PREVENT
RESTORE
ACHIEVE
Clinic: (250) 929-6116 Fax: (250) 929-6118
101-1760 Shawnigan Lake – Mill Bay Road
Shawnigan Lake, BC
Our Clinic Services
Massage Therapy
Massage therapists assess soft tissues and joints of the body to identify and help prevent dysfunctions, injuries, pain, and physical disorders. Therapeutic massage helps to increase mobility, decrease muscle spasms and pain, improve circulation, and encourage relaxation.
Acupuncture
Acupuncture is a form of traditional Chinese medicine that is based on the theory that energy, called chi (“Chee”), flows through and around your body along pathways called meridians. Chi’s balance greatly influences the mental, physical, spiritual and emotional part of the self. Acupuncturists believe that illness occurs when something blocks or unbalances one’s chi and is responsible for the rise in symptoms and disease.
Athletic Therapy
Athletic therapists treat musculoskeletal conditions using various manual therapies, exercise prescriptions, and procedures, including bracing and taping. The goal of an Athletic Therapist is to facilitate patients’ return to their desired activity level. It is suitable for everyone, whether you want to walk to your mailbox or run a marathon.
Non-Registered Relaxation Massage
A Relaxation Massage is the most common and best-known type of massage. This massage is performed using Swedish techniques consisting of long, rhythmic strokes and small circular movements with pressure that varies from light to medium to firm. Your massage worker will adjust the pressure according to your sensitivity and preference.
Health Coaching
Health coaches empower their clients by providing individualized integrative protocols to create and reach their goals in practical ways. They give the much-needed support and accountability to make changes to improve physical, mental/emotional, and spiritual health.
Manual Osteopathy
Osteopathy seeks to restore balance by removing obstacles which interfere with the body’s innate potential. Osteopathic practitioners use their hands to mobilize joints and manipulate visceral organs or subtle workings of the cranial-sacral mechanism. This client-centered approach involves gentle palpation to ascertain the root of a person’s dysfunction.
A Simple Approach to Health & Wellness
Our mission is to deliver leading health and wellness services to help support and equip people in their life journey to achieve, maintain or exceed their lifestyle goals.
Meet Our Practitioners
Our team consists of highly trained health care providers who work together to help you achieve your lifestyle goals.
Nicole Finlayson
Owner & Registered Massage Therapist
Erica Eckstrand
Doctorate of Naturopathic Medicine and B.Sc (Hons)
Jennifer Hodge
Registered Massage Therapist
Peter Schreurs
Osteopathic Manual Practitioner & Certified Athletic Therapist DOMP, B.Sc., CAT(C)
Alexandra McKimm
Registered Massage Therapist
Shelby Morgan
Registered Acupuncturist
Sumi Kang
Registered Acupuncturist & Traditional Chinese Medicine Practioner
Jessica Butler
Registered Massage Therapist
Matthew McMillan
Registered Massage Therapist
Nicole Finlayson
Owner &
Registered Massage Therapist
Nicole was born and raised on Vancouver Island. In 2013 she completed her Bachelor’s degree in Athletic and Exercise Therapy from Camosun College and went on to pursue a career as a strength and conditioning coach.
With the desire to help people with a hands-on approach she completed her diploma from the West Coast College of Massage Therapy in the summer of 2019.
Nicole is passionate about helping clients return to and continue the activities they love with confidence. Her treatments are based on current research and incorporate a whole-body approach. Initial assessments are centered on creating a personalized plan to optimize each individual recovery.
Treatment modalities commonly incorporated into her practice include a range of passive and active techniques including: Swedish massage, trigger point pressure and pin and stretch.
Treatments conclude with self-management strategies including exercise therapy and hydrotherapy recommendations.
In her spare time, you will find Nicole outdoors hiking, trail running, cycling and spending time with friends and family.
Peter Schreurs
Osteopathic Manual Practitioner & Certified Athletic Therapist DOMP, B.Sc., CAT(C)
Peter has always been fascinated by the capabilities of the human body. This led him to study athletic and exercise therapy at Camosun, completing his undergraduate degree.
After graduation, he obtained his certification as a certified athletic therapist CAT(C). Peter continued his studies through the Canadian School of Osteopathy, in the field of osteopathy, and has completed his fifth and final year, receiving his Diploma of Osteopathic Manual Practice.
