Don’t know where to start? Making sense of what services are best for your own health as well as your family’s might feel overwhelming. Our team is here to help! Book a FREE discovery call with one of our Wellness Support Team members. They can assist you to navigate our variety of services and care, explain how they can benefit you and help you determine when you should start.

Book your FREE 15-minute session with one of our Wellness Support Team members today!

What is Acupuncture?
Acupuncture is a form of alternative medicine that involves inserting thin needles into specific points on the body to stimulate and balance the body's energy flow, or "qi" (pronounced "chee"). It originated in China over 2,000 years ago and has been used to treat a wide variety of health conditions.
What can I expect at an appointment?
The needles used in acupuncture are very thin and are inserted into the skin at various depths, depending on the location and the condition being treated. The needles may be left in place for several minutes to over an hour, and may be stimulated by gentle twisting or heat.

How does Acupuncture work?
Acupuncture is believed to work by stimulating the body's natural healing processes and promoting balance and harmony within the body. According to traditional Chinese medicine, the body's energy flows along meridians, or pathways, and illness or pain is believed to result from a disruption or blockage in this flow. By inserting needles into specific points along these meridians, acupuncturists aim to restore the body's natural balance and promote healing. It is common to need 1-10 sessions for optimal results.

What can you treat with Acupuncture?
Acupuncture is commonly used to treat pain, including headaches, back pain, low back pain, sciatica, herniated discs, numbness and arthritis, as well as a variety of other conditions, such as infertility, allergies, digestive disorders (such as IBS), insomnia, depression and anxiety. It has also proven beneficial for those trying to quit smoking, lose weight, dealing with post covid symptoms or reducing nausea caused by chemotherapy.

Our acupuncturist takes a multidisciplinary approach to treatment which includes: Traditional Chinese Acupuncture, Electro-Acupuncture, Scalp Acupuncture, Auricular Acupuncture, Tungs’s Acupuncture, Cupping, Gua Sha, Moxibustion, Tui Na and more.

You can book a discovery appointment with our Acupuncturist to discuss your current situation and symptoms. Appointments are for anyone 1 year and up.

Therapeutic ultrasound for blocked-ducts in a non-invasive treatment applied directly to the breast. Sound waves created by the ultrasound machine can help reduce the inflammation causing the blockage and improve the flow of breastmilk preventing further obstruction. Along with the ultrasound treatment of the blockage, you will also receive education, tips and at home strategies to prevent recurrence and promote healing.

Treatments are provided by Terri our physiotherapist with special training in breastfeeding support and can be claimed by most private insurance companies under physiotherapy.

Breastfeeding and infant feeding can be some of the most challenging parts of new parenthood. Our International Board Certified Lactation Consultants (IBCLCs) provide a welcoming and supportive environment to help you with your feeding goals. You will receive education, practical support and personalized approaches to your situation, all in the comfort of our comfy couch/chairs or in your own home. Getting a weight on your baby will be part of the routine service for booked appointments.

Common breastfeeding issues/concerns often addressed are: weight gain concerns, nipple/breast pain, supplementation, milk supply, weaning, engorgement/mastitis, frequent feeding and more. Also provided is education on infant-led bottle feeding, formula feeding, breast-pumping, induced lactation support for adopting parents, surrogacy pregnancies or same-sex couples and more.

Appointments can be in-home (Ottawa including Rockland, Orleans, South Keys, Gatineau, Kanata, Stittsville and other surrounding communities). At Rooted Family, our lactation consultants work in collaboration with our other practitioners in order to help you and your family achieve your wellness goals. Partners or support people are encouraged to attend the sessions too!

Rooted Family Wellness Centre is the only clinic in the Ottawa area that offers Microcurrent Point Stimulation Cesarean Scar Release Therapy! This therapy is provided by our registered healthcare practitioners which may be eligible for coverage under your extended healthcare benefits.

