Historic Heartwood
Celebrating Over 40 Years of Love in Action
Heartwood Wholistic
Health Institute was founded in 1978 in Santa Cruz, California by Bruce Burger, Susan Matthews, Janice West, Mark Fields and Brysis Buchanan. Heartwood Institute’s first state approved vocational training program in Massage Therapy was held evenings in the library of a Santa Cruz public school. In 1979 we rented space on Washington Street in the old Salvation Army church/ Ruths Dance Studio offering daily programs in massage and wholistic health education.


In 1981 Bruce and Chela Burger moved Heartwood to its Island Mountain campus in the foothills of Northern California’s Yolla Bolly mountains.













Stay at Heartwood
(707) 923-5000
Welcome Center Open
Mon-Sat 12-5pm