Massage Therapy

Tania Hamidnejad was born in Iran, and has been living in North Vancouver since she was five. She graduated from the Vancouver College of Massage Therapy. Before massage therapy, she was studying Psychology and volunteering in the field, following her passion for helping people.

She grew up playing many sports, and was competitive in swimming, wrestling, and bodybuilding. Being a competitive athlete her whole life, massage therapy always played a big role in her recovery, injury prevention, and performance.

Tania believes in the importance of patient education. Her goal during a treatment is to get a full picture of the injury and its’ root cause in order to empower patients by educating them on the matter, and giving them the homecare adjustments and exercises necessary to help with their recovery, as well as preventing future injuries.

She has experience in treating sport, and lifestyle injuries through a variety of techniques such as deep tissue massage, joint mobilizations, myofascial release, and trigger point therapy. Whether your goal is to reduce your day-to-day pain, or optimize your performance in your sport, she would like to work with you to help you achieve your goals.

When she is not at work, you can find her in a gym bodybuilding/ powerlifting, walking her dogs in the beautiful North Vancouver trails, or spending quality time with friends and family.

Kristel is originally from North Vancouver, BC she is a graduate from the Vancouver College of Massage Therapy. Her background includes working in the high-tech field of human resources and a BA in Psychology. She discovered her interest in health care and massage therapy after realizing how much massage had helped her with a repetitive strain injury.

Kristel enjoys treating a wide variety of people and conditions and is experienced in pregnancy massage, geriatrics, neurological conditions, postural dysfunction, repetitive strain injuries, and other Orthopedic conditions. She employs a variety of techniques in her treatment plan based on individual needs which include Swedish, myofascial release, trigger point therapy, joint mobilization, muscle energy techniques, and lymphatic drainage.

In her spare time, Kristel enjoys reading, cooking, climbing, swimming, and spending time with her family.

Derek is originally from North Vancouver, BC where he graduated from the Vancouver College of Massage Therapy. Before following his passion to become an RMT he played varsity level soccer. He has worked in Pilates studios, gyms and clinics. Through all his experiences he has gained respect for working on the mind and body as a whole.

He has had experience treating sport and lifestyle-related injuries. He uses a variety of techniques including trigger point therapy, myofascial release, and deep tissue massage therapy. He puts a strong emphasis on teaching his patients exercises and self-care so that they have the tools to continue along their wellness journey.

He enjoys working with the other practitioners in the clinic allowing for his patients to get cross-modality care. When a patient gets treated by a physiotherapist or chiropractor, he works with the other therapist to develop a well-rounded treatment plan best suited to the patients’ needs.

In his spare time, Derek likes to work out, play soccer, hike, camp and always be active

Thomas is originally from Surrey, BC, he graduated from the Vancouver College of Massage Therapy. Post-graduation he released a case study on eye-strain related headaches and the benefits of Massage Therapy. Through this research, he gained tremendous experience in how to best deal with the different types of eye strain and headaches.

He is an extremely well-versed RMT who knows how to accommodate the pressure and intensity of his massage to best suit an individual’s needs. Working with patients who seek relaxation, deep tissue, sports massage, trigger point therapy, and myofascial release. He has had great success in treating and reducing muscle pain, limited range of motion, headaches, stress, strains, and sprains. He is a caring and genuine massage therapist, who is passionate about what he does and wants to see his clients follow their road to recovery.

In his spare time, Thomas has done extensive traveling, living in countries like Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and visiting many others experiencing other cultures and the natural beauty of other countries. He also enjoys gaming and spending time with his beautiful god dog daughters. Even when he is extremely busy he always finds time to bake with mom and grandma learning from the best.

Richard is originally from North Vancouver, BC where he studied for his RMT accreditation at the Vancouver College of Massage Therapy. He has always had a special interest in health and wellness with a passion for helping his clients get back to a healthy and full life.

After graduation he went on to study Craniosacral Therapy, Management of TMJ (Jaw) Dysfunction, Instrument Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization, and Soft Tissue Release Technique. Through continuing his education, he gained and explored new knowledge about the underlying anatomy and physiology of the human body.

In his spare time, Richard likes to paddleboard, mountain bike, and motorcycle.