About the treatment:
Cesarean section scars can lead to pain and tightness which can impact your abdominal strength, blood flow to the area, posture, hips and back. Some scarring can also cause pain with sex (dyspareunia) and bladder urgency issues.
For this therapy, we use the Dolphin Neurostim™ which uses Microcurrent Point Stimulation (MPS) therapy to effectively help release the scar and decrease cesarean section pain. Simultaneous application of a safe low level electrical impulse is applied to each side of the cesarean scar to relax and fade scar tissue, which can hinder muscles and fascia function and cause pain. This technology is approved by Health Canada and the FDA and you should be able to see and feel a significant change in the scar during your first appointment.

The Benefits:
- Speeds up the healing process of the scar, muscle and fascia
- Decreases pain in the connective tissue
- Helps to relax and fade scar tissue
- Releases the scar tightness which will increase blood circulation and lymph drainage to help the body in the healing process
- Your increased mobility and decreasing your pain will improve your ability to recover and take the best care of your baby and family

Frequently Asked Questions

How soon after my cesarean section should I book?
Healing after a cesarean section takes time. After about 6-8 weeks, we encourage you to book a 60-minute initial assessment and treatment. At this appointment, your practitioner will complete a health history, provide an assessment and conduct your first scar tissue release therapy treatment.

I have had my scar for a while, is it too late to book?
You can start cesarean section scar tissue release therapy anytime. Even scars 10-20 years old can be treated!

Can I be pregnant?
No. The Dolphin Neurostim™ should never be used during pregnancy. Other contraindications include regions with tumours/cancer or on persons with a cardiac pacemaker.

Can I have scar release therapy if I am planning to have another cesarean section in the future?
Yes. The scar release therapy can release and heal your current scar tissue and help your next scar heal much easier and faster. You will likely feel a decrease in tightness and discomfort of scar tissue during your second pregnancy.

How many sessions will I need?
Each scar is different so your registered practitioner will be able to further guide you regarding this during the initial assessment appointment but it shouldn’t take more than a few sessions.

Is this therapy covered by my extended health insurance?
A Chiropractic Doctor provides the therapy as part of a clinical assessment and treatment. Your appointment will be billed under chiropractic care and a receipt will be provided to you to submit to your insurance provider. Please check with your insurance provider if you have any questions about specific coverage.

Can scar release therapy help to treat any other types of scars?
Absolutely! The Dolphin Neurostim™ is used to also effectively treat scarring that resulted from many different surgeries including hysterectomy, breast reduction, appendectomy, and other surgeries leaving a scar (such as knee, hip, shoulder and more).​ Contact us to learn more!

Chiropractic care is a patient-centred, non-invasive, hands-on, regulated health care profession focused on your spine, muscles, joints and nervous system. Chiropractors focus on the movement and function of the body’s joints—including those of the spine, extremities (knees, shoulders, hips, etc.) and nervous system.
​​Your initial assessment will include a health history and physical assessment used to build the best treatment plan for you based on your wellness goals as well as your first treatment.
For pregnancy and postpartum: Pregnant people often have posture shifts, and more demand on the body’s joints and ligaments including the spine and pelvis. Some benefits of care during pregnancy can include: relieving back, pelvic, pubic bone, neck or joint pain, sciatica, helping control nausea, helping with baby’s head down position. If your baby is breech, our chiropractors can help by using the Webster technique to establish balance in the pelvis and reduce stress in the uterus and supporting ligaments to help turn a baby into a head-down position.
For infants and children- Chiropractors use gentle pressure by hand and/or an adjustive device while the baby or child is either lying on a pillow or on his/her parent. It can even be done while your baby is sleeping! Common conditions that can improve are constipation, ear infections, colic, headaches, TMJ and breastfeeding issues and more!
At Rooted Family, we provide chiropractic care for all family members! Our chiropractors work in collaboration with our other practitioners in order to help you and your family achieve your wellness goals.

RFWC mental health counsellors are Registered Social Workers or Registered Psychotherapists that offer services for adults, teens, children and families. Using a variety of methods, our counsellors work on a variety of issues such as adjustment/life transitions, grief/loss, trauma, stress, anxiety, depression, body dysmorphic disorder, eating disorders, addiction, ADHD, anger management, behavioural problems, adjustment/life transitions, low self esteem. Other common issues include difficulties with fertility/pregnancy, postpartum period, relationships, assertiveness or coping skills. They work collaboratively with clients to understand their needs, develop goals and individualized treatment plans.
If you have private insurance coverage, please check your plan for detailed coverage information.