Peter believes that the body functions as a whole. When one body part is in distress, the rest of the body responds. His treatments are holistic in nature.
He uses a combination of manual techniques derived through osteopathic education, along with exercise and education. This multi-modal approach allows for the effective treatment of; musculoskeletal injuries, backpain, chronic conditions & pain, sports injuries, postural issues, & surgical rehabilitation.
Sumi Kang
Registered Acupuncturist & Traditional Chinese Medicine Practioner
Sumi is a Registered Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioner (R.TCM.P), registered in good standing with the College of Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioners of British Columbia (CTCMA).
She studied her Acupuncture and Chinese Herbal Medicine at Pacific Rim College located on the unceded Coast Salish Territory of the Lekwungen (Songhees) and WSANEC nations on Vancouver Island in beautiful Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. After spending over 700 hours of clinical training, she was able to apply her studies in acupuncture, herbal medicine, nutrition and biomedicine into a number of patients coming to see her with various ailments.
Sumi’s acupuncture and Chinese herb medicine training centered on Traditional Chinese Medicine and Korean style acupuncture. She believes in the evident connection between harmonious mind and body. This is why Sumi’s practice mainly focuses on mental-emotional well-being and internal medicine, including the treatment of digestive disorders, gynaecological issues, stress-related conditions, fatigue, pain and the maintenance of good health.
She also found her great interest in natural beauty and graceful ageing. So she combines this ancient modality (along with gua sha, tui na and facial cupping) with the traditional Chinese medicine systems in her facial acupuncture treatment.
Outside of her practice, she is pursuing her in-depth knowledge and experience in Doctors of Chinese Medicine.
Erica Eckstrand
Doctorate of Naturopathic Medicine ND, B.Sc (Hons)
Dr. Erica Eckstrand, ND, is a graduate of the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine (CCNM) and has her roots on Vancouver Island, having spent her formative years in Shawnigan Lake. She earned a Bachelor of Science with Honours in biology and chemistry, specializing in genetics, from the University of Texas.
Prior to her studies at CCNM, she gained valuable experience as a compounding pharmacy technician in both Canada and the United States. With her comprehensive understanding of both conventional and naturopathic medicine, she is dedicated to assisting you and your family in achieving your health objectives through effective strategies and actionable steps.
During her pursuit of a doctorate in naturopathic medicine, she acquired expertise in various modalities, including functional nutrition and lifestyle medicine, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), herbal medicine, homeopathy, physical medicine, psychology, and counseling. Furthermore, she received advanced training in anatomy, physiology, pharmacology, immunology, biochemistry, microbiology, and clinical medicine.
Dr. Eckstrand, ND, is a trauma-informed, evidence-based integrative naturopathic physician committed to delivering care that addresses individual, family, interpersonal, and community needs to promote optimal physical and mental/emotional well-being. She has a particular focus on cancer care and mental health, along with interests in pediatrics, skin conditions, complex chronic autoimmune diseases, environmental medicine, digestive issues, and women’s health.
Jessica Butler
Registered Massage Therapist
Jessica graduated from WCCMT in Victoria and became a registered massage therapist in 2015.
Drawing from experience in both clinic and spa settings, she offers safe and effective therapeutic treatments that prioritize rest and relaxation. Using an intuitive approach, she pays special attention to calming the nervous system to help restore equilibrium and facilitate the body’s natural healing process.
Jessica is a strong believer in the benefits of thorough patient education. She encourages her clients to take an active role in achieving their wellness goals and collaborates with them to develop personalized treatment plans and home care to maximize results.
Jennifer Hodge
Registered Massage Therapist
Jennifer graduated from the MCG Career College in Red Deer, Alberta, and obtained a Diploma in Advanced Massage Therapy. She then fulfilled the requirements to become a member in good standing with the CMTBC as an RMT.
She was highly influenced by her Mother who worked as both a Registered Nurse and a Registered Massage Therapist and introduced her to Massage Therapy and Reiki and helped to ignite the spark that would put Jennifer on a path of discovery and study into healing modalities, wellness, and a never-ending interest in understanding the human body and ourselves.
For over 20 years, Jennifer has trained and certified in numerous modalities including Reiki, Tapping/EFT, BodyTalk, Conscious Connected Breathwork and Craniosacral Therapy. Ultimately, her passion for healing and supporting others led her to study Massage Therapy.
