Holiday Closure 2025
As the year comes to a close, we at Change Pain Clinic would like to inform you about our holiday…
LEADERSHIP
PAIN SPECIALISTS
ALLIED HEALTH CLINICIANS
GMV FACILITATORS
Read more about Dr. Brenda Lau
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Dr. Brenda Lau
MD, FRCPC, FFPMANZCA, MM, CGIMS, CIPS
Founder & Medical Director | Pain Specialist and Anesthesiologist |Â FRCPC Founder (Pain Medicine)
Dr. Brenda Lau is a Pain Specialist and Anesthesiologist practicing in Vancouver and Surrey, BC with over 20 years experience in both. Â She is a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians & Surgeons of Canada and Fellow of the Faculty of Pain Medicine of the Australia & New Zealand College of Anaesthetists after completing a two year Pain Medicine fellowship and Master of Medicine degree in Sydney, Australia subspecializing in interventional pain management and multi-disciplinary team care.
In 2013, she co-founded Changepain Medical & Allied Health Clinic, a Vancouver based pain centre that provides multi-disciplinary pain care for myofascial, spine, neuropathic, complex regional pain syndrome, headache, pelvic, visceral, post-surgical, post-trauma, chronic diseases, and post-cancer. She and her team specializes in the prevention and early recovery from injury.
Brenda is passionate about resolving chronic pain through therapies supporting prevention, pre-habilitation and early recovery after injury. Â She has led numerous national, provincial and hospital based initiatives to improve understanding of pain, improve pain treatments, and improve pain care training.
After her 3 year pain fellowship and masters degree, she restarted her anesthesiology and pain practice in 2008 at Surrey Memorial Hospital and led the development of the multidisciplinary pain clinic at Surrey’s Jim Pattison Outpatient Care and Surgery Centre as its first Medical Director. In 2011, she became the first chair of the Fraser Health Authority region wide pain services division supporting the development of various acute and chronic pain services across 10 FHA hospital sites......
Brenda was a founder and board member of, and continues to contribute to, the Pain BC Society that formed in 2008.  She has also been involved in several province-wide services including the Providence Health Care RACE Pain hotline, co-chaired the Pain Practice Support Program, helped create the BC Women’s Hospital Chronic Pelvic Pain program and was the medical lead on regional pain initiatives in Northern Health Authority and FraserHealth Authority.
To improve training standards and opportunities for physicians, since 2008 she has been working with the Royal College of Physicians & Surgeons of Canada as one of the founding members of the sub-specialty of Pain Medicine which was approved in 2013. In 2015, Brenda became the first Program Director of the newest UBC residency program of Pain Medicine.
She feels deeply fulfilled with spending time with her family, cooking for friends, exploration through travel, winding up and down with music, and immersing in kundalini and power flow yoga, biking, skiing and sailing.
In 2019, her health journey is fueled by #presstostand.
 Credentials
- Co-founder and Medical Director, Changepain Medical & Allied Health Clinic
- Clinical Associate Professor, UBC Department of Anesthesiology, Pharmacology & Therapeutics
- Founder and Specialty Committee member, Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada Sub-specialty of Pain Medicine
- Co-founder PainBC society
- Interventional Pain Specialist, Changepain Medical & Allied Health Clinic and False Creek Surgical Centre
- Anesthesiologist, Surrey Memorial Hospital
Dr. Brenda Lau
Co-founder & Medical Director
Read more about Dr. Lindsay Rite
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Dr. Lindsay Rite
BSc(Kin), CSEP-CEPÂ
Director of Integrative Services | Chiropractor, Kinesiologist, Exercise Physiologist |Â Clinical Facilitator Surgical Patient Optimization Program
Dr. Lindsay Rite is the Director of Integrative Health at Changepain Medical & Allied Health Clinic (CPC). She acts to oversee the clinic’s Allied Health and Rehabilitation Team, Pain Programs, and Pain Neuroscience Education Services. Simultaneously she maintains a Chiropractic practice and assists with Physician-led Shared Care pain consultations. She has advanced training in movement and exercise therapy and is a Registered Kinesiologist and CSEP Clinical Exercise Physiologist.
Dr. Rite takes an empowering approach to care for her patients. Personalized education and active therapy prescription is a significant part of her practice. She is trained in multiple manual techniques and utilizes a diversity of hands on and instrumented assisted therapies to aid in alleviating pain and suffering in her patients. She is experienced in assessing and treating complex pain with much of her practice focused on those with widespread pain, chronic fatigue syndrome, CRPS, central sensitivity syndromes, or other persistent pain conditions and related comorbidities.
Dr. Rite’s research and professional initiatives extend beyond her work at CPC. She played an integral role in the development of the pain management joint program between the BCCA and Pain BC. Similarly, with Pain BC, she has participated in various collaboratives including the BC ECHO for Chronic Pain, Resource Data Base Initiative, Psychosocial Community of Practice, and was a Reviewer for the Pain Foundations Course. She co-lead the first Military Veterans Alpine Challenge, and continues to contribute to the Chronic Pain Centre of Excellence for Canadian Veterans (CPCoE) collaborative. Additionally, she has also contributed to various research publications at Changepain Medical & Allied Health Clinic.
She has previously acted as a Best Practice Collaborator with the CCGI, she was the Vice Chair for the Patients Relation Committee of the CCBC, an Examiner with the CCEB, and an active member of the BC Chiropractic Practice-Based Research Network.
In addition to her work in chronic pain, she is experienced in sport management. She has been part of the Integrated Sports Team for various teams including Athletics at the Pan American Games, Rugby Sevens Fijian championship team, and Canada West Wrestling athletes.
Dr. Rite not only supports her patients in developing an active and wholehearted lifestyle but enjoys living it herself. In her free time, you can find her in the local mountains enjoying our BC trails and nature.
