Our Instructors
Our instructors have a passion for helping you accomplish your dreams. From finding the perfect financial aid package for you to that extra tutorial to help you learn, our friendly and experienced staff and instructors are dedicated to helping you have a career you love.
Management
NEHA CURTISS, Founding Co-Director
Neha is also a licensed Holistic Health Practitioner and Founding Co-Director of Healing Hands School of Holistic Health. Neha's life-long examination of the human condition led him to explore the realm of the Healing Arts, including Native American healing traditions, East Indian techniques, Western systems of structurally balancing the body, and the exploration of compassionate communication skills. Neha has both witnessed and experienced for himself the awesome power of physical and emotional awareness gained through bodywork therapy. As a bodywork practitioner, he is dedicated to bringing his healing touch to integrate the physical, emotional, and spiritual selves of the whole person. As a teacher, he brings this same whole person dedication to every class.
PAULA CURTISS, Founding Co-Director
Paula is a licensed Holistic Health Practitioner and Founding Co- Director of Healing Hands School of Holistic Health. Since 1978, Paula has been studying the human being's power to heal itself, including work in the fields of anatomy, yoga, nutrition, meditation, visualization, and Oriental healing techniques. Paula brings to her practice and her classes a keen interest in the body and a fascination with the incredible resiliency of the human spirit. She sees her role as a Holistic Health Practitioner as helping to provide the missing link in her client's own self-healing process. In teaching others how to provide this link, Paula feels that she is able to contribute to the increased well-being of all mankind. Paula and Neha have taught locally since 1988. They have led the Massage Technician Training Programs at Mira Costa Community College, Irvine Valley Community College and Healing Hands School of Holistic Health. Paula and Neha see the need for healing in all levels of our society. The Healing Hands School grew out of their dedication to make healing arts available and affordable in a hands-on, practical skills approach. The school is easily accessible to members of the North County and South Orange communities. Their classes offer well-rounded, professional training in a unique atmosphere of warmth and caring, which they believe is integral to the healing process.
Instructional Staff Listing
PILAR CHANDLER, Staff Instructor
Tenure: Length of Service: Since May 2002 (Part-time). Pilar is a licensed massage therapist & certified Ayurvedic practitioner. She has been studying natural medicine, herbal healing, movement and meditation since 1994. She is a graduate from the Healing Hands School Holistic Health Practitioner Program & Mount Madonna Institute, College of Ayurveda certificate program. Her path has allowed for the opportunity to study shamanic and intuitive healing, yogic practice, spiritual, vibrational and energetic healing. These experiences have provided an in-depth understanding of the energetic landscape of the body. This coupled with years of clinical work, and academic study of the deep tissue and structural elements of the body, provide a well-rounded view of the massage profession. With compassionate communication, she guides her classes to a joyful state of learning and loving the art of bodywork. Pilar teaches courses in Advanced Circulatory and Sports Massage and Chakra Balancing for Body workers.
SANDRA CHRISTIE, Program Director/Staff Instructor
Tenure: Length of Service: Since October 2001 (Part-time). Sandra finished her Holistic Health Practitioner training in 2001 at Healing Hands, and is a Licensed Holistic Health Practitioner. Her educational background includes a Masters Degree in Education and a California Teaching Certificate in Art from California State University San Bernardino, California; Bachelor of Arts Degree in Art/Psychology, from Ricker College, Houlton, Me. She brings her love of communication and teaching to the Massage Technician Training program. A yoga enthusiast, Sandra is a certified beginner's Yoga Alliance instructor. She is also a multimedia artist, whose current focus is in ceramics, exploring and manipulating the clay body in various ways. Sandra brings a balance of the physical and spiritual into her massage work and classes, teaching deep respect and compassion for our own bodies and for each other. Sandra teaches courses in Massage Technician and Hatha Yoga.
RAINA COLVIN, Staff Instructor
Tenure: Length of Service: Since April 1997 (Part-time). Raina is a Fine Artist as well as a licensed Holistic Health Practitioner (HHP), having received a Certificate in the HHP Program from Healing Hands. As a member of the Healing Hands community Raina has been deeply blessed by the support, friendships, and love she finds. Touching and being touched, bodywork is a gateway for growth and nurturing, Raina brings the joy of doing to Healing Hands. Raina teaches courses in Chair Massage, Tui Na Acupressure, Shiatsu, Massage Technician, Advanced Circulatory, and Sports Massage.