Jennifer now draws from all of the teachings she has acquired to inform her massage practice and provides trauma-informed, tailored care to each of her clients.
She also counts herself as a recovery ally and has extensive experience employing massage as an additional support in the treatment of addiction.
Whether your goal is to relax, rest, rehabilitate, rebuild or to strengthen your own inner wisdom, self-compassion, or self-care, Jennifer will be attentive and provide safe, effective treatments to support you in realizing your goals. In collaboration with you, she will work to provide ongoing home care plans to continue your treatment beyond the appointment time.
Alexandra McKimm
Registered Massage Therapist
Alex attended Acadia University in Nova Scotia, where she received her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology. However, she is a BC girl through and through, returning to her hometown after her time on the east coast. She started teaching preschool in Victoria. Completing her Early Childhood Educator accreditation in 2008. Through teaching in a wide variety of settings, she developed a confident, research-based practice.
Alex retrained as an RMT in 2017 with Okanagan Valley College of Massage therapy. Blending lessons learned from watching children play, Alex now finds ways to connect with the body through curiosity and joy and presence.
She encourages exploration of the root of the issue being addressed. Helping clients find the different systems attached to it and the pathways and movements that could be contributing to the problem. She helps clients find a way to reverse engineer the issue, through postural awareness, stretch, and strength. Employing a client centered approach in both treatment and designing effective homecare systems. She focuses on using clear communication to explore the client’s treatment goals, empowering and educating them to find relief.
She has been building a treatment style around re-programming habitual neural pathways and directed awareness to address imbalanced patterns. Her practice focuses on passive motions to repattern proprioceptive pathways using a combination deep broad pressure and rocking movements. She aims to have every client feel, heard, and seen and empowered to find relief and relaxation.
Matthew McMillan
Registered Massage Therapist
Matthew has lived on Vancouver Island for the better part of a decade first settling in the Cobble Hill area. He is now happy to work close to the area and with the surrounding communities.
Matthew Graduated from the West Coast College Of Massage Therapy in Victoria in 2022. Since then, he has worked in a spa enjoying the atmosphere and focus on wellness. With both his clinical and spa experience, he enjoys providing a combination of general relaxation and specific body work. Matthew aims to help clients achieve their goals from pain management, stress reduction to increasing mobility and general maintenance.
In his personal time, Matthew enjoys staying active, is a lifelong drummer, and seeks adventure travel. He strives to balance helping others, taking time for self-care and exploring the world as much as possible.
Shelby Morgan
Registered Acupuncturist
Shelby Morgan is a Registered Acupuncturist, registered in good standing with the College of Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioners of British Columbia (CTCMA).
She completed the Acupuncture Diploma at Pacific Rim College in Victoria BC where she studied Traditional Chinese Medicine and its treatment of various conditions as they relate to internal medicine, gynaecology, paediatrics, dermatology and external medicine, and pain.
Shelby believes that the body has an inherent wisdom that when supported and nurtured through holistic approaches like acupuncture, food, movement, and mindfulness, can lead to improved health and well being. By tapping into the body’s own healing mechanisms using these holistic modalities, Shelby aims to work with her patients to not only alleviate symptoms but also address the root causes of imbalance, promoting long-term wellness and vitality.
Shelby is also a pregnancy and postpartum Doula and has a passion in supporting patients in fertility, hormone balancing, pregnancy, postpartum, and paediatrics. In the clinic, Shelby uses a combination of various treatments suited for each patient including acupuncture, electroacupuncture, acupressure, moxibustion (heat therapy), fire cupping, Tui Na, and Gua Sha.
Shelby grew up in Parksville and since has moved around the island, settling down and raising her family in the Cowichan Valley. When she is not in the clinic, you can find Shelby spending time with her family, enjoying the outdoors, or cozied up with a good book.
“My massage sessions with Nicole Finlayson have dealt with knee and foot pain, and with strained neck and upper back muscles. Nicole’s treatment was effective in all these areas, and I would not hesitate to see her again should the need arise. She is not only a skilled knowledgeable therapist, but she possesses a warm, friendly manner that puts one at ease immediately.”
Karen Ashworth
Patient
Your Health Starts Here
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Call — 250 929 6116 Fax — 250 929 6118