Post-Surgical Care

Consulting for Scars and Adhesions

I have been a healthcare advocate and practitioner for over 30 years. I have always integrated knowledge of the healthcare environment with my different careers in politics, healthcare clinics, biotech and scientific research.

Access to treatments and knowledge and helping others understand the way our bodies and minds heal with input is the result of my lifelong experience with chronic illness. Having personally experienced the healthcare system, my passion for helping others overcome challenges, understand decision-making options and ultimately experience personal success has been the driving force behind many of my decisions. Entering politics to help plan urban environments with evidence informed decisions through healthcare data, opening clinics to help cancer patients with their recovery, access to cannabis and psychedelic medicine - these have all been personal choices to help others gain access to services that are known to help us heal. This includes preventative medicine, lobbying for access to Rape Kits across Canada, and utilizing smart technology to gain equitable access to healthcare for First Nations, women and differently abled.

My journey has empowered me to become a bold advocate for helping others and implementing solution-oriented thinking to all of the sectors I work in:

● teaching mechanisms of wound healing and working across the globe to help healthcare providers understand the effects of their work and achieve better outcomes

● training and supervising therapists around the world, including Massage Therapists, Acupuncturists, Osteopaths, Physiotherapists, Chiropractors, and Naturopaths

● Extensively publishing peer-reviewed literature so that others could benefit from my knowledge

● Sharing my knowledge as a keynote speaker on digital innovation and smart cities technology

● Advising global technology companies on the development of online platforms and scheduling solutions

All surgeries and traumas lead to adhesions between the skin and underlying structures such as organs, muscles, tendons or ligaments. Surgery is invasive and can cause significant damage to the underlying connective tissue. The result is scar tissue and adhesions which may lead to pain with movement, difficulty with fertility, bowel issues and significant alteration in normal activities of daily living.

Through my published research, we now understand that Massage Therapy can prevent the formation of adhesions by promoting healing and introducing movement in connective tissue. By moving the tissue and gliding the structures as they heal, the glue (called fibrin) may be disrupted from adhering to other surrounding structures. This can reduce pain, and improve functional healing.

Early intervention can prevent connective tissues or visceral structures from ‘sticking’ and lead to a less restricted, more functional and pain reduced tissue and an earlier return to activities that bring you joy.

Breast Surgery Treatment and Education

I have been working with breast surgery patients to help them on the road to recovery for over 25 years in clinical practice, research and education.

Breast surgeries including; mastectomy or other cancer surgeries, reconstruction, augmentation or reduction often leads to chronic and debilitating upper limb dysfunction, pain, or lymphedema requiring a specific, evidence-based approach to upper-limb and breast treatment. Prevention of adhesions, scars and lymphatic related issues requires early intervention, and understanding of the tissues involved as well as what is possible to help heal faster.

Before you undergo surgery, understanding what is involved with recovery, when you can get back to exercising or introducing movement to your tissue can be a challenge when struggling with life-altering diagnoses. How medications can affect your recovery and the side effects such as neuropathies (numbness in your hands and feet), as well as prevention of nerve related issues is critical to moving on from surgery and returning to a more pain-free life.

Helping patients and therapists understand surgery, treatment and recovery is as easy as a 1-hour phone call or treatment. Teaching about lymphatic webbing, scar and adhesion formation, nerve involvement and neuropathy in easy to understand language is essential to a better, more informed recovery.

You’re in great hands...

I have chosen to focus my practice on visceral, post-surgical, and adhesion treatment because of the lack of expertise and communication I have experienced in this field over my career. The amount of surgeries that women can experience in a lifetime is significant. This led me into clinical research in order to truly understand the mechanisms of healing and to be able to help those who have suffered in their recovery.

As a dedicated researcher and expert in this area, after 25 years of having successfully treated patients in my practice, I’m uniquely qualified to translate the highly complex medical and injury jargon into easily understandable language accessible to those who really want to take control of a loved one or your own personal healthcare experience.

For Patients

Are You Going For Surgery? Here's what You Need to Know.

Do you have a surgery planned and need some help understanding how to achieve the best after-care?

Would you like to learn how to decrease your chances of scarring or adhesion formation with self-care, physiology and movement?

Book this consult if you or a loved one is experiencing unexpected outcomes from surgery or from an impact injury.

For Medical Practitioners

I work directly with physicians, chemotherapy and orthopedic clinics on tissue education programs for post-surgical care and injury rehabilitation. The conversation between therapist and patient needs to be simple and clear, with the ultimate result being a thorough understanding of the effects of scarring and adhesions on structures and interfaces in order to reduce pain. It’s my goal to ensure all therapists are capable and completely confident of instructing patients on the mechanism and timing of their injury, as well as communication around home care and exercise.

When working with breast cancer patients, a deep understanding of the anatomy, physiology, pathophysiology, and biomechanics involved before and after treatment is crucial.

Treatment methods that emphasize the importance of neuroanatomy and lymphatic systems are ideal and the anatomy and treatment of both healthy and pathological breast tissues need to be addressed.

Therapists who want to increase their ability to safely and effectively instruct patients on the mechanism and timing of their injury, as well as prescribe home care, can book a consultation HERE

Available Workshops:

A Scientific Approach to Scars & Adhesions [internal link to section on Speaking page]
Advanced Manual Treatment of Post-Surgical Cancer Patients [internal link to section on Speaking page]

*Due to COVID-19 in person teaching will be limited to smaller, private groups. Please contact me for details.