Certifications:
- Chiropractor
- Registered Kinesiologist
- CSEP Certified Exercise Physiologist
- CSEP Certified Personal Trainer
- Sports First Responder
- S-FMA Selective Functional Movement Assessment Level 1
- Active Release Techniques® (Lower and Upper Extremity) Provider
- Functional Anatomical Palpation® Provider (Upper and Lower Limb & Spine)
- Kinesio Taping Certified Provider
- M1 Graston Techniques® Provider
Dr. Lindsay Rite
Director of Integrative Health
Read more about Dr. Micah Burns
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Dr. Micah Burns
MD, FAHS
Director of Fellowship and training programs
Micah Burns is a fellowship-trained, board-certified anesthesiologist and interventional pain physician. Originally from St Petersburg, Florida, he completed his medical school at University College of Dublin where he graduated with honors. Micah's anesthesia residency took place at New York Medical College where he was appointed chief resident during his final year.
He was also recognized as Resident of the Year at graduation. He completed three fellowships after residency, including pediatric anesthesia (Dupont Hospital for Children, Wilmington DE), interventional pain medicine and adult chronic pain (New York University, NY NY) and pediatric complex pain (BC Children's Hospital, Vancouver).
He continues his work at British Columbia Children's Hospital as an anesthesiologist and acute pain physician. Having had a variety of learning environments, Micah brings a unique view to the practice of pain medicine.
Starting with a strong basis in physiology, he approaches his patients from a holistic viewpoint; using interventions as a means to optimize the body's natural rhythms.
When he's not at changepain, Micah is with his wife and young child. He reads voraciously, plays racquetball adequately, exercises regularly, and sleeps 8 hours a night.
Micah’s clinics open in January 2020.
Dr. Micah Burns
Director of Fellowship and training programs
Read more about Jodie Hebbard
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Jodie Hebbard
Director of Operations
With a strong background in human resources, operations, and management, Jodie has spent most of her career in healthcare. Jodie’s passion lies in creating supportive environments that empower both patients and teams to thrive. Over the years, she has developed a deep understanding of the complexities of healthcare operations, from streamlining workflows to fostering collaborative team dynamics. Jodie is especially drawn to roles that involve building connections and helping others navigate challenges to achieve their goals.
In addition to her professional expertise, Jodie completed her certification as a professional life and career coach, as well as yoga teacher training. These qualifications have allowed her to take a holistic approach to well-being, focusing on personal and professional growth while promoting balance and resilience. Jodie is currently furthering her education through the Human Resources Management program at BCIT to stay at the forefront of innovative practices that make a real difference in the lives of those she works with.
Outside of work Jodie loves spending time outdoors either exploring nature with her dog or traveling to new places. Her interests in psychology, social work, and mindfulness fuel her passion for helping others succeed both personally and professionally.
Jodie is thrilled to be part of the team at Changepain Clinic, where she can contribute to improving the lives of our patients while fostering a culture of care, growth, and collaboration.
Jodie Hebbard
Director of Operations
Compassionate Pain Expertise
Our Pain Specialist team consists of medical specialties including pain medicine, anesthesiology, addiction medicine, public health, psychiatry, interventional pain medicine, internal medicine, occupational medicine, integrative medicine, rheumatology, physiatry, and family medicine as well as pain-specialized family medicine.
Interventional Pain Specialists – Anesthesiologist:
Read more about Dr. Micah Burns
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Dr. Micah Burns
MD, FAHS
Interventional Pain Specialist
Micah Burns is a fellowship-trained, board-certified anesthesiologist and interventional pain physician. Originally from St Petersburg, Florida, he completed his medical school at University College of Dublin where he graduated with honors. Micah's anesthesia residency took place at New York Medical College where he was appointed chief resident during his final year.
He was also recognized as Resident of the Year at graduation. He completed three fellowships after residency, including pediatric anesthesia (Dupont Hospital for Children, Wilmington DE), interventional pain medicine and adult chronic pain (New York University, NY NY) and pediatric complex pain (BC Children's Hospital, Vancouver).
He continues his work at British Columbia Children's Hospital as an anesthesiologist and acute pain physician. Having had a variety of learning environments, Micah brings a unique view to the practice of pain medicine.
Starting with a strong basis in physiology, he approaches his patients from a holistic viewpoint; using interventions as a means to optimize the body's natural rhythms.
When he's not at changepain, Micah is with his wife and young child. He reads voraciously, plays racquetball adequately, exercises regularly, and sleeps 8 hours a night.
Micah’s clinics open in January 2020.
Dr. Micah Burns
Interventional Pain Specialist
Read more about Dr. Brenda Lau
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Dr. Brenda Lau
MD, FRCPC, FFPMANZCA, MM, CGIMS, CIPS
Interventional Pain specialist
Dr. Brenda Lau is a Pain Specialist and Anesthesiologist practicing in Vancouver and Surrey, BC with over 20 years experience in both. Â She is a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians & Surgeons of Canada and Fellow of the Faculty of Pain Medicine of the Australia & New Zealand College of Anaesthetists after completing a two year Pain Medicine fellowship and Master of Medicine degree in Sydney, Australia subspecializing in interventional pain management and multi-disciplinary team care.
In 2013, she co-founded Changepain Medical & Allied Health Clinic, a Vancouver based pain centre that provides multi-disciplinary pain care for myofascial, spine, neuropathic, complex regional pain syndrome, headache, pelvic, visceral, post-surgical, post-trauma, chronic diseases, and post-cancer. She and her team specializes in the prevention and early recovery from injury.
Brenda is passionate about resolving chronic pain through therapies supporting prevention, pre-habilitation and early recovery after injury. Â She has led numerous national, provincial and hospital based initiatives to improve understanding of pain, improve pain treatments, and improve pain care training.
After her 3 year pain fellowship and masters degree, she restarted her anesthesiology and pain practice in 2008 at Surrey Memorial Hospital and led the development of the multidisciplinary pain clinic at Surrey’s Jim Pattison Outpatient Care and Surgery Centre as its first Medical Director. In 2011, she became the first chair of the Fraser Health Authority region wide pain services division supporting the development of various acute and chronic pain services across 10 FHA hospital sites.
Brenda was a founder and board member of, and continues to contribute to, the Pain BC Society that formed in 2008.  She has also been involved in several province-wide services including the Providence Health Care RACE Pain hotline, co-chaired the Pain Practice Support Program, helped create the BC Women’s Hospital Chronic Pelvic Pain program and was the medical lead on regional pain initiatives in Northern Health Authority and FraserHealth Authority.
