Meet the MANUAL MEDICINE Team
A positive attitude goes a long way when your health is concerned, and at Manual Medicine we make it the rule, not the exception. Incredibly patient and knowledgeable, our team is committed to helping patients feel better and be well-informed when making important health decisions. Get in touch today to learn more.
Jessica Armstrong
Registered Physiotherapist and Clinic Co-Owner
Jessica graduated from Western University with her Physical Therapy Masters Degree in 2018 and her Kinesiology Bachelors Degree in 2016. Throughout her training and continuing education, Jessica has gained experience working with a variety of populations, including sport, neurological, surgical, chronic pain, and paediatrics. Jessica has a passion for helping people achieve their optimal quality of life and uses multimodal rehabilitation programs to reach individual goals. She values connecting with each of her patients and providing them with the education needed to understand their conditions. Jessica continually seeks out new research and treatment techniques and has completed additional education in vestibular therapy, sports rehabilitation, advanced orthopaedic manual therapy, soft tissue release, and concussion. Having grown up in Haldimand County, Jessica is happy to be in the position to help her home community. Outside of the clinic, Jessica enjoys backcountry camping, reading, playing volleyball, hiking with her dog, and completing art projects.
Brock Brownell
Registered Massage Therapist and Clinic Co-Owner
Brock received his diploma of Massage Therapy from Mohawk College in 2017. A resident of Haldimand County, Brock has worked as a Registered Massage Therapist in Dunnville and Caledonia over the past few years. With a focus on deep tissue treatments, he treats a wide range of conditions including; post-operative, sports injuries, muscle strains, headaches, joint pain, and much more. Brock is currently going into his fourth year of osteopathy at the Canadian College of Osteopathy and is expected to graduate in the fall of 2023. This program has taught him a variety of advanced manual therapeutic techniques allowing him to expand his knowledge in treating more complex conditions.
Kristy Howe
Office Manager
Kristy received her Office Management diploma from Mohawk College and her Bachelor of Arts Degrees in Gerontology & Sociology from McMaster University. Kristy is the Office Manager at Manual Medicine & brings over 8 years of experience in office administration/supervision & human resources. Kristy organizes practice policies, scheduling systems, office operations/procedures within the clinic & maintains accounts payable, accounts receivable, and monthly billing. In her downtime, Kristy enjoys baking, a good glass of red wine, hiking, and spending time with her family & friends.
Christina Zapala
Registered Massage Therapist
Christina graduated from Canadian Therapeutic College in 2012. After working as a massage therapist in Colorado for three years, Christina moved back to Ontario and has been in good standing with the College of Massage Therapists working as an RMT mainly in clinical settings. Christina specializes in Swedish, deep tissue, and prenatal massage. Christina takes pride in her professionalism and ability to identify the specific needs of each patient. In her treatments, Christina includes a thorough assessment as well as recommendations for self-care following treatment to further enhance the benefits of massage therapy. Outside of the clinic, Christina is an avid photographer and keeps busy with her three little ones.
Dr. Kayla Harrop
Registered Chiropractor
Dr. Kayla Harrop completed her undergraduate studies at Brock University where she received a Bachelor of Science (honours) degree in Kinesiology. From there, she went on to earn her Doctor of Chiropractic degree from Northeast College of Health Sciences (formerly New York Chiropractic College). Dr. Kayla has the knowledge and skills to assess, diagnose, and treat a variety of neuromusculoskeletal conditions. To help her patients achieve optimal health and wellness, Dr. Kayla uses a combination of evidence-based chiropractic techniques, contemporary medical acupuncture, soft tissue therapy, exercise prescription and patient education. Dr. Kayla has a strong passion for women’s health – specifically prenatal and postpartum care. She is a GrowCo Ambassador, where she provides evidence-based, highly effective care for your core, pelvic floor, and total body after baby. Outside of practice, Dr. Kayla enjoys hiking with her dog and exploring new campgrounds with her husband.
Lauren Hines
Registered Massage Therapist
Lauren was born and raised in Dunnville, Ontario. She attended Brock University and graduated with a Bachelor of Kinesiology degree. She then went on to graduate from the Accelerated Massage Therapy program at Ontario College of Health and Technology in April of 2021.
