Supporting Caregivers,
First Responders &
Community Members
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Healing Opportunities, Inc. is a non-profit organization committed to providing acupuncture where and when it is needed to assist in periods of transition, crisis and disaster relief. Through Compassionate Care for Caregivers, we support treatment and promotion of acupuncture as a component of functional medicine, to improve community health and the lives of those who provide care. With specific use of NADA Ear Acupuncture Protocol, HO engages in outreach, treatment options, educational opportunities, and evolves health and healthcare practices through research. We are committed to improving health and well-being in the community of Santa Barbara County.
OUR MISSION
To promote health within Santa Barbara County by providing acupuncture treatment for community members, caregivers, and first responders, and advocating health by supporting educational and research opportunities for healthcare practitioners.
OUR APPROACH
We are a resource for acupuncture treatment, care, and education, providing disaster relief for first responders and affected community members, care for caregivers, and information about acupuncture and positive effects of the NADA Protocol.
As a resource for practitioners, and health-care providers across healing modalities, we promote integration and information sharing.
To achieve our ultimate goal of reducing stress and trauma, we partner with service organizations in SB County. We offer Medical Reserve Corps and Doctors Without Walls-Santa Barbara Street Medicine, and other organizations opportunity to incorporate NADA Ear Acupuncture into their own organizational protocols of service.
OUR HISTORY
Founded in 2001 by Joann Tall and Scott Blossom, Healing Opportunities responded to what had emerged as a dire need for caregivers in our community, and took service to the homes of terminally ill patients, providing acupuncture care for patients and their caregivers. The signature program, Compassionate Care for Caregivers provided a multi-disciplinary application of functional medicine modalities, with services offered in Acupuncture, Acupressure, Yoga, Qi Gong, Reiki, Massage, Tuina, as well as practices for moving through bereavement, and more.
Practitioners worked in a variety of settings with the goal of alleviating stress and medical difficulties experienced by caregivers during, and because of the care they extend to others. Settings included patients’ homes, clinics, or a locale best-suited to the caregiver in need, where services were provided free of charge for caregivers, patients, staff, family and friends. A few organizations who benefitted from the service offerings of Healing Opportunities, were Hospice of Santa Barbara, Visiting Nurses of VNHC, Cottage Hospital, and the Santa Barbara Cancer Center, and more.
The fundamental concept of Compassionate Care for Caregivers, was just that – to provide loving medical care for the caregivers in our community; a group of individuals and professionals who are overworked, and are often in desperate need of care themselves due to their focus on the patient, family member or loved-one. Recipient feedback was overwhelmingly positive, and demand for our service affirmed the need, with daily log entries recording the emotional and physical benefits that improved overall well-being for those receiving care.
The positive impact of caring for caregivers is immeasurable and we recognize that the need is greater than ever, so we endeavor again to generate compassionate care within the realms of our current offerings at Healing Opportunities.
Our ongoing efforts as a non profit service organization will build upon our history, strengthening the Santa Barbara community through holistic healing and collaboration with other organizations.
Board of Directors
Rachil B. Vincent
L.Ac., C.N., President
Rachil has an eclectic approach to healing. She is trained in clinical nutrition, holding a Master’s Degree in Oriental Medicine, which includes: Acupuncture, Chinese Herbs, Constitutional Dietary Training, Shiatsu, Cupping Tai Qi and Qi Gong (energetic healing.) Rachil enjoys helping people heal themselves naturally. Through educating her patients she empowers them to access their bodies’ own healing powers: promoting health and preventing disease.
Founder of The Sage Center for Health: Consisting of a private a practice as well as a corporate wellness program, Ms. Vincent is dedicated to creating awareness and access to integrative medicine in our community. Having lived in Santa Barbara for over 20 years, she has directly contributed and guidied the efforts of Healing Opportunities since its inception in 2001 and is proud to serve now as the Chief Executive Officer.
