About Our Team
Melissa West has been practicing Massage Therapy since 1996 and has been a resident of Kamloops since 1997. She is dedicated to helping people rehabilitate, prevent, and manage injuries and/or chronic conditions, by providing patient-centered care and promoting permanent positive lifestyle changes.
After several years in practice, Melissa realized that she could not address all the needs of her patients single-handedly. Therefore, Melissa uses an interdisciplinary, team approach, and refers patients to resources outside the clinic if necessary. Melissa is always looking for additional practitioners to join the team in order to enhance patient care.
Over the years, Melissa has been able to give back to the Kamloops community by volunteering with various sports teams (hockey, football, rugby, soccer) and providing first aid, Massage Therapy, and athletic training services as required. She has gained invaluable technical experience, as well as connections with the community at large, by continuing with volunteer activities. Melissa cherishes the experience of joining Operation Nicaragua to train impoverished women in relaxation massage techniques which allowed them to be gainfully employed at various tourist resorts in their country. The income these women may now generate will help to guarantee food and shelter for themselves and their families.
Melissa’s lifelong goal has been to be fit, feel healthy, and live pain-free and she wants to help others do the same.
Credentials
Melissa graduated from UBC with a Bachelor’s degree in Human Kinetics and went on to obtain a diploma from the West Coast College of Massage Therapy in 1996. Melissa utilizes her background in Human Kinetics to complement her Massage Therapy treatments by providing her patients with an interdisciplinary approach to their rehabilitation and care.
Her approach is neurocentric, which focuses on regulating the nervous system to promote a healthy mind-body connection, and ultimately manifest physical health and wellness. Melissa also has a passion for teaching and her practice offers her the ability to teach through patient education, movement therapy classes, and pain/stress management seminars.
Our team at Change Your Pain Kamloops has partnered with another local credible wellness company, Well and Able.
Since Michael can remember, he has had a passion for helping people. That passion, mixed with his drive to learn how the body works led him to become an RMT. He has spent hundreds of hours in post-graduate education on the science of pain. He uses this knowledge to uniquely assess patients and figure out how he can help. Like most RMTs, he has training in many different techniques. He will work with you to find the one that best suits your body. He believes that firm/deep pressure is not always better than lighter/superficial pressure. What is important is where the pressure is applied.
He is excited to settle with his family in Kamloops. They have recently decided to move from the lower mainland and can’t wait to get to know the community better.
Credentials
Michael graduated from the West Coast College of Massage Therapy in 2007 and is a member in good standing with the College of Massage Therapists of BC (CMTBC) and the Registered Massage Therapists Association of BC (RMTBC). He is a past instructor at the West Coast College of Massage Therapy. He has chaired research panels at a variety of conferences, including the Third International Fascia Research Congress in Vancouver, the RMTBC international Persistent Pain conference, and the RMTBC Manual Therapy conference. He teaches postgraduate courses on the neurocentric approach for pain management to RMTs, Physios, Osteos, and Chiros throughout BC as well as across Canada, the USA, and in Europe.
When Marcia was younger, she suffered from a chronic shoulder problem after intense sport training. Her rehab involved a wonderful manual therapist who helped her through the pain, and inspired Marcia to do the same for others.
In her free time, Marcia enjoys being active and hanging out with her family. She loves swimming, nature, and most outdoor activities. She also enjoys DIY projects around the house and being creative in many different ways, such as sewing, poems, and art projects with her children. Most recently she has become very interested in permaculture and growing much of the food her family eats.
Credentials
Marcia graduated from the West Coast College of Massage Therapy in 2007. She is a member in good standing with the College of Massage Therapists of BC (CMTBC) and the Registered Massage Therapists Association of BC (RMTBC).
She uses manual therapy, patient education, and strengthening with patients. She has always had a passion for working with women during and post-pregnancy, a passion that was enhanced by having had two children of her own. In her 16 years practicing as an RMT, she has gained a strong knowledge working on a wide variety of pathologies and postural imbalances. I believe that postural alignment and muscle balance are important in recovery. Her husband, Michael, and her started a massage therapy practice in South Delta 10 years ago, which you can read more about at wellandable.ca.
Meet our compassionate team.
Discover how we’re dedicated to relieving your pain and restoring your quality of life. Schedule a consultation with us today and take the first step towards a pain-free tomorrow!