MOCC Instructors
Each MOCC module is instructed by a subject matter expert who specializes in the relevant field.
Orientation Module
Janet Mwamburi, BSc, RMT, COTT, MOT
Registered Educator by Saskatchewan Ministry of Advanced Education
Role: Instructor – Orientation Module
Email: janet@moccanada.ca
Janet is a Bachelor of Science Graduate from the University of Alberta: Augustana Faculty, a massage therapy graduate of Northern Institute of Massage Therapy and Alberta College of Massage Therapy, Calgary, Alberta. Janet has attained training in Osteoarticular Techniques; Myofascial Remodeling; Visceral Manipulation; Low Intensity Laser Therapy; Pregnancy Massage and Therapeutic Ball Release. She has also completed the Instructor Development Program and is certified in Basic American Sign Language. Janet became an instructor in 2012 and completed two NACC Instructor Development Programs. Janet feels very fortunate to have the opportunity to encourage manual osteopathic therapists-in-training as they pursue their dreams of helping others into health and wellness. If you asked Janet what the greatest highlight of her role is, she would say “Nothing excites me more than listening to budding practitioners talk about how their techniques effected lasting change and vastly improved their client’s quality of life. Nothing beats that!”
Osteoarticulations Module
Blaine Skleryk, BSc, MSc, RMT, COTTI, DMO, CCSE
Registered Educator by Saskatchewan Advanced Education
Role: Instructor – Osteoarticulations
Email: blaine@moccanada.ca
Blaine is co-founder of LaserHealth® Solutions and lives in Calgary where he has worked in his busy practice since 2004 treating a variety of chronic and acute soft tissue and joint conditions. Using a manual osteopathic approach Blaine has helped his clients find relief from chronic somatic dysfunction through a uniquely integrated approach, working to restore balance within many systems of the body.
Blaine is a Manual Osteopathic Therapist, a Registered Massage Therapist, an Onsen® Techniques Instructor, and a Certified Clinical Somatics Educator. Blaine holds a Bachelors of Science degree in Kinesiology (University of Waterloo,1982), and a Masters of Science in Biomechanics and Biomedical Sciences (University of Alberta, 1985). Prior to commencing his clinical practice, Blaine worked in gait assessment research at the University of Waterloo and the Human Performance Laboratory of the University of Calgary.
Blaine enjoys teaching the complicated subject matter of osteoarticular techniques in a simple and understandable way.
Terri Cuthill, RMT, MOT
Role: Instructor – Osteoarticulations
Email: terri@moccanada.ca
Terri graduated from Alberta Massage Training in 2009 and became a teacher’s assistant in February 2010. She completed an online instructor course in November 2010. To add to her skills, Terri has taken a cranio sacral workshop, a jade stone workshop and standard first aid and level C CPR. In September 2019, Terri completed the Manual Osteopathic Therapy program with Manual Osteopathic College of Canada. Terri is an active member of the Canadian Massage and Manual Osteopathic Therapist Association, working out of a clinic in Sherwood Park during the week. Terri enjoys helping others, whether it’s working out a client’s knots or helping a student learn the body.
Involuntary Mechanisms Module
Dwayne Manary, DC, DMO
Registered Educator by Saskatchewan Advanced Education
Role: Instructor – Involuntary Mechanisms
Email: dwayne@moccanada.ca
Dwayne is a practicing Manual Osteopathic Therapist. He loves manual osteopathic therapy because of the whole body fluid movement approach to form and function. His personal philosophy is “Movement Is Life” and his professional purpose is to help clients to do more of what they love to do.
After spending five years at chiropractic college in Dallas, Texas, Dwayne and his wife moved to Melbourne, Australia, where he practiced for ten years. Dwayne and his wife moved back to Red Deer where they could be close to extended family through their kids’ school years.
Dwayne is a co-owner of Black Rock Therapies in Red Deer, Alberta, where he practices as a Manual Osteopathic Therapist.
