We go twice a year. We need you.
Our 15-day immersions send volunteers into Himalayan communities that IOEP has served for over a decade.
You work alongside local healthcare workers.
You witness ceremonies and share meals.
You go home changed.
More than half our volunteers come back.
The work has a way of calling you.
Is this voluntourism?
We know the criticism. Here is how we are different.
Our clinics operate 365 days a year.
With or without you.
We have been working in the same communities since 2013.
These are not projects. They are relationships.
Your fees fund the ongoing work:
training, recertification, and clinic supplies twice a year.
You are the support structure, not the program.
Our programs are for a specific kind of person.
They are collaborative, not hierarchical.
They lead with questions, not expertise.
They show up as team members.
If that sounds like you, we would love to meet you.
Program Features
- Small groups: 12 to 18 people maximum.
- Open to practitioners and non-practitioners alike.
- Shamanic ceremony and Indigenous healing traditions woven throughout.
- Deep cultural access built on decade-long community relationships.
- Program fees, flights, and travel medical insurance are tax-deductible.
- Led by founder Mindi Counts: clinician, author, wilderness first responder.
Volunteer Testimonials
From people who have joined us:
Erica Churgin
2026 Chitwan Volunteer
“Mindi was wonderful and then some….I felt very safe and comfortable with her as our ‘mother hen.’ My time with the elephants was very special for me…even more than I had imagined. So any time with the elephants was a highlight. What I didn’t expect was to feel such a different “vibe” in Nepal…friends who had been to Nepal talked about how welcoming and truly kind the people of Nepal are…and I experienced that more than I had imagined.”
Connie Frisbee Houde
2022 and 2024
Sindhupalchok Volunteer
“My intention for the trip was to open my heart after the death of my husband. The trip did that, and then some. Mindi is a ray of sunshine and stability. One unexpected highlight from my second time serving with Mindi and Inner Ocean was the experience at the ghats and what I learned about Hindu cremation and death practices. Wow. The program runs like a well-oiled machine, I have been so impressed and hope to return again soon.”
Lisa Kennemur
2024
Sindhupalchok Volunteer
“What initially inspired me to join this program was the idea of providing service to others while also seeing a part of the world that I had always wanted to visit. I felt useful and helpful even though I was not a direct healthcare provider. Mindi is amazing… absolutely available and helpful and so kind. I would highly recommend a service trip with IOEP. I was challenged in the best possible way and experienced personal and professional growth. The people I served and served with will forever be a part of my life in some way.”
Gretta Stidman
2022 and 2025
Sindhupalchok and Chitwan Volunteer
“Someone in our integration meeting said that this trip made her see how anything is possible, and that really resonated. I feel this way now, and it has truly changed me. I also really appreciate what Mindi said about the fire that is burning within us from our time together, and how we need to recognize when it needs to be stoked again. I hope to be able to continue to stoke the fire again and again.I am tearing up while I write this. Seriously. To me, this is the most important work on the planet, to be a part of it is an honor and a gift. There isn’t one aspect of it that isn’t done with care, kindness, and intentionality. IOEP worldwide baby!”
Not Ready to Commit?
Our trips fill about a year in advance. Join the interest list and we will send you program updates and Q&A invitations.
