Our Philosophy & Team

Cassandra is our resident massage therapist who has been practicing massage for over 13 years. As an active person, Cassandra was drawn to massage therapy for its ability to improve body function and heal injuries. She takes pride in her work when a client can overcome something negative in their life with massage, whether it’s an injury or stress. 

One of Cassandra’s favourite things about the job is that every day is something new. As an avid athlete and mother of 2, Cassandra particularly enjoys working with athletes and prenatal clients, as she has seen the benefits of massage in her own life. That said, Cassandra has worked with clients from all walks of life and seen the positive improvements massage can bring for everyone. 

When she’s not working, Cassandra is always down for a run, having completed 10 half marathons. She’s also a basketball player, having played in the local women’s league for 7 seasons. Aside from her own athletic endeavours, you can find Cassandra at her son’s soccer games, where she often helps the team with cross-training and massage therapy. If she’s not working, running, or at a soccer game, Cassandra also loves to hike. 

Cassandra’s Certifications

• Registered Massage Therapist 
• Hot Stone Therapy Certified 
• Myofascial Cupping Certified 
• Member of the Natural Health Practitioners of Canada 

Dawn is a fitness enthusiast and specialist, with her love for physical fitness expanding from her personal life to her professional life. Over the past 22 years, Dawn was blessed with the opportunity to be a stay at home mom, which also allowed her to pursue many adventures in physical fitness.

Beginning as a long-distance runner, Dawn found herself looking for a new challenge. She found Crossfit and never looked back, as it allowed her to build her strength both physically and mentally. It also showed her the benefit of group classes, something she hopes to share with clients at Recovery Lab.

As an aging athlete, Dawn has grown to recognize the importance of nutrition, mobility, flexibility, and recovery. She looks forward to sharing this knowledge through fascial stretch therapy and various group classes. Whether you’re an athlete or someone who’s just getting started, Dawn is excited to help you discover your full potential and the missing link in your wellness routine.

Dawn’s Certifications

• Certified Fascial Stretch Therapist
• Certified Life Stretch Coach
• Certified Personal Trainer
• Crossfit Coach Level 2 (with specializations in mobility, master’s, and kid’s training)

Growing up just outside of Red Deer, Ashley has always strived to be actively involved in our community. From youth sports to owning a small franchise in Red Deer & Sylvan Lake through her early 20’s, she knew that the Red Deer area was where she wanted to continue her professional career.

Ashley loves to explore new cultures. After traveling to over 22 countries some of her favorite moments are a solo trip through Egypt, building houses in South Africa and attending University in Finland.

Her love for marketing and cultivating community connection led to her role as the Assistant Manager of Marketing & Communications at Westerner Park. During her time there she took part in some of Canada and Central Alberta’s largest events such as Westerner Days, the Canadian Finals Rodeo and numerous concerts. This experience allowed her to embrace her passion for connecting the community and develop her marketing and communication skills.

After realizing the importance of both physical and mental health, her transition into the Marketing & Community Engagement Manager at Recovery Lab was both natural and fulfilling. Ashley is thrilled to work for an organization with like-minded people who care about the wellbeing of our community.

Outside of Ashley’s professional career you will most likely find her gardening, golfing, adventuring in the mountains, or strolling through the local farmers market on Saturday mornings!

Ashley’s Certifications

Bachelor of Management – Marketing | University of Lethbridge
Business Administration Diploma | Lethbridge College/ Kajanni University of Applied Science, Finland

Ashley’s Achievements

Top 10 Under 40 – Canadian Association of Fairs & Exhibitions
Conference speaker – Unconvention, 2020
Business Owner – CP Presidential Award

Matthew received his Bachelors of Kinesiology Degree from the University of Alberta along with his Kinesiology Diploma from Red Deer College. He has since worked as a Kinesiologist within an interdisciplinary team for CBI Health at both Edmonton and Red Deer locations over the last 4 years, assisting his clients by increasing their strength, mobility and function to improve their overall quality of life.

Matt has recently completed his Fascial Stretch Therapy Level 1 Practitioner certification in Ontario and is eager to join the Recovery Lab team.

In his spare time, Matt enjoys staying physically active by working out, biking, golfing and playing hockey. He also enjoys keeping his mind active through chess and playing guitar.

Lianna has a passion for anatomy, physiology, continually learning, and research in her field of expertise as a massage therapist. She has a wealth of experience and takes a compassionate approach to her clients and their healing and recovery. Lianna has been a Registered Massage Therapist since 2015, specializing in recovery, deep and sports massage therapy. Her strengths are working with migraine and chronic headaches, concussions, rotator cuff and neck and hip injuries. Chronic conditions, postural deviations, joint mobilizations myofascial cupping and hot stone therapy are among the other modalities Lianna offers at this time. In her spare time, you will likely find her with her family and friends, enjoying watersports and the great outdoors!

