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Why we do what we do… and why
we love it!
Our Story
Once upon a time, I thought that I would be a waitress forever and live my best life playing outdoor sports in the ski town of Whistler. A severe case of sciatica in 2011 quickly put an end to that dream. I spent entire days laying on my couch in pain — then, in the afternoon, I’d pop a muscle relaxant and head into work, unable to stand up straight. Each night, after an hour of serving food bent over, I was able to straighten up, but since all my life I’d heard that “rest is best,” I still didn’t clue in to the fact that the more I walked, the looser my back became. I still believed that the key to getting better was moving as little as I could. After taking two weeks off to lay on the couch to recover, my condition got way worse — I couldn’t straighten my legs at all and my entire back began to spasm. I woke up every morning crying in agony. I lost my job and my beloved apartment.
At one point, I was taking five Percocets, five prescription anti-inflammatories, and five anti-spasmodics per day… and it didn't even touch the pain.
Meet Our Team
Our dedicated and licensed providers are here to help get you back to doing what you love! Book a discovery session to get started.
OUR APPROACH
We believe in
education
Due to our own experiences with medical professionals who don’t take the time to explain anything or are still operating on old-fashioned concepts, we are passionate about educating our clients about their conditions and how to help themselves during their healing process. You will always be in the loop when it comes to your treatment!
We believe in
hope
We’ve seen and experienced transformations that have felt almost miraculous — even when we truly believed complete healing wasn't possible. We will never give up on the possibility of your full recovery! Consider us your private detectives who will investigate every lead in order to pinpoint exactly what needs to be done to get you back to 100%.
We believe in
prevention
Our practices emphasize building strength, flexibility, and balance in order to prevent future injuries. Most people actually take too much time off after an injury before returning to work and sport (and a select few go back too soon) because they don’t know when it’s safe to go back. We have a selection of physical tests that are specific to each injury and each sport. We perform these in the clinic and when you pass those tests, it’s safe to go back—no guesswork here! Being able to bounce back from our own injuries has inspired us to help others build their resilience.
We believe that
rest is not best
The body is not a car that needs its parts replaced when they wear out. It’s an intelligent biological system that makes itself stronger in response to load. People who stop moving when injured take 10 times longer to heal than those who "optimally load" their injured parts in a safe way. Many doctors (and even physios) scare people into staying still, telling them they must rest or risk reinjury — research has shown that this is VERY bad advice. We will help you heal your body more quickly, safely, and effectively.
We believe in
holistic health
We deserve to spend the time we have on Earth living our best and healthiest lives! To do this, we need to address the needs of the mind as well as the body. Our whole-person approach includes stress management, anxiety reduction, and emotional health, through mindfulness practices such as guided meditation.
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Do I need a referral to work with you?No, just book your appointment above to get started!
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What kind of treatments do you do?In addition to physical therapy, I do intramuscular stimulation (IMS) needling, craniosacral therapy, visceral release, neuro-meningeal release, electro-acupuncture, mid-spine adjustments, myofascial release, Mackenzie technique, Mulligan’s Mobilization with movement, proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) stretching, therapeutic ultrasound, neuromuscular retraining, functional exercises, yoga, dynamic neuromuscular stabilization, pain science education, and vestibular therapy for vertigo.
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How do I know if physiotherapy can help me?If you’re unsure, you can schedule a 15 minute consultation to find out! I have taken countless specialized courses, so after diagnosing the root cause of your problem, I can treat almost any structure from muscles to nerves to dura. And if I can't treat it, I will refer you to someone who can.
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Are your services covered by my insurance?Physiotherapy services are included in many insurance plans, though you’ll need to check and see how many sessions are covered under your plan and the cost cap per session. Your sessions can be billed directly to your insurance company, so you won’t have to pay upfront.
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What about ICBC and Worksafe Claims?If you’ve been in a car accident, you are entitled to 25 free physiotherapy sessions within 3 months of the accident, even if you are at fault! Just send me your claim number. If it has been longer than 3 months, I can still get free sessions for you by doing an assessment and sending the report in to ICBC. For worksafe claims at my clinic, patients are required to pay up front and then send the receipt into WCB for reimbursement.