Do you have questions or concerns about the current state of sleep in your home? Are you curious about what is normal for your child’s current developmental stage? Are you looking for tips and tricks to gently and respectfully nudge sleep in a direction you are hoping?
Our Gentle Sleep Consultants offer a compassionate understanding ear, information on what is coming next, and a deep understanding of why sleep is the way it is. Our consultants use evidence-based research to bring you practical parenting tools and invaluable infant and toddler sleep knowledge and they can help pinpoint potential solutions for your family.
Your appointments are virtual and for your first one, you will fill in a Sleep and Wellness Assessment ahead of time, giving the consultant the information needed to best support you during your hour together.
You receive a summary afterwards, including all pertinent actionable items decided on during the consult so that you can get started right away, as well as any pertinent handouts (Eating for Sleep, Self-Care for Sleep, etc.).

Reiki for Parents and Children:

Julia is also our Gentle Sleep Consultant and can combine her sleep consultation sessions with Reiki to offer the mental and physical balancing of light touch energetic therapy to parents and their little ones. Reiki can be a rejuvenating, relaxing, and pleasant experience for anyone in the family. It is also wonderful for parents and children for sleep hardships in the household. Reiki can offer pain relief (from headaches, stiffness from feeding/nursing), reduce anxiety, stress, and fatigue, can support recovery after birth, as well as improve sleep for everyone in the home. A lot of parents suffer from sleep woes even when their little one is finally snoozing. Rightfully so, since some of these sleep issues stem from stress and anxiety. Utilizing Reiki for deep relaxation, which relieves some of this stress, can lead to more and better sleep for everyone.

In terms of the stress we can carry surrounding our little one’s sleep, Reiki can also relax the parent’s mindset. This allows you as the parents to come into more clarity and confidence to trust your instincts when it comes to parenting your kids to sleep. Reiki for babies can improve sleep, support with colic, reduce teething pains and alleviate reflux discomfort. Reiki for older children can additionally reduce hard emotions, fears, and anxieties surrounding sleep. Reiki restores needed stillness, offering a nervous system reset for everyone that extends past our session together. Reiki pairs wonderfully with a Gentle Sleep Consultation to tackle sleep on all fronts for everyone in the family. Timing can easily be split between parent and child as you wish. The Reiki sessions are often done quite comfortably together with the child in their parent’s arms.

Our Holistic Nutrition services centre around the principle that each person is biochemically unique, and therefore requires individualized dietary, supplement and lifestyle recommendations. Nutrition plays a crucial role in fertility and the prenatal, postnatal and pediatric periods. Our Holistic Nutritionist is trained in optimizing dietary wellness, supporting individual health concerns and supporting their clients through customized meal planning.

Fertility -When it comes to fertility, having a nutritious diet is incredibly important! Our holistic nutritionist works one on one with both partners to provide customized dietary, supplement and lifestyle recommendations that maximize the chances of conceiving and support the future health of both the baby and the pregnant person.

Pregnancy and postpartum- Our nutritionist provides customized prenatal nutrition, supplement and lifestyle recommendations for the prenatal and postnatal periods. Commonly supported health concerns include but are not limited to: optimizing nutrition, support for vegan or vegetarian pregnancies, morning sickness, low iron or anemia, constipation, gestational diabetes, improving energy levels, prenatal and postnatal depression and anxiety, postpartum depletion.

Breastfeeding - Our nutritionist offers breastfeeding and chestfeeding dietary support. Many people don’t realize that the foods and supplements you take while breastfeeding can impact the production of breastmilk! This service is geared towards maximizing the body’s ability to produce milk.

Pediatric Nutrition - At Rooted Family, we provide holistic nutrition for all family members! Commonly supported pediatric health concerns include but are not limited to: infant digestive issues, eczema, childhood anxiety, attention issues, sleep support, food intolerance, and picky eating. Pediatric support is for patients 10 and under.