Kathleen Zisser
MD, Vice President
Kathleen is a UCLA trained physician specializing in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. She is also trained in Medical Acupuncture, Yoga therapy, Mindfulness, Guided Imagery and Reiki. She combines these areas of interest in her private practice East West Medicine of Santa Barbara where she uses medical acupuncture for pain management, orthopedic and neurological issues, stress reduction and wellness. A larger passion of Dr. Zisser is to bring many of these healing modalities into the hospital setting to provide truly integrated medical care that can address all of the complex needs of the hospitalized patient. She joined the board of Healing Opportunities in November 2013.
LeAnne Thomason
L.Ac., C.N., Secretary
LeAnne is a licensed acupuncturist with a private practice in Santa Barbara, CA. She holds a Master’s Degree in Chinese Medicine and has been working in the healthcare field since 2006, and working with the Healing Opportunities Board of Director’s since 2007. Blending the healing tools of acupuncture, medical massage, herbology, Qi Gong/yoga and dietary therapy, LeAnne brings all five branches of Chinese Medicine together to help each patient achieve balance. With Bachelor’s Degrees in Sociology and Religious Studies, she brings her passion for creating a cultural understanding of health and spiritual development to her role with Healing Opportunities.
Timothy Bigelow
CFA, Chief Financial Officer
Timothy brings over 20 years of experience to Healing Opportunities, from his work in the investment industry, with experience in business, relationship, and portfolio management and currently, as Development Director of CASA of Santa Barbara County. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Rhode Island, and completed the Executive Program at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government in Behavioral Finance and Investment Decisions. He served as Chairman of the Mentoring Committee at the CFA Society of Orange County, as President Elect of the Rotary Club of Santa Barbara North and an Ambassador for Santa Barbara Chamber of Commerce.
On his spiritual path, Timothy has studied Ageless Wisdom, holding leadership positions with Western Mystery School, completing the Hoffman Institute Program, Reiki Jin Kei Do studies, and is a recent practitioner of Kriya Yoga. Timothy believes that we are all One; that healing starts with the self, and that we can make a difference and heal the planet and humanity. Timothy serves with honor as the CFO of Healing Opportunities.
Meet Our Team
Rachel Cansler
INHC., Development Director
Rachel is an Integrative Nutrition Health Coach, and the Director of Development at Healing Opportunities. Born and raised in Southern California, she graduated from the University of California, Santa Barbara with Bachelor’s Degrees in Communication and Psychology, as well as a minor in Education & Applied Psychology. She completed her INHC in the years following. With over seven years of experience in education and behavioral and integrative health, Rachel is passionate about helping others, spreading ideas and inspiring action regarding functional, holistic health.
Riley Lindheimer
Communications and Public Relations Intern
Riley is the Communications and Public Relations intern at Healing Opportunities. Originally from Orange County, California, Riley is a recent graduate from the University of California, Santa Barbara with Bachelor’s degrees in Communication and Global Studies. Her experiences with the Jane Goodall Institute and completing a social marketing project for Just Communities in Santa Barbara have fueled her passion for helping people and the environment, particularly in the nonprofit sector. Volunteering for organizations such as Worldhealer’s UCSB Global Awareness Club in Santa Barbara and One Voice in Los Angeles have also allowed her to give back to the communities she loves.
Emely Mancia
Administrative and Events Intern
Emely is the Administrative and Events Intern for Healing Opportunities. She is a Salvadoran American who enjoys reading and drawing in her free time. She is a fourth-year transfer student at UC Santa Barbara, who is majoring in Communication. In the near future, she hopes to publish her own children’s book and start a nonprofit that provides more art programs in schools for children living in low-income communities.
Danelly Teutle
Marketing and Research Intern
Danelly is the Marketing and Research intern for Healing Opportunities from Indio, California. She is a third-year communication major at UC Santa Barbara. With her experience in social media and photography, she hopes to further her career in marketing after graduation. Danelly has also previously assisted in research dedicated to analyzing support that young language brokers receive and looks forward to applying those skills at Healing Opportunities. She looks forward to learning more about the aspects of nonprofits.
Rozi Yesayan
Social Media and Fundraising Intern
Rozi is the Social Media and Fundraising Intern for Healing Opportunities. Originally from Los Angeles, California, she is a junior transfer at University of California, Santa Barbara majoring in Communication. She hopes to pursue her ultimate educational goal of earning a PHD and becoming a Communication professor or working as a social media coordinator for Disney.