Health and fitness have always been a major part of Lauren’s life; she is an athletic individual and her world has always revolved around sports, including gymnastics, track and field, and golf. Lauren was a Varsity athlete at Brock University as part of the track and field team as well as the golf team. She has been treated by many health practitioners throughout her athletic career and was inspired by them to start working in the healthcare field. She is excited to be able to apply her knowledge on how to keep our bodies strong and healthy to help her clients resolve any concerns and achieve their goals.
Esther Westendorp
Certified Athletic Therapist
Esther spent 15 years in Dunnville before recently moving to Smithville. Esther graduated from Sheridan College in 2022 with her Honours Bachelor of Applied Health Sciences in Athletic Therapy. In addition, she is a Red Cross Certified First Responder. Esther has a variety of experience in both the clinic and in the field – she spent last season working Varsity Soccer and Basketball at Sheridan College and is currently working with the Dunnville Jr. Mudcats as the team Athletic Therapist.
Esther is passionate about helping athletes and active individuals return to their activity at a higher level of competition. She uses a high-performance sports medicine model of thinking and applies that to everyone. Esther places a high priority on injury prevention, conditioning, mobility, and strong functional movement patterns. She believes that exercise is the best medicine and takes pride in tailoring a custom exercise program for every person. Esther uses a variety of manual techniques, modalities, and exercises during her treatments, prioritizing one-on-one care. She is passionate about foot health and performance and building from a strong, mobile foundation. Esther enjoys building relationships with her patients and helping them crush their goals.
Ruth Draaistra
Registered Massage Therapist
Ruth is passionate about mental and physical wellbeing. In 2017, she graduated the Occupational & Physiotherapist Assistant Program and worked in various clinic settings for three years. In 2021, Ruth graduated her studies in Massage Therapy at Mohawk College. Ruth uses active release, joint mobilizations, trigger point therapy, fascial release therapy, Swedish massage techniques, and remedial exercise. She has implemented treatment plans for WSIB, motor vehicle accidents, post-operative, and stress-related conditions. In her spare time, Ruth enjoys playing soccer, biking, hiking, and traveling. She looks forward to helping you achieve your rehabilitation goals!
Joshua Turner
Registered Physiotherapist
Josh received his Masters of Physical Therapy from the University of Toronto after completing an Honours Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology from McMaster University. As a part of his education, he has participated in research looking at healthy aging through exercise and physical activity in people living with HIV. While Josh is trained to treat a variety of injuries and conditions, he developed an interest in working with people living with chronic conditions, including long-COVID, which he gained experience in during a 3-month internship during his Masters.
Growing up locally in Caledonia, Josh has enjoyed sports and physical activity his whole life. Josh has played competitive basketball and volleyball, but also enjoys a wide variety of physical activities including hiking, disc golf and running. Josh is passionate about using his experience in a wide variety of activities to help athletes return to their sport and reduce their risk for future injury. Josh’s approach to rehab involves partnering with his clients, developing an individualized treatment plan, and providing them with the knowledge and tools to reduce their symptoms and meet their goals. After hours, Josh can often be found spending time with family and friends, often enjoying the outdoors in the process.
Melissa Elgersma
Registered Massage Therapist
Melissa is from Cayuga, Ontario. She attended McMaster University and graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Medical Radiation Sciences in 2019. This gave her a strong base of anatomy, patient care and aiding others in their journey toward better health. In February of 2022, she graduated with honours from the massage therapy program at Mohawk College.
Melissa assesses muscles and joints and creates individualized treatment plans to treat and prevent physical dysfunction and improve the wellbeing of her clients. She uses a variety of techniques to achieve their goals including Swedish techniques, myofascial release, stretching and low-grade joint mobilizations. She also believes that massage is a cooperative therapy and recommends remedial exercises, healthy habits and hydrotherapy between treatments for optimal outcomes.
Melissa has a special interest in working with those who experience chronic pain relating to both physical and mental stress and is passionate about improving the health of all clients through updated techniques and continual learning.
MANUAL MEDICINE