Jeannie’s History

Jun 18

I am a Registered Massage Therapist from Ontario.  I have been living on a beautiful little Canadian west coast island called Salt Spring Island for over 5 years.  I have been practising different healing modalities as well as tutoring a number of home schooled, island children and teaching Yoga.

I graduated from Sutherland-Chan Massage School in Toronto 11 years ago after having been a teacher for 10 years.  The transition came along in the usual way as most big transitions do, with a seemingly simple question.  My chiropractor of 16 years asked me one Saturday morning, “when are you going to realise that you create your own happiness?”  I was in a teaching situation which was highly stressful (13 of us retired that year, some, after 33 years of teaching) and this stress was creating ALOT of ongoing pain in my body.  I asked Dr. Boggio what he thought I could do at that point in my life?  I was 31 years old and had always considered myself a teacher.  He suggested massage therapy as a profession.  I thought, what do I know about massage?  As it turns out, alot, and as the years go by my understanding isn’t simply limited to the physical, tissue level.  There seems to be something very profound that happens when my clients lie down and allow us to embark on a healing journey.

Graduating from Sutherland-Chan School of Massage Therapy in 1998, I began my own massage and healing practice in a small neighbourhood in Toronto.  For 5+ years I supported many clients along their healing journey.  Many of my clients were with me the entire time I practiced in Toronto and their family and friends also became regular clients.

I created and ran a wellness centre when my own practice became so busy (I had a 6 month waiting list before by the end of my first year of practice) that I needed help providing wellness care.  In my wellness centre there were an additional 4 R.M.T.s, a chiropractor and a naturopath.

The focus of our wellness centre was with the women of our neighbourhood first as there was a great need.  This expanded into caring for and supporting the children in their lives and their men as well.

It seemed quite a natural transition when client after client became pregnant and received regular pregnancy massage.  You can understand then that the need for Doula care began during this time in my practice.  I had the great honour of attending many, many of my clients’ births as well as teaching them infant massage after their children came into the world.

I graduated from Queens University in 1990 with a bachelor’s degree in English and a bachelor’s degree in Education from a specialised programme called Concurrent Education, only offered by two universities at the time.  I went on to teach for about 10 years in 3 different countries and all across Canada before I decided to change careers and move from helping people in a classroom to helping people on their wellness journey.

So here we come full circle.  Healing and wellness care.  I wrote earlier that my chiropractor asked me a seemingly innocent question.  A reminder really, that I create my own reality and that includes my health and wellness.

We often need a simple reminder that we are powerful energy bundles and can change our lives in whatever manner we choose.  I choose to be well.  What is your choice today?