I was never one of those kids who knew exactly what she wanted to be when she grew up. One week I wanted to be a doctor, the next I wanted to be a Formula One race car driver. I spent much of my childhood heavily involved in sports, especially short track speed skating and karate, and as such, had exposure to physiotherapy and massage therapy from a young age. While I enjoyed the health benefits of massage, I never contemplated a career in the field. Never, that is, until I became injured in a motor vehicle collision several years ago.
I had just moved to Edmonton from BC, still unsure of what I wanted to be “when I grew up” despite having spent several years at the University of Victoria. One evening in late fall of that year, I was stopped at an intersection waiting to turn left, when a very large truck rear-ended me. A blurry few hours later, I was informed by my physician that I had fractured two thoracic vertebrae and had significant (later diagnosed as WAD-III) whiplash. I was fortunate enough not to require surgery on my back, but had to wear a brace to stabilize my thoracic spine for quite some time.
Shortly after my accident, I began to attend physiotherapy and receive massage therapy. Initially, I was receiving massage to alleviate swelling from my bruising, and to slowly restore range of motion in my neck. With each session, my RMT would work magic on my restricted tissue and hypertonic muscles. After a few months, and dozens of sessions, I really began to appreciate how valuable massage was to my recovery. I even began to look forward to the delayed onset muscle soreness that would set in the day after massage– because I knew the results would be progress!
Even after I was discharged from physiotherapy 18 months after my accident, I continued to receive massage. I developed such an interest in massage therapy, that I enrolled in a 2200-hour massage therapy program in 2009, excited to learn more about the modality that had helped me so much. I spent much of my practicum placement working in a therapeutic setting, and took many extra courses to expand my knowledge and technique. By the time I graduated in 2011, I was excited to put my skills to use in the real world. Since that time, I have developed a real passion for treating injuries, specifically those sustained in a motor vehicle collision. I look forward to work every single day, and love helping people get back on their feet.
Jessica S
Registered Massage Therapist