We are here to provide comprehensive assistance and guidance to help you and your baby navigate the wonderful world of feeding. With our specialized knowledge and expertise in lactation and infant development, we offer a range of services tailored to address specific feeding challenges and promote a positive experience for both you and your little one.

What our Infant Feeding Physiotherapist can Help With:
Assess Proper Latch Positioning and Mechanics: We will evaluate the latch technique and positioning to ensure that your baby is effectively emptying the breast, promoting efficient milk transfer, and minimizing discomfort for you.
Assess and Treat Infant Jaw and Neck Restrictions: If your baby is experiencing difficulties with feeding due to muscle tension, torticollis, or other jaw and neck restrictions, we will assess and provide appropriate treatment to optimize their feeding abilities.
Assess and Treat Infant Suck Mechanics: We will analyze your baby's tongue and mouth movements during feeding, identifying any issues with their suck mechanics, and implementing targeted interventions to enhance their feeding skills.
Provide Pre and Post Frenectomy Bodywork: If your baby requires a frenectomy (tie revision of lip or tongue), we offer specialized bodywork techniques to support their healing process and improve their feeding outcomes.
Treat Inflammatory Factors of Mother's Breast: With a doctor's referral, we can assist in the treatment of blocked ducts or other inflammatory conditions affecting the mother's breast, utilizing appropriate physiotherapy techniques to promote healing and relieve discomfort.
Treat Musculoskeletal Pain of Mom: If you are experiencing neck, shoulder, or wrist pain as a result of breastfeeding positioning, we can provide targeted physiotherapy interventions to alleviate musculoskeletal discomfort and support your overall well-being.‍

Things our Infant Feeiding Physiotherapist Cannot Treat:
To ensure clarity on the scope of physiotherapy as it relates to feeding, please note the following:‍
Feeding Schedules: We do not prescribe specific feeding schedules as every baby's feeding needs may vary.
Supply Concerns: While we provide support and guidance to enhance breastfeeding, we do not directly address concerns related to milk supply.
Supplementation: Determining the need for supplementation is beyond the scope of our practice, and we recommend consulting with a lactation consultant or healthcare provider for guidance in this area.
Prescription of Feeding Support Techniques/Devices: We can offer advice and demonstrate proper breastfeeding techniques, but we do not prescribe or recommend specific feeding support techniques or devices.
Breast Health without Referral: For breast health concerns, it is important to seek guidance from a physician or midwife who can provide appropriate assessment and referrals if necessary.

For help with the above, you can always book a consultation with one of our Registered Lactation Consultants.‍We are dedicated to working collaboratively with you, your baby, and other healthcare professionals to provide the best possible support for your feeding journey.‍

Experiencing the loss of a pregnancy can have a profound and unique impact on each parent or family member. Whether the pregnancy ends in miscarriage (before 20 weeks) or stillbirth, navigating the decisions, procedures, and the physical and emotional healing process can be incredibly challenging, leaving many unsure of where to turn to for help. Family members, friends, and even the medical system may not always be able to provide the right type of advice or support. At Rooted Family Wellness Centre, we recognize the profound impact and complexities of such a loss. We are committed to providing compassionate support throughout every step of this difficult journey.

Our Approach
Our team is experienced in providing empathetic care and guidance, having supported many families through similar experiences. We recognize that every miscarriage or infant loss is unique, and we tailor our support to meet your individual needs. Whether you need someone to talk to, assistance navigating medical care, or help making crucial decisions, we are here for you.

Specialized Services
We provide:
- In-home, in-clinic or virtual support to assist during critical times.
- Educational preparation for medical procedures.
- Guidance on managing physical symptoms and the emotional journey of miscarriage or infant loss.

Medical Guidance
While we are not a replacement for medical care, we provide valuable supplementary support. We can guide you to the appropriate medical resources, such as the Ottawa Hospital Early Pregnancy Evaluation Clinic or Origyns Medical. We assist in navigating the complex choices surrounding miscarriage management, whether it involves natural expulsion, medication, or medical procedures like D&C or MVA. For infant loss, depending on when this occurs, we can help provide guidance on what to expect and offer compassionate support through every step of the grieving process.

