Courses & Presenters

This is a course on common pelvic health concerns for external pelvic health clinicians and fitness professionals. The main goal is to introduce you to assessment, and a movement-based treatment approach that can be integrated into your current approach for common pregnant, postpartum, and pelvic health concerns. The main topics will include Diastasis Rectus Abdominus, Pelvic Organ Prolapse, Urinary Incontinence, and how to guide your client through movement & exercise while managing these conditions. 

Additional topics we will cover include client guided care, pregnancy/postpartum concerns, pelvic pain conditions, menopause, movement-based treatment and screening forms. We will answer the question What is a Pelvic Floor Physio and explain when to refer to other health care providers. 

By the end of the course, you will be confident in assessing diastasis rectus abdominus, teaching your clients how to do an external pelvic floor self-assessment, and educating clients about their pelvic health concerns. You will be able to offer insight, education, and appropriate movement-based treatment recommendations for your female clients regarding pelvic health concerns and common transitions throughout the lifespan (pregnancy, postnatal, & menopause). 

Ashley Burr BSc. (KIN) CAT(C)  

Ashley has been working as a Certified Athletic Therapist at Arora Family Chiropractic in Winnipeg, Manitoba since 2014. After the birth of her son (2016), she gained a special interest in the pregnant and postnatal population and began expanding her knowledge and skillset in pelvic health. Ashley works with clients to guide them towards confidently reaching their pain, movement, and exercise goals. Outside of the clinic, Ashley enjoys teaching and working at various sporting events throughout the year. Ashley is co-author and presenter of ‘External Approaches to Pelvic Health: Education, Exercise, Empowerment’ with Jenny Telfer-Crum BSc (HK) MSc (PT), and the author and presenter of ‘Introduction to Myofascial Cupping’. She has been working as the Athletic Therapist with Kelvin High School Football since beginning her university practicum placements in 2010. Growing up, Ashley experienced many injuries. This piqued her interest in movement and how the body works. She was heavily involved in swimming, softball, gymnastics, and army cadets. She enjoys running, spending time with her family, and coaching her son’s various sporting adventures. 

Jenny Telfer-Crum BSc (HK) MSc (PT) 

Jenny is a Pelvic Health Physiotherapist out of Ontario, Canda. She works collaboratively with people experiencing pain or pelvic health concerns so that they can understand their bodies, stop worrying, and confidently progress towards their fitness or lifestyle goals. She strives to provide compassionate, inclusive, and trauma-informed Physiotherapy and Pessary care that revolves around her client’s goals and fits into their lifestyle. Jenny is a life-long learner, Pelvic Health clinician and educator. She has been fitting pessaries since 2018 and has been working as senior teaching assistant with Antony Lo on his Female Athlete series of courses since 2018. Jenny is co-author and presenter of three courses: ‘External Approaches to Pelvic Health: Education, Exercise, Empowerment’ with Ashley Burr, CAT(C), ‘Pessaries: Clinical Integration and Management of POP/SUI’ and ‘Clinical Update: SUI and POP Research and Management Review’ with Cara McDougall, PT through Pelvic Health Solutions. Jenny has always pursued various forms of exercise herself, from jogging to CrossFit to belly dancing. Apart from being a completely average gym goer, she also enjoys reading fiction and spending time outdoors with her husband, Sho. 

Providing evidence-based care leads to superior treatment results. Attendees will learn how to use an evidence-based framework to achieve better outcomes in the treatment and management of clients who suffer with a variety of acute and chronic conditions in the neck and shoulder regions.
This course will provide you with a solid understanding of current research on how to assess, treat and provide home care exercises for common neck and shoulder conditions. This full day course integrates massage, manual therapy,  rehabilitation research and clinical experiences so you can learn how to effectively apply this information immediately into your practice. 

Prepare to learn how to improve your interview skills by asking better questions, and best practices for assessment that allow you to set meaningful client goals. Include movement modifications into your assessment, treatment and homecare as well as learn the best therapeutic exercises and rehab protocols to maximize the possibilities of improved treatment outcomes. Explore how to use curiosity and exploration in your manual therapy interventions to alleviate symptoms. 

Eric Purves, MSc, RMT 

Eric is a registered massage therapist, educator and researcher based in Victoria, BC, Canada. His clinical and educational focus is on the application of research evidence to inform best practices for the treatment and management of persistent pain and musculoskeletal concerns. He has been a faculty member with PainBC since 2016 and he also runs his own online and in-person continuing education company. He has been fortunate enough to travel the world teaching courses on persistent pain, rehabilitation principles and evidence-based practice strategies for massage, manual and movement therapists. In 2019 he received his master of rehabilitation science through UBC.  His graduate work focused on the role of RMTs in the healthcare system and how to use evidence-based strategies to enhance the utilization of research evidence in curriculum development and education delivery. 

Many treatment room conflicts could be solved by asking better questions, clarifying intentions and listening carefully for impossible-to-meet client expectations. This workshop uses real case examples to unpack common communication challenges that massage therapists face.  It provides opportunities to test out tried and true techniques for getting your point across successfully. 

Pam Fitch 

Pam is a longtime Canadian educator, author and massage therapist, she’s been helping therapists examine their professional practice, ethical and communicative challenges for more than 30 years. Pam incorporates critical reflections about our profession with humour, and synthesizes relevant knowledge from other disciplines into her presentations. She has been recognized with several awards for teaching. Her text, Talking Body Listening Hands, is used as a required text for professional practices issues in schools across Canada. 