Darlene Diminutto, RMT, CST-T, BSc, CCSE, ERYT200
Registered Educator by Saskatchewan Advanced Education
Role: Instructor – Involuntary Mechanisms
Email: darlene@moccanada.ca
Darlene graduated from the University of Toronto in 1986 with a degree in Human Physiology. In 1993, while working it the Foothills Hospital in The Cardiac Cath Lab, she took her first massage therapy class as a night course. Over her 25 years of massage therapy, Darlene has taken workshops in different osteopathic techniques and have woven them into her practice. “If I had known about Manual Osteopathic Therapy 20 years ago I would have taken the whole program!”. In 2010 Darlene enrolled in an Upledger Craniosacral class and was hooked. Realizing that bodywork did not have to be a battle between the client’s body and the therapist, that it could be cooperative work with the client’s innate healing knowledge leading the way, she has continued her studies in bodywork focusing on CranioSacral Therapy, fascial release techniques, Lymphatic Drainage Therapy and Somatic Education. Darlene is a certified CST from the Upledger Institute and is currently working toward certification in MLD from the Chikly Institute.
Darlene has studied Iyengar Yoga, Sivananda Yoga, Astanga Yoga, Anusara Yoga and Critical Alignment Therapy (CAT) Yoga. It was the therapy of the movements that attracted her attention and the different intentions that each style of yoga offered that expanded her learning.
It was through her yoga community that she was introduced to Somatics. After completing the “Myth of Aging” workshop and realizing that this was the “missing link” for her clients to heal fully, she signed up for the full clinical training. Today Darlene teaches Critical Alignment Therapy classes infused with Somatics and runs Somatic Movement workshops to facilitate the healing potential of movement that is within each of us. Darlene loves to be outside, cross county skiing in the winter and kayaking and hiking in the summer. She also plays badminton and has a serious addition to pickleball.
Visceral Manipulations Module
Sheryl Hamilton, BSc, RMT, RCST®
Registered Educator by Saskatchewan Advanced Education
Role: Instructor – Visceral Manipulation
Email: sheryl@moccanada.ca
Sheryl Hamilton has been in practice as an RMT since 1997, first in Toronto and then in Vancouver and now in Armstrong, BC. She has taught the anatomy and neuroanatomy components of massage therapy at both the Swedish Institute College of Health Sciences in New York, NY and at OVCMT in Vernon, BC. Sheryl has been developing and teaching continuing education courses to massage therapists since 2012. Her own Continuing Education training includes Visceral Manipulation through the Barral Institute and Biodyamic Craniosacral Therapy training through Body Intelligence. Sheryl brings a passion for living anatomy and the process of healing to her teaching, to facilitate ease of understanding and application for students. Sheryl is also trained as a Spiritual Director. She lives in Armstrong with her husband, two sons, poodle Orion and tortoise Flower.
Gaelen Gibson, RMT
Role: Instructor – Visceral Manipulation
Email: gaelen@moccanada.ca
Gaelen graduated from Sutherland-Chan in 1995 and has been happily working in BC since. She went from exploring deep-tissue work into lighter more specific modalities as her hands became more sensitive and developed better proprioception. “Like many therapists, I explored a lot different manual therapy modalities. I took a visceral class with the Barral Institute and was hooked! It’s like I found a groove that fit with my perception of the work that I do and the world I live in. I’ve gone through most of their offered curriculum and became a TA for them, I loved helping other therapists ‘get’ the visceral component.” She re-developed and teaches an Introduction to Visceral class for Langara College’s RMT program and is super excited to share her love of visceral and the advanced visceral program with the students of MOCC.
Most of Gaelen’s practice involves visceral work of some sort, she loves working with women’s issues (lots of digestion and pelvic organs) as well as infants and children.
Myofascial Remodelling Module
Tanya Simpson, RMT, MOT
Registered Educator by Saskatchewan Advanced Education
Role: Instructor – Advanced Myofascial Remodeling
Email: tanya@moccanada.ca
Tanya is a Registered Massage Therapist and Manual Osteopathic Therapist who has practiced in both provinces. A graduate of the West Coast College of Massage Therapy in 2008; she developed an interest in fascia early in her career. This prompted her to pursue further study of fascia related techniques in the majority of the professional development courses she has taken. She continues to increase her expertise of fascia through studies and her practice.
Tanya currently has her own massage therapy/manual osteopathic therapy practice in Edmonton. She is excited for the opportunity to inspire other health care professionals on the importance of a healthy fascial system and teach methods to treat fascial dysfunction.