Originally from Saskatchewan, Cindy has been a resident of Red Deer for the past 20 years and has enjoyed raising her two children with her husband in this community.

Cindy had been a part of the Red Deer Catholic School Division for over 12 years and was looking for a new adventure. With both of her children participating in high level sports, she recognized the importance of physical and mental preparation as well as the recovery. She is honoured to be a part of the Recovery Lab team.

When not at Recovery Lab, Cindy loves spending time with her family, going on walks/hikes, gluten-free baking, watching softball games and cheering on the Toronto Blue Jays.

Taera graduated Massage Therapy at the Alberta Massage Training and Alberta College of Massage Therapy in Grande Prairie.  She completed her 2200hr diploma in 2016 and has training and experience in Relaxation, Deep Tissue, Therapeutic, Prenatal, Cupping, Taping and more.

Taera is well diversified and is always improving her techniques.  She is always eager to expand her education and continue to learn new modalities to benefit her clients and her career. She is passionate about her work in healing the body and enjoys being able to help ease her clients aches and pains.  Taera incorporates movement and stretching into her session to give the client a more beneficial treatment.

When not working Taera enjoys being out in nature and practicing yoga.  She loves spending her down time with her husband and 4 children.

Taera’s Certifications

• Registered Massage Therapist
• Member of Canadian Massage and Manual Osteopathic Therapists Association
• Dynamic Cupping
• Kinesiology Taping
• Instrument Assisted Soft Tissue Manipulation
• TMJ Level 1

Seana has always wanted to help people feel their best, if that was physically or mentally! She has always been everyone’s biggest hype-man and had a great interest in human anatomy. It amazed her how each of our bodies worked, moved and how we compensate for pain. All of that drew her to massage therapy. Seana attended Alberta institute of massage where she received her 2200 hour diploma and is now a member of the NHPC association. 

When Seana is not working she is actively getting herself and horse ready for a rodeo, attending a rodeo or in the mountains with her horse liquorice and dog bear! 

Seana’s Certifications

• Registered Massage Therapist

Chantal has been practicing massage therapy and similar modalities for 5 years. Her diploma from Bow Valley College in 2012 with 2200hr allows her to combine learned knowledge with practical experience. Chantal specializes in deep tissue, specifically relating to sports injuries, performance, and recovery.

Chantal is a very avid crossfitter, with many years of training and competition background.  She also has had the opportunity to play soccer most of her life and has been able to travel to many countries to play. Her clinical knowledge as a nurse allows her to combine a proactive and reactive approach to both understanding the body, and understanding movement and the ideal corrective needs.

Chantal’s Certifications

• Registered Massage Therapist

Ashlie has been a Registered Massage Therapist for over 7 years.  She graduated with honors from Medicine Hat College in 2016 and is a current member of the Massage Therapist Association of Alberta.

Ashlie is passionate about massage therapy, anatomy and how the body moves.  She loves learning about new techniques, expanding her knowledge to treat the body and truly believes that movement is a key factor to a healthy and pain free life. Her treatments will include a variety of trigger point therapy, myofascial release, dynamic cupping, and movement with varying pressures to suit your needs.  Follow up your massage with home care stretching and activities for long lasting effects.  Come see Ashlie for complex neck and shoulder issues, jaw pain, hot stone and prenatal massage.

When Ashlie’s not at Recovery Lab, she’s hiking,  biking , spending time with her family or relaxing with a coffee watching the birds.  She enjoys nature, art, all the critters and simply enjoying life.  Being active and having a healthy lifestyle is especially important to Ashlie and part of what led her to a career in massage therapy.

Ashlie’s Certifications

• Registered Massage Therapist
• Prenatal & Postnatal
• Hot Stone
• Dynamic Cupping
• Cervical Training
  • Demystifying Complex Neck Issues
  • The 42 Pound Head
  • The Deep Posterior Neck
• TMJ Level 1

Originally from Grande Prairie, Glenda has always lived an active lifestyle. From rodeoing and training horses in her younger years to working for the City of Grand Prairie as a lifeguard and swimming instructor she enjoys getting out in her community and experiencing different outdoor activities.

Glenda has been very fortunate to be a stay at home mom for the past 17 years, until recently joining the Recovery Lab team! She and her family relocated to Red Deer 10 years ago and loves how active the community is here. When she is not at work Glenda and her family enjoy Red Deer’s local bike paths, lakes, rivers and being in close proximity to the Mountains!

