Biographies
Michael Bard, B.A., R.M.T.
Michael has been on the faculty of Sutherland-Chan for a very very long time. His teaching duties encompass various topics including Anatomy, Biomechanics, Pain Theory, and Palpation. Generations of Sutherland-Chan students have been empowered by Michael's positive attitude towards life and his fashion statements.
Wendy Birks, R.M.T.
Wendy has ten years of experience teaching at Sutherland-Chan and is part of the Sessional Faculty. Wendy practices at Pape and Danforth in Toronto, specializing in clients with special needs, trauma survival, and palliative care. Wendy takes particular interest in the mind-body emotional connection both in her teaching and her practice.
Pauline Becker B.Sc., R.M.T., P.F.L.C., C.A.T.(C), MLD practioner
After completing her BSc. (McMaster 1999), Pauline furthered her education by becoming a Registered Massage Therapist (Sutherland-Chan 1999), a Professional Fitness and Lifestyle Consultant (York University 2002) and a Certified Athletic Therapist (Sheridan College 2002). She began teaching at Sutherland-Chan in 2000 as a clinical instructor. In 2003 she joined the core faculty and is now involved in a variety of teaching roles. She teaches the Sport Massage component of the program, peripheral joint mobilizations, remedial exercise and is responsible for supervising both student clinic and the in house Multiple Sclerosis clinic. She finds great satisfaction in balancing her teaching time with working at the Human Performance Labs at
Susan Bessonette B.A., R.M.T.
Susan is a graduate of Sutherland-Chan School and Teaching Clinic (1996) and University of King ’s College in Halifax . She has had a clinical practice in Halifax and been involved in massage therapy education since 1997. After returning to Toronto, Susan joined the core faculty team at her old alma mater, and teaches a number of courses, including clinical skills, hydrotherapy, movement & exercise, musculoskeletal treatments, cardiovascular pathology, and student clinical.
Margaret Colborne, R.M.T., Certified NISA Practitioner
Margaret graduated from Sutherland-Chan in 1981. She has served as Treasurer and President
of the Ontario Massage Therapist Association. She is a founding member of the Canadian Massage Therapist Alliance and a past examiner for the College of Massage Therapists of
Ontario. Margaret is a partner at Colborne Therapy Centre in the Yonge-Eglinton area of
Toronto. In 1988 Margaret became a Certified Practitioner of Neuromuscular Integration
and Structural Alignment (NISA), which is a connective tissue technique. She has
been teaching this technique across Canada for the last ten years. At Sutherland-Chan,
Margaret teaches an Introductory NISA course for undergraduates and offers a four-day
NISA Basic course as part of the Continuing Education Program.
Paul Dyck B.A., R.M.T.
Paul lives and works in Kitchener Waterloo, and is part of a busy practice within a clinic
that has a total of three massage therapists. Paul's practice is very therapeutically based in that
he focus' mainly on rehabilitation and symptom management related to conditions, injuries
and motor vehicle accidents. He also teaches some introduction to massage courses with
local schools and community groups. Paul has taken continuing education courses in
myofascial release, muscle energy, craniosacral, and osteopathically based techniques.
Paul is currently a member of Sutherland-Chan's sessional faculty, teaching one day a
week at the school in a clinic supervision capacity. Additionally, paul
teaches the occasional Sutherland-Chan Preadmission course.
Cathy Fournier, R.M.T.
Cathy graduated from Sutherland-Chan in 1990. She has been in private practice for over 16 years and has served as an examiner for the College of Massage Therapist of Ontario. Cathy has been teaching since 2002, and is currently, a member of the core faculty at Sutherland-Chan where she teaches Clinical Skills, Techniques, Hydrotherapy and supervises student clinic. She has post-graduate training in Cranio-Sacral Therapy, Visceral Manipulation and Lympatic Drainage. Her interests include women’s health care and research.
Ian Kamm, B.Sc.(Ma.), R.M.T.
Ian has a Bachelor of Science from Adelaide University, and practices Massage Therapy in Toronto's Cabbagetown. Ian is on Core Faculty at Sutherland-Chan, teaching business, clinical assessment and supervises specialty clinics at Princess Margaret Lodge and Fife House. He has provided editorial assistance to massage related text books and an expert witness report for the CMTO, as well as contributing to OMTA task forces from time to time.
