About Us

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Staff

 

Editor-In-Chief: Doug Alexander BSc, RMT

Doug Alexander holds a biology degree from Carleton University (1982) and is a graduate of Sutherland-Chan School and Teaching Clinic (1985). He currently teaches in the Algonquin College Massage Therapy program. Doug supports the education and performance of massage therapists through direct person-to-person education as well as various types of online and technologically supported methods.

Doug edited the OMTA’s Journal of Soft Tissue Manipulation over its decade-long life span, and is the author of two DVD’s on Nerve Mobilization. He is a former faculty member of the American Back Society, Physical Medicine Research Foundation and Seminar Network International. Doug has served as a trustee for the Massage Foundation in the United States and published over 20 papers in the massage therapy literature. He has particular expertise in neurological and orofacial problems as well as therapist and client self care strategies.

 

Commisioning and Managing Editor: Catherine Ryan RMT

Cathy Ryan has been a practicing RMT since 1990 and a massage therapy educator since 1992. Ever an enthusiastic student her postgraduate training includes: Myofascial Therapies, Sports Therapy, Pre and Rehabilitative Exercise, Holistic Nutrition and Iyengar Yoga.  In 2006 Cathy served as a Medical Team Leader and the Massage Therapy Clinical Coordinator at the LPGA CN Canadian Open and over her career has been involved in numerous national and international sporting events serving as both practitioner and clinical coordinator. With a strong background in assessment and rehabilitative exercise Cathy was contracted, by Medisys Health Group, to provide 3rd party Insurer Evaluations (IE’s) and Independent Massage Therapy Evaluations (IME’s). Involved with the College of Massage Therapists of Ontario’s (CMTO) provincial licensing examinations from 1997-2007, Cathy served as a subject matter expert, examiner and examiner trainer. Currently residing in beautiful British Columbia, Cathy continues to maintain a private practice and fulfills her passion for writing and teaching as the Commissioning & Associate Editor for TouchU.ca

 

Copy Editor: Allison Alguire, BA, RMT

 

Allison Alguire graduated with honours in Massage Therapy from Algonquin College in 2006, and has since developed a successful practice in Cornwall. Massage therapy has helped her feel fulfilled by not only assisting her clients' immediate ailments, but also by helping to educate them on the inner workings of their body. She has found that curious clients are among the best to work with, as they take the greatest interest in their overall health.  In addition to her career, she is currently pursuing her other passion, and becoming an elementary school teacher.

 

Order Fulfillment: Virtual Works

Virtual Works is a relationship based, virtual support company based in Ottawa. They work with businesses that are passionate about what they do and provide excellent process-based service to their customers.

Virtual Works uses local expertise and their team has over 30 years’ corporate experience.  Their commitment to quality has been recently recognized by being selected as a finalist for the Ottawa Chamber of Commerce 2007 Professional Services of the Year Award.  The Virtual Works web site is: http://www.virtualworks.ca

 

Editorial Advisory Board

 

Pamela Fitch, BA, RMT

Pamela Fitch, RMT, is a professor in massage therapy at Algonquin College and maintains a small private practice in Ottawa, Ontario. For more than twenty years, she has contributed widely to the profession as a writer, educator and clinician and has facilitated workshops and seminars across Canada, Hong Kong and the US on therapeutic communication, breast massage, and the somatic implications of trauma and insecure attachment.

Pam has written extensively about the massage therapeutic relationship and is currently working on a text on the therapeutic relationship. To access an archive of her published articles, go to her website, click on the "resources" link and go to "published articles". A long-time member of the Ontario Massage Therapist Association (OMTA), Pam has held positions on the Board as President and as a director. She has volunteered on several committees including Advocacy and Membership Support. Pam was the founding editor of the OMTA's publication The Body Politic from 2002-2006 and has also written for the Massage Therapy Journal and the Journal of Soft Tissue Manipulation. Two of her articles were translated into Continuing Education Courses for the American Massage Therapy Association.

You may visit her website at: http://www.pamelafitch-rmt.com/index.html The website is designed to provide a resource and portal for massage therapists who need help with clinical or ethical dilemmas.   Pam may be contacted via email at: pam@pamelafitch-rmt.com

 

 

Donelda Gowan-Moody, RMT, BA (Hons), MSc (Candidate)