To improve training standards and opportunities for physicians, since 2008 she has been working with the Royal College of Physicians & Surgeons of Canada as one of the founding members of the sub-specialty of Pain Medicine which was approved in 2013. In 2015, Brenda became the first Program Director of the newest UBC residency program of Pain Medicine.
She feels deeply fulfilled with spending time with her family, cooking for friends, exploration through travel, winding up and down with music, and immersing in kundalini and power flow yoga, biking, skiing and sailing.
In 2019, her health journey is fueled by #presstostand.
Credentials
- Co-founder and Medical Director, Changepain Medical & Allied Health Clinic
- Clinical Associate Professor, UBC Department of Anesthesiology, Pharmacology & Therapeutics
- Founder and Specialty Committee member, Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada Sub-specialty of Pain Medicine
- Co-founder PainBC society
- Interventional Pain Specialist, Changepain Medical & Allied Health Clinic and False Creek Surgical Centre
- Anesthesiologist, Surrey Memorial Hospital
Dr. Brenda Lau
Interventional Pain Specialist
Interventional Pain Specialists – Rheumatologist:
Read more about Dr. Max Sun
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Dr. Max Sun
MD, FRCPC
Director of Ultrasound-Guided Procedures Program |Â Internal Medicine Specialist & Rheumatologist
Dr. Sun started delivering iSITES and Complex Care Services at Changepain Medical & Allied Health Clinic in May 2015.
He is a certified Internist and Rheumatologist.
Dr. Sun grew up in Surrey, British Columbia. He finished 3 years of honours in Pharmacology as well as a minor in economics before entering UBC medical school. After he graduated in 2006, he went on to train in the Internal Medicine residency program at UBC from 2010 to 2013 and a Rheumatology fellowship from 2013 to 2015.
He has a special interest in interventional pain procedures and chronic musculoskeletal pain management. Dr. Sun has a full spectrum rheumatology practice near Vancouver General Hospital, as well as practicing at changepain.
Dr. Max Sun
Internal Medicine Specialist
Interventional Pain Specialists – Physiatrist
Read more about Dr. William Craig
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Dr. William Craig
MD| FRCPC
Dr. Craig has a Bachelor’s degree in Microbiology and Masters in Medical Genetics with a focus on stem cell biology.Â
He obtained his MD at the University of UBC. He began his residency at Dalhousie then transferred to the University of Utah to complete his specialty training in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation where he received training in interventional pain management.Â
He has been in practice for 20 years now, with an interest in chronic pain management and musculoskeletal medicine.
Dr. William Craig
Interventional Pain Specialist
Family Medicine
Read more about Dr. Marcus Lem
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Dr. Marcus Lem
MD, MHSc, FRCPC
Clinical Preventive Medicine |Â Pain & Addiction Medicine |Â UBC Clinical Associate Professor
Dr. Marcus Lem is a Preventive Medicine specialist and Pain and Addiction Medicine physician based in Vancouver, British Columbia. He graduated from McMaster University Medical School and completed his Master of Health Science and residency in Community Medicine at UBC.
Dr. Lem has worked extensively with Indigenous communities across Canada and held senior medical positions with the Public Health Agency of Canada and Health Canada. He was the Director of the Public Health and Preventive Medicine Residency Program at UBC and Senior Medical Advisor for Addiction and Overdose Prevention at the BC Centre for Disease Control.
Dr. Lem takes a holistic and evidence-based approach to the protection, promotion and maintenance of health and well-being. While attending university in Japan, he trained in Shinshin Toitsu Aikido and has an active interest in integrating techniques which unify the body and mind into clinical preventive medicine practice. Dr. Lem has specific expertise in occupational and environmental health and non-pharmacologic management of chronic pain syndromes. He is a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of Canada and a Clinical Associate Professor with the UBC Faculty of Medicine.
Dr. Marcus Lem
Public Health, Preventive Medicine
Read more about Dr. Inderveer Mahal
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Dr. Inderveer Mahal
MD, CCFP
Pain Physician
Dr. Inderveer Mahal joined the ChangePain team in October 2018.
After attending medical school and completing her residency at the University of Manitoba, she moved to Vancouver and has been working as a chronic pain physician.
She provides ultrasound guided pain procedures to patients and strives to provide patient-centred care. She is a member of the American Society of Regional Anesthesia and the ASRA Women in Pain Medicine Society. She has also completed her fellowship in journalism through the University of Toronto’s Munk School of Global Affairs and is an active member of Doctors of BC. She is also a consultant physician at BC Women’s Hospital.
Outside of the clinic, she enjoys staying active through running, skiing and playing tennis and adores her time with her husband and son. She is very pleased to be a part of a multi-disciplinary, patient-centered team of healthcare professionals.
Dr. Inderveer Mahal
Pain Physician
Fellows and Post-Graduate Trainees:
Read more about Dr. Archili Miminoshvili
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Dr. Archili Miminoshvili
MD, PhD, RDCS.
Pain Clinical Fellow
Dr. Archili Miminoshvili is a highly skilled medical professional with a diverse range of qualifications and experience including General Surgery, Postoperative Pain management, and Ultrasound technique.
Dr. Miminoshvili obtained his Medical Degree in Ukraine and completed specialized training in General Surgery and Oncology.
After completing his medical education, he gained extensive experience in a wide range of surgical procedures, including minimally invasive surgery, laparoscopic surgery, and complex abdominal surgery.
In addition to his clinical work, Dr. Archili has also pursued academic and research opportunities.
He obtained a PhD degree in Surgery. His research focused on the effect of electrophysiological techniques on the neuromuscular apparatus of the intestine. Throughout his career, he has published numerous research papers in several prestigious medical journals. Besides, he has been a Reviewer for McMaster University for the past several years.
These roles have allowed him to stay current with the latest advancements in his field and to contribute to the education and training of future medical professionals.
