ABOUT US
Supporting Caregivers,
First Responders
& Community Members
Healing Opportunities, is a non-profit organization committed to providing NADA ear acupuncture where and when it is needed to assist in periods of transition, crisis and disaster relief, 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 often 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 reducing the negative effects of stress and trauma through providing NADA ear acupuncture treatment for caregivers, first responders, & community members.
OUR APPROACH
We are a service organization and a resource for acupuncture providing treatment through, both our paid and volunteer, NADA ear acupuncture program.
- To achieve our ultimate goal of reducing stress and trauma, we have a team of volunteers that work with Santa Barbara County service organizations such as the Medical Reserve Corp and Doctors Without Walls- Santa Barbara Street Medicine offering their staff and community members treatment with the NADA ear acupuncture protocol.
- We have a team of paid practitioners who provide the NADA acupuncture treatment protocol to the nonprofit organizations caring for our community.
- We provide disaster relief support for first responders and affected community members.
- With respect to one of Healing Opportunities’ original programs, (Compassionate Care for Caregivers,) we continue to promote a multi-disciplinary application of other modalities, working with practitioners of both Eastern and Western medicine to include: Acupressure, Yoga, Qi Gong, Reiki, Massage, Breath work, as well as bereavement counseling, addiction therapy, and more.
Acupuncture Services Lovingly Provided for Caregivers
(who need care too)
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
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 guided the efforts of Healing Opportunities since its inception in 2001 and is proud to serve now as 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 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.
Rochelle is a Certified Public Accountant, and Reiki Master, offering her balanced expertise to Healing Opportunities as Treasurer.
As a CPA, she has worked with small businesses, corporations, non-profit organizations, and local governments. She enjoys demystifying the world of accounting for those who are number adverse.
In 2005, Rochelle was introduced to Reiki, and was surprised by how compelled and inspired she was to learn more. Her interest has led her to delve deep into study and practice, earning numerous certifications in Reiki healing, including Reiki Master and Karuna Reiki® Master with certifications in Advanced Crystal Reiki, Sound Healing, and Animal Reiki, founding Diamond Lotus Reiki in 2012.
As an experienced Reiki Master, she incorporates crystals and sound healing into her sessions, and enjoys the process of helping people to become amazed at what they can heal and manifest when they participate and co-create with their own sacred soul. She loves helping people becoming more fully engaged in their lives, and looks forward to doing her part to enhance the health of Santa Barbara County by offering her skills to Healing Opportunities.
Rochelle has worked and lived in the Santa Barbara area for over 18 years and is incredibly happy to call Santa Barbara home.
Our Team
Danelly is the Development and Marketing Coordinator 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. 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 contributing her skills to support fund raising and advance the goals of Healing Opportunities.
Rachel is an Integrative Nutrition Health Coach, and the Program Coordinator 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.
Previous Interns
Internship Opportunities Available Now
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 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.
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.