Shatara is a registered acupuncturist with a patient-centric approach, rooted in empathy and compassion. She firmly believes in the importance of actively listening to her patients’ needs and consistently prioritizing their well-being. Shatara is dedicated to providing personalized care, ensuring that each individual receives the utmost attention and consideration throughout their healing process.

Shatara’s career trajectory was marked by a pivotal internship opportunity with Vancouver Coastal Health, where she assisted in the treatment of mental health and substance abuse within both inpatient and outpatient contexts. This invaluable experience allowed her to gain a profound comprehension of the intricate workings of the human body, and reinforced her conviction in the efficacy of acupuncture as a therapeutic modality for a wide array of health conditions. Shatara places great importance on offering evidence-based treatments and is a zealous advocate for an integrative approach to healthcare.

In January 2023, Shatara graduated with honours, a testament to her commitment to ongoing education and staying up-to-date with the latest research and advancements in her field.

Furthermore, owing to her extensive background as a seasoned competitive equestrian athlete, as well as her experience in dance, gymnastics, and martial arts, Shatara maintains profound appreciation for the critical role of injury rehabilitation. Having personal experience with a variety of injuries, she approaches this aspect of her practice with unwavering seriousness and dedication.

Shatara is a registered acupuncturist with a patient-centric approach, rooted in empathy and comp... Read More

An interest in the human body and a desire to help improve quality of life for people in pain brought Lucas to massage therapy. He is a graduate of the West Coast College of Massage Therapy in New Westminster. He also has insight into the science of pain due to a Psychology degree from UBC. This background has led him to the practice of developing individualized programs specific to the needs of each patient.

An interest in the human body and a desire to help improve quality of life for people in pain bro... Read More

Heather graduated from TWU in 2019 with a Bachelor of Human Kinetics, specializing in Kinesiology. She is a passionate Kinesiologist who is determined to help her patients reach their physical health goals. Whether patients are recovering from an accident or seeking to improve their health and fitness, Heather is focused on creating an effective and customized program to support her patients.

Heather’s experience in the field has ranged from working as a patient care coordinator at an orthopedic clinic to volunteering in Cambodia with Operation Smile. Heather has volunteered locally as well with BC Wheelchair Basketball and as a TWU student strength and conditioning coach. She is currently involved in her local community serving in different capacities.

Outside of work and volunteering, Heather enjoys spending time with family and friends and engaging in a variety of hobbies such as strength training, cooking and more recently joining the Vancouver cycling scene

Heather graduated from TWU in 2019 with a Bachelor of Human Kinetics, specializing in Kinesiology... Read More

Stephen completed his Master of Physical Therapy (MPT) and Bachelor of Kinesiology at the University of British Columbia. Stephen has also obtained his Advanced Orthopaedic Manual and Manipulative Level 1 certification.

Fluent in English, Cantonese, and conversational Mandarin, Stephen’s treatment philosophy is to empower clients to reach their highest potential in function and goals be it returning to sports, work, or play by utilizing manual therapy and exercise prescription to target the root of their problems.

Stephen has a passion for ball and racket sports having played competitive volleyball, tennis, and soccer growing up, as well as teaching and competing in hip hop dance, all which you can find him doing outside of the clinic.

Special Interests

Sport injuries, neck, shoulder, elbow, ankle, and achilles injuries.

Stephen completed his Master of Physical Therapy (MPT) and Bachelor of Kinesiology at the Univers... Read More

Brianna, hailing from Coquitlam, has a rich background in various sports and activities, including competitive swimming, water polo, tae kwon do, and dance. Through her active participation in these pursuits, she developed a deep appreciation for health and fitness. Brianna recognized the importance of properly preparing the body before engaging in physical performance and facilitating its recovery afterward to maintain optimal performance levels. Witnessing the resilience of the human body, she felt a strong desire to pursue a career that would enable her to help others achieve their sport and fitness goals.

Massage therapy became Brianna’s chosen path, and she has been practicing for seven years. Knowing that she can make a positive difference in the lives of her clients brings her a sense of fulfillment every day. While she holds a particular interest in treating sports-related injuries and conditions, she is open and enthusiastic about addressing a wide range of other health concerns as well.