Compassionate Decision-Making Support
Our support extends beyond navigating the medical system. We offer emotional support, helping you prepare for and cope with the various stages of miscarriage or infant loss. This support also includes practical guidance on preparing for in-home medication steps, understanding procedural requirements, and discussing the emotional elements of these decisions. Our team helps you navigate the difficult decisions such as handling pregnancy remains, decisions regarding spending time with the baby, considerations for a private burial, or understanding the options for a later loss. We also offer support for partners and family members, ensuring they are included in the healing process.

Resource Guidance
We can connect you with mental health counsellors, offer Reiki sessions for spiritual healing, or guide you to community resources that align with your needs. If you are lactating after a loss, we can guide you to our lactation consultants who can guide you on the best way to manage your milk production. Our support is compassionate, ensuring you have a safe space to process your grief and begin healing.

Service Options
One-hour support sessions (virtual or in-clinic): $50+HST
Hourly in-home support: $65+HST
Daily voice messaging support: $20+HST per day or $120+HST per week (add-on as needed)

At Rooted Family Wellness Centre, we are committed to being a compassionate and supportive presence in your life during this challenging time. You don’t have to face this alone—we meet you wherever you are on your healing journey.

Naturopathic medicine is a distinct primary health care system that blends modern scientific knowledge with traditional and natural forms of medicine. Our Naturopathic Doctors use the art and science of naturopathic diagnosis and the treatment and prevention of health concerns using natural therapies including botanical medicine, homeopathy, clinical nutrition, traditional Chinese medicine/acupuncture, Bowen Therapy, lifestyle counselling and health promotion. (and disease prevention.)

Fertility- A Naturopathic Doctor can assist you in your fertility journey. Whether trying to conceive naturally or using reproductive technologies, you will have a customized plan to help with common issues like stress management, dietary modifications and herbal, homeopathic and supplement recommendations.

Pregnancy and Postpartum- Naturopathic medicine can help with common issues throughout pregnancy such as heartburn, anxiety, nausea, leg cramps and fatigue. You can learn about a healthy diet and lifestyle habits to help support you and your baby’s development; and speed recovery from childbirth. Working with a Naturopathic Doctor can help by increasing energy levels, improving milk supply, feelings of being supported and reducing the risk of postpartum depression and anxiety.

Infant and children- A Naturopathic Doctor can help guide you on how to support your children’s general health and strategies for common concerns such as digestive issues, ear infections, eczema, concentration and more.

At Rooted Family, we provide naturopathic medicine for all family members! Our Naturopathic Doctors work in collaboration with our other practitioners in order to help you and your family achieve your wellness goals.

Pregnancy and becoming a parent can be challenging but it doesn't have to be scary or overwhelming. Each person and family is unique and trying to make sense of advice and google searches can leave you feeling left with more questions than answers. Our new parent support team can help you in your pregnancy or as a new parent navigate your questions and help build your confidence. They are a listening ear to help you trust your decisions, decrease your anxiety or worries and become the best version of yourself for you and your baby. Through 60-min sessions, they provide you with information and resources that will help you navigate the decisions that come along with becoming a parent without judgment.

Each family is unique and the sessions are personally tailored to each family. Common topics include:
- Practical skills such as baby care, breastfeeding or infant feeding, babywearing, bathing baby, sleep, household organization, preparing for childbirth
- Suggestions on taking care of your physical health and emotional changes
- Setting up your pregnancy or postpartum support network
- Talking about your childbirth preferences
- Providing you with additional resources and other pieces of information to help you on your journey

Manual Osteopaths focus on facilitating the health of joints and muscles, nerves, connective tissue and internal organs through non-invasive manual therapy to help return the body to normal health so it can self-heal and self-regulate. Our manual osteopaths also offer craniosacral therapy, a gentle approach that relieves pains and dysfunction and improves whole-body health and performance.

Fertility- Osteopathy can help with your reproductive system by assisting with any structural or biomechanical imbalances (in both men and women)
​​
Pregnancy and Postpartum- A manual osteopath can help the pregnant body by treating common issues such as low back pain, neck pain, nausea, heartburn, sciatica, constipation, carpal tunnel syndrome and circulatory issues.

