Meet Our Registered Massage Therapists (RMT) Orleans

Dawn is an honours graduate of the Everest College Registered Massage Therapy and McMaster’s Contemporary Medial Acupuncture program. She is a registered member of the College of Massage Therapists of Ontario (CMTO) and an active member with the Registered Ontario Massage Therapists Association of Ontario (RMTAO).

Dawn’s treatments focus on identification and correction of the underlying causes of dysfunction. This often means treating beyond the structure. To treat the underlying cause, a thorough assessment must be done pre-treatment, throughout treatment and post-treatment. Through this approach she’s able to create treatment plans that are specific to each individual.

Dawn is also a graduate of the McMaster’s Contemporary Medical Acupuncture Program and integrates this unique neurological approach into her practice. Neurofunctional Medical Acupuncture is a form of acupuncture using solid, sterile needles and electricity to help modulate the nervous system. This approach can be used to address muscles that have been inhibited by overuse or injury.  It can also be used in the treatment of chronic pain by increasing function allowing people to be more active.

In addition to her seasoned years of experience and Medical Acupuncture approach, she integrates many other modalities into her treatments which she has gained throughout her continued post graduate education such as:

• Myofascial release with Fascial Restructuring in function and movement
• Cupping Therapy
• Core stabilization and strengthening.
• Cranial Sacral techniques (Level 1)
• Temporal mandibular joint (TMJ) treatment
• Active Release Technique (A.R.T.)
• Muscle Energy Techniques for pelvic dysfunctions

You can expect Dawn’s Treatments to include medical acupuncture, cupping, massage, and myofascial release. Since no one knows your body more than you, patient interaction and participation are essential to a more effective treatment.

She has over 10 clinical years in practice and has previously worked with Professional and Olympic level athletes, runners, palliative care patients and those suffering from overuse injuries and chronic pain syndromes.

Dawn is a lifelong learner and continuously adds treatment techniques to her toolbox. She loves helping patients return to the activities that they love to do with greater effectiveness and without pain.

I love helping clients prevent and rehab from injuries. As an RMT, and personal trainer, I have a great understanding of injury rehab and functional movement. I use techniques such as cupping, scraping and fascial release in my practise. To complete your treatment, I recommend homecare including: stretches, foam rolling, strengthening and or yoga tune up exercises that you can do at home to increase the speed of healing.

I have worked with Fury Soccer Club as well as the Ottawa Senators, however, you do not need to be an athlete, as I enjoy working with all types of people. My goal is to provide focused treatments and work with your body’s individual needs to alleviate your aches and pains and bring you to optimal performance. I am a strong believer that good posture and mobility contribute to a prolonged and healthy life.

 What is FST?

Fascial Stretch Therapy (FST) has many different benefits then a regular massage. In an FST treatment, full clothing is worn (Lycra clothing or jogger works best). This treatment focuses on the fascial lines of the body. Through traction and a series of stretches, you will experience greater flexibility, less pain/ tightness and some clients have even reported changes in sleep & energy levels. FST is great for anyone suffering from lower back pain, and limited hip mobility. SOCKS ARE MANDATORY!

Many years ago I discovered that my true passion in life lies in medicine and in being able to relief someone’s pain or condition.
My path in health care started before moving to Canada. I studied traditional medicine for 4 years in Odessa State Medical University in the Ukraine.  Additionally to my studying in medicine I took a course in Massage Therapy. This course opened my eyes to how practically anyone could benefit from Massage Therapy which is what led me to continue my education in this profession.
In 2014 I successfully completed the 2200 hr. Massage Therapy program and became registered with College of Massage Therapists of Ontario (CMTO).
I am an enthusiastic and skilled Registered Massage Therapist who specializes in Therapeutic Massage. Throughout my school years and my years of practice I gained vast experience in deep tissue, Swedish, sports, relaxation, hot stone, general health preventive and treatment related massage. 

My belief is that you can never know everything so anyone wanting to excel in any profession has to always continue one’s education. This past year, I studied and became certified in CranioSacral Therapy(CST) with the Upledger Institute, I have added this to my many therapeutic tools. This incredible course deepened my knowledge of human body helping me to improve my palpation and gave me new skills to treat the more complicated aliments.

I think that each case is unique and to be able to provide best treatment for every client health history is taken to determine if you have any contraindications, or if any modifications need to be made during the treatment. Assessment is performed and case specific treatment plan is developed. My goal as an RMT is to improve client’s general well-being and to return them back to a state of pain-free living.

My passion for understanding the human body started years ago when I decided to start my education in kinesiology. Two years into the Kinesiology program I realized I wanted a more hands on approach to healing which lead me to transfer into Massage Therapy at Algonquin College, I quickly realized I found my niche in life!

While graduating from the RMT program top of my class, winning an Award of Excellence, I wasn’t ready to put the books back on the shelf. I continued my education in Ireland receiving my Bachelor of Science, honours, in Health and Leisure with Massage. Once again graduating top of my class and winning an award of achievement. I dedicate my time learning about the human body to provide a better centred care for my patients.

I have experience treating a wide variety of impairments whether they’re congenital or acquired. My goal is to always provide the best care for my clients by applying my knowledge and skills and using a wide variety of modalities to my treatments such as but not limited to Swedish massage, Deep tissue therapy, Trigger point therapy, Myofascial release, joint mobilization, Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation (PNF).  I am continually looking to grow and improve as a therapist and I strive in the near future to broaden my abilities with some up coming courses such as Cupping Therapy, NeuroKinetic Therapy (NKT), Active Release Technique( ART) and Lymphatic Drainage. With my education and experience I have a goal to one day become a lecturer for my profession which I’m truly passionate about.