Donelda Gowan-Moody graduated from the Canadian College of Massage and Hydrotherapy in Sutton Ontario in 1987 and the University of Saskatchewan with a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) degree in 1997.  While maintaining a clinical practice over the last 21 years, she has taught pre-service massage therapy and continuing education for practicing Massage Therapists.  Donelda served as Co-chair of the Canadian Massage Therapy Research Network (CMTRN) from 2006-2008 and currently serves on the Best Practices Committee of the Massage Therapy Foundation.  Donelda is President of Education Initiatives Canada, a continuing education provider for Massage Therapists and is currently engaged in Massage Therapy research as part of her studies in the Master’s of Science program at the University of Saskatchewan, Department of Community Health & Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine.  Donelda co-authored the FOMTRAC Report on Policy Issues Regarding Massage Therapy Regulation in Canada available at http://www.cmto.com/about/fomtrac.htm and the white paper Steps Toward Massage Therapy Guidelines: A First Report to the Profession published in the International Journal of Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork  available  at  http://journals.sfu.ca/ijtmb/index.php/ijtmb/issue/view/1

 

Pamela Hodgson, MSc, RMT

Pamela Hodgson holds a Master of Science (Med) degree from Memorial University of Newfoundland and is a registered massage therapist. She is certified through the Dr. Vodder School in complex decongestive therapy, the manual treatment of lymphedema. Her practice and research interests have focussed on lymphedema treatment and education, supportive cancer care, and on the use of massage therapy in the treatment of pain, anxiety, headaches and other conditions.

Pamela has presented at the 2003 First Montreal International Lymphedema Congress and delivered educational workshops to healthcare providers and the public as part of the Lymphedema Roadshow, funded by the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation, Atlantic chapter.  She has been a co-investigator in two pilot research projects involving massage therapy: one with children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and the other focusing on adolescents with chronic headache. She was the founding president of the Newfoundland and Labrador Massage Therapists’ Association and served the inaugural term as Registrar of the College of Massage Therapists of Newfoundland and Labrador.

 

Andrew Lewarne, RMT/Examinations Officer/NSCA-CPT

Andrew graduated from Sutherland–Chan School and Teaching Clinic in 1997 and immediately began work in a multi-disciplinary medical clinic located in downtown Toronto.

In 1998 he expanded his work and joined the Sutherland-Chan professional clinics and helped to open the Metro Centre clinic. He also pursued and obtained his National Strength and Conditioning Certified Personal Trainer. At the same time he also branched out and opened his own single room practice.

Before entering the healthcare field Andrew worked as an actor and stuntman across the country in theatre, film and television.

Con-currently with his other studies Andrew began to work as a Standardized Patient for the Clinical Skills Assessment Unit at the University of Toronto Medical School (CSAU). He soon graduated to becoming a Patient Trainer and was then asked to join the Cross-Cultural Communication workshop and the Iter-professional Communication Workshop with Dr. Cleo Boyd and Dr. Brian Hodges. He found this experience invaluable when he accepted the post of Examinations Officer with The College of Massage Therapist of Ontario from March of 2001 to June of 2006. He oversaw the creation and content of the provincial liscencing examination (computer adaptive multiple choice as well as the Objectively Structured Clinical Evaluation (OSCE)) that evaluates all the massage therapy graduates from across the province. In order to effectively examine the graduates Andrew trained both the examiners and clients in preparation for the provincial examinations. Since June 2006 he has been focusing primarily on his clinic The Body Wise ( http://www.thebodywise.com)

Andrew also works as an Expert Witness for The College of Massage Therapists of Ontario as well as for various police and courts across the province. Currently Andrew is also a director on the board of the Ontario Massage Therapists Association.

 

Isobel McDonald, RN, RMT

Isobel McDonald completed her nursing studies at the University of British Columbia in 1986 and became a Registered Massage Therapist in BC in 1992.  She currently works for Health Canada as a Home Care Nurse Advisor for First Nations and Inuit Health and was previously Communicable Disease Coordinator for Sexually Transmitted and Blood Borne Infections and Antibiotic Resistant Organisms.  She has a certificate in Infection Prevention and Control from Queen's University.
 
With both her RMT and RN designation Isobel has worked as a researcher covering occupational health, HIV, influenza, and women's health.   She chairs the research committee for the College of Massage Therapists of British Columbia. She is a Certified Occupational Health nurse and believes strongly that massage therapy should have a much better recognized role in disability management and chronic disease management. 
 
Isobel has a clinical nursing practice doing homecare with marginalized populations in Vancouver's downtown eastside and her massage practice is working with people living with life threatening illnesses, primarily HIV.

 

Diana Thompson, LMP

Diana, a licensed massage therapist for over 25 years, has a private practice in Seattle, WA, treating acute and chronic neuromusculoskeletal and lymphatic disorders. She authored "Hands Heal: Communication, Documentation, and Insurance Billing for Manual Therapists", now in its 3rd edition.

Diana lectures at massage, acupuncture, midwifery, chiropractic, physician and physical therapy conferences globally, and is a consultant for massage therapy research with the Group Health Research Institute in Seattle.

Diana is the President of the Massage Therapy Foundation, a philanthropic non-profit organization whose mission is to advance the knowledge and practice of massage therapy by supporting scientific research, education and community service.