Dr. Miminoshvili has also expanded his medical education beyond his home country, earning a confirmed Spanish medical diploma and, more recently, graduating from the Pharma-Medical Science College of Canada (Toronto). And now he holds two licenses in Diagnostic Cardiac Sonography from ARDMS and Sonography Canada.
Outside of medicine, Dr. Miminoshvili is a talented musician who enjoys composing music on the piano.
He also enjoys staying active through hiking and yoga. These hobbies allow him to take a break from his busy schedule and focus on spending time with his family.
Dr. Archili Miminoshvili
Pain Clinical Fellow
Read more about Dr. Navid Mohammadi
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Dr. Navid Mohammadi
MD, MPH
Pain Clinical Fellow | Academic staff
Dr. Navid Mohammadi is an international medical graduate from Iran with a specialization in preventive and community medicine. Throughout his residency program in Tehran, he obtained a Master of Public Health and further expanded his expertise by completing a one-year fellowship in "Simulation in Medical Education" at the esteemed University of Ottawa in Canada.
Commencing his professional journey as a general physician in primary care and private practice, Dr. Mohammadi's dedication and passion led him to specialize in his chosen field. He served as a distinguished faculty member at renowned medical universities in Iran, progressively ascending to the prestigious position of full professor in 2019. Over the course of his career, he has assumed diverse roles as a clinical staff member, an educator, a clinical and epidemiologic researcher, as well as a public health practitioner, all with a central focus on integrating clinical excellence into daily medical practice.
Dr. Mohammadi's particular interest lies in the utilization of simulation in medical education, aimed at ensuring optimal patient safety and minimizing medical errors. He has contributed significantly to this field and has published several research papers on various health-related topics, including pain control and management.
Driven by his unwavering commitment to patient well-being, Dr. Mohammadi's ultimate goal is to create a safe and comfortable environment for his patients. To align with this vision, he has chosen pain management medicine, as it perfectly embodies his belief in promoting comprehensive physical, mental, and social well-being, which aligns with the World Health Organization's definition of health.
Outside of his professional endeavors, Navid indulges in various forms of art, including music, cinema, Persian literature, and poetry. He is an avid sports enthusiast and actively follows soccer, swimming, and table tennis. Most importantly, he cherishes spending quality time with his beloved family and derives immense joy from playing and listening to music
Dr. Navid Mohammadi
Pain Clinical Fellow
Read more about Dr. Naser Albrazi
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Dr. Naser Albrazi
Pain Clinical Fellow
Dr. Albrazi, an International Medical Graduate from Kuwait, completed his Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation board in Kuwait in 2018. Recently, he finished the Neuromuscular and EMG fellowship at UBC, earning the EMG diplomat from the Canadian Society of Clinical Neurophysiologists.
Dr. Albrazi’s keen interest in interventional pain management led him to join our fellowship program.
Outside of work, Dr. Albrazi’s values time with family, enjoys playing soccer and reading. He also relishes the opportunity to travel, finding inspiration and joy in exploring new places and cultures.
Dr. Naser Albrazi
Pain Clinical Fellow
Read more about Dr. Glauber Melo
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Dr. Glauber Melo
Pain Clinical Fellow
Dr. Glauber Correia Melo is an internationally trained physician with extensive experience in both clinical and administrative roles.
He holds a Master of Administrative Science from Fairleigh Dickinson University, specializing in Global Health and Human Services, and a Doctor of Medicine from Faculdade de Medicina Estácio de Juazeiro do Norte in Brazil.
With over four years of combined experience as a General Practitioner and Emergency Room physician, Dr. Melo has a proven track record in providing comprehensive healthcare services to patients and their families. His diverse experience spans across community medicine, general practice, and emergency care, where he has consistently delivered high-quality patient care and led multidisciplinary teams.
Until recently, Dr. Melo served as the Operations Manager at Changepain Medical and Allied Health Clinic, where he motivated teams, managed incidents, and oversaw quality control processes.
Currently, he is enhancing his expertise through a clinical fellowship in pain management and advancing his skills in physician quality improvement. He is comitted to promoting health and well-being, ensuring comprehensive care, and making a positive impact on patients' lives.
Outside of work, Glauber enjoys spending quality time with his family and friends, engaging in sports activities, exploring nature trails and reading.
Dr. Glauber Melo
Pain Clinical Fellow
Read more about Dr. Ardeshir Omoumi
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Dr. Ardeshir Omoumi
Pain Clinical Fellow
Dr. Ardeshir Omoumi holds multiple advanced degrees, including a Doctor of Medicine (MD) from Iran, a Doctor of Naturopathy (ND) from Canada, and a Master’s degree in Medical Genetics from Singapore.
He has practiced as a family doctor and emergency physician in Iran. Dr. Omoumi completed a postdoctoral fellowship in neurogenetics at the Division of Neurology at the University of British Columbia (UBC), where he published papers in high-impact journals.
Before joining the ChangePain Clinic, he received advanced training in sports medicine and pain management at the teaching clinic of the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine in Toronto.
His professional interests include interventional and integrative pain management, functional medicine, regenerative medicine, and nutritional IV therapy.
Dr. Ardeshir Omoumi
Pain Clinical Fellow
Virtual Group Medical Visits Only
Read more about Dr. Rassamee Ling
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Dr. Rassamee Ling
MD
FRCPC (Anesthesiology)
UBC Faculty of Medicine Clinical Instructor, department of Anesthesiology, Pharmacology & Therapeutics.Â
University of BC Medical School graduate - 1993
University of Toronto, Anesthesia specialty residency graduate – 1998
Staff Anesthesiologist in the Fraser Health Authority at Surrey Memorial Hospital and the Jim Pattison Outpatient Care and Surgical Centre for over 20 years. Clinical interest in perioperative optimization and use of ultrasound guided regional anesthesia for optimizing acute pain management.
Dr Ling is a graduate of the Physician Quality Improvement Certificate Program which teaches the tools necessary for implementing improvement ideas in healthcare systems. Her area of focus is improving pain management after surgery.
