Two Decades in Oncology
For more than two decades, I have dedicated my career to helping people navigate some of life’s most challenging health journeys. As a Medical Oncologist since 2003, specializing in breast cancer, I have witnessed firsthand the profound complexity of health — and the extraordinary resilience of the human spirit.
A Sanctuary for Those Who Care for Others
My passion for wellness began long before I imagined owning a retreat. Early in my career as teaching faculty at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, I envisioned creating a daily sanctuary for hardworking medical trainees: a quiet place where they could step away from the demands of medicine, even for just fifteen minutes, to rest, recharge, and receive the care they so often gave to others. I imagined soothing music, aromatherapy, restorative massage, and a moment of stillness in an otherwise relentless day.
Although that vision never came to fruition, the underlying belief stayed with me: those who spend their lives caring for others must also learn to care for themselves.
What My Patients Taught Me
That belief deepened throughout my years in clinical practice. I began to recognize a common thread among many of my patients. Beneath their busy lives and countless responsibilities, they were depleted — continually giving to others while postponing their own needs. Exercise, nourishing meals, restorative sleep, quiet reflection, and the simple pleasures that bring joy had gradually become secondary to the demands of daily life.
Why Everyday Habits Matter
As a physician, I came to appreciate how profoundly our everyday habits, chronic stress, and patterns of self-neglect can influence our well-being. I became increasingly interested in the role of lifestyle, prevention, and holistic health practices in supporting long-term vitality and helping people take a more active role in their health.
I believe that many of the foundations of lasting health are found in the simple practices we often overlook: daily movement in nature, morning sunlight, nourishing whole foods, mind-body practices such as yoga, and restorative therapies like sauna and massage.
These holistic lifestyle practices can support metabolic health, promote relaxation, and help reduce modifiable risk factors for chronic diseases such as insulin resistance, hypertension, and obesity. By minimizing risk for these diseases, significant downstream risk for morbid diseases like heart attack, cancer, stroke, and Alzheimer’s Disease is further reduced, not to mention rates of depression, anxiety, and loneliness.
Inspired by Norway
A transformative trip to Norway introduced me to a culture in which restorative practices, including sauna, were woven into everyday life. I was inspired by the idea that caring for oneself need not be an occasional luxury; it could be a meaningful, consistent practice.
I began to envision a different approach to wellness — one that brings together movement, wholesome nutrition, mindfulness, restorative rest, and connection to nature to support a healthier, more balanced life.
A New Chapter at The Pearl Laguna
Then came an unexpected opportunity to own The Pearl Laguna, a wellness retreat nestled in the natural beauty of Laguna Beach, California. Recognizing the opportunity to bring my long-held vision to life, I embraced it wholeheartedly.
Today, my mission is to create a nurturing space where people can step away from the stressors of everyday life, and rediscover what it feels like to be well — not simply in body, but in mind and spirit.
I believe that caring for yourself is not selfish; it is foundational to living well. My vision for The Pearl Laguna is to help people make that belief a lived experience — to create the space for meaningful change, lasting self-care, and a deeper connection to the life they wish to lead.
Because sometimes, the most important step toward better health is giving yourself permission to pause.
— Dr. Maria Dungo