Happy New Year from all of us at Santa Cruz CORE!
As we step into 2026, we’re excited to share some updates that reflect our commitment to being Santa Cruz County’s most comprehensive integrative wellness center. Whether you’re a longtime patient or just getting to know us, here’s what’s happening under our roof this year.
Welcome to Our Growing Team
We’ve had an incredible influx of talented practitioners joining Santa Cruz CORE, and we couldn’t be more excited about the expanded expertise this brings to our community.
Dr. Santillano leads our newly launched mental health services, bringing specialized training in ketamine-assisted therapy and integrative approaches to mental wellness. Their addition represents our commitment to addressing mental health with the same comprehensive, root-cause focus we bring to physical health.
Dr. Cruz joins our chiropractic team with expertise in sports injuries, postural correction, and family wellness. With our growing patient base, having additional chiropractic availability means shorter wait times and more appointment options for our community.
We’ve welcomed three incredible practitioners to our massage and bodywork team: Alex Wayama, Jordan Terry, and Stephen Howe. Each brings their own specialties, from deep tissue and sports massage to relaxation and injury recovery. Our patients have more options and availability than ever before.
Samantha Stelk is our newest NASM certified trainer, with additional background in boxing, kickboxing, yoga, Pilates, and group fitness instruction. She specializes in women’s fitness, functional strength training, boxing and kickboxing conditioning, mobility and flexibility training, and cycle-synced training for women. Samantha seamlessly blends strength, mindfulness, and body awareness to help clients feel powerful, confident, and connected to their bodies.
Furthermore, Trista is now leading CORE45 classes at our Santa Cruz location. She brings a friendly, yet fierce energy to our circuit-style fitness classes that we love! Come try one of our CORE45 classes at Santa Cruz or Watsonville, offered daily. Remember, your first class is free! Try it out or bring a friend who is looking for an engaging new way to get moving!
Peggy joins us with over 20 years of experience in skincare and medical aesthetics. Her addition rounds out our wellness offerings, recognizing that feeling good in your skin is part of overall health and confidence.
We’re deeply grateful to have so many talented, caring practitioners join our CORE community. Each person shares our philosophy that true wellness is comprehensive, individualized, and focused on helping you feel your best.
Our growing team means more availability, shorter wait times, and even more specialized expertise to support your health goals.
Our service offerings have grown as we continue building a truly holistic network of care under one roof.
One of our most exciting additions is ketamine-assisted therapy for mental health and chronic pain conditions. Research shows ketamine can be remarkably effective for treatment-resistant depression, anxiety, PTSD, and certain chronic pain syndromes when traditional approaches haven’t provided relief.
Under Dr. Santillano’s guidance, we offer this treatment in a safe, medically supervised environment that honors both the science and the deeply personal nature of mental health healing. If you or someone you love has been struggling, we’re here to answer questions and explore whether this innovative treatment might be right for you.
DSR is a specialized injection technique that helps regulate the autonomic nervous system, responsible for your body’s stress response, inflammation control, and healing capacity. By targeting specific nerve bundles, DSR can help reduce chronic pain, improve circulation, and restore balance to an overactive stress response.
This treatment is particularly valuable for patients dealing with complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS), long COVID symptoms, or conditions where the nervous system has become stuck in a heightened state of reactivity.
Sometimes pain and movement limitations aren’t about tissue damage, they’re about faulty movement patterns that your nervous system has learned over time. Neuromuscular reprogramming works to “retrain” these patterns, helping your body remember how to move efficiently and without compensation.
This approach is especially effective for chronic conditions that haven’t responded to traditional physical therapy, patients recovering from injury who’ve developed compensatory patterns, or athletes looking to optimize movement quality and performance.
We’re thrilled to announce that our IV Hydration Clinic will open in early 2026. This dedicated space will offer customized IV therapy protocols designed to support recovery, boost immune function, enhance athletic performance, and address specific health concerns.
All IV therapies will be administered by our experienced medical team in a comfortable, relaxing environment. Whether you’re an athlete optimizing performance, recovering from illness, or simply looking to feel your best, IV therapy offers a direct route to cellular-level support.
We’ll share more details about our IV clinic (including menu pricing, availability, and grand opening specials), as we get closer to launch. Stay tuned!
As Santa Cruz CORE continues to grow, so do our opportunities to bring on talented, mission-aligned practitioners and support staff.
We’re currently hiring for:
If you or someone you know is passionate about integrative wellness, values comprehensive patient care, and wants to be part of a collaborative, growing practice, we’d love to hear from you. Our team culture is built on respect, continuous learning, and genuinely caring about the people we serve.
Visit our Careers page or email us at info@santacruzcore.com to learn more about current openings and what it’s like to work at Santa Cruz CORE.
Simpler Payments
We’ve made some behind-the-scenes updates that make paying for your care easier and more affordable.
Apple Pay is now accepted for both online bookings and in-person payments. Just tap and go! No more digging for your wallet required.
Our credit card processing fee has also dropped to 2.99%, reducing the cost when you choose to pay by card. Small change, but it adds up over time, and we’re always looking for ways to make quality care more accessible.
Website Refresh on the Horizon
We’re partnering with a local developer to improve your online experience. Stay tuned for the new look!
If you’ve been thinking about starting a personal training package, trying HBOT, or exploring regenerative medicine options, our winter wellness sale runs through January 31st. It’s our way of making it easier to invest in yourself at the beginning of the year when intentions are high and motivation is fresh.
Click here to take advantage of these amazing offers
Whether 2025 is about finally addressing that nagging injury, prioritizing your mental health, building strength you didn’t think was possible, or simply feeling more like yourself again, we’re here for it.
Our entire team shares the belief that you deserve to feel good in your body, move without pain, and live with vitality. That’s not just marketing speak. It’s why we show up every day and why we keep expanding what we can offer you.
Thanks for being part of the Santa Cruz CORE community. We can’t wait to see what this year brings for you.
Ready to take the next step?
Call us: 831.425.9500
Book online: www.santacruzcore.com
Questions? Email us: info@santacruzcore.com
Book your free discovery call today