Sports enthusiast with 45 years of experience in karate including 10 as international competitor, then over 20 as coach and instructor at Delta Karate School. Yoga, cycling and kayaking contribute to a lifestyle focus on movement and exercise for maintenance of good health.Â
Rassamee believe’s in an integrated, multidisciplinary approach to pain management and enjoys coaching and empowering people to achieve their optimal health. Â
Dr. Rassamee Ling
Anesthesiologist
Read more about Dr. Alexandra Perel-Winkler
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Dr. Alexandra Perel-Winkler
Internist and Functional Medicine Specialist
Alexandra Perel-Winkler, is an integrative physician with training in Internal Medicine Rheumatology, Functional Medicine and is a student of natural and traditional healing modalities. Originally from Vancouver, Alexandra studied medicine at the Royal College of Surgeons in Dublin, Ireland, where she graduated with honors. She completed her Internal Medicine residency at Mt. Sinai West, and her Rheumatology training at Columbia University. She completed her Functional Medicine course with Dr. Aviva Romm, a course offering a strong foundation in Functional Medicine, as well as unique training in herbal medicine and women’s health. She has studied with numerous doctors and integrative practitioners including Drs. Lewis Mehl-Madrona, Anne Marie Chiasson, Ric Arseneau and Gabor Mate.Â
Alexandra takes a holistic perspective when looking at each patient, considering every aspect of their lives including and beyond their physical, mental and emotional experience; and their connection with themselves, spirit, family and community. She holds the perspective that everyone has a journey towards health and wellness; her role as a physician is to support her patient's unique experience.
Dr. Perel-Winkler’s areas of specialty include:
- Autoimmunity
- Pain and Central sensitization (Fibromyalgia, IBS, Chronic Pelvic Pain, Multiple Chemical Sensitivity etc)
- Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
- Women’s health (PCOS, fertility, perimenopause etc.)
- Gut health
- Chronic stress and ‘adrenal fatigue’
- Endocrine imbalance
- Mental health
- Optimizing wellness and healthspan
When Alexandra is not working with patients she can be found spending time with her husband and son. She loves spending time in nature, reading, dancing and being joyful.Â
Alexandra’s MSP covered offerings will take into account your life’s story and history of your concerns in your first visit. After your initial visit each follow up will focus on one issue or treatment goal. MSP covered visits will aim to incorporate Dr. Perel-Winkler’s wide breadth of knowledge and experience. This stream will be based on evidence-based medicine and will not include a root-cause, integrative medicine approach.
Dr. Alexandra Perel-Winkler
Internist and Functional Medicine Specialist
Read more about Dr. Ilana Winrob
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Dr. Ilana Winrob
Family Medicine
Dr. Ilana Winrob, is a family doctor and FP-anesthetist. Born and raised in Vancouver, she obtained her medical degree from the University College of Dublin.
She trained for two years in general surgery and then made the decision to switch to family medicine. She completed her family medicine residency at the University of Western Ontario and her one-year enhanced skills in anesthesia at the University of Toronto.
She then practiced rural family medicine in Hanover, Ontario working in the emergency room, operating room, family practice clinic, and hospital ward. She currently works as a surgical assistant at St. Paul's hospital in the orthopedics department and as a locum in the community.
As a family doctor, she often feels limited in her ability to help her patients with complex and chronic presentations of pain and inflammation. She is really looking forward to working with the amazing multidisciplinary team at changepain.
She recently moved back to Vancouver to be closer to her family. She is happy to be back home and is enjoying the beach, the mountains, the forest, and the parks with her husband and two young kids.
Dr. Ilana Winrob
Family Medicine
Virtual Psychiatrists:
Read more about Dr. Michael Butterfield
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Dr. Michael Butterfield
BSc MSc MD FRCPC
Pain Psychiatrist
Michael Butterfield is a Clinical Assistant Professor at UBC with appointments in the Departments of Psychiatry and Anesthesiology, Pharmacology & Therapeutics and is the Director of the Pain Medicine Residency Program. He obtained his medical degree at UBC, completed his specialty training in psychiatry at Dalhousie University and was the inaugural resident of the Pain Medicine subspecialty residency program at the UBC. His areas of interest include headache medicine, neuropathic pain, addiction medicine, and interventional pain medicine. He currently works at St. Paul’s Hospital, VGH, the UBC Headache Clinic. He conducts clinical research at the Non-Invasive Neurostimulation Therapies clinic at UBC.
Dr. Michael Butterfield
Pain Psychiatrist
Read more about Dr. Jennifer Pikard
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Dr. Jennifer Pikard
MD, MSc, FRCPC
Psychiatrist
Dr. Jennifer Pikard completed her residency training in psychiatry at Queen’s University and began independent practice in February/March 2020 when she joined the Kingston Orthopedic Pain Institute (KOPI) in Ontario.
She is passionate about innovating mental health therapies for pain patients and to improve the standard of care for ketamine treatment for depression and PTSD.Â
She is a member of Disaster Psychiatry Canada as a Rapid Response Physician which allows her to see first responders/healthcare workers who are struggling through disasters (terrorist attacks, shootings, infectious disease outbreaks, burnout etc.).
She also provides coverage at an acute care hospital in Kingston for the emergency department as well as inpatient adult, child & adolescent psychiatric units.Â
Finally, she provides shared/collaborative psychiatric care with approximately 40 family physicians within the Napanee and surrounding areas in Ontario.
Her favorite things outside of work are travelling the world, being with animals, experiencing great food, spending time with family and friends and making meaningful connections with others.Â
Dr. Jennifer Pikard
Psychiatrist
No wait times for Chiropractic, Physiotherapy, Kinesiology, Counselling, Acupuncture
Our Allied Health team consists of specialties including chiropractic, physiotherapy, kinesiology, somatic movement, intramuscular stimulation, counselling, acupuncture, and ketamine assisted psychotherapy.
Functional Movement - Chiropractic
Read more about Dr. Lindsay Rite
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Dr. Lindsay Rite
BSc(Kin), CSEP-CEP
Director of Integrative Services |Â Chiropractor, Kinesiologist, Exercise Physiologist |Â Clinical Facilitator Surgical Patient Optimization Program
Dr. Lindsay Rite is the Director of Integrative Health at Changepain Medical & Allied Health Clinic (CPC). She acts to oversee the clinic’s Allied Health and Rehabilitation Team, Pain Programs, and Pain Neuroscience Education Services. Simultaneously she maintains a Chiropractic practice and assists with Physician-led Shared Care pain consultations. She has advanced training in movement and exercise therapy and is a Registered Kinesiologist and CSEP Clinical Exercise Physiologist.