Sasha Goudriaan, R.M.T.
A 1996 Sutherland-Chan graduate and presently on sessional faculty, Sasha enjoys working closely with an interdisciplinary health care team as part of her practice, volunteering at Sick Kids Hospital, studying human anatomy dissection, and was recently Clinical Instructor for a seniors outreach.
Diana Griffin, R.M.T., C.S., V.M.(Adv.)
Diana has eight years of teaching experience at Sutherland-Chan, and has trained
in Cranio-Sacral and visceral manipulation. Diana combines this training to specialize
in trauma: physical, somatoemotional and spiritual. Diana also works with groups
in meditation and native spirituality, and practices the queen and Bayview area.
Greta Kubis, M.Sc., M.D., R.D.
Greta graduated in medicine from the University of Palacky in Czechoslovakia in 1976 and
subsequently specialized in pediatrics. Since immigrating to Canada, she has completed
a degree in Food Sciences at Ryerson, and an M.Sc. in Nutrition at the University of
Toronto. Greta teaches the Term 1 and Term 2 pathology courses at Sutherland-Chan, and has broad experience in teaching at other institutions including the Michener Institute (acupuncture program), and the Canadian Memorial
Chiropractic College.
Tanya Meyers, R.M.T.
Tanya is owner and operator of Alternative Routes Massage
Therapy, providing house calls in the Toronto area. She also teaches
Clinicals Skills, Hydrotherapy and several other practical courses at
Sutherland-Chan. Tanya has a varied practice, but specializes in pregnancy
massage and is a labour support provider (doula)as well. When she manages
to find some free time, she enjoys spending it with her partner Matthew and
their two cats, Edgar and Cayce.
Bruce McKinnon, R.M.T.
Bruce graduated from Sutherland-Chan in 1990. He has taught a number of subjects since 1991; Joint Mobilization, Anatomy, Neurology, Clinical Skills and Myofascial Release. Bruce also presents a variety of Continuing Education courses for Health Care Professionals. You can learn more about these by contacting bruce@massage-therapy.ca
Johan Overzet, R.M.T.
Johan graduated from York University in 1977, with an honours BA in psychology, he proceeded to do post graduate work in the area of stress and anxiety research. In 1980 he left the academic world to pursuit a career in business which lasted until 1991. Shortly thereafter, Johan entered massage therapy education, and graduated from Sutherland-Chan in 1994, subsequently joining the faculty. Johan participated in the administration of the school until 1998 despite having moved to the Maritimes in 1996. While in the Maritimes Johan ran a rural massage clinic until 2002 when he accepted a position as Senior Academic Advisor with the Canadian College of Massage and Hydro Therapy in Bedford Nova Scotia . While in Halifax , Johan did volunteer work at the QEII hospital working with cancer patients. In addition to this he was asked to be part of a study looking at the use of alternative health therapies for palliative care patients in the hospital.
In 2005 he moved back to Ontario and in 2006 he re-joined Sutherland-Chan as an instructor. In his classes Johan likes to emphasize two points which he considers are essential to becoming a good massage therapist. The first is to have a sound knowledge of the body: anatomy, physiology, pathology, neurology, and assessment. The second is to be able to listen to the body with your hands, to let the tissue tell you what it needs, when it releases, or that something else should be released first. He likes to call this “talking with tissue”. Johan feels that to accomplish the first task demands hard work with the head, the second demands hard work to keep the head out of it. This dichotomy, where two seemingly opposing points of view meet, makes for a great massage therapist.
Mark Snow, R.M.T.
Mark practices from his clinic at Spadina and Bloor and is presently on
Sessional Faculty at Sutherland-Chan. Mark has tutored Massage Therapists to
upgrade their education, danced with the National Ballet of Canada for seven years
and hopes to complete osteopathic studies in the next five to six years.
Rod Walker, R.M.T.
Rod graduated from Sutherland-Chan in 1993, has taught for six years and is presently
on the Sessional Faculty. Rod practices from the Sutherland-Chan professional clinic at
Spadina and Bloor, performs fitness appraisals, and instructs yoga.