Shannon incorporates her skills and experience in manual therapy and IMS, together with patient education and exercise prescription to provide a one-on-one, client-centered approach in her treatment sessions. Shannon completed her physiotherapy degree from the University of British Columbia in 1999. She completed her Diploma in Advanced Manual and Manipulative Therapy (‘Part ‘B’) in 2005. Shannon also completed her training to practice the Chan Gunn method of Intramuscular needling (CGIMS, 2004). Shannon worked in orthopaedic and sports clinics in Victoria until she could not be away from the great skiing and mountain biking of Nelson any longer. Shannon is happy to be part of the Kootenay Health Services team.

Shannon loves to stay active outside with mountain biking, running, hiking and skiing, when she isn't chasing her three kids or teaching them activities to enjoy outside.

Jane Byers has been an ergonomist since the mid-1990’s. She is a full member of the Association of Canadian Ergonomists as well as the Vocational Rehabilitation Association. She competed her Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology (Hon) in 1990. She has prevented injuries and facilitated return to work with firefighters and construction labourers, truck drivers and office clerks. She is focused on injury prevention through ergonomic design and fostering resilience in workers with disabilities. Jane is passionate about her family and writing poetry. She loves hiking, road cycling and Nordic skiing.

Emma Haley was born and raised in Nelson, B.C. After graduating from L.V. Rogers’s high school, she attended Selkirk College for two years before moving to Vancouver to finish her undergraduate degree in Human Kinetics at the University of British Columbia. She then went on to achieve a graduate degree in Occupational Therapy from Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario. Since graduating with her MSc. OT, Emma has been working in private practice since 2015. Emma is committed to providing client-centred care and believes that education and building self-management strategies are key components to a client’s recovery from illness or injury. Emma was drawn to Occupational Therapy largely in part because of the holistic approach taken to restoring client’s function and increasing independence in daily activities through evidence-based practice.

Emma’s practice interests include cognitive assessment and intervention, musculoskeletal rehabilitation, mental health, return to work, functional and cognitive capacity evaluations, cost of future care, medical-legal and concussion management. Emma is committed to professional growth and continuing education in order to provide the most relevant treatments to her clients and feels fornature to be a part of an innovative and forward thinking team of clinicians at KHS.

Emma is passionate about skiing, paddle boarding, travelling, hiking, running and gardening. She loves laughing with her fiance and spending time with her two cats.

Sophie was inspired to pursue a career in Athletic and Exercise Therapy through her personal connection to injury and her love for fitness and extreme sports. Before embarking on her education, Sophie spent many years enjoying the Kootenay’s and all of its outdoor accessibility. Mountain biking, snowboarding, trail running, strength training and yoga occupied her time beyond work in the service industry.

She graduated in 2021 from Camosun College with her Bachelor’s Degree in Athletic and Exercise Therapy. She is now a Certified Athletic Therapist through CATA, a registered Kinesieolgist with BCAK and a Certified First Responder. Sophie has completed Functional Movement Screening (FMS) training and continues to seek new knowledge to further assist her assessments and rehabilitation prescription. She’s passionate about helping others reach their
goals, just as she has been helped so many times.

Sophie has worked with Vancouver Island’s premier soccer league, the University of Victoria men’s Rugby team, and the Vikes Varsity Athlete Clinic at the University of Victoria. Here she treated varsity and Olympic level athletes both on-field and in the clinic. The high-volume settings and case load at each location allowed Sophie to encounter a variety of injuries and challenged her to use the skills learned in school. Working alongside Chiropractors, Physiotherapists, Sports medicine doctors and Athletic Therapists allowed her to gain knowledge from many different professions.

Her approach to Athletic Therapy encompasses the whole body and encourages the client to be an active participant in their rehabilitation. Through diligent assessment of orthopaedic injuries her treatment plans will assist you in returning to the activities you love.