Corbett McCabe, RMT, BA
Role: Instructor – Advanced Myofascial Remodeling
Email: corbett@moccanada.ca
Corbett graduated from Okanagan Valley College of Massage Therapy in Vernon, BC in 2010. He is an RMT working at West Kelowna Massage Therapy and Wellness. Corbett’s practice focuses on Intergated Fascial Techniques, these include Myofascial, Cranial Sacral Therapy and Visceral treatment. He has completed much of his training as well as a 3 year IFT series under his mentor and friend Natale Rao. Although born and raised in the prairies he has greatly appreciated living in the Okanagan for the past 12 years. He feels that teaching and learning are always connected and they truly promote each other. Corbett is excited to assist other health care professionals in understanding and working with Fascia.
MOCC Teaching Assistants
Each MOCC Campus has a designated Teaching Assistant to ensure continuity between modules. Teaching Assistants are always available to answer student questions.
Alyssa Hendry – RMT, MOT
Role: Teaching Assistant – Grande Prairie
Email: alyssa@moccanada.ca
Alyssa Hendry has been a Registered Massage Therapist since 2013. She graduated from the Canadian College of Massage and Hydrotherapy in Cambridge, ON where she began her career. She worked in multi-disciplinary clinics before moving to Grande Prairie, AB where she now owns and operates Aurora Mountain Therapy. She is a second year Massage Therapy instructor at Alberta College of Massage Therapy in Grande Prairie, as well as a Student Clinic Supervisor and a part of the Academic Committee.
Alyssa’s new passion for Manual Osteopathic Therapy has greatly benefited her practice and helps her clients achieve their full potential.
Alyssa’s new passion for Manual Osteopathic Therapy has greatly benefited her practice and helps her clients achieve their full potential.
Casey Grondahl – RMT, MOT
Role: Teaching Assistant – Grande Prairie
Email: casey@moccanada.ca
Casey Grondahl started her journey in the massage therapy industry in 2003, and since then has developed her career to include infant massage and doula. Since 2017 Casey has welcomed the role of instruction with the Alberta College of Massage a Therapy as a second year TA, and student clinic supervisor. In 2018, the opportunity arose to partake in the inaugural class of the Manual Osteopathic College of Canada, and the challenge was accepted with open arms. Receiving honours with distinction in the MOT course, Casey now embraces the role of Teaching Assistant at the Grande Prairie campus. This is where Casey’s passion remains; in the classroom, sharing her passion for Massage Therapy and Manual Osteopathic Therapy.
Amanda Thomas – RMT, MOT
Role: Teaching Assistant and Orientation Module Instructor – Edmonton
Email: amanda@moccanada.ca
Amanda began her massage therapy career in 2011 and began teaching with ACMT in 2016. Fascinated by the human body, she added the field of Manual Osteopathic Therapy to her Massage Therapy practice in 2019. Amanda assists the MOCC program in addition to instructing the Spa Massage Practitioner and Massage Therapy programs with ACMT. In her spare time, she enjoys gardening, being outside, and crafting.
Lianna Bergonia – RMT, MOT
Role: Teaching Assistant – Edmonton
Email: lianna@moccanada.ca
Lianna is a Manual Osteopathic Therapist / Registered Massage Therapist and owner of Healing Point Massage and Manual Osteopathy in St. Albert, AB. She graduated from Massage Therapy Program at ACMT in 2017 wherein shortly after being an RMT, she took Manual Osteopathic Therapy Program at MOCC and graduated in 2019. Being a TA is new to her and she is very excited not just because it’s an opportunity to be able to help students to succeed in this program but also to hear more testimonials from the class and use these as inspiration for the rest of her career.
Pamela Fisher – RMT, MOT
Role: Teaching Assistant – Edmonton
Email: pam@moccanada.ca
Pamela’s passion is to identify and relieve pain in the body and prevent any unnecessary disease. As a Manual Osteopathic Therapist as well as a Registered Massage Therapist, she believes that taking care of your body is critical for your physical, mental and emotional self. She loves the versatility that Osteopathic Therapy has given her, as well as the unique ability she has gained to work with each individual client, and create lasting results.