During her spare time, Brianna enjoys expanding her culinary skills by learning new recipes to cook. She finds inspiration in reading non-fiction novels that offer motivation and insight. Additionally, she loves to travel to new places, appreciating the opportunities for personal growth and gaining a deeper understanding of life.

Brianna’s diverse athletic background, passion for health and fitness, and commitment to making a positive impact on her clients’ well-being position her as a skilled and compassionate massage therapist.

Brianna, hailing from Coquitlam, has a rich background in various sports and activities, includin... Read More

Anh is a very friendly, helpful and enthusiastic practitioner who takes pride in his thoughtful application of learned massage techniques. Originally from Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, Anh began to earn bodywork certificates in Thai, Shiatsu, Hong Kong style and Foot Massage from the Ngoc Anh Therapy Massage Company. After moving to Vancouver, he continued fostering his interest in massage by attending the Bodywork Therapy Program at the Vancouver School of Healing Arts. This experience inspired him to pursue further education, and was a proud graduate of the Registered Massage Therapy Program from the Vancouver College of Massage Therapy in Dec 2022. Anh enjoys offering a variety of treatments including Therapeutic, Swedish, Deep Tissue, Hot Stone, Hydrotherapy, Aromatherapy, Prenatal, Sport, and Indian Head Massage.

He is fluent in both English and Vietnamese.

Anh is a very friendly, helpful and enthusiastic practitioner who takes pride in his thoughtful a... Read More

Dr. Anthony McDougall graduated from the University of Calgary with a B.Sc. in Biology, where he played varsity basketball for the Calgary Dinos, before attending Palmer West Chiropractic College in California (USA).

After graduating Chiropractic College, Dr. McDougall practiced for 15 years in Florence, Italy. Dr. McDougall has completed extensive post-graduate education including myofascial release techniques, One-To-Zero (OTZ) Frozen Shoulder Technique, Kinesio Taping, and the International Chiropractic Sports Sciences Diploma (ICSSD), the Sports Chiropractic designation of the Federation Internationale de Chiropratique du Sport.

Dr. McDougall introduced the Functional Movement Systems courses to Italy, becoming certified in both the Functional Movement Screen (FMS) and the Selective Functional Movement Assessment (SFMA). Dr. McDougall has had the pleasure of treating many professional and aspiring professional athletes in rowing, cycling, soccer, track, basketball, tennis, volleyball, water polo, football as well as dancers of all ages.

In 2000, Dr. McDougall attended the Olympic Games in Sydney as the chiropractor for a group of 100 and 200 meter runners representing several countries, including the members of the Gold medal 4 x 100 Men’s and Women’s relay teams. The same group of athletes brought him to the various Golden League Athletics events in several European countries. In 2012, his most prestigious moment as a Sports Chiropractor came when he was awarded full accreditation to be the Italian Rowing Team’s official Chiropractor at the Olympic Games in London.

Dr. McDougall joins our rehabilitation team at painPRO Clinics Fairview West Broadway location with over 15 years experience in treating sports injuries. During his spare time, Dr. McDougall enjoys cycling and watching his three boys play soccer.

Dr. Anthony McDougall graduated from the University of Calgary with a B.Sc. in Biology, where he ... Read More

Dr. Michael Palmer has always been an active outdoorsman. Living close to the mountains cultivated within him a love of nature, and a respect for the health required to appreciate it. Dr. Palmer was introduced to the chiropractic lifestyle as a result of a minor injury while skiing. Tired of spending his nights lying flat on the floor, and needing to focus on his Bachelor of Science degree at the University of Calgary, he sought the care of a chiropractor. After seeing first-hand how chiropractic contributes to health and the avoidance of injury, Dr. Palmer enrolled at the Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College in Toronto. Upon the completion of four years of study, he graduated as a Doctor of Chiropractic. He now practices in Vancouver and considers himself lucky to have found his calling helping people to achieve better health through chiropractic care. Dr. Palmer offers manual therapy treatment strategies to address your particular condition including specific muscular release, spinal adjustments, electrical modalities, custom orthotics, and exercise and lifestyle modification. He knows that the human body was designed to move, and that chiropractic care keeps it moving properly; leading to optimal functioning of the nervous system, and greater health for a longer period of time.