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What if my plan doesn’t cover my sessions or I don’t have insurance?Your health is your most important investment. If you believe that physio can help you or your doctor has recommended it, I strongly encourage you to book a session and get assessed! Problems left untreated can and will worsen over time, and may spread to other areas of your body. Investing a few hundred dollars in your health today can save you from spending thousands in a few years’ time (and feeling a lot of pain!).
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Can you let me know when I’m ready to return to work or my sport?Absolutely! I offer comprehensive testing that will help you know objectively when you’re ready to get back to working or playing, with the confidence that you won't reinjure yourself.
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Does your clinic have parking and an elevator?Yes, there is parking. You can park in spot #20 in the underground lot. Look for a sign saying 4102. Unfortunately, there is no elevator — you must be able to manage 14 stairs.
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Is there a waiting room?No, try to arrive close to your appointment time. If you are a bit early, you can wait in the car and text me. If I can see you earlier, I definitely will.
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I’m too injured or lack the mobility to visit your clinic — can you still help me?Yes, I offer in-home visits to clients who are unable to travel to my clinic!
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Will you work with my doctor?I’m happy to write detailed notes to your doctors and other members of your health care team, so that everyone is on the same page and able to offer you their best service.
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Another therapist did a certain treatment that I really like, can I get that from you?Absolutely! I don’t agree with the old fashioned paternalistic way of practicing — I’m not God! It’s your body and you get to decide what you want done to it. If I think a different treatment will work better, I will suggest that and explain why but the decision is up to you. Research has shown that when a patient believes in a treatment, they get better results than from doing a treatment that technically works better but that they don’t believe in. Let’s harness the power of the mind!
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What if I really don’t like a certain type of treatment that you do?You have the right to decide what happens to your body! I will never pressure you into doing something that I can tell you don’t want to do. I’ve had patients who were told by their doctor their arthritis will never get better unless they go swimming even though they are afraid of the water. I said forget that noise and got them better by doing biking and exercises on land. I’ve had patients who were pressured into IMS needling even though they had a panic attack every time it was done. They came to me for manual therapy and myofascial release and achieved great results without sweating in fear.
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I have arthritis and osteoporosis, can physiotherapy do anything for me?Absolutely! Although physio can’t cure it, I can help relieve your pain, show you how to relieve your pain at home, increase your range of motion, help you prevent spinal fractures and teach you how to pace yourself in order to get back to doing all of your favorite activities.
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I’ve just had surgery, should I rest and heal for a few weeks before coming to physio?No! People who start physiotherapy right away progress so quickly that they are able to shock their surgeons at their follow-up appointment. I am trained to know what you can do and can’t do after a surgery, but make sure you get your surgeon to write down any precautions (movements to be avoided) and the length of time they are to be avoided before you leave the hospital, and then give that to me. I have a therapeutic ultrasound machine which can clear swelling, other techniques to relieve pain and targeted exercises that will help you keep your range of motion and strength while you heal.
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My mom and dad aren’t able to do what they used to do, is it inevitable that they end up having me do everything for them or end up in a care home?Absolutely not! Most people don’t know that not being able to roll over and get up out of bed without a bed rail or get up off the toilet is usually just due to a lack of strength. I’ve helped seniors from 75-95 years old get back to doing all of those things and staying happy and independent at home!
YOUR FIRST SESSION
What to expect
During your first session, you can talk as long as you want. We carefully listen because every little piece of information is a clue. If you don’t know what to say, no worries, we will ask you the right questions to pull the information out. From there, we will come to three possible diagnoses (if applicable) and then proceed to do physical tests to rule them in or rule them out. There is no assuming here because you know what assuming makes of us! We put on our private detective hats to put all the clues together to figure out what the heck is going on in your body — and the best way to get you back to doing the activities that you love. We will propose a treatment or fitness plan, but don’t worry, you will get a say in what treatments and movements you want to do—you never have to do anything you don’t want to do.
What to bring
Your filled-out intake form (this form will be emailed to you before your appointment and you can complete it online)
Comfortable and non-restrictive clothing (you must be ready to expose the area to be treated)
A bad-ass, can-do attitude