Helping people comes naturally to Michelle! As a highly skilled Acupuncturist, Massage Therapist, and Advanced Care Paramedic she is widely recognized for developing unique care plans which draw on her knowledge and therapeutic touch gained across each of these specialized disciplines. Having over twenty years of combined expertise in caring for her patients, Michelle has had a front row seat to observe how stress and emotion affect the mind and body. Complementing her acupuncture services at Red Leaf Wellness, Michelle offers a variety of therapeutic and relaxation massage therapies, including pregnancy massage, myofascial release and myofascial cupping.

Michelle began her health career as a massage therapist, graduating the 2200hr Massage Program at Macewan University in 2001. Being active in competitive sport in her youth, Michelle understood the benefits of massage on sport performance, recovery and injury prevention. She subsequently branched into emergency care and became an Advanced Care Paramedic where she was able to offer a calming presence in stressful, emergent situations. Michelle has always believed that soft skills, an extra moment spent with family, or a hand to hold on the way to the hospital, can be as healing as the specific medical interventions themselves. Working as a Paramedic Michelle saw, and began to question, how it is that people differ in disease and the aging process and why the same drug benefited one person, but not the other. Her lifelong learning journey had her begin to look for these answers in the time-tested practice of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and Acupuncture, thus kicking off another quest for knowledge at MacEwan University’s Acupuncture Program.

Education:

• Diploma – Acupuncture, Macewan University
• Diploma – Emergency Medical Technician (Paramedic), Augustana University
  • Honors standings
• Certificate – Massage Therapy Grant MacEwan College

Licensure:

• RAc, College of Acupuncturists of Alberta (CAA)
• RMT, National Health Practitioners of Canada (NHPC)
• ACP, Alberta College of Paramedics

Dr. Yoko Masuda is a master practitioner – skilled in the rare craft of Japanese style acupuncture – where she incorporates and tailors gentle needling, moxibustion (specific deep heat), therme (heat massage) and cupping into her treatment plans. These skills, as well as her reputation for delivering tangible results, make her a sought-after provider, especially in the areas of pain management, sports injuries, orthopaedic injuries and emotional health. Yoko firmly believes that the mind and the body are intertwined in healing and she continually advocates for a healthy lifestyle alongside of the care she provides.

Yoko received her acupuncture degree in Japan and, after working at several clinics in Tokyo, she accepted a staff acupuncturist position with the world renowned Cirque du Soleil touring show. For nearly twenty years, she went on to travel the far reaches of the globe, working on several other productions, and earning the respect of an international group of artists, staff and athletes before eventually selecting Edmonton for her permanent clinical practice. As a former high school physical education teacher, and also as an alumnus of the Japanese national rhythmic gymnastics team (where she competed internationally on numerous occasions), she has amassed an impressive background in sports therapy and physical education, uniquely positioning her to address all manner of orthopedic and performance related concerns.

Outside of work, Yoko enjoys travelling, the outdoors, and spending time with her husband and two elementary-aged daughters.

Education:

• Diploma of Acupuncture, Hanada College, Tokyo, Japan

Licensure:

• RAc, College and Association of Acupuncturists of Alberta (CAA)

Kristel loves helping people on their wellness journey and, through massage therapy, she has witnessed the impact healing touch plays within holistic care. Kristel studied massage therapy at Mount Royal University in 2003 and has been practicing in different clinical settings for the past 15 years. Over the course of her career she has experienced just how connected the body really is. Wanting to expand her knowledge and skill sets she returned back to university studies. In 2016 she attended the National Manual Osteopathic College in Red Deer, Alberta where her studies focused on utilizing all available modern manual medicine techniques to assess injury and diseases of muscles, bones, joints, organs and nerves.

Kristel uses her massage therapy skills, focusing on fascial release, visceral manipulation, cupping and craniosacral therapy to help her clients return back to being able to accomplish the things they love doing and to live in as pain free a manner as possible.

Kristel likes to treat a wide variety of neurovascular, musculoskeletal, and obstetrical syndromes such as low back/pelvic pain, traumatic brain injury (TBI), concussions, whiplash, pregnancy, temporal mandibular joint (TMJ) disorders, structural and posture improvements. Her focus is on chronic care and rehabilitation.

Kristel loves to learn from and experience other regions. She has travelled around the world for work, studies, and personal growth. She grew up in small town Saskatchewan and has lived in Calgary, Halifax and Edmonton. Kristel also enjoys spending time with her great dane Odin.

Manuela creates a safe space for her clients to rest and restore. She supports the body through gentle Craniosacral touch to release held tensions and constrictions and to re-orient towards health. Bringing the system naturally back into balance and vitality.

Manuela has the gift to support her clients to come into a deeper relationship with their bodies and the Intelligence embedded in it. Her gentle approach to movement and healing touch invites relaxation, sensitivity, and energy flow. The modalities she works with; Qigong and Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy, deeply acknowledge our physical, mental, and emotional interconnections.

Manuela grew up in Germany where she received advanced training in Somatic Movement Therapy, Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy, Dance, and Qigong. She taught rhythm and developmental movement classes, including workshops for early childhood educators, as well as Qigong and Somatic Movement Education for adults. Manuela knows the body from the inside out and is inspired by the healing effect of the methods she teaches. Her practice evolved over the years, blending movement skills with therapeutic techniques. These learnings have led to a more integrated, holistic approach where sensitive hands are used to discover and release nerve, tissue, and orthopedic movement restrictions and support healing from within.

Education: 

• Somatic Movement Therapist (SMT), Moving On Center, Oakland, USA
• Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapist (BCST), BodyIntelligence, Canada
• Qigong Instructor Certification (ASS Institute, Germany)
• Training in Continuum Movement (USA)
• Registered Massage Therapy – Presently a second year student (Reflexacademy, Sherwood Park)  

Licensure: 

• RBCST, Pacific Association of Craniosacral Therapists (PACT)

Royston is a registered massage therapist with a two-year advanced clinical massage therapy diploma from MaKami College. This program is the highest comprehensive massage therapy program of its kind in the province of Alberta, providing 3,000 hours of classroom and practical work experience.

Over a decade Royston has practiced various forms of meditations as well as energetic and vibrational modalities. These modalities include Jin Shin Jyutsu, Acupoint Therapy, Qi Gong, Reconnective Healing and a modality similar to Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy which he coined “Bio-Dynamic Energetic Therapy”. Royston specializes in chronic pain management through the balancing of the body’s energy fields and various energy systems.

These modalities help:
People who are sensitive to touch therapies and needling, reduce anxiety, stress and depression, relieve acute and chronic pain, increase the body’s energy and body awareness, and promote better circulation and improve mental focus.

Royston is also a certified NMT (Neuromuscular Therapist) and holds level III certificates in both Usui Reiki and Reconnective Healing. With both knowledge and experience, Royston uses energy and vibrational therapies to invoke the body’s natural ability to heal, bringing back balance to your mind, body, and soul.

Education: 

• RMT, Registered Massage Therapist Diploma, Makami College
• NMT, Neuromuscular Therapist Certificate, International Academy of Neuromuscular Therapies
• Traditional Japanese Reiki (Third Degree) Certificate – Usui System of Natural Healing
• Reconnective Healing (Level III) Certificate
• Craniosacral Techniques

Licensure: 

• RMT, Canadian Massage & Manual Osteopathic Therapists Association (CMMOTA)