Dr. Rite takes an empowering approach to care for her patients. Personalized education and active therapy prescription is a significant part of her practice. She is trained in multiple manual techniques and utilizes a diversity of hands on and instrumented assisted therapies to aid in alleviating pain and suffering in her patients. She is experienced in assessing and treating complex pain with much of her practice focused on those with widespread pain, chronic fatigue syndrome, CRPS, central sensitivity syndromes, or other persistent pain conditions and related comorbidities.
Dr. Rite’s research and professional initiatives extend beyond her work at CPC. She played an integral role in the development of the pain management joint program between the BCCA and Pain BC. Similarly, with Pain BC, she has participated in various collaboratives including the BC ECHO for Chronic Pain, Resource Data Base Initiative, Psychosocial Community of Practice, and was a Reviewer for the Pain Foundations Course. She co-lead the first Military Veterans Alpine Challenge, and continues to contribute to the Chronic Pain Centre of Excellence for Canadian Veterans (CPCoE) collaborative. Additionally, she has also contributed to various research publications at Changepain Medical & Allied Health Clinic.
She has previously acted as a Best Practice Collaborator with the CCGI, she was the Vice Chair for the Patients Relation Committee of the CCBC, an Examiner with the CCEB, and an active member of the BC Chiropractic Practice-Based Research Network.
In addition to her work in chronic pain, she is experienced in sport management. She has been part of the Integrated Sports Team for various teams including Athletics at the Pan American Games, Rugby Sevens Fijian championship team, and Canada West Wrestling athletes.
Dr. Rite not only supports her patients in developing an active and wholehearted lifestyle but enjoys living it herself. In her free time, you can find her in the local mountains enjoying our BC trails and nature.
Certifications:
- Chiropractor
- Registered Kinesiologist
- CSEP Certified Exercise Physiologist
- CSEP Certified Personal Trainer
- Sports First Responder
- S-FMA Selective Functional Movement Assessment Level 1
- Active Release Techniques® (Lower and Upper Extremity) Provider
- Functional Anatomical Palpation® Provider (Upper and Lower Limb & Spine)
- Kinesio Taping Certified Provider
- M1 Graston Techniques® Provider
Dr. Lindsay Rite
Chiropractor
Functional Movement - Physiotherapy
Read more about Leroy Ho
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Leroy Ho
MScPT, BScKinÂ
Physiotherapist
Leroy believes the key to rehabilitation and performance is to first understand the individual -Your goals are his goals. With years of experience empowering people in chronic pain, Leroy uses his diverse skillset of both physical and psychological approaches to show that exercise can be done safely and enjoyably for everyone. He has played competitive hockey with Oxford University and enjoys applying his experience to personal training, athletic rehab and geriatric longevity. Leroy also has a special interest in treating hip and knee osteoarthritis and is also certified by GLA:D Canada. He is passionate about enabling people to live to their healthiest potential no mater what stage of life you’re in.Â
Leroy has worked in multiple hospital settings with a variety of populations including those with musculoskeletal, neurological and cardiovascular diseases including patients in the Covid ICU. He also has volunteered at many health-related organizations around the Lower Mainland which include the SFU Sports Medicine Clinic, Kids Physio Group, Canucks Autism Network and BC Children's Hospital. During his free time, Leroy is often spotted having a laugh at a local brewery, planning for his next vacation or attempting to revive his career at the ice rink.
Leroy Ho
Physiotherapist
Read more about Khushbu Mehta
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Khushbu Mehta
MSc. (PT), HBSc.
Physiotherapist
Khushbu has several years of experience as an internationally trained Physical Therapist. In 2012 Khushbu completed her Certificate of Advanced Study in Neurology from Massachusetts General Hospital- Institute of Health Professions, Boston, USA and in 2016 obtained her Doctor of Physiotherapy from Alabama State University, USA.
Khushbu always had a keen interest in the human body, how it works and incorporating different skills in improving her patient’s quality of life.
She is Multilingual, fluent in English, Hindi, Marathi, Gujrati and is officially learning Spanish and French ( Partially fluent).
Outside her passion for the physiotherapy profession, Khushbu enjoys spending time with her family, listening to music and painting.Â
Khushbu Mehta
Physiotherapist
Functional Movement - Kinesiology
Read more about Conor O’Flaherty
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Conor O’Flaherty
Kinesiologist
Conor is a Kinesiologist in his 3rd year at changepain. He has experience working with a variety of individuals through a range of chronic pain conditions and movement limitations.
Conor believes in a pragmatic approach to promoting movement and a healthy lifestyle. Focusing on the individual and their history, he believes that integrating education and understanding into the patient’s daily life so that they can continue to enjoy what drives them. Guiding people on a journey of self-discovery, Conor empowers his clients to take control of their pain experience.
Conor is Irish and moved to Canada in 2016 and completed his BKin at UBC. Conor completed his Master’s in Kinesiology in May 2023, while working at changepain. Throughout his bachelor’s he coached in the UBC Smith and Laycoe Weightroom coaching athletes from basketball, swimming, rugby, soccer, and football. He maintains his Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist certification and continues to coach rugby and work with athletes.
Growing up in Brussels, Belgium, Conor has played sports his whole life. He has played a variety of field sports, before focusing on rugby union. He played 6 years on the UBC Thunderbirds, winning two Rounsefell Cups, two University National Championships, and was named to the Canadian University First XV in 2022.