Pam Ryks-Paquette – RMT, MOT
Role: Teaching Assistant – Edmonton
Email:
Pam has been a holistic health practitioner since 1999 when she began her career as a Reflexologist through the Reflexology Association of Canada. Her educational journey continued as she then attended MH Vicars School of Massage and became a Registered Massage Therapist in 2007. Over the years, learning more of how our body functions has never taken a back seat as she has taken many continuing education courses. A passion was ignited when she engaged herself in the Visceral Manipulation courses through the Barral Institute. That enthusiasm lead her to the Manual Osteopathic College of Canada and she’s now a practicing Manual Osteopathic Therapist.
Pam loves what she does. Satisfaction and joy comes from seeing her patients achieve optimum health and vitality. For years she worked out of a multi disciplinary clinic but has recently reopened her private practice. Pam is looking forward to assisting other practitioners succeed with their passion. She lives just outside of St Albert with her husband, two sons and her fur babies.
Debbie Manary – RMT, MOT
Role: Teaching Assistant – Calgary
Email: debbie@moccanada.ca
Debbie is a Manual Osteopathic Therapist who graduated from the Manual Osteopathic College of Canada (MOCC) and a Senior Registered Massage Therapist at Black Rock Therapies in Red Deer. She began her massage education in 2002 in Dallas, Texas and had the privilege to spend her internship in Irving, Texas. Additional training at the Australian Institute of Fitness resulted in the global recognition of a Certified Personal Trainer Level IV. The combination of Manual Osteopathic Therapy, Massage Therapy, and personal training has given Debbie a unique perspective towards health, wellness and athletic performance. Debbie is very excited to be part of the MOCC team as a TA.
Tammy Letendre – RMT, MOT
Role: Teaching Assistant – Lloydminster
Email: tammy@moccanada.ca
Tammy is ACMT & MOCC Alumni. She is working as a RMT/MOT in Lloydminster and uses her new advanced education with every client. Excited to be helping others succeed on their path to becoming a Manual Osteopathic Therapist at the Lloydminster campus. Teaching isn’t new to Tammy, as she taught swimming lessons for 17 years in Lloydminster, Vermilion, Saskatoon and Penticton. She loves helping others to succeed, be it her clients or students.
Dawn Sharman, BA, RMT, RYT, DMOT
Role: Teaching Assistant – Vernon and Vancouver
Email: dawn@moccanada.ca
Dawn is a life-long learner and has graduated from Okanagan Valley College of Massage Therapy (OVCMT) in 1999, the Vancouver School Healing Arts to become a yoga teacher in 2009, and she graduated from the Manual Osteopathic College of Canada (MOCC) in 2020. Her 21 year career as a health care provider have been diverse, and includes the following: treating patients at her home based clinic and healing arts center, instructing and supervising at massage therapy schools, teaching Continuing Education Credits (CEC’s) to massage therapists throughout Alberta and BC, acting as Principal of the Alberta College of Massage Therapy (ACMT) and the Manual Osteopathic College of Canada (MOCC), participating as a Board Member with the Canadian Council of Massage Therapy Schools (CCMTS), Surveying Canadian massage therapy schools with the Canadian Massage Therapy Council for Accreditation (CMTCA), developing the Canadian manual osteopathic educational programs School Approval System for the Canadian Massage and Manual Osteopathic Therapists Association (CMMOTA) and now also a Teaching Assistant with MOCC.
Renata Warkentin, RMT, MOT
Role: Teaching Assistant – Vernon and Vancouver
Email: renata@moccanada.ca
Renata moved to Canada in 1988 and worked in Winnipeg as a Physio assistant for many years. She always was interested in the rehabilitation side of healing, and enrolled at and graduated from ACMT in January of 2018 as a fully licensed RMT. Renata had a very successful practice working at a physiotherapy clinic in Edmonton, and supervising with ACMT. When Renata learned about Osteopathy and the MOCC program, she knew that this was the next step in her career. She absolutely loves being a Manual Osteopathic Therapist, and all that comes with it. Renata is now in the process of opening her own Osteo clinic in North Vancouver while teaching with MOCC.
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Our Faculty
June 7, 2018
