Continuing Education & mentorship
What if injury rehab and management of chronic pain, is easier than you’ve been led to believe?
I've been working in clinical private practice since 2014, where the majority of my clientele has always been people experiencing persistent pain; whether related to sports injuries, accidents, surgeries, or of unknown origin.
And I initially struggled; because I didn’t feel prepared for when clients had co-morbidities, they didn’t match the textbook, or when therapy/exercises weren't working, while everything on paper was still pointing to a good prognosis.
On paper, I knew exactly what to do. Put a person in front of me…whole other story, though. I knew something was missing.
So off I went, looking for the answer. Everywhere.
I’m sure you did too. I mean…how many certifications have you gotten? And how many more technical skills do you think you still need to try?
I get it. I got 50+ courses on top of 2 degrees on my CV, in fact. And just so you know, none of them really made a bigger difference than the other ones did.
I always ended up in the same place, just took a different route to get there.
The “next best” thing is always popping up on ig, and in the rehab/training world. Updates to the checklists and new branches on the flow chart. Flashy exercises, and “specialist” titles. To get you to the “magic” answer that will solve everything…
What if all the answers you need are already there, though? Because the client sitting in front of you is already there, and waiting to share them. And you’ve definitely already got the technical skills.
You just gotta ask the right questions, and listen deeper, so you recognize which principles fit their situation.
Then you can create a plan together, that fits their life, while accounting for all the other factors that the biological/biomechanical world forgets about.
That’s empowerment. That’s what I can help you do in your clinic.
1:1 consulting and mentorship opportunities
are currently available
I’m proud to share that a portion of each investment is donated to ‘the Empowerment Scholarship’ at the University of Winnipeg,
which provides a continuing education opportunity to athletic therapy students, each year.
I’ve learned from the best.
I graduated from the University of Winnipeg with a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology and Applied Health in 2012, and completed the national certification exams under the supervision of Dr. Glen Bergeron to certify with the Canadian Athletic Therapists’ Association.
In 2018 I went back to school to obtain Master’s degree through McMaster University. After completing extensive coursework in evidence-base practice and clinical decision making, my final project identified how athletic therapists can better assess and manage persistent musculoskeletal pain (published in the Journal of Athletic Training). I received my Master’s of Rehabilitation Science in fall 2020.
I have attended over 50 continuing education and professional development courses/workshops in North America, on various techniques and modalities. These include advanced chronic pain assessment, numerous strength training methods, vinyasa yoga, varying manual therapy techniques, musculoskeletal and functional assessments, and neurodynamics, among others.
I have trained directly with therapists from the Prague School of Rehabilitation including Dr. Pavel Kolar, the head coaches and therapists of Mike Boyle Strength and Conditioning, Dr. Andry Vleeming (Chairman of the World Congress of Low Back and Pelvic Pain), and these renowned clinicians and coaches including (among many others): Dr. Andreo Spina Dr. Michael Chivers, Dr. Stuart McGill, Dr. Greg Lehman, Dr. Evan Osar, Dr. Greg Rose, Brett Jones, Dr. Ryan Chow, Cal Dietz, Lee Taft, Lorimer Moseley, and Bahram Jam.
I am honored to be directly mentored by Dr. Craig Liebenson,
the founder of First Principles of Movement (pictured here).
And now, my goal is to empower the industry.
I am an internationally published author and speaker on various aspects of pain and injury, including psychosocial and environmental/societal influences of pain, nervous system regulation for pain management, behaviour change in rehab and training, how our language and communication influences outcomes in the gym/clinic, and how to maximize training while experiencing chronic pain.
You can find my writing in the Journal of Athletic Training, Mike Boyle’s StrengthCoach.com, First Principles of Movement, Movement as Medicine, and Certified Functional Strength Coach. I’ve been featured on various podcasts, that you can check out here!
Over the past few years, I have mentored athletic therapists, physiotherapists, massage therapists, strength coaches, and chiropractors in chronic pain management, assessment/rehab strategies, practice management, and business strategy. I’ve helped over 100 health/fitness professionals through 1:1 mentorship, digital course downloads, and through international continuing education and coaching programs.
I’ve also instructed at the university level, teaching practical skills in musculoskeletal assessment and rehabilitation, prevention and care of injuries, and biomechanics. I have experience as lead examiner for both the UWinnipeg athletic therapy practicum program and for the Canadian Athletic Therapist’s Association national certification exams. I am currently on the Board of Certification (Exam Development) for CATA.