Infants and Children- Osteopathy offers a gentle and thorough assessment and manual treatment and can help with colic, constipation, latching/feeding difficulties, torticollis, sleeping issues, ear/throat/nose concerns, postural problems and more!

At Rooted Family, we provide osteopathy for all family members! Our osteopaths work in collaboration with our other practitioners in order to help you and your family achieve your wellness goals.

** Mokhtar Akbari currently issues receipts under Physiotherapy for all insurance companies for his Osteoapathy services.

** Sweta Vaghasiya can provide Osteopathy insurance receipts for the following insurance companies: Greenshield, Empire Life, SunLife, Manulife, Desjardins, Equitable life, Nextgen, Benecaid, Manion, Cooperators, Claim Secure Manitoba, Blue Cross, Pacific Blue Cross, Alberta Blue Cross, Johnston Group, Insurance Corporation of British Columbia (ICBC), Manion, Wilkins and Associates Ltd and Madavie Blue Cross.

Please check with your insurance provider to learn about your coverage.

Our physiotherapy-osteopathy service integrates these 2 complimentary modalities. With physiotherapy, you will get a precise diagnosis of your pain or issue and a description of the best exercises to help yourself. With the integrated osteopathic approach, you will get a detailed holistic assessment of your whole body including the cranio-sacral system (related to energy levels, concentration and sleep) and the digestive system. This allows your practitioner to understand how imbalances and tightness in different parts of your body may be contributing to your main problem and give you a more effective hands-on treatment.

New clients: **Please book a free consultation as your first appointment**

Occupational therapists are licensed healthcare professionals who facilitate people's occupations. The term occupational therapist can be confusing as we often equate "occupation" with "job". For an occupational therapist, occupation is defined simply as “whatever occupies your time” - the things that you want or need to do in your daily life.

Babies and Children:
Occupational therapists work with babies and children and their families from infancy onward. For babies and children, occupations include:
Growing, Learning, Playing, Eating, Sleeping, Learning to move their bodies, Learning to communicate, And more

The unique expertise of occupational therapists is to analyse what people do and what they want or need to do, and help them to do it. They work collaboratively with families to co-create approaches for each family’s unique situation, being mindful of people’s rights, needs, preferences, values, abilities, and environments, to support their goals toward health and well-being.

Pregnancy and Parenting:
Parenting is certainly an important occupation. Welcoming a child into the family is incredible, but it can certainly come with its own unique challenges. All babies and children are different. As parents gradually learn about their child, there are always many questions and often worries. Occupational Therapists can assist with the transition to parenthood, including helping parents find systems and routines to help with the changes in your daily life. They can also assist parents in exploring and supporting their child's growth and development in many areas (play, motor skills, feeding, regulation, sensory processing, participating in daily routines - hygiene, sleep, toilet learning, dressing, etc.). Occupational Therapy takes a holistic approach to supporting the whole family.

What you can expect from a session:
You can choose either in-person or virtual appointments. For the initial visit, your occupational therapist will ask a variety of questions to get to know you and your family better and explore what your priorities are. If appropriate and needed, observation and one-to-one direct interaction with your child in play or completing other activities may be a part of the session to assess and address any concerns regarding your child's motor development, feeding skills, play skills, and other physical and neurological development. A home visit may be helpful when there are questions or challenges with feeding or setting up the environment to facilitate motor skills or support sensory needs.

Depending on the nature of priorities/concerns, follow up sessions may be best suited for a virtual (video or telephone) discussion with the occupational therapist and parent to explore how previous strategies are progressing and what might be most helpful next, using a coaching approach.

Some extended health insurance plans cover Occupational Therapy. If Occupational Therapy is not covered by your extended health insurance, or you do not have insurance, you may be able to claim Occupational Therapy services on your annual taxes.

Pelvic Health Physiotherapy is a unique branch of physiotherapy focusing on the treatment of disorders of the pelvis and core. The muscles located within the pelvis form a ‘hammock’ that supports the pelvic organs, including the bladder, intestines and reproductive organs. These muscles play an integral role in many of our body’s functions including posture, movement, and mobility. The pelvic floor is also intricately involved in the function of our digestive system, reproductive system, childbirth, and elimination.