Dave is a sports medicine physician newly moved to the area from the UK where he had been working in elite and international level rugby in the Pro 14 as team physician for Cardiff Blues and the Wales Rugby Union (WRU) for the Wales U18 squad. In addition, Dave spent his time working in sports medicine clinics for the Military of Defence. He has a background as a trained physiotherapist (University of Southampton) prior to attending medical school (Cardiff University). He has since completed postgraduate studies in Sport and Exercise Medicine obtaining his DipSEM (UK). Dave has a keen interest in overuse injuries. He provides assessment, diagnosis and intervention (including corticosteroid and viscosupplementation where appropriate) as well as utilising ultrasound for musculoskeletal problems.

Outside of work he is a keen footballer (soccer), skier and enjoys spending time with his young family!

Raphael moved to BC from Québec in 2020 to spend more time pursuing outdoor sports and activities. His passion for snowboarding and mountain biking as well as the community vibe made him choose the Kootenays as a place to call home.

He completed his master’s degree in the entrepreneurial profile from Université Laval in 2019 and worked in private practice before moving to BC. During his studies, Raphael worked with many sports teams including football, hockey, and rugby. He spent 2 years working with a collegial football team and did his final internship with the University Laval football team, “Le Rouge et Or”.

In addition to his experience in sports rehabilitation, he has completed additional postgraduate training in Anatomical Neuropathic Intramuscular Stimulation (AN-IMS) and Functional Movement Assessment (FMS/SFMA), and is a certified bike-fit physiotherapist (Bike PT Bronze). Raphael would be happy to help you find the perfect fit for your bike to support your outdoor adventures.

Raphael was an outdoor guide for 8 years, mostly guiding canoe expeditions on the beautiful rivers of Gaspésie. He understands the importance of sport in your life and he is committed to guiding you in your rehabilitation with a personalised approach. He loves to work in an active community such as Nelson. Raphael can easily be found in the mountains splitboarding, snowboarding, mountain biking, or hiking. He also loves brewing beers, scuba diving, canoe camping, and backcountry adventures.

Born and raised in Ottawa, Tanya completed her undergraduate degree in neuroscience at McGill University in Montreal, and her master's degree in occupational therapy at Dalhousie University in Halifax. She eventually made her way west, drawn to British Columbia by the stunning scenery and ample opportunities for outdoor recreation. She now resides in Nelson, BC and is grateful to live, work, and play on the unceded territory of the Sinixt, Syilx, and Ktunaxa peoples.

In her professional career, Tanya has worked in a variety of settings, both in private practice and in the public sector. She has developed skills and expertise in the areas of chronic pain, post-concussive syndrome, mental health, return-to-work, and more. She has completed the Shift Concussion Management Training Level 2 and especially enjoys helping clients with post-concussive syndrome learn to manage their symptoms and get back to their meaningful activities. She believes in empowering clients with knowledge to increase their self-awareness and to build the skills they need to cope with whatever difficulties they face.

In her spare time, Tanya enjoys backpacking, skiing, going to concerts, playing board games, walking along the lake, and cuddling with her cat.

Born and raised in Nelson BC. Annie returned home after travelling for a few years and joined the team in 2021.

She is passionate about making sure all clients feel welcome and taken care of.

When she is not greeting you from behind the desk here, you can find Annie on the ski slopes or running the trails round town and beyond!

Since a young age Sydney has always been a sports enthusiast. Her passion for an active lifestyle has led her down a path of learning and discovering how the human body works physically and mentally, especially when related to injury or pain. Sydney grew up playing competitive soccer, travelling around the lower mainland with her team. Alongside soccer, she has participated in a variety of other sports from snowboarding, hiking, swimming, baseball, and cross country running.

In more recent years, Sydney has developed a strong love for strength training and performance. Through her own development she has gained a lot of practical experience and knowledge pertaining to physical fitness and performance. Sydney is also an auxiliary firefighter with the Nelson Fire Rescue where she has been learning an abundance of new skills relating to health, safety, and the importance of proper training.

