Courtney is a graduate of Sutherland Chan School & Teaching Clinic in Toronto and has been in practice since 2007. Ending up in the field of massage therapy may have seemed like a random decision for her, but looking back, it all makes sense. In Courtney’s words…

"As a teenager, I became acutely aware of the levels of anxiety, stress and pain that exists in most people's lives these days. I developed a strong desire to learn more about the human mind and the way that its condition affects the physical body as well. My goal was to learn everything I could about the mind and the body and by understanding the way we function, I could then be able to help people reach a point of healing. Initially I thought I would end up more in the field of behavioral psychology but certain events led me away from that and down the road of a more physical approach: massage therapy. I found that in practicing massage I can help to facilitate healing in a person that is visible and tangible. Not only do I have a direct and sometimes immediate effect on the body, I have seen first hand how relieving someone's pain can also make a huge difference in their emotional well-being. When I get to see someone get up off the table and walk out with a smile on their face and an ease in their stride, that is what makes this job worth it. If I can give someone even one hour without pain, without stress or anxiety and without all the pressures of the outside world on their shoulders, I consider that a pretty worthwhile day. There is a quote I would like to share by one of my favourite people, Ralph Waldo Emerson. He says...
"To laugh often and much, to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children, to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends, to appreciate beauty, to find the best in others, to leave the world a bit better... to know that even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded!"
This is how I aim to live my life, personally and professionally. This is why I do what I do. If I had magical powers, I would travel the world and heal all the pain and suffering I could, but what I have are these two hands, so I use what I've got to do the best that I can.”