Our pelvic floor therapists here at our centre in Kanata are highly trained specialists who work to address several conditions including (but not limited to):
- Urinary Incontinence
- Overactive bladder / urinary urgency
- Pelvic pain (with intercourse, menstruation, etc)
- Pelvic organ prolapse (heaviness or bulging in the pelvis)
- Gastrointestinal challenges (constipation, fecal incontinence, etc)
- Postpartum rehabilitation
- Pregnancy-related pelvic girdle pain
- Diastasis Recti
- Interstitial cystitis
- Endometriosis
- Coccydynia (tailbone pain)
- Musculoskeletal (MSK) pain involving the low back and/or hips
- Sciatica

What you can expect from a session:
Prior to attending your appointment, you will be asked to complete an online questionnaire to give our physiotherapists some insight into your pelvic health concerns. At your first appointment, your therapist will expand on this information with you to develop a good sense of your health history and specific concerns. Many people find it difficult to discuss sensitive subjects such as bowel, bladder and pelvic issues, and we recognize that this may feel daunting for you. Know that your sessions are completely confidential and we will only discuss what you are comfortable disclosing.
Your therapist will then conduct a physical exam assessing low back, abdomen and pelvis. If appropriate, this will include an internal examination to assess pelvic floor muscle function. Following the initial assessment, your therapist will discuss their findings and develop your treatment plan to achieve your treatment goals.

We offer services for people who identify as women, trans and non-binary. We do not offer services for men or children at this time.

Our Registered Massage Therapists are registered with the College of Massage Therapists of Ontario (CMTO). Massage therapy is the manipulation of soft tissues of the body including muscles, connective tissue, tendons, ligaments and joints. Overall, massage therapy can help to reduce muscle tension, decrease stress, improve sleep and help with pain relief for any age starting from infancy. At Rooted Family, we provide registered massage therapy for all family members and can help support you and/or your child through various stages of life including pregnancy massage and infant/child massage therapy.

For babies and children, common concerns our RMTs address are feeding issues, constipation/gas, torticollis, growing pains, stress, repetitive strain, postural, sensory awareness.

For adults, including those who are pregnant, postpartum or on their fertility journey, common concerns we address are back and pelvic pain, sciatica, leg cramps, sleep issues, carpal tunnel, swelling, TMJ disorders, scar tissues, myofascial release and stress management.

Kelly Watters-Gibbons also provides craniosacral therapy and contemporary acupuncture.

At Rooted Family, we provide registered massage therapy for all family members! Our RMTs work in collaboration with our other practitioners in order to help you and your family achieve your wellness goals. If this is your first massage with us, please book at least a 45 min appointment in order to have time for the initial assessment. This is to ensure a safe and effective treatment to best aid you and your needs. If you are pregnant, please book the prenatal massage appointment and indicate if you would prefer the pregnancy cushion (facedown) or a side-lying massage.

If you have any questions or are wondering if massage therapy could help you feel free to reach out to us.

Reflexology – Feet or Hands
Reflexology is a non-invasive, drug-free therapeutic practice of the application of soothing pressure on various reflexes points of your feet, hands, ears, face, etc. The aim of reflexology is to bring the body back into a perfect state of balance by allowing the energy to flow smoothly. The benefits of reflexology are significant in enhancing relaxation, improving circulation and the quality of sleep, encouraging lymphatic action and reducing pain and inflammation. Ultimately reflexology will support and boost the body’s efforts to function optimally and to heal itself especially following stress and fatigue, illness, surgery, injury or disease.

Reproductive Reflexology
Also referred to as Reproflexology™; Reproductive Reflexology is a specialised form of reflexology therapy that can be used as a stand-alone treatment to enhance your natural fertility or with all forms of assisted conception including IUI, IVF and ICSI. This patient centered approach can also be used to support individuals and couples using surrogacy or donors.
People afflicted by irregular cycles, painful periods, PMS symptoms, PCOS, Endometriosis, hormonal migraines, menopausal discomforts, post cancer recovery (chemo, radiation, mastectomy, etc.) can benefit from this drug-free therapy.
Not just for women, Reproflexology™ can aid in rebalancing men’s endocrine systems, improve the quality/quantity of sperm, help ease pain and swelling following procedures; and support certain conditions such as erectile dysfunction, vasectomy reversal, prostatitis, post brachytherapy, chemo or radiation recovery.