DENISE FULTZ, Staff Instructor
Tenure: Length of Service: Since May 1996 (Part-time). Denise is a graduate of Healing Hands, where she received a Certificate as a Holistic Health Practitioner. She has been in private practice in Vista since 1997. Her longtime interest in Homeopathy led her to further study and she is now a Certified Homeopathic Practitioner. Her many years as a volunteer in hospice patient care has led her to specialize in therapeutic massage for the elderly and terminally ill. Valued for her compassion and humor, she encourages her students to assimilate the therapeutic effects of massage at deeper levels. Denise teaches courses in Anatomy for Bodyworkers, Geriatric Massage, Massage Technician, Reflexology, and Homeopathy.
KRYSLA GROTHE, Staff Instructor
Tenure: Length of Service: Since May 2007 (Part-time). Krysla is a Licensed Massage Therapist with a love for all types of bodywork. She graduated from the Healing Hands Massage Therapist program and received her Certificate. She has experience in many settings including but not limited to doing bodywork in drug rehabilitation, corporate chair massage, spa, and private clientele, and has benefited from the opportunity to work with and learn from a handful of very talented bodyworkers. She brings a warm and energetic presence into class that can show that discovering these sacred techniques is as much innate as it is learned.
J.R. PRICE, Staff Instructor
Tenure: Length of Service: Since March 2006 (Part-time). J.R. is a San Diego native with a successful bodywork practice focusing on injury rehabilitation and chronic pain. His own personal experience with spinal injury led him away from custom-home construction, into the field of Holistic Health and more specifically, Deep Tissue/Myofascial Therapies. Working along side a local chiropractor, J.R. marveled at the amazing healing capacity of the human body and at the effectiveness of compassionate, intuitive bodywork. J.R. believes in uncovering the core dysfunctions in the body and not just addressing the more obvious symptoms. With reverence and awe for the profound mind/body connection, J.R. presents a compelling and dynamic approach to doing bodywork. An athlete all his life, J.R. is a record holder for several track events, an avid mountain biker and rock climber, and a practicing yogi. Through his athletic and bodywork experience, J.R. also teaches ways to become a balanced bodyworker to ensure a long, productive career. J.R. believes in creating a sacred space in his classes where honesty and open communication prevail and where no one is left behind. J.R. Price teaches courses in Deep Tissue Manipulations, Advanced Circulatory and Sports Massage and Therapeutic (PNF) Stretching.
SHAUNA AVILA-McCLURE, Staff Instructor
Length of Tenure: Since April 2007. Shauna began studying massage in 1996 and has worked in various venues since 1997. From the beginning she has emphasized facilitating clients to integrate their massage experience into an avenue of healing and growth. Her dedication to the healing arts provides her with the flexibility of conducting a meaningful business while keeping family her first priority.
SHANNON GONZALES, Staff Instructor
CYNTHIA BOTTA
Length of Sevice: Since 2008. Cynthia Botta came to the massage world in 2003. After 25 years in a business career she felt she needed a change. With a love of massage and interests in holistic health, she has created a private client massage business. Cynthia graduated from Healing Hands School of Holistic Health with a Holistic Health Practitioner Certification. Not wanting to leave Healing Hands massage school, she helps out in the Healing Hands School office and likes to assist other teachers with their classes. Along the journey, Cynthia found a passion for teaching. She likes to create a supportive and interactive learning environment in her classes. Cynthia hopes to relay her love, respect and miracle of massage therapy to her clients and students.
RACHEL DUNTON, Staff Instructor
JENI HARTUNG, Staff Instructor
Length of Sevice: Since 2010.Jeni has been an accomplished massage therapist since graduating Healing Hands School of Holistic Health in 2004 where she became highly trained in the arts of modalities Tui Na Acupressure, Deep Tissue Manipulation, Circulatory, and Advanced Circulatory and Sports Massage. Since then she has been practicing at Montage Resort and Spa where she received a degree in Spa Therapies from the American Spa Therapies Education and Certification Council (ASTECC) and is such certified in modalities including Hydrotherapy, Reflexology, Aromatherapy and Chemical Elements, Hot and Cold Stone Massage, DR.Vodder's Manual Lymph Drainage (MLD), and Connective Tissue Massage. Being an avid animal lover and vegetarian, Jeni is also enthralled with the ocean and its healing properties and abilities, thus incorporating ocean inspired therapies into her work. As a caregiver in this industry, Jeni finds her career very rewarding. Practicing these modalities on a regular basis, teaching massage now is the biggest reward she has yet experienced. She believes that it is through giving that we truly receive, and that it is through teaching that we truly learn.
Administrative Staff Listing
ANN HEFFNER, Office Manager/Student Assistant, Job Placement Director
TEODORA VALDEZ CURTISS, Director Financial Aid Office
ALYSSA DURO, Financial Aid Administrator, Accounts Receivable Administration
MELANIE PRICE, Admissions Director
LEAH ZUNKER, Student Advisor; Special Funding & Web Presence Administrator