About Joanne
Joanne is a highly experienced and skilled Yoga Therapist. Since 1997 she has used yoga to help hundreds of people improve or recover their health. She has a lighthearted approach and is extremely responsive and attentive to the needs of her clients. Accreditation details
Her training, education and skills far surpass those of the average yoga teacher, and includes a comprehensive understanding of anatomy, physiology, and psycho-spirituality from both the eastern and western traditions. She has over 1500 hours of formal yoga teacher and yoga therapy training, including specialized training in pain management, anatomy and physiology for back pain and pelvic health and for cardiac and cancer recovery.
A life-long learner of the healing arts she taught herself yoga from books at 15 and attended her first meditation retreat at 18 in Montreal. She continues to learn about the healing benefits of yoga therapy and of other approaches as well.
She is a Licensed Avatar Master and is currently in the third year of a four year program at the Canadian Academy of Osteopathy.
I received my accreditation as a Yoga Therapist through the International Association of Yoga Therapists after documenting over 700 hours of therapeutic sessions with clients and presenting 22 case studies in addition to other requirements to meet the highest standards of accreditation in the industry. I have a multidisciplinarian approach to yoga therapy heavily influenced by Feldenkrais, Somatics Yoga, Iyengar and Viniyoga lineages.
Over the last twenty years I've had the good fortune to study with some amazing teachers including Pain Specialist, Physiotherapist and Yoga Therapist Neil Pearson and Robin Rothenberg highly regarded in the industry and author of The Essential Low Back Program. I also completed a certification program for cardiac and cancer therapy with Nischala Joy-Devi in 2010.
Nischala-Joy was the primary yoga instructor for Dr. Dean Ornish's ground breaking program demonstrating that heart disease can be reversed with lifestyle medicine. Robin Rothenberg was the primary teacher in the studies funded by the NIH that demonstrated the benefits of a Viniyoga approach to healing low back pain.
In 2012 I began to offer workshops for sciatica having had it myself and soon after I received many requests from around the world for a manual. So I wrote one called Stop Sciatic Pain that is now selling worldwide on Amazon. Other past projects include hosting and producing 13 episodes for Rogers TV called Yoga for Sore Bodies and writing an article that was published in The Escarpement Magazine on Pain Management. In 2012 I was one of the 4 practitioners highlighted in an article on pain management, in On The Bay Magazine.
My immense interest in the different ways we heal lead me to study then teach Nutritional Symptomatology at the Canadian School of Natural Nutrition in London, Ontario as well as other courses including Herbal Medicine, Healthy Aging and Energy Healing. I'm certified as a Chartered & Therapeutic Herbalist, Licensed Avatar Master and Reiki Level III Practitioner.
Prior speaking engagements:
"Hi Joanne, I am so glad that you joined us - your contribution was awesome and deeply appreciated. Very supportive to grounding in the body.Your teaching style is engaging and gentle - with slight adjustments to people that ultimately help to support their bodies...with gratitude," Shari (MDPAC, Medical Psychotherapy Association Canada, annual weekend retreat with Dr. Shari Geller, Ph.D., C. Psych, Geneva Park, Orillia)
"Hi Joanne,Thank you for your exceptional presentation and of course filling in on such short notice. It was well appreciated by all.
Regards, Ann Parsons, Speaker Committee - Beaver Valley Probus Club
"Joanne, you did a great job speaking to our Probus Group." Jim Theobalds, Speaker Chair - Probus Mountain View Club, Collingwood
Experience, Proojects & Collaborations:
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Collingwood Public Library. Free one hour talk on spinal health & posture improvement. (May 2019)
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L.E. Shore Memorial Library, The Blue Mountains. Free one hour talk on spinal health and posture improvement.
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Presentation/Workshop on Spinal Health & Posture Improvement (3 Hours), The Pyramid Centre, St. Marys, Ontario (April 2019)
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Podcast Interview with Stephanie Cunningham at www.yogalightness.com.au My experience and training leading up to specializing in Low Back Pain & Sciatica. (April 2019) Listen Now
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Podcast Interview with The Connected Yoga Teacher on sciatica. Listen Now
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Keynote Speaker Mountain View Probus Club, Collingwood (March 2019) Topic: Yoga Therapy for Spinal Health & Functional Aging
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Former Yoga Therapist at Synergy Health & Wellness, Collingwood (2015-2018)
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Keynote Speaker - Beaver Valley Probus Club, Thornbury (2018) Topic: Yoga Therapy for Functional Aging and Posture Improvement.
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Guest Yoga Instructor at Cultivating Therapeutic Presence Retreat with Dr. Shari Geller, Clinical Psychologist (2018)
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Published article in ON Yoga Magazine (Read Now), Page 18 Spring 2018 Edition. Topic: Low Back & Sciatica
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Guest Yoga Instructor at the MDPAC (Medical Psychotherapy Association Canada) annual weekend retreat with Dr. Shari Geller, Ph.D., C. Psych, Geneva Park, Orillia (2017)
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Featured Practitioner in On The Bay Magazine - How to Cope with Pain? Read Now
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Published article in The Escarpment Magazine - A Yogic Perspective on Managing Pain Read Now
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Newspaper interview for The Meaford Express Read Now
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Podcast Interview on The Connected Yoga Teachers Podcast. Topic: Sciatica Listen Now
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Guest Yoga Instructor on behalf of South Georgian Bay Community Health Centre, Wasaga Beach
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Host on Rogers TV - Developed and hosted 13 televised classes called Yoga for Sore Bodies in 2013
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Sciatic Pain Workshop - Developed an effective approach to heal Sciatic Pain. Read More
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Author - In 2013 I wrote an illustrated manual called Stop Sciatic Pain that is now selling worldwide on Amazon and kindle. Purchase on Amazon
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Developed a mindfulness course for anxiety, worry & pain - Read More
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Featured in The Journal Argus. Read Article