When he’s not assisting people to manage their pain, Conor is eating around Vancouver and spending time with his cat.Â
Conor O’Flaherty
Kinesiologist
Read more about Amy Kiara Ruth
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Amy Kiara Ruth
BSc (Kin, Ed)
practicing kinesiologist, certified Pilates method instructor,  associate somatic movement professionalÂ
Amy brings a grounded presence and a spirit of collaborative inquiry to her sessions. Her philosophy is that movement is an integral part of life and she works to support the emergent expression of health inherent in each individual. Â
A life-long interest in movement led Amy to become a kinesiologist and somatic movement practitioner. Her movement experience began as a child, studying dance. As a young adult, she was introduced to the Pilates method by Dianne Miller and completed her Pilates method certification training in 1997. She has a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology, minor in Education, from Simon Fraser University. In 2008 she completed Foundation and Advanced level training in Self-Regulation Therapy, a gentle, somatic, trauma-resolution modality. Â
Amy maintains a commitment to continuing education and has extensive experience as a student of Tai chi / Qigong, as well as Continuum / Continuum Montage and other mind-body movement approaches. In her personal life, Amy explores what it means to be an embodied being and how to be in relationship to seasonal rhythms & tides while living & working in an urban setting. Â
Amy is delighted to be working in an interdisciplinary setting at changepain. Â
She offers individual kinesiology sessions, as well as group GMV sessions, to support participants in developing increased ease and embodiment in movement and presence. These sessions may include use of specific movement forms, mindfulness awareness practices, breathwork, assisted stretching & hands-on alignment guidance, trauma resolution, movement explorations, and sensory & perceptual awareness work. Â
Amy Kiara Ruth
Kinesiologist
Read more about Austin Kao
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Austin Kao
Kinesiologist
Austin holds a Bachelors of Kinesiology degree from the University of British Columbia, and a Master of Physiotherapy degree from the University of Sydney. With over a decade of experience in health care, he is passionate about providing 1) quality care, and 2) accessible care, through exercise and education. Austin has recently returned from Sydney, Australia, and is looking forward to serving his community as a kinesiologist while he works towards his physiotherapy registration. He loves a good conversation and has experience working with different musculoskeletal and neurological conditions and injuries across the lifespan.Â
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In his personal time, Austin loves both the outdoors and indoors. In the winter, he enjoys skiing/snowboarding on the mountains, as well as a nice hot bowl of noodle soup. In the summer, he enjoys cycling and playing baseball, as well as another nice hot bowl of noodle soup! Currently, he is very excited about calisthenic movements and how they can be used in rehabilitation and improving function.
Austin Kao
Kinesiologist
Mind & Wellness - Acupuncture
Read more about Noli Catapang
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Noli Catapang
Registered Acupuncturist (R.Ac)
Noli received an HBSc. from the University of Guelph, Ontario, and a Diploma for Doctor of Traditional Chinese Medicine from the International College of Traditional Chinese Medicine of Vancouver, BC. He has been a Registered Acupuncturist since 2006.
He employs the tenets of Chinese Medicine to diagnose and design treatment plans that are holistic and individually tailored. With any lifestyle medicine, the path must always address, not only the client’s chief concern, but the factors and psycho-emotional landscape that affect it. Â
Furthermore, Noli recognizes that wellness is most readily achieved by working in partnership with his clients. These partnerships are built on compassion, education, understanding and choice. The goal is helping the client to re-establishing balance thereby minimizing the need for treatment.
Noli Catapang
Registered Acupuncturist
Mind & Wellness - Counselling
Read more about Amy Guidinger
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Amy Guidinger
Clinical Counsellor
Amy Guidinger, is a Registered Clinical Counsellor with a master’s degree in counselling psychology. She was originally trained as a physiotherapist and has many years of experience in rehabilitation settings helping people return to the important things in their life such as work, school, leisure activities, and sport. Throughout her experience, Amy witnessed the deep interconnection with the mind and body, and she believes in a holistic, biopsychosocial approach to wellness.
With a special interest in health psychology, Amy has advanced training in managing persistent pain conditions and managing persisting post-concussion symptoms. She utilizes evidence-based counselling approaches including Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Motivational Interviewing (MI), and Mindfulness-based strategies.
Amy recognizes each person’s experience is unique and she seeks to understand the challenges, hopes, and goals with every client. She values the individual strengths and lived experience each client brings into counselling. Amy is committed to working alongside her clients to create meaningful change. She aims to work collaboratively toward developing strategies and skills to manage challenges and support growth.
In her leisure time, Amy enjoys getting out into the mountains, or on the water, with her partner and her puppy. She also loves a sunrise or sunset walk and appreciates a good coffee.
Amy Guidinger
Clinical Counsellor
Read more about Laura Montgomery
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Laura Montgomery
Clinical Counsellor, Registered Social Worker
Laura Montgomery is a Masters Level Clinical Counsellor and Registered Social Worker, who brings a passionate belief in each person’s innate wisdom to heal, navigate, and grow from their life experiences. She brings her humanity and lived experience with her own pain journey, as well as her extensive post-graduate training, counselling skills and experience to her work with her clients.
Laura received her Masters of Social Work from the University of British Columbia in 2008; there she completed original research through the British Columbia Cancer Agency on the factors that contribute to post-traumatic growth after a cancer diagnosis. She has trained in trauma-informed somatic therapy with the Sensorimotor Psychotherapy Institute, attachment-based parenting with the Neufeld Institute and is a Certified AEDP Therapist. Laura also currently enjoys helping other clinical counsellors learn new skills through being an assistant with the AEDP Institute. Prior to becoming a clinical counsellor Laura worked as a social worker at Providence Healthcare. She also spent years as a stay and home mother, her most rewarding and challenging position!
In sessions with Laura you can expect warmth, collaboration and understanding; as well as the challenge to together move through stuck places towards resilience and inner resources. Sessions may include slowing down with emotions or sensations as well as discovering tools and knowledge that you can take with you into your life.
Laura is also a First Nations Health Authority Provider and completed the San'yas Indigenous Cultural Safety Training Program. She welcomes clients of all identities and deeply values the diversity of human experience and expression.
Laura enjoys spending time with her family, the ocean, writing, movement, meditation and hanging out with her cat.