Carmen is a graduate of the Vancouver College of Massage Therapy. She believes that manual therapy is a powerful tool in preventative mental and physical health care, and is honoured to support her patients where they are at on their health journey. Her yoga background has taught her the value of holding space and creating a supportive environment for all individuals.

She has a special interest in women’s health and has taken continuing education in chronic pain, pregnancy and female pelvic health. Carmen uses a variety of techniques to work with clients tissue, depending on their comfort and treatment goals, including myofascial release, deep tissue, Swedish massage and joint mobilizations.

Carmen is no stranger to overuse injuries having been an endurance athlete most of her life, competing in ultra trail running and marathon paddling events. Her true love is rock climbing and her favorite places on earth are remote alpine ridges.

Joanne is a proud graduate of West Coast College of Massage Therapy.

She would love to help alleviate stress, tension, pain, or help restore function, and make a difference to a person’s quality of life.

When she is not at work, you will find her hiking to waterfalls and viewpoints, taking pictures, traveling on a new adventure, or spending time with family.

Riley is a proud graduate of Vancouver College of Massage Therapy. He is passionate about pain-free living and works with the client to achieve their unique treatment goals. This is done through careful assessment and tailored delivery of therapeutic techniques. He strongly believes in empowering his clients with practical home-care strategies, while nurturing genuine interest and appreciation for the human body.

Being quite active from a young age and having many years of experience in the Trades industry, Riley has always appreciated the beauty of physical work. Also, working within the Floating industry gave him a keen insight into the human nervous system and the mind-body connection. These experiences drew Riley to a rewarding career in massage therapy and now inform his practice.

Originally from South Africa, Susan pursued a career in finance for several years, until her desire to help others live their best life and her own experiences in recovering from sporting injuries led to her interest in therapeutic massage. She graduated from the Vancouver College of Massage Therapy in 2020.

Susan is passionate about partnering with her patients in their journey back to a healthy, active life. She’s a firm believer in treating the whole person, not only their condition, and takes time to hear her patients’ story in order to better understand what treatment will best suit them.

Starting with a comprehensive assessment and employing a variety of modalities including neuromuscular and Swedish techniques, fascial and trigger point release, PNF stretching and joint mobilization, Susan enjoys the challenge of treating different types of pain and injury and helping patients achieve their goals.

Outside of the clinic Susan thrives on long-distance running, loves spending time in the mountains hiking and camping, and carries a book with her wherever she goes.

Monica graduated from the Vancouver College of Massage Therapy in 2010. She specializes in deep tissue massage, Swedish and myofascial massage, neuromuscular therapy, sports massage and migraine management. She also has extensive experience in prenatal massage therapy. Her goal as a therapist is to create a session specific to each client’s individual needs. She believes massage therapy is an integral treatment in the preventative care, maintenance and rehabilitation of the musculoskeletal system.

Massage therapy enhances health through pain control, improved circulation, stress reduction and an overall feeling of well-being. Monica is passionate about helping clients find themselves and their ability to heal from within, which in turn make her treatments as effective as possible.

Simon is originally from Ireland and he moved to Canada in 2016. Prior to becoming a massage therapist and graduating from Vancouver College of Massage Therapy, he studied Hotel and Catering Management and spend many years within the hospitality industry. Throughout his experiences and travels, Simon has enjoyed working in multidisciplinary teams and has gained the respect and appreciation of his colleagues and clients.

Simon has experience treating various conditions including headaches, strains, sprains, frozen shoulder and sports recovery during his internships. He treats using a range of techniques depending on the condition presented, these include deep tissue, myofascial release, trigger point therapy and neuromuscular techniques. He also places emphasis on client centered care, which encompasses a holistic approach to care that goes beyond the allocated time in the appointment. Simon is looking forward to building his practice at Avita health and utilizing the expertise of the different disciplines such as physiotherapists, chiropractors, and other RMTs to continue to provide his clients with the best treatment options.

In his free time, Simon enjoys all that beautiful BC has to offer including golf, soccer, snowboarding, and hiking. Simon believe is healthy minds in healthy and active bodies.

Karima was born and raised in Vancouver BC. She graduated from the Kootenay Columbia College of Integrative Health Sciences in Nelson, BC in 2020. She is passionate about her work as an RMT and striving to make a difference in all her clients’ quality of life.

