the intersection of what we love, what we do well, what the world needs, and what we can earn a living from. Rather than treating retirement as the end of our productive years, she encourages us to keep doing things that bring joy and give us a sense of value. Staying involved, sharing our skills, and contributing to others can keep life meaningful as we grow older.
Another subject tackled is grief, which extends beyond the death of a loved one. It can accompany the loss of a familiar routine, a long-held role, a relationship, or the family dynamics we once knew. Such changes can affect us emotionally, mentally, physically, and spiritually, sometimes leaving us feeling as though we are on an unpredictable roller coaster. Recognizing grief as a natural response to significant change can help us stop expecting ourselves to simply get over it.
The book advises readers to acknowledge their feelings without judgment and accept that grief follows no set timetable. Instead of getting caught up in asking why something happened, it suggests turning the question toward what we can do to care for ourselves now. Mental health experts point out that uncomfortable emotions are signals, not personal failings. Putting feelings into words can also help us step back from their intensity and see them as experiences we can work through.
The book also underscores the importance of allowing those feelings to surface rather than burying them under work or other distractions. Journaling, talking openly with trusted friends, breathwork, and guided visualization offer ways to process difficult emotions and ease tension. Ultimately, readers are reminded that there is no shortcut to healing. Giving ourselves time to pause, breathe, and treat ourselves with compassion can help us find our footing again.