Laura Montgomery
Clinical Counsellor, Registered Social Worker
Read more about Krista Friesen
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Krista Friesen
BA MSc CYT PgCPain
changepain Group Medical Visit Lead, Pain Coach & Pain Navigator
Krista is a highly-qualified yoga and pilates teacher with more than 2000 hours of training and nearly 5 years of experience working with patients who live with chronic pain. Additionally, she holds a Master’s degree in psychology, with an emphasis on cognitive neuropsychology, and holds a Post-Graduate Certificate in Chronic Pain Management from the University of Alberta.
Krista began working with Dr. Greg Siren and The myo Clinic team in September, 2011 after being referred to Dr. Siren for assessment and treatment of her own pain. She has lived with chronic back pain for nearly 20 years and now keeps her pain well-controlled through her own practice of movement and relaxation, along with healthy diet and sleep routines. She is passionate about learning about pain, and sharing her knowledge to help others manage their own chronic pain.
In addition to her work with movement, Krista has been interested in sleep, insomnia, and sleep research for the past 10 years. She also studies and uses cognitive behavioural therapy techniques, motivational interviewing, non-violent communication, and coaching strategies in her work with chronic pain patients. Krista has a private practice for one-to-one movement and/or coaching sessions.
Krista Friesen
GMV Lead, Pain Coach & Pain Navigator
Read more about Sarah Jamieson
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Sarah Jamieson
BCom, CYT, PgCPain
changepain Group Medical Visit Lead and Pain Coach
When Sarah was 11 years-old, she woke up in the middle of the night with shooting pain through the right-side of her neck and upper back. She passed out on the bathroom floor, her mom called 9-1-1, and that was the beginning of her long and challenging journey with persistent chronic pain.
Over 20 years later, two of the primary things Sarah credits with her reduced and managed experience of pain are practicing yoga and understanding pain. A desire to help other people find relief from persistent pain led Sarah to become a therapeutic yoga instructor specializing in pain relief. Â
Sarah completed her initial yoga teacher training through Langara College. She has completed additional training through the Anand Prakash Ashram in Rishikesh, India. She has been fortunate to take multiple trainings with renowned teacher Judith Lasater, including Restorative Yoga and Yoga for Anxiety, Anger & Depression. She has studied yoga anatomy with teachers like Leslie Kaminoff and Susi Hately, and Pain Care Yoga with Neil Pearson.Â
Sarah has been teaching programs with changepain since shortly after the clinic opened in 2013. During this time, she has also completed a Post-Graduate Certificate in Chronic Pain Management through the University of Alberta.Â
In her work at changepain, Sarah strives to empathize, educate, and empower. She endeavours to make people feel seen, heard, and understood, and provide them with knowledge and skills that will be a source of personal power in their struggles with chronic pain. She’s very good at helping people dealing with persistent pain, and she feels very fortunate to be able to do so.Â
Sarah Jamieson
GMV Lead & Pain Coach
Read more about Cheryl Uphill
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Cheryl Uphill
Yoga - GMV facilitator
With Cheryl’s passion for lifelong learning and focus for well-being, she started her yogic journey back in 1992 after a physical way of life in martial arts for 25 years. In search for balance in the daily stresses of life, and managing chronic pain from many injuries, she discovered yoga, mediation and energetic awareness trainings. The melding of these disciplines created a more balanced Mind Body & Spirit approach. With the internal balance & focus that she acquired through karate, her transition to Hatha yoga was a natural progression that led to her into incorporating yoga into her daily life. Just as Karate was a way of life for Cheryl, then so became yoga and many certifications to follow;
200hr Hatha in Anand Praksh, Rishikesh, India and 500hr Yoga Therapy, Hot, Yin, Restorative, Advanced Chronic Pain Management, Thai Yoga Massage, Dermo Neuromodulation, Marma Therapy, 10-day Human Dissection training, and is a as a Certified Therapist with the International Association of Yoga Therapy (IAYT).
Cheryl prides herself on being an educator, especially in Yoga Therapy and Chronic Pain Care Management. As a survivor of overcoming severe long-term chronic pain, Cheryl’s love of learning led her to heal her Body and Mind by the power of knowledge and surrender. This led to obtaining her Provincial Instructional Diploma and is currently a Masters student at SFU in Adult Education.
She plans on sharing her creativity in teaching and inspiring healing through her Yoga & Pain Therapist tools. Her energy of infectious enthusiasm and positive light will hopefully shine the way for the changepain participants to learn, grow and heal into the integrated whole person they wish to be. She is honored and humbled to be part of the Education and Lifestyle changepain team.
Cheryl Uphill
Yoga - GMV facilitator
Read more about Klara Kroupa
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Klara Kroupa
Yoga - GMV facilitator
For Klara, as a lifelong athlete, movement is her mantra.
Teaching yoga is a natural extension of her decades long background first as a rhythmic gymnast, and later as a national-level certified coach and choreographer. Along with a Bachelor of Physical Education, she has a precise understanding of the body and movement.
She completed her foundational (200 hour) training at Shambhava Yoga Konalani in Hawaii and her advanced training (300 hour) at Vancouver School of Yoga. She has taken additional training in Yin Yoga, Yoga for Trauma Sensitive Students, Mio-fascial Release, and Functional Anatomy for Yoga.
Klara lives and teaches in Vancouver for Yoga4Stiff People, Just Yoga, and Semperviva as well as Invati Yoga & Wellness in the Okanagan. She facilitates yoga workshops locally and leads a yoga retreat annually in Nicaragua.
My ‘why’ as a Yoga Teacher:
We all come to the yoga mat with our unique body structures, builds, history of injuries, and health challenges. No two people necessarily approach the same movement in the same way. I am constantly refining how to make yoga not only more accessible, but also more practical for ALL ages and levels and body types. It is my mission every time I step onto the mat as a teacher. Regardless of the style – my classes are designed to help build strength, gain flexibility & increase mobility – with the use of props and modifications as necessary - so that each student can simply feel better in their own body. Combining purposeful movement with breath awareness equals better tools for healing, toning and strengthening the body as well as improving focus, enhancing mindfulness, releasing stress and calming the nervous system. I wholeheartedly believe by creating a little more space in our body, we can create a little more space in our minds.
Klara Kroupa
Yoga - GMV facilitator
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