I enjoy staying active along with leading a healthy lifestyle. My education and personal experience with massage therapy gives me a great understanding of its importance which I’m grateful to share and further educate my clients so they have a self awareness to help themselves in their day to day lives.

After graduating from the University of Ottawa with a BA in Theatre in 2004.  I spent the next years working as a theatre technician, musician and customer service representative. Though I love the arts, my passion for helping others made it quite clear that I was not on the right career path.  I graduated from Everest College’s 2200-hour Massage Therapy program with honours and it has been one of the best and most rewarding career choices.

While in school I learned a variety of different techniques that include, but not limited to: Swedish massage techniques, deep tissue, myofascial, trigger point therapy, low grade joint manipulation techniques, strengthening and stretching techniques for muscles etc. Since graduating I’ve taken extra training in TMJ disfunction, kinesiology taping, rib mobilizations and muscle energy assessments for the low back and hips. I apply the skill from this additional education which has given my clients great success with chronic neck, shoulder, hip and low back pain.  I work with a team of fantastic RMTs; they are intelligent and skilled. Every day I see the positive effect they have with their clients so every day I push myself to be better, to learn more and to meet and exceed the bar set by my colleagues.

One of my biggest strength is communication. I believe that communication is essential to an effective massage with results. I understand the importance of communication and I have been exploring different means of communication all my life. In theater I learned how to communicate with the spoken and written word; listening to you will allow me to better direct the treatment on the areas that need it most. I’m a bass guitar player and as such I have learned how to communicate emotion through rhythm and beats; listening your body’s rhythm will allow to find the right depth of pressure and pace with which to treat. Through my training to become a Registered Massage Therapist I learnt how to communicate with and through my hands; which allow me to therapeutically redirect signals within the body to help with the natural healing processes.

It is important to note that a massage will not directly heal the body; instead it helps the body heal itself. This is why massage can be helpful for almost any condition and this is why I chose to become a Registered Massage Therapist here in Orleans.  As an RMT I can help many people with many different conditions. The most rewarding part of being a massage therapist is when my clients tell me they feel a noticeable difference. This is something I strive to hear with every client. I feel a great sense of pride when I hear that I made a positive difference in someone’s life. I will do my best to ensure that everyone who leaves my treatment room will notice that positive difference.

Throughout my working career I have always enjoyed working in environments where I would be able to help people and make a difference in others lives. During my years of playing and coaching competitive woman’s soccer teams, I saw many sport related injuries. Massage therapy was a large part of our rehab plan and the therapeutic difference it made for myself and my team after each and every treatment showed me its great benefits. It became a growing passion and I moved forward to complete the intensive Massage Therapy program at Trillium College. I am registered with the College of Massage Therapists of Ontario (CMTO) and an active member of the Registered Massage Therapists Association of Ontario (RMTAO).

In this role, I take my personal experience with sports injuries and look to help people with rehabilitation, pain or stress relief and guide them to recovery or increase their overall health and wellness through attentive touch. I am big believer in the power of touch and I take care to manipulate the soft tissues in the body to relieve tension with many techniques from Swedish to deep tissue therapeutic massage, trigger point therapy, myofascial release and joint mobilization.

Prior to starting at Core Elements, I spent two years working with and treating young children to geriatrics. I now specialize in Paediatric massage from children 2-17. I provide focused treatments to athletes of all levels as well as attending and providing care at many community events. I am passionate about massage and helping people recover whether it be from an injury to stress, the impact that massage has on a client’s overall health makes me want to go to work every day!
I continue to enjoy playing soccer and value spending time with my family on my off time and I am lucky to have such a gratifying career.  I look forward to bringing wellness into your life.

After receiving my BA at Brock University in the theatre program, I went on to study massage therapy at the International Academy of Massage, which quickly turned into one of the best and most rewarding decisions I’ve made! I graduated with honours in 2010 and achieved the award for excellence in clinical technique. This award easily demonstrates my passion for my career and my clients. My nurturing personality is what attracted me to this profession and I am genuinely excited to be doing something that makes me and my clients truly fulfilled.

Some of the elements that I love to include in treatments with my clients are deep tissue relaxation, trigger point therapy and specialized stretching techniques. Keep in mind, the term ‘deep tissue’ is a relative term, therefore I may not apply the same depth or force to everyone. Trigger point therapy is used most often when clients have sore muscles or other pain (such as headaches) that refer pain throughout the body. With this type of therapy, using deep breathing techniques, I apply direct pressure to the aggravated area with the intention of complete pain release. One of the skills I most recently acquired and incorporate into my treatments is cupping therapy. With massage, the idea is to apply compression to the tissue to release tension but with cupping, you apply a suction-like force to decompress the tissue layers and create space for increased blood flow as well as stretch out any fascial tissue involved. (Feel free to refer to our services tab for more information on cupping therapy). No matter your preference in treatment though, I can provide care in both English and French.

Massage is the purest, most natural form of therapy. It creates an awareness of the care and attention your body needs and deserves, which is what I want to share through my personal touch. With the stresses in everyday life, we forget to take time for ourselves and learn how to truly relax. I feel comfort in knowing that I have the ability to create such a positive environment for my clients and promote their health and well-being in times when they may be in pain or just very stressed. I look forward to seeing you!