About EHC, Practitioners & Teachers

Julia Bystrova, CMT

Julia has been practicing the healing arts for over 20 years, working in a wide variety of capacities, including medical coordinator, counselor, spa director, massage therapist and facilitator. She began her work as a natural healer at the young age of 18 and later led a group of healers over the years to explore the energy system of the person directly. Julia's primary training has been taught to her directly from the body-thus developing her strong intuitive abilities. She does not follow any structured protocol of a particular tradition but has been trained by a great variety of teachers to acquire some of the tools that can answer this deep listening of the body.. She attended Interfaith Seminary and is a Licensed and Ordained Minister for hands-on healing. She incorporates an extensive knowledge of the body's physiology into her work. She also has a Masters degree in Science and Spirituality and continues a lifelong quest to understand the nature of this integration, particularly how is is expressed in the nature of health and healing. Many have found her no-nonsense knowledge with her compassionate approach very effective and refreshing.

Judi Pereira, CAMT

Judi is a graduate of the Eastern Holistic Center's Acupressure and Eastern Bodywork Program.  She believes each of us has the ability to heal; body, mind and spirit.  She is certified in Acupressure, Theraputic Body Work, Shiatsu, Reflexology, Aromatherapy and Tui Na.  Judi feels that learning is a lifelong venture. She continues to study and expand her work integrating various modalities into her practice. She is grateful for the opportunity to help others heal through this work and to share what she has learned with others so that they may also help themselves.  Judi also sits on the board of the Ceres Community Project, a non-profit program that teaches teens how to prepare organic nutrient dense meals and then deliver them to people faced with serious illness and cancer.  She is a strong believer in community and working together to improve the quality of life for others. 

Stephanie Halderman, Dipl. ABT, EMT, CMT

Stephanie is the founder of Eastern Holistic Center. She is a diplomat in Asian Bodywork Therapy through the National Commission for Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine. She is certified in acupressure, eastern bodywork, therapeutic massage, hatha yoga, acu-yoga, prenatal & postnatal yoga, pre & perinatal massage therapy, childbirth education, CPR & First Aid instruction, and has been an EMT since 1997. She is a California State Authorized Instructor and teaches certification courses at EHC, the Acupressure Institute in Berkeley, CA, and the Healing Arts Institute in Citrus Heights, CA.

Amanda Bloomberg, CMT

Since becoming a Certified Massage Therapist in 2003 Amanda’s practice has evolved with the integration of Acupressure. She is amazed at the power of the human body to heal and find balance from within. Since the birth of her two children Amanda is especially committed to helping women through the many life changes involved in pregnancy and childbirth. She has completed certifications in prenatal massage, acupressure for pregnancy as well as prenatal yoga in order to help all women have a more comfortable pregnancy, labor, birth, and beyond. Drawing from her experience with many modalities including Reflexology, Shiatsu, Acupressure, Swedish and Therapeutic Massage, Amanda is a compassionate channel for healing at whatever stage of life you find yourself.

Devorah Blum

Devorah Blum is the owner and director of Yoga Studio Ganesha in Sebastopol, where she teaches prenatal, postpartum and general yoga classes. She began her study of yoga in 1975, becoming a dedicated student of Iyengar Yoga. She started teaching prenatal yoga in 1988 after discovering the benefits of yoga during the pregnancy and birth of her first of three sons. Her depth of understanding the postures along with her attentiveness, compassion, and sensitive guidance enable Devorah to inspire and nurture each student.

Kathleen Davis, B.A., CMT

Kathleen is a graduate of Mills College and the Acupressure Institute’s 850-hour advanced Acupressure Teacher Training Program. She continues to study Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chi Gung and Jin Shin Jyutsu as taught by Mary Burmeister. In addition to teaching acupressure and Tai Chi, she maintains a private practice in Berkeley integrating Chinese Tui Na Massage with Jin Shin Jyutsu. Kathleen is a core faculty member at the Acupressure Institute.
 

Jim Donak

Jim Donak's fascination with the human body began at an early age. Since then, he has committed himself to in-depth studies of the healing arts, ranging from Tai Chi, kinesiology, and The Alexander Technique, to Neuro-Linguistic Programming, manual orthopedic and osteopathic techniques, and musculoskeletal therapy.

In addition to teaching at the Acupressure Institute in Berkeley and the National Circus Center in San Francisco, Jim also maintains a private practice focusing on musculoskeletal healing, using Asian manual therapies, orthopedic bodywork, and rehabilitation exercises.

Alice Hiatt

Alice is one of the Acupressure Institute’s major core faculty, teaching over 20 different classes. She places an emphasis on the emotional aspects of health and disease. Alice is certified in Touch for Health and Esalen Massage and has taught acupressure around the world. She has studied Jungian dream analysis and trained with Helen Palmer. Alice has been a psychiatric nurse for over 25 years. She maintains a private practice in Berkeley and lives part time in Tanzania East Africa. She is the medicine woman in her village and during her climbs on Kilimanjaro Mountain.

About EHC

Eastern Holistic Center offers private sessions, classes, continuing education and certification programs. EHC’s focus is to provide eastern holistic healing arts for the public and professionals who want to learn self-help, learn new modalities or enhance their profession.

Sylvia Nachilinger

Sylvia Nachlinger is a nationally certified Acupressure therapist, with a background in intuitive healing, Shamanism, and personal transformation. She has been leading workshops and doing private healings for 27 years. She combines hands on healing, Shamanic journeying, energy healing with crystals, colors, and spirit helpers to help people heal, transform, and create the lives they want to live. Classes are experiential and give students a chance to practice what they learn.

Jodi Rabbow