Tanya Meyers, RMT: Nurture Wellness Toronto

This is the first date & location for this specialty clinic for those 16 and younger. This is a supportive & inclusive environment geared towards helping kids at all ages and stages towards optimal physical and mental health. DM any questions. Stay tuned for more locations and dates - we’re taking it on the road 🚙 ✨✨✨

✨the location on July 21 is not fully accessible (there are 8 stairs down to studio). There is stroller parking outside. Stay tuned for accessible locations coming soon.

So excited to announce that Meagan Mooney, RMT will be joining me in the cozy, healing Nurture Nook Studio starting this week. Meagan will be sharing space with me and has space to accept new patients - her booking link is separate from mine and can be found on her page and website www.meaganmooneyrmt.ca
Welcome Meagan 💞✨

Enjoy !

Midwives Can Do More—Why Won’t We Let Them? Canada’s reproductive health care system needs an overhaul, and midwives are the professionals for the job.

Masking protocols in place until April 27, 2022 (and will possibly be extended).
Edit: masking policy will remain in place indefinitely due to the nature of my work and the current case numbers - June 15, 2022

April 19, 2021: I’ll continue to update my website and this page with current information about my practice. Nothing has changed as far as my ability to provide safe care to patients. I am continuing with my current modified schedule and strict protocols in place. Be well and stay safe, everyone! 🥰

All regulated health care (including RMT’s) remains operational during this phase of lock-down based on a risk/benefit assessment of each treatment. Therefore, I am able to continue to provide care with my modified schedule and strict screening amd sanitation protocols in place. See website for more details and feel free to DM me with questions. Stay safe!

Remember back in the Spring when I featured some vestigial structures (anatomical features that no longer seem to have a purpose in the current form of an organism)? Well, this week we're discussing a vestigial response - goose bumps. These tiny skin bumps appear when tiny muscles under our skin called Arrector Pili contract and pull on the hair and make it "stand up". The function of this process for our human ancestors was to raise the body's hair in order for us to appear larger and scare off predators or to increase the amount of air trapped in the fur to make it more insulating. This explains why it occurs when we are scared/startled or cold (and can occur with any strong emotional response). This same reflex happens in many mammals.

Weekly Anatomy Facts:
Since we have some snow on the ground today, the focus is on protecting your low back when clearing that snow. Snow shovelling with improper posture/technique is a leading cause of low back injuries. This is partly because it involves a combination of lifting, twisting and throwing heavy snow. Even without existing low back tightness (which many of us are experiencing more of this year with prolonged sitting) this can cause a lot of strain in the low back. Remember to engage your core/abdominal muscles when lifting. The first three slides here show some tips for proper body use/alignment. The last 3 slides show tips on my favourite restorative yoga pose - legs up the wall. This is not only a great low back stretch but is restorative and supportive of your body in many ways.

[As always, these are just general tips and I recommend you consult a health professional (RMT, Chiropractor, Osteopath, Physiotherapist, MD, etc...) about your specific health history and needs].

Weekly Anatomy Facts:
The sacroiliac (SI) joints connect your sacrum (triangular bone at the bottom of your spine) to the ilium bones of your pelvis (we have one on each side) and is supported by a system of strong ligaments and muscles (including Gluteus Maximus and Piriformis). It is a strong synovial joint that supports the entire weight of the upper body and has a shock absorbing function. Dysfunction in this joint can cause low back and/or leg pain that often mimics the symptoms of lumbar spinal disc injury or sciatica so a thorough assessment is necessary. It is estimated that 15-30% of low back pain cases are related to the SI joint.

Weekly Anatomy Facts:
Cartilage is a resilient and smooth elastic tissue, a rubber-like padding that covers the ends of long bones at the joints and nerves, and is a structural component of the rib cage, the nose, the ear, the bronchial tubes, the intervertebral discs and many other body components. It is not as rigid as bone but is more dense/less flexible than muscle tissue.

It’s Massage Therapy Awareness Week! RMT’s in Ontario have extensive training that goes far beyond the musculoskeletal conditions we treat (which itself involves intensive study in anatomy, physiology, pathology, neurology and orthopaedic assessment). This is because we are primary health care providers and may be the first to hear a report of a symptom or observe something physical or neurological that requires a referral for medical assessment or to another practitioner outside our scope of practice. I’ve referred many people to get a dermatology assessment for a mole or other skin condition that may be hard for them to see or that they may not realize has changed in appearance. I’m constantly referring people either to their MD to check symptoms or to other practitioners outside of my scope to enhance overall health and welll being. It’s an important role we play which luckily goes hand in hand with a therapy that feels great, has a positive effect on the cardiac and nervous systems and treats a wide variety of conditions. I’m proud to be a practicing RMT 23 years and counting.

It’s
The spine is an interconnected complex of bones, nerves, muscles, tendons and ligaments. It gives your body structure and support and allows you to move freely and bend with flexibility. The spine is designed to protect the spinal cord - a column of nerves that connects your brain with the rest of your body.

