Boss’s Day, established in 1958, is observed annually on October 16th or the closest business day to it. Intended to strengthen employee/employer relations, Boss’s Day gives employees an opportunity to show appreciation for their boss or bosses.
Today, the Faculty and Staff at Healing Hands School of Holistic Health, want to acknowledge four exceptional Bosses; Paula, Neha, Harmony and Teo Curtiss. Credited with creating the first Massage Therapy Program for Community Colleges in SoCal, Neha and Paula (husband and wife) are considered trail-blazers in education of the Holistic Healing Arts. In 1992, they founded Healing Hands with a vision of providing the most comprehensive holistic health education and training available.
Paula Curtiss serves as the Chief Financial Officer and Co-Director for the school. She is a Certified Massage Therapist, Holistic Health Practitioner, and Master Instructor adept in a variety of massage modalities. In addition to developing much of Healing Hands’ course-work and instructional materials, Paula can teach nearly every course the school offers. She ensures that the school maintains the Instructional standards required for operation and works diligently to maintain eligibility for Government funding on behalf of students. This funding includes: Federal Student Financial Aid, Veterans Administration Educational Benefits, Vocational Rehab, and Education Benefits for the Unemployed.
Day to day, Paula handles a myriad of Operational duties for the Escondido and San Diego classrooms. In addition to selecting quarterly classes for each of her three locations, Paula manages the Administrative team and works closely with her Faculty and Guest Instructors on scheduling and other teaching issues.
Neha Curtiss is the School’s Co-Director, Director of Education, a Licensed Massage Therapist and Staff Instructor for Healing Hands’ . Neha became a strong advocate for the Holistic Healing Arts having witnessed and experienced the physical and emotional awareness gained through bodywork therapies. His education included Native American healing traditions, East Indian techniques, Western systems of structurally balancing the body, as well as compassionate communication skills.
As the Director of Education for Healing Hands, Neha is instrumental in shaping the curricula and teaching processes. He also provides guidance to the teachers, school administrators and support staff. As a Massage and Bodywork Practitioner, Neha is dedicated to ‘Holistic Health’ that integrates the physical, emotional, and spiritual aspects of an individual. As an Instructor, Neha encourages students to take this same ‘whole person’ approach. Although he often works quietly behind the scenes, Neha can step into the role of Instructor at a moment’s notice.
Harmony Curtiss, Paula and Neha’s daughter, has been active behind the scenes for Healing Hands since she was in high-school. Long before taking responsibility for the Laguna Hills classroom in 2012, Harmony assisted her parents with important Administrative and Operational needs. She helped to develop new school policies, establish office procedures, launch the school’s new website, provide Employee Training, Manage Special Funding, and facilitate Career Placement for our Graduates.
Surrounded by Massage and Bodywork enthusiasts her entire life, Harmony’s passion for the Healing Arts grew naturally and flourished quickly. A talented Massage Therapist in her own right, Harmony completed the 1000-hour Holistic Health Practitioner Program in 2011. She then opened a modest private practice to gain experience before training to become a Staff Instructor. Today, in addition to Directing Operations for the Laguna Hills location, Harmony teaches two of the school’s most popular 100-hour courses, Circulatory Massage and Shiatsu.
Teodora (Teo) Valdez – Curtiss is the Branch Manager for the Escondido Campus of Healing Hands School. Teo is Paula and Neha’s daughter-in-law, married to their oldest son, Blue Ray. Teo earned her Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration with emphasis on Entrepreneurship and Marketing. She has worked in the field of higher education administration since 2001. Teo also achieved a minor in Psychology from the University of Southern California and completed Healing Hands’ Holistic Health Practitioner Program in March of 2008.
Teo brought a wide range of knowledge and skills to the table when she started working for Healing Hands in June of 2007. Since then her responsibilities have progressively increased and she’s met every challenge! Today, in addition to serving as a Branch Manager, Teo is also the Director of Financial Aid, and Director of International Student Affairs. As such, she provides guidance, resources, and information to international students and those utilizing Federal Student Aid. Teo’s contribution to the school has paved the way for thousands of Healing Hands Graduates to pursue an empowering education and career as a Professional Massage Therapist.
Through the years the Curtiss’ took a heart-centered approach to education and training and have mentored many aspiring Instructors to do the same. The school’s curriculum includes both Eastern and Western Massage Modalities plus related ‘holistic health’ courses like Diet & Nutrition and Herbal Preparations. In the process they cultivated an exceptional team of Instructors, developed an unsurpassed curriculum, and continue to innovate with new courses regularly.
Together, Paula, Neha, Harmony and Teo’s efforts are responsible for the employment of over two dozen Faculty and Staff members, and the successful preparation of over 7,000 Healers. Today, we, the faculty and staff of Healing Hands want to thank all four of our wonderful Bosses for being kind, fair, and supportive of our efforts throughout the year. Paula, Neha, Harmony and Teo, please know that we are proud to be on your team and working toward the unified goal of “Touching Lives, Touching Hearts”.
Healing Hands School of Holistic Health offers two Certification Programs and over 80 Massage and Holistic Health courses. With classrooms in San Diego, Escondido, and Laguna Hills, Healing Hands’ offers comprehensive, professional Massage Therapy training in a safe, professional environment. To learn more, go online to www.HealingHandsSchool.com or call us at (949) 305-2722 in Laguna Hills, (760) 746-9364 in Escondido,