With all sports and physical activity comes the importance of health. The roots of Chinese Medicine involves uncovering underlying imbalances and the signs and symptoms that are expressed by each individual. Pain is a symptom of an underlying problem. It’s the body’s way of communicating when there is something wrong. This may be obvious such as an injury, but it may also seem to have no clear cause. Using the diagnostic principles of Chinese Medicine Sydney will work with you to uncover and correct underlying imbalances that are contributing or causing stresses on the body.

Sydney’s love for sports and health led her to pursue a career in acupuncture. Before enrolling in the registered acupuncturist program in Nelson, she studied Five Element Acupressure at the Canadian Acupressure College in Haida Gwaii. Shortly after completing her diploma there, she enrolled in the Kootenay College of Integrative Health Sciences where she graduated in December 2019. As an acupuncturist Sydney loves that she gets to work one on one with each individual to develop a treatment plan designed specifically for them. She is continually learning and finding ways to expand her training to further assist people on their health journeys. Sydney is excited to be working alongside the Kootenay Health Services team focusing on providing the best possible care for each individual.

As an Olympian (Tokyo 2020 – trampoline gymnastics) and a lifelong athlete, Samantha strongly believes in promoting health and activity for everyone from professional athletes to people who are just starting their fitness journey.

Samantha specialises in creating personalised injury rehabilitation programs. She believes in addressing the root cause of injury and not just the symptoms. Her treatment approach includes manual therapy, patient education, and functional exercise programs.

She is certified in Dry Needling and has taken continuing professional development to specialize in treating both artistic athletes and runners. She is a certified running specialist through The Running Clinic. She has also competed the Advanced Integrative Manual Therapy course level 2 Upper Body.

Samantha has experience working with everyone from Team Canada athletes to house-bound seniors. She has worked as a Community Physiotherapist with Vancouver Coastal Health, and has extensive training in joint replacement care, fall prevention, and balance training.

She is a dedicated athlete who enjoys any adventurous activity that takes her outside such as skiing, mountain biking and paddling.

Samantha completed her Masters of Physiotherapy at the University of British Columbia and holds a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology from UBC Okanagan. Samantha is now accepting new patients and looks forward to sharing her passion for sustainable healthy living with you!

• Tokyo 2020 Olympian
• Canadian National Gymnastics Team member
• UBC Master of Physical Therapy
• Sports Physiotherapy BC Executive Member

Meet Kate Fergus, Physiotherapist.

Kate is a passionate and dedicated physiotherapist committed to empowering individuals to achieve their health and wellness goals.

A recent graduate with a Masters Degree in Physiotherapy from the University of Limerick, Kate brings a wealth of experience in sports therapy and clinical management. Her journey began with a Bachelor of Kinesiology and Athletic Therapy from the University of Calgary.

With over five years of experience in various clinical settings, Kate excels in creating personalised rehabilitation programs that focus on evidence-based practices. She is committed to delivering high-quality patient-centred care and collaborating within multidisciplinary teams.

Kate has strong clinical skills, and is passionate about empowering her patients through education and support. With a growth mindset and a strong work ethic, she looks forward to making a positive impact in the lives of her patients and the community.

When she’s not at the clinic, you can find Kate on the local trails, slopes, and water enjoying the outdoors with her family and two Bernese Mountain dogs.

Kathryn is originally from Ontario. She moved to BC in 2011 and has lived in a few different places around the province. She came to Nelson in 2021 for the massage therapy program. Massage therapy is a second career for Kathryn. She has a never-ending thirst for knowledge and really tries to adapt her treatments to whatever your body needs in a particular session.

Outside of work Kathryn enjoys snowboarding, cross-country skiing, walking her dog Groot, hiking the mountains…generally spending as much time in nature as possible.

Kathryn has a Bachelor of Science from the University of Guelph. She is a Registered Massage Therapist and has completed Level 1 Full Body and Nerve certification in Active Release Technique®