Colleen Byrne was drawn to physiotherapy out of a desire to understand the inner workings of the human body and a need to make a difference in the lives of others.
Since having a child, and the experience of motherhood, Colleen has found an even greater appreciation in the importance of exercise for the mind, body and soul. This ultimately led to 'Movement IsTherapy' which is a home based business focusing on 1:1 functional movement/manual therapy. After working in a fast paced clinic environment for over 9 years, Colleen appreciates the opportunity to offer hands on one on one personalized sessions.
She puts a strong emphasis on open communication and is passionate about patient empowerment. The ability to relate and show empathy makes Colleen a unique health care professional who really wants to help YOU make your life better.
Having completed an Honours Degree in Science at Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops, Colleen worked in the the field of Chemistry as a lab technician and instructor at the University for a few years. Eventually deciding that this field wasn’t for her, her passion for teaching took her to Portugal where she taught English. The realization of the importance of exercise and movement for work life balance led her to deciding that she wanted to pursue her Masters in Physiotherapy. Bringing her back to Canada, Colleen finished her Masters degree in Physiotherapy at UBC in 2008.
Since graduating she has completed many post-graduate courses. Including Vestibular Rehabilitation, STOTT clinical pilates rehabilitation, medical acupuncture, functional dry needling, mobilization with movement, taping, myofascial release with movement, and many more.
In 2014, She went to Costa Rica for a month to complete her 200 hour Yoga teacher training course and is a registered member of the Canadian Yoga Alliance.
She finds ongoing education very fulfilling and essential for a successful physiotherapy practice.
Colleens mission is to educate, inspire, and empower people to create health by sharing her knowledge, expertise, and experience.
Her approach is quite eclectic and holistic. It combines a mixture of manual therapy (hands-on) combined with movement using pilates and yoga as well as functional movement principles, and of course customized exercise prescription with a focus on education to facilitate a faster healing process and prevent re-injuries.
Colleen believes there is never really just one spot to treat, but everything as a whole. Proper breath pattern is essential for movement and often times less is more when working in rehabilitation. Most importantly the act of self-care and your state of mind is just as important as anything physical.