Paige received her Advanced Diploma for Massage Therapy from Algonquin College in 2016 and has been practicing massage therapy for 7 years.  Paige is passionate about health and wellness which has led to her becoming a Holistic Nutritionist and Certified Personal Trainer.

Paige can provide deep tissue and relaxation massage, but her favourite way of treating is by combining the two.  This is because she believes that so much of the body’s physical presentation is related to the nervous system and if we can calm the stress response, we’ll see more changes in the musculoskeletal system.  She also provides cupping, prenatal massage, youth massage, TMJ massage and lymphatic drainage.

When she’s not working, she’s likely strength training, cooking, curled up with her cat, drinking coffee, or out for a walk.

Paige’s Certifications

• Registered Massage Therapist
• Certified Nutritional Practitioner
• Certified Personal Trainer

Pat received his Advanced Diploma in massage therapy from Alberta Institute of Massage in the Spring of 2022, as well as became a Graston Technique Specialist.

Pat grew up in athletics, resulting in a passion for the anatomy, body mechanics and optimizing athletic performance since he was young. His interests expanded beyond just athletic performance as he experienced injuries, fascial build up and reduced mobility. Pat has been a competitive bodybuilder for over five years and as a result has a strong understanding of the impact of living in pain or even experiencing reduced performance in doing activities a person loves.

Pat is determined to help his clients live pain free and to help assist in them reaching their optimal performance and best life. He believes the best way to achieve these goals are through deep tissue work, trigger point release and therapeutic massage utilizing a variety of techniques such as Graston, cups, stretching and hot/cold therapy. Though Pat specializes in deep tissue work he also performs recovery massage as he is a strong believer that the body will not be its best if time isn’t taken to rest, recover and decompress mentally and physically.

Though human anatomy is the same for everyone, the issues clients face are unique to them based off several factors and Pat believes the best way to serve clients is to be as knowledgeable as possible and be continually expanding his knowledge, skillset and tools though continual learning beyond having completed his RMT certification.

Pats favorite thing about his career is fixing issues clients are experiencing and knowing that he can improved someone’s day to day life through pain reduction and increased performance. He enjoys being part of someone’s recovery journey and coming up with strategies to help them be able to maintain the results.

When Pat is not working, he enjoys weightlifting and spending time with his family. Pat is originally from the Maritimes and has been in Alberta for five years. He loves the outdoors and takes any chance to get outside, whether it’s to take his dogs hiking out west or as simple as sitting by a fire in the backyard with his family.

Dionne has always had an interest in wellness and as that interest turned into a passion, she knew she had to follow the calling. Dionne completed her RAC certification to become a Registered Canadian Reflexology Therapist in 2019 which led her to pursue further certification in Holistic Nutrition, Life Coaching and Breathwork. Having experienced the benefits of each modality in her own life – both physical and mental benefits – she understands the importance of balance, stress management, proper nutrition, and mindfulness.

In her spare time, Dionne enjoys hiking and spending time outdoors, visiting her friends and family, working out, and reading and learning from personal development and wellness books.

Dionne’s Certifications

• Registered Canadian Reflexology Therapist

Growing up in New Brunswick, Robyn decided to relocate to Alberta in 2012 for her family. With a desire to help people with their physical and mental health along with quality of life, Robyn started her path to become a Registered Massage Therapist. She is currently enrolled in The Alberta College of Massage Therapy and is on track to graduating in July 2023 to become a Registered Massage Therapist. With an interest in holistic healing Robyn plans on continuing her education to learn about modalities and energy healing courses within Massage Therapy.

Outside of work and school Robyn spends her time with her two kids and their pets. She also enjoys gardening, trail running, hiking, year-round camping and landscape and wildlife photography. Robyn is also an ambassador for GTF Outside which is a local Alberta clothing company focused around getting outside daily to support mental health.

Robyn is currently working at Recovery lab as a Student Therapist and offering Recovery & Deep Tissues Massages at the Student Pricing Level until graduation.

Vivin is a registered member in good standing with the Massage Therapy Association of Alberta. He graduated from the Massage therapy program at Robertson College in Winnipeg, Manitoba in the year 2021 and is extremely passionate about his profession.

During his clinic experience, Vivin has seen diverse clientele with different ailments and treatment needs. His treatment goals have always included thorough assessment to identify the underlying cause and thereafter developing an individualized treatment plan with his clients. His techniques can be adapted to each client’s needs, whether it be deep tissue massage, trigger point therapy, fascial techniques, relaxation and so on. Vivin intends to continue learning to build his knowledge and skills while working as an RMT in order to provide exceptional service to his clients. Other than work, he enjoys spending quality time with his family.