Dr. Michael Palmer has always been an active outdoorsman. Living close to the mountains cultivate... Read More

Chelsea has been an RMT since 2015, after completing her training at the West Coast College of Massage Therapy. She had an interest early on in the field of health care when volunteering in a hospital’s extended care unit in her home town on Vancouver Island. After nearly a decade in a desk job, she realized a career change was needed and has been happily working as a massage therapist since. Chelsea has both a relaxing and compassionate presence that allows her patients to feel at ease during treatment. While she has additional training in prenatal massage, she has a wide range of experience in treating many conditions including headaches, TMJ pain, low back pain, sports-related injuries, scar tissue as well as systemic and neurological conditions. Her treatments are a blend of Swedish, myofascial, trigger point release and stretching techniques to name a few, depending on the desired outcomes. Whether the goal is to relax or recover, she takes patient input and combines it with effective and evidence-based massage therapy.

Chelsea has been an RMT since 2015, after completing her training at the West Coast College of Ma... Read More

Shannon grew up with a very athletic and active lifestyle, and still actively participates in dance, baseball, field hockey and yoga to mention a few. This background has provided her with a unique perspective on the function, potential and limitations of the human body. It is what has allowed her to effectively treat athletes at every level of performance, from the NHL, CFL, MLB and Olympians, right through to the weekend warrior. She believes in helping patients return to optimal function as quickly and effectively as possible through a combination of soft tissue work, injury rehabilitation, mobility work, functional assessments and patent education. She graduated in 2009 from the massage therapy program, and has since completed her Bachelor of Health Science, Clinical Pilates Instructor Training, and her Personal Training Specialist certificate.

Shannon grew up with a very athletic and active lifestyle, and still actively participates in dan... Read More

Darek has always had a passion for fitness and movement. Prior to becoming an RMT he spent 6 years teaching and competing in ballroom dance followed by 5 years as a personal trainer. During his time as a personal trainer, he trained a number of clients with injuries, leading Darek to develop an interest in rehab and manual therapy. This led him to attending the Vancouver College of Massage Therapy (VCMT) where he graduated with honours.

In addition, he has a genuine hunger for learning and is perpetually taking continuing education courses to stay on the cutting edge of massage therapy.

Darek draws on all of those experiences as well as the knowledge and practical skills learned at VCMT to provide highly effective treatments that meet the needs and goals of his patients.

Darek has always had a passion for fitness and movement. Prior to becoming an RMT he spent 6 year... Read More

Chris offers a warm and collaborative approach to physiotherapy. Chris holds a Doctorate of Physiotherapy from the University of Melbourne in Australia and a Bachelor of Kinesiology with an emphasis on exercise science from UBC.

He has additional training in: - Intramuscular Stimulation (IMS)/ Dry needling - Shockwave Therapy - RSQ1 [https://www.rsq1.nl/what-is-rsq1/] - Clinical Pilates - Concussion Management (Concussion Rehab Works Level 1 and 2)

Chris enjoys all aspects of Physiotherapy but has a particular interest in clinical Pilates, sports injuries and recovery following motor vehicle accident. He and his colleague Dr. McDougall are the sole providers of RSQ1 in Western Canada and both find it to be a very effective treatment for many conditions.

Outside the clinic Chris can be found surfing, snowboarding, skateboarding, playing basketball, or running through the beautiful parks near the city.

Chris offers a warm and collaborative approach to physiotherapy. Chris holds a Doctorate of Physi... Read More

IMPORTANT…treatments by Susan are NOT COVERED BY INSURANCE. She has successfully graduated from her massage therapy college. Susan is part of painPRO’s massage therapy preceptorship program. This industry-leading program selects top graduates from massage therapy colleges waiting to write their provincial board exams and pairs them with our existing team of healthcare professionals. The purpose is to teach new graduates real-world skills on how true collaborative healthcare works by giving them an understanding of other healthcare professions and how working together can enhance optimal patient outcomes.

Susan is a recent graduate from the West Coast College of Massage Therapy and will be writing her RMT board exams in March. She previously completed a Spa Therapy certification in 2009 and now has over 10 years of cumulative massage experience. Susan offers different styles and techniques including: Swedish (Relaxation), Myofascial Release, Deep Tissue, PNF Stretching, and Joint Mobilizations.