She has been passionate about massage from a young age and, after a gymnastics injury at the age of 8, quickly learned the power of manual therapy and how integral it is to recovery and everyday function. She strives to help clients alleviate stress, reduce pain, and improve mobility and function through thoughtful, client-centered care to everyone she has the opportunity to meet in her practice.

When she’s not working or spending time with her loved ones; she loves listening to music, dancing, singing, hiking, camping, paddle boarding, and soaking in as much sunshine as possible.

Jessica was born and raised in North Vancouver. Her infinite joy of learning and inherent desire to encourage the wellbeing of others drew her into the health field.

Jessica is an honours graduate of the Vancouver College of Massage Therapy. She strives to provide a supportive environment and compassionate rapport within individually tailored treatments for her clients. As an advocate for mental health, she employs the use of neuro-physiological ROODs techniques to synthesize a mind-body connection. Jessica utilizes a combination of Swedish massage, myo-fascial, muscle energy and neuromuscular techniques, joint mobilizations and trigger point release.

Behind the scenes, Jessica spends her time climbing mountains with her German Shepherd Maximus, dancing, creating art and working in the technical live event industry.

My name is Claudia Pasavel, and I'm originally from Romania. I lived in London Ontario since 1997 but moved to North Vancouver in 2022. I'm passionate about Anatomy , Physiology, Philosophy, and I love nature. I've been trained in, and taught yoga in London on for 13 years. As an RMT, my commitment is to help you to live an active life without soft tissue discomfort! Besides hands on treatment, I'm trained in alternative techniques like " Graston", which is a form of "scraping " scar tissue to aid in proper alignment and healing. Overall, I like to work together with my clients to help them achieve the best outcomes for their health!

Erin was born and raised on the North Shore. She graduated from the West Coast College of Massage therapy's 3000-hour massage diploma program in 2005. She enjoys working with a variety of people/conditions from the weekend warrior to Iron Man competitors.

Her first experience with alternative therapies began after being in a major car accident as a child. She learned then how effective they were at helping her regain function and reduce pain. She likes to work with people to attain their goals and is a huge believer in the mind-body connection when it comes to pain.

Erin uses a combination of deep Swedish, myofascial and trigger point release, muscle energy technique, and joint play during her treatments.

When not at work she enjoys spending time in the outdoors be it hiking, trail running, skiing, and snowshoeing. She also loves to travel.

Ali is a registered massage therapist (RMT) who specializes in various massage techniques, including myofascial release, trigger point release, neuromuscular therapy, dynamic release, joint mobilization, Swedish massage, and Manual Lymphatic Drainage (MLD) techniques. Understanding that every individual is different, Ali takes the time to listen to patients’ needs, assess their condition, and develop customized treatment plans. In addition to a professional practice focused on improving patients’ well-being, Ali enjoys reading, playing soccer, and going to the gym during free time. Ali looks forward to customizing your treatment and working together to help you achieve optimal health.

As a Registered Massage Therapist, Jie focuses on addressing patients' individual needs in a warm and safe environment. Jie believes in the importance of listening to our bodies and respecting their needs, which is why she varies techniques such as myofascial release, trigger point release, neuromuscular therapy, dynamic release, joint mobilization, and Swedish massage to help slow down the mind and improve physical and mental wellness.

Jie graduated with honors from Vancouver College of Massage Therapy and is a certified yoga instructor with experience teaching seniors and children. Jie has extensive training in orthopedic assessment, home care, and treatment planning skills, allowing her to help with specific issues, injuries, pathologies, and orthopedic conditions.

In her spare time, she enjoys painting, practicing yoga, listening to music, and traveling. She also enjoys helping his partner with his bees and garden and playing with her ragdoll cat, Osmi, on the splendid North Shore.

Leah is originally from England and after graduating university she came to Vancouver for a one year working holiday visa 13 years ago. She fell in love with the beautiful city and it's stunning scenery and has since made it her home.

Having graduated on the honour roll from Vancouver College of Massage Therapy, Leah has been able to experience a wide variety of patient populations and has been able to help patients experiencing chronic pain, headaches, grief, arthritis, orthopedic injuries as well as every day aches and pains. With a passion for helping people achieve their intended outcomes she is able to customize each treatment to the patient and their desired goals.

In her free time Leah enjoys reading, cooking, listening to music, traveling and walking.