ABOUT US
Supporting Caregivers,
First Responders
& Community Members
Healing Opportunities is a non-profit organization committed to facilitating NADA ear acupuncture treatment to assist in periods of transition, crisis and disaster relief. This protocol helps to reduce the negative health effects of stress and trauma. We focus on the often underserved population of caregivers, from health care providers to non-profit workers.
The fundamental concept of our Care for Caregivers program is to provide loving care for the caregivers in our community; a group of individuals and professionals who are overworked, and who continue to be in need of care themselves due to their focus on the patient, family member or the local community that they serve.
OUR MISSION
To promote health within Santa Barbara County by facilitating NADA ear acupuncture treatment to reduce the negative effects of stress and trauma for caregivers, first responders, healthcare professionals and community members in need.
OUR HISTORY
THEN
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.
Recipient feedback was overwhelmingly positive, and demand for service affirmed the need, as daily log entries recorded the emotional and physical benefits that improved overall well-being for those who received care.
NOW
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 still overworked, and who continue to often be in desperate need of care themselves due to their focus on the patient, family member or loved-one.
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

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 guided the efforts of Healing Opportunities since its inception in 2001 and is proud to serve now as President.

As a Certified Financial Planner, Yvonne has worked with families to create successful long term financial game plans to achieve economic freedom and greater peace of mind. In this process, she works to promote appropriate investment solutions, estate and tax planning strategies, children’s education and multigenerational planning, insurance analysis, long term care planning and cashflow management. She takes a very comprehensive approach in assisting in the lives of her clients.
Yvonne graduated with a Psychology degree from UC Santa Barbara in 1990 and currently lives in the Santa Ynez Valley. She has worked for Mercer Advisors, a Registered Investment Advisory Firm since 1993.

Her studies at SHA included substantial coursework in eastern medicine and philosophy, which influenced her to pursue acupuncture. She graduated from Santa Barbara College of Oriental Medicine with a Masters in Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine in 2006. While attending SBCOM she participated in a study abroad at TCM School of Wanzhou in Chongqing, China where she worked closely with doctors treating patients in a local hospital.
Jackie held a private practice in Santa Barbara from 2006-2012, during which time, she volunteered with Hospice of Santa Barbara and Food from the Heart. Following her wanderlust, Jackie joined a cruise ship line as an on-board acupuncturist, traveling the world for a several years, then decided to return to land and found her way to back to Santa Barbara and to Healing Opportunities.

Ruth is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and has been a practicing psychotherapist since completing her Masters in Social Welfare at the University of California, Berkeley in 1967. She was also awarded a PhD in Human and Organizational Development with an emphasis on non-profit management from Fielding University.
With early clinical experience in child and adult protection services, her work has been focused on macro and micro systemic interventions and trauma treatment including EMDR and other integrative modalities such as mediation and hypnosis.

A graduate of McGill University Medical School in Montreal, Canada, Dr. Guier’s credentials include a history in orthopedic surgery in Montreal, San Francisco, and Jackson, Wyoming, including physician and surgeon to the French National Ski Team, following a Sports Trauma fellowship in Lyon, France.
Dr. Guier has held appointments on numerous boards and committees, and is the recipient of various honors and awards. He offers his years of experience as a medical professional and his worldly perspectives to is position on the Board of Directors for Healing Opportunities.

Advisory Board





Our Team


Acupuncturists, Volunteers, Interns, other team members



Previous Interns
Internship Opportunities Available Now