Susan strives to create a comfortable and inclusive environment for her patients. She places great value on patient-centered care, emphasizing the significance of investing time to comprehend the needs of each individual.

In her free time Susan enjoys various movement based activities such as yoga, dance, hiking, rock climbing, and regular sessions at the gym. She also likes to keep learning. Some current topics of interest for her are anatomy, psychology, interpersonal relationships, personal growth, and all the arts.

IMPORTANT…treatments by Susan are NOT COVERED BY INSURANCE. She has successfully graduated from h... Read More

James is a Registered Massage Therapist (RMT) and Registered Canadian Reflexology Therapist (RCRT). Besides providing professional manual therapy for a variety of conditions, James also provides unique full sessions of standard Chinese-style Reflexology and refined Indian Head Massage as an RMT treatment.

James’ interest in massage started in childhood when he discovered he had an instinct for wanting to help family members with their aches and pains after long hours at work. Being born and raised in China, a country where massage is prevalent, he has been gradually familiar with various styles of massage treatment since he was a teenager. His initial career as an auditor in China saw him traveling around the country frequently, which also provided him the opportunity to experience different local massage techniques and styles wherever he went.

After immigrating to Canada, his job afforded him access to benefits, where he was able to experience treatment with RMTs. This reinvigorated his interest in massage therapy from childhood and inspired him to undergo formal education to become an RMT himself. He complies with the evidence-based approach and patient-centered care of massage therapy to effectively treat a variety of conditions through proper questions and assessments.

In his spare time, he devotes himself to global comparative studies of massage therapy education, the practice of different modalities of manual therapy for effective treatment, and the optimal portfolio of techniques to treat specific conditions. His contributions to the manual therapy industry are as follows:

• Made “Taxonomy of Massage Techniques” by intensively reading all the most updated textbooks, rehearing all the related techniques, and re-categorizing all the common massage techniques using a concise and systematic taxonomy method, which is highly recognized by industry-leading professionals.

• Made “TUINA VS RMT Essential Techniques Comparison” by intensively researching and comparing the syllabus between China’s four-year Bachelor’s degree in Tuina massage and Canada two years diploma in massage therapy, which first time decode the difference of techniques in those two worlds predominate therapeutic massage system.

• Made “China Standard Foot Reflexology Routine” (English & Chinese) by enthusiastically reading, watching, researching, and comparing all the famous reflexology textbooks, and demonstration videos worldwide, especially the Reflexology Association Canada and China Reflexology Association manual to successfully demystify this world’s most widely used reflexology treatment routine to the Western world.

James graduated from Vancouver College of Massage Therapy (VCMT) with a Clinical Distinction Award and acquired a Diploma of Foot Reflexology and Certificate of Indian Head Massage from Reflexology Association Canada (RAC) and Natural Health Practitioners of Canada (NHPC) accredited courses respectively. He has also completed a Bachelor’s Degree in China, and a Master’s Degree in Singapore, and used to be a college instructor in China.

James is fluent in both English and Mandarin.

James is a Registered Massage Therapist (RMT) and Registered Canadian Reflexology Therapist (RCRT... Read More

Vicky graduated from Vancouver Career College with honours. She became interested in massage after helping her mother relieve headaches with acupressure scalp massage. Her uncle, a Traditional Chinese Medical Massage Therapist, instructed her in acupressure massage. Prior to enrolling as an RMT student. Vicky worked as a body worker for 5 years. This allowed her to experience a diversity of patients and conditions. She treated many elderlies as the clinic she worked is near a senior community. Two expectant women were accompanied by her massage throughout their entire pregnancies. She was also trained in reflexology, which she found to be very beneficial for patients suffering from digestive or sleeping disorders. Fascia techniques and trigger point release were the most intriguing aspects of her Vancouver Career College education. Vicky believes that fascia adhesion is the cause of many dysfunctions. She utilized numerous fascia techniques in both her case study and student clinic. Vicky is highly attuned to trigger points due to her prior experience with acupressure massage. She discovered that many trigger points are acupressure points as well.

Vicky graduated from Vancouver Career College with honours. She became interested in massage afte... Read More