Helping professionals are vulnerable to burnout and caregiver fatigue when they give more attention and concern than they have energy to share. This workshop discusses the science behind burnout and shares warning signs for caregiver fatigue. It uses case-based learning to help participants evaluate best practices and engages participants to reflect on their own vulnerabilities to caregiver fatigue.

Pam Fitch 

Pam is a longtime Canadian educator, author and massage therapist, she’s been helping therapists examine their professional practice, ethical and communicative challenges for more than 30 years. Pam incorporates critical reflections about our profession with humour, and synthesizes relevant knowledge from other disciplines into her presentations. She has been recognized with several awards for teaching. Her text, Talking Body Listening Hands, is used as a required text for professional practices issues in schools across Canada. 

Recertify in Level C CPR course that reinforces skills to recognize and respond to cardiovascular emergencies and choking for Adults, Children & Infants. Includes training in the use of an Automated External Defibrillator (AED).

Courses at 10:00am and 1:00pm

Tori Webber

Tori started 1st Choice First Aid and CPR in 2004 after working as a paramedic and seeing the need for the public to be able to respond to emergency situations before professional help arrived.  ”There were many calls that I went to that bystanders, if they had been trained and felt comfortable would have helped the person in need especially when it was a family member or a friend and they felt helpless not knowing what to do.”

Round Table Discussion – Learn from the Pros! Creating Successful Referral Networks

Join our conference presenters and industry experts as they discuss how to create referral networks across healthcare disciplines. Referrals are one of the leading ways to build a successful practice. This fast-paced panel discussion will feature presenters from various health care backgrounds including massage therapy, physiotherapy and athletic therapy.  Learn how you can build a referral network and how to provide quality referrals to those in your network. Bring your questions, there will be time at the end of the discussion for Q&A!

Fibromyalgia (FM) is a chronic, complex illness characterized by widespread musculoskeletal pain accompanied by fatigue, sleep, memory loss and other health issues. This is a misunderstood condition which often leads to patients receiving ineffective treatments. This presentation will cover the current science on the etiology and pathophysiology of FM and it will also provide you with current best practices so you can best serve those who live with this condition.  

Attendees will also learn what is known, what we don’t know, and most importantly, how massage therapists can use their education and clinical skills to provide the best support and self- management strategies for people who live with these conditions. 

Eric Purves, MSc, RMT

Eric is a registered massage therapist, educator and researcher based in Victoria, BC, Canada. His clinical and educational focus is on the application of research evidence to inform best practices for the treatment and management of persistent pain and musculoskeletal concerns. He has been a faculty member with PainBC since 2016 and he also runs his own online and in-person continuing education company. He has been fortunate enough to travel the world teaching courses on persistent pain, rehabilitation principles and evidence-based practice strategies for massage, manual and movement therapists. In 2019 he received his master of rehabilitation science through UBC.  His graduate work focused on the role of RMTs in the healthcare system and how to use evidence-based strategies to enhance the utilization of research evidence in curriculum development and education delivery. 

Osteoarthritis (OA) is one of the most common and disabling conditions. The older humans get, the more likely they are to develop OA.  A diagnosis of OA is not uncommon and there are many evidence-based protocols patients can follow to maintain a healthy joint and to have an active lifestyle. Current research suggests that OA is no longer purely a wear and tear disease of the joint. This understanding provides a more encompassing understanding of OA and gives RMTs some guidelines to follow to maximize treatment and management outcomes. In this 3 hour presentation, attendees will learn how to follow an evidence-based framework for clients who suffer with pain and disability related to OA to achieve better outcomes using a combination of hands-on interventions and exercise guidance.  

Eric Purves, MSc, RMT

Eric is a registered massage therapist, educator and researcher based in Victoria, BC, Canada. His clinical and educational focus is on the application of research evidence to inform best practices for the treatment and management of persistent pain and musculoskeletal concerns. He has been a faculty member with PainBC since 2016 and he also runs his own online and in-person continuing education company. He has been fortunate enough to travel the world teaching courses on persistent pain, rehabilitation principles and evidence-based practice strategies for massage, manual and movement therapists. In 2019 he received his master of rehabilitation science through UBC.  His graduate work focused on the role of RMTs in the healthcare system and how to use evidence-based strategies to enhance the utilization of research evidence in curriculum development and education delivery. 

In this course we will review the current research and practical applications for a variety of active, active-assisted, and passive flexibility techniques that can be easily and effectively added into your massage therapy treatments. Assessment pit-stops will be done along the way to discuss when flexibility exercises are warranted, and when they aren’t. Participants will learn how they can integrate these techniques into their practice, as well as combine certain manual therapy techniques to make them more effective.

Alain is the director of health and performance with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers Football Club and is entering his 22nd season. He graduated from University of Manitoba with a Bachelor of Exercise and Sport Science/Athletic Therapy degree and became a Certified Athletic Therapist.
He is also a Registered Massage Therapist through the Massage Therapy Association of Manitoba, a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist through the National Strength and Conditioning Association, and a Registered Orthopedic Technologist with the American Society of Orthopedic Professionals. Alain has been teaching Remedial Exercise at Evolve College (formerly MTCM) since 2009.

Recertify in Level C CPR course that reinforces skills to recognize and respond to cardiovascular emergencies and choking for Adults, Children & Infants. Includes training in the use of an Automated External Defibrillator (AED).

Courses at 10:00am and 1:00pm

Tori Webber

Tori started 1st Choice First Aid and CPR in 2004 after working as a paramedic and seeing the need for the public to be able to respond to emergency situations before professional help arrived.  ”There were many calls that I went to that bystanders, if they had been trained and felt comfortable would have helped the person in need especially when it was a family member or a friend and they felt helpless not knowing what to do.”