Weekly Anatomy Facts 💀
The brain has three main parts: the cerebrum, cerebellum amd brain stem. The cerebrum is the largest section, is split into two hemispheres and contains the following lobes: frontal, temporal, occipital and parietal. The slides show a summary of functions for each lobe of the brain.

**first in a new series of weekly posts**
All of the work I do is based in an understanding of the autonomic nervous system (ANS) and an intention to create balance within it and allow the body to heal, repair, rest, regenerate or whatever else it needs to do. The ANS is a control system that acts largely unconsciously and regulates bodily functions such as heart rate, digestion, respiratory rate, pupillary response, etc... It is comprised of 3 branches: The sympathetic ("fight or flight response"), parasympathetic ("rest and digest" or "feed and breed" response) and enteric ("brain-gut connection") systems. I will visit each branch in more detail in future posts.

I'll be starting back up with my weekly anatomy lesson posts later today. Feel free to scroll back to see over 50 mini-lessons (from March-August 2020) about anatomy, movement and health and DM me if you have any specific topic requests that I haven't covered yet! Wishing everyone good health, balance and well-being.

I hope you're all doing well during these strange and challenging times!
As of this week I'm fully booked for the remainder of 2020. This is my busy season and my appointments are more limited this year due to pandemic restrictions. Thanks to those of you who booked ahead. For those of you who haven't gotten the appointments you wanted, please use the wait list option on my on-line booking system, as it's very effective and I expect to get quite a few cancellations. I also have an extensive list of referrals on my website for trusted practitioners in the area to ensure you get the treatments you need - you'll be in good hands with any of them.
I have so much gratitude for all of you and for the fact that I'm able to keep doing the work I love, 23+ years into my career. Thank-you!

Tanya Meyers Registered Massage Therapist, Birth Coach & Doula

Referral Links As a health care practitioner dedicated to you achieving optimal health, Tanya often refers to other reputable practitioners to complement your treatment with her. Here is a list of those referral…

Infant Massage Tanya provides private instruction for parents and caregivers to learn infant massage. Some of the benefits of massaging your baby are: Helps relieve discomfort from gas, colic, and constipation I…

Better Birthing Consultation Better Birthing: Labour Support Consultation In this customized teaching session, Tanya will review the physiological process of labour and delivery, discuss your body’s natural mechanisms for bir…

You Have So Much Potential is a collection of stories written by 30 different health care providers and healers and led by our visionary, the exceptional Michelle Francis-Smith .💞
I was honoured to contribute a story about working with patients who have received a terminal cancer diagnosis and have enjoyed reading the other stories. I will have copies for sale in the office or you can send me a message if you’d like to arrange having one shipped (or dropped off if you’re in/near The Junction).

Thanks for sharing this, Vania VS - great info!

The Pregnancy and Postpartum Mental Health Issues No One Is Taking About Postpartum depression isn't the only thing that can affect new and soon-to-be moms.

For those of you in/near Durham Region

Durham Osteopathy We provide Manual Osteopathic care to those who seek relief from a range of symptoms and bring their body back to a place of ease allowing self-healing and self-regulation.

Appointment Alert 🚨
A 1 hour appointment is now available Thursday July 2 at 4:30pm and there are also a few spots the week of July 20. Follow the booking links at www.tanyameyers.com to book!*
*this availability is for existing clientele - I’m unable to accept new patients at this time due to a full patient load and further appointment limitations due to the pandemic.
Thank- you for understanding.

Tanya Meyers Registered Massage Therapist, Birth Coach & Doula

I’m working on getting everything safely in place before starting back to work - aiming for a June 18 gradual start-up.
This is a great summary of some of the protocols and I’ll be updating my website regularly. Be well, everyone!

RMT's in Ontario were given notice today that we can gradually return to practice with strict policies and procedures in place. As I share office space with other practitioners and share common areas including restrooms with 3 other offices, there is a lot of co-ordination involved in setting guidelines re: use of space, sanitation, physical distancing, and use of PPE to ensure everyone's safety. I will aim to open my business June 18, 2020 and the on-line schedule is open and available to book on and after that date. However, I may need to extend the closure and therefore reschedule your appointment. I will be adhering to strict sanitation protocols (as I always have) and patients will be required to fill out an on-line waiver prior to each appointment (which will be emailed to you and can be filled out on-line). See website www.tanyameyers.com for details as they unfold - but the first phase will require therapists and clients to wear masks for the duration of their office visit. Thank-you for your understanding. Stay safe everyone!

Tanya Meyers Registered Massage Therapist, Birth Coach & Doula

COVID-19 UPDATE: (March 24, 2020): My practice closure has been extended until at least April 9, 2020. I will continue to update my website about return dates as that becomes clear. Feel free to book ahead for appointments mid-April onward and I'll adjust as necessary. In the meantime:

15 minute on-line (or phone) consultations available for my clients requiring guidance for pain/injury management, exercise prescription, self-care tools and recommendations, etc... during this time of clinical closure. The fee is $25 including HST. Phone/Text 416-420-5457 or email me to book a session.

Be well!!