Josiah is a Registered Massage Therapist who graduated with honours from Alberta Institute of Massage in Red Deer. He has a passion for learning and is dedicated to improving the health of his clients through massage.  He views the body as an interconnected whole that needs balance to perform optimally.  While there are many contributing internal and external factors that can cause pain and dysfunction, massage should be regarded as an excellent option in your pursuit of wellness. 

Josiah has a dedicated interest in human anatomy, physiology, strength, and movement. He trains regularly and is fascinated with the ability of the body and mind to change, adapt, and heal. He is skilled in deep tissue work and trigger point isolation techniques.  Along with this, he possesses assessment and testing knowledge for those clients dealing with specific injuries and conditions. 

Josiahs commitment to listen carefully and respond compassionately to his clients needs enables him to make informed assessments and provide quality care. 

He plans to further expand his knowledge with continued training in other alternative modalities, so that he can optimally serve his clients.

Chyanne has always had a passion for helping people feel the best they can so they can strive to live a more active, and healthy lifestyle. She graduated from Alberta Institute of Massage in 2023 with Honors and believes that the healing touch of massage can help not only with pain management, but stress management as well.

Chyanne is certified in sports massage, deep tissue, relaxation, and hot stone massage. She cant wait to further her education with more modalities in the near future. In her spare time, you will likely find her out in the mountains hiking, or on her parents farm riding her horses, and spending time with all her animals.

Originally from Cranbrook BC, Janna moved to Red Deer approximately 10 years ago.  She graduated from Lindsay Thurber and is now studying at Red Deer Polytechnic in the Bachelor of Science Nursing program. Janna finds the body very interesting and is enjoying her program.  So far, Anatomy class has been her favourite by giving her a sense of understanding what the human body needs to become healthy and stay healthy.

In Janna’s free time she likes to hang out with friends/family as well as going hiking or two-stepping. Fun fact about Janna, she has been a tap dancer since moving to Red Deer, but gained knowledge in lyrical, ballet, contemporary, jazz, and hip hop over her years of dancing.

Growing up in Red Deer, Alberta, but born in Uganda, Ruth embarked on her journey in massage therapy at the esteemed Alberta Institute of Massage, where she excelled in her studies and developed a deep appreciation for the intricacies of the human body.

Driven by a passion for serving others, Ruth aspires to improve the quality of life of her clients and alleviate their pain. Her long-term goal is to become a Midwife, and she intends to continue learning and gaining experience in therapeutic and athletic settings, as well as in women’s health.

In her free time, Ruth enjoys outdoor activities such as walking, hiking, and gardening, as well as reading, practicing yoga, and cooking, all while cherishing quality time with loved ones.

Christie Ivan is a dedicated and experienced massage practitioner with a passion for healing the mind, body, and soul. With a remarkable 15 years of experience in the field, Christie has honed her skills to provide exceptional therapeutic treatments.

As a mother of three athletic children who are constantly busy with sports, Christie understands the importance of maintaining a healthy and balanced lifestyle. She firmly believes that health is a journey encompassing the well-being of the mind, body, and soul. For Christie, being well is not a luxury, but a necessary aspect of life.

In addition to her massage practice, Christie is deeply fascinated by the power of yoga and meditation. She finds solace and peace in these practices and encourages her clients to explore these avenues of self-care and well-being as well. When she’s not working, you can often find Christie enjoying the great outdoors, whether it’s camping, boating, or simply spending quality time with her family.

Christie’s ultimate goal is to create a space where people can truly pause from their everyday lives and focus on their own self-care and well-being. She strives to provide a serene and calming environment, allowing her clients to be fully present in the moment.

Tracy is not your average registered Massage Therapist. With a diverse background, Tracy brings a unique blend of expertise and passion to her practice.

Having spent 11 years in Forensics Autopsy, Tracy developed a deep understanding of the human body and its intricacies. This experience allowed her to cultivate a profound appreciation for the healing power of touch. Prior to her work in forensics, Tracy also served as a former EMT, further solidifying her commitment to helping others in times of need.

However, Tracy’s interests extend far beyond her professional life. She firmly believes in the healing properties of plants and the positive affirmation of oneself. Living on an acreage, Tracy finds solace in being surrounded by nature, her beloved animals, and her loving husband.

As a multilingual individual, Tracy is fluent in both speaking and writing Spanish, which allows her to connect with a wider range of clients and provide them with a comfortable and inclusive experience.

Tracy’s love for adventure has taken her around the world, but she firmly believes that “there’s no place like home.” She takes great pleasure in helping others, as she finds it to be the most rewarding aspect of life.