Maternity Reflexology
In terms of a Maternity Reflexology, the therapy is a safe, non-invasive and effective therapy that can support a mother through all trimesters of pregnancy with specialized protocols for common symptoms and complaints that often accompany pregnancy. The focus is the alleviation of the uncomfortable side effects of pregnancy without the use of drugs. With so many emotions being experienced during this time nothing is more calming and supportive during pregnancy than receiving a professional reflexology treatment!

Touch is a powerful tool that contributes to helping the body, mind and emotions reach a calmer state. It also has a healing aspect that is remarkable. Studies have shown that pregnant people who have frequent sessions of reflexology can improve their birth outcomes and their babies are more settled and will breastfeed better. Even people who have had a caesarean section seem to recover quicker.

Reflexology is covered by some insurance companies. Please check with your provider.

A Reiki session offers you a brief pause in time to relax and centre the focus on yourself. Enjoy a stress relieving sequence of touch that will leave you feeling rejuvenated and at peace. Julia is a Reiki Master with over four years experience practicing on children and babies, parents, and individuals alike. Her approach is gentle, calming, and inviting - you don’t need any experience with Reiki to feel comfortable.

The benefits of this light touch energetic therapy include: support with healing, stress reduction, pain relief, improved mental and physical balance, calmness and relaxation, reduced anxiety and depression, improved immune system function, reduced fatigue, and improved sleep. Reiki can benefit children and adults alike and is safe and calming while you are pregnant.

Reiki for Parents and Children:

Julia is also our Gentle Sleep Consultant and can combine her sleep consultation sessions with Reiki to offer the mental and physical balancing of light touch energetic therapy to parents and their little ones. Reiki can be a rejuvenating, relaxing, and pleasant experience for anyone in the family. It is also wonderful for parents and children for sleep hardships in the household. Reiki can offer pain relief (from headaches, stiffness from feeding/nursing), reduce anxiety, stress, and fatigue, can support recovery after birth, as well as improve sleep for everyone in the home. A lot of parents suffer from sleep woes even when their little one is finally snoozing. Rightfully so, since some of these sleep issues stem from stress and anxiety. Utilizing Reiki for deep relaxation, which relieves some of this stress, can lead to more and better sleep for everyone. In terms of the stress we can carry surrounding our little one’s sleep, Reiki can also relax the parent’s mindset. This allows you as the parents to come into more clarity and confidence to trust your instincts when it comes to parenting your kids to sleep. Reiki for babies can improve sleep, support with colic, reduce teething pains and alleviate reflux discomfort. Reiki for older children can additionally reduce hard emotions, fears, and anxieties surrounding sleep. Reiki restores needed stillness, offering a nervous system reset for everyone that extends past our session together. Reiki pairs wonderfully with a Gentle Sleep Consultation to tackle sleep on all fronts for everyone in the family. Timing can easily be split between parent and child as you wish. The Reiki sessions are often done quite comfortably together with the child in their parent’s arms. Please go to the Gentle Sleep page to book this service.

The vagus nerve is the primary component of your parasympathetic nervous system. This part of our nervous system is responsible for things like digestion, lowering the heart rate and breathing rate and helps put our bodies into a state of relaxation. The Dolphin Neurostim is used to stimulate the vagus nerve with a small electrical impulses through nerve branches around the ear.

Some benefits of vagal nerve stimulation include:
- Regulation of emotions
- Decreasing blood pressure and heart rate
- Treatment of migraine and headaches
- Post concussion symptoms
- Decreases systemic inflammation

Dolphin Vagal Nerve Stimulator is authorized by Health Canada for emergency use in the acute treatment of COVID-19 ARDS. It is intended for use on people:

- who are experiencing exacerbation of longhaul symptoms and/or asthma-related dyspnea and reduced airflow
- for whom approved drug therapies are not tolerated or provide insufficient symptom relief as assessed by their health care provider