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The Inspiration

The Guest House Ocala is the culmination of the lives, careers and passions of its co-founders, Judy Crane and John West. John and Judy are dedicated to bringing healing and hope to those who struggle with addiction and other self-destructive behaviors, particularly as a result of traumatic or emotional events. The two combine personal experience with healing from addiction, extensive therapy training and award-winning treatment administration to bring an ideal balance of deep understanding and high-level expertise to the mission of The Guest House. John and Judy imagined not just a treatment facility, but a place where comfort, quiet and healing were prioritized through premier-quality services and amenities. They sought to create a private, welcoming home where you are met with open arms at the door, exactly where you are on your journey, yet without judgment or expectations.

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The Guest House

When John and Judy chose our beautiful Silver Springs, Florida estate for the location of their dream recovery space, they sought to find a name for the center that reflected their ideals as well as the mission statement of their planned programs. They decided to call it The Guest House after a poem written by Rumi, a 13th-century Sufi poet.

The Guest House

This being human is a guest house.
Every morning a new arrival.

A joy, a depression, a meanness,
some momentary awareness comes
as an unexpected visitor.

Welcome and entertain them all!
Even if they are a crowd of sorrows,
who violently sweep your house
empty of its furniture,
still, treat each guest honorably.
He may be clearing you out
for some new delight.

The dark thought, the shame, the malice.
meet them at the door laughing and invite them in.

Be grateful for whatever comes.
because each has been sent
as a guide from beyond.

— Jellaludin Rumi

Like the poem states, we welcome all — the good and the bad, for better or for worse. In this poem, Rumi perfectly summarizes the haven for healing that we are striving to create: a place that prizes patience, tolerance, positivity and gratitude so that each of our guests can feel understood and valued exactly as they are. No matter how small or complex your story is, you are invited to make The Guest House a stop on your journey to recovery.

Our Philosophy

Our philosophy centers on treating every person with kindness and with basic human respect and dignity. Inside our doors, no person is ever treated as less-than, as an outsider or as a hopeless cause. No matter who you are or where you come from, at The Guest House you are loved and appreciated unconditionally. One of our unofficial mottos is “Love them back to health” — we have seen first-hand the benefits of kindness and compassion during this difficult time in our guests’ lives. When you enter our programs, you will be given the same level of expert care and access to amenities as all of our clients, regardless of whether you perceive yourself as less important or less in need — here, we are all equals because we are all human.

We also believe in holistic healing: approaching the mind, the body and the spirit as a whole rather than focusing on just one aspect of your recovery. This method of treatment is gaining popularity in mental health circles because evidence has increasingly shown that these three distinct parts of the human experience are deeply intertwined. Mental fortitude gives you confidence in your ability to heal; physical strength gives you the energy to move forward every day; and spiritual well-being makes your life worth living with meaning and purpose. At The Guest House Ocala, we draw from ancient practices like yoga, mindfulness and meditation and from modern medicine to build a program that encourages total strength and health.

Our Treatment Methods

The treatments and therapies that we offer are carefully chosen and curated to reflect our missions and beliefs. We focus on the individuality of our guests with the understanding that treatment for trauma, addiction and self-defeating behaviors is not “one size fits all.” Our offerings are designed to be customizable, experimental and mix-and-matchable so that you can find the options and schedule that work for you. Some of our methods include:

  • Art Therapy
  • Equine Therapy
  • Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing
  • Group Therapy
  • Psychodrama

The combination of creative therapies, traditional methods and cutting-edge clinical techniques makes our menu of choices stand out from other treatment centers. We also ensure that our treatments are provided by highly trained and uniquely qualified therapists with specialties in each of these areas. We are firmly dedicated to giving our guests access to the best treatments, providers and resources available and we are always willing to work with you one-on-one to ensure that you have everything you need to heal.