Squamish Massage Therapists: Guide to the Local Favourites

Squamish Massage Therapists: A Guide to the Local Favourites

If you are from or visiting Squamish, we bet that your summer has been filled with outdoor adventures and activities. We created this guide to the Local Favourites Squamish Massage Therapists to help get you feeling tip top shape and ready for more fun outside.

Many people associate massage with luxury, relaxation and special occasions but any massage therapist would tell you that’s simply not the case. Studies are now showing massage’s benefits in prevention and treatment for many health ailments, particularly for athletes … but your masseuse already knew that.

Even before research into massage’s benefits, almost every major sports team employed professional massage therapists to keep their athletes going strong throughout the season. You might not get air time on TSN, but any adventure enthusiast will benefit from a little time under the hands of one of the talented Squamish massage therapists.

Health Benefits of Massage

According to the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA), the list of benefits are comprehensive. Some are intuitive – obviously, massage is relaxing and helps relieve tension – but others are more surprising.

• Fall asleep faster and sleep longer
• Reduce depression
• Lower blood pressure
• Promotes healthy a healthy cardiovascular system
• Reduces pain in rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis
• Recommended to treat neck and lower back pain
• And much more!

The AMTA isn’t the only one promoting massage, many people recommend massage after working out. A 2012 study showed that even just a 10-minute Swedish massage helps reduce inflammation after exercising. If you want to a fast recovery to get back outside the next day, Squamish massage therapy is your best bet.

Getting a Massage in Squamish

We might be small town, but Squamish is all about healthy living, which is why we are lucky to have some of the best massage therapists around. We have curated a list of our local favourites for a massage in Squamish. 

Reach Physio & Massage

Sue Shalanski, PT started Reach in 2004, but soon found focusing on one-to-one care for a growing clientele required a bigger team, and started to incorporate some of Squamish’s best massage therapists.

Amy Carr-Hilton, RMT

Not only is Amy a certified sports massage therapist, she’s also very active herself – whether you’re a mountain biker, rock climber, runner, dancer, or acrobat, Amy has done it all. She works with her patients to prevent injuries in the first place and recover quickly, even from complicated injuries like broken bones and dislocated joints.

Mike Charkuk, RMT

Also a certified Rolfer, Mike is well aware of what it means to take care of your body and keep it going strong. He’s the head coach of competitive mountain biking Team Squamish and a member of the National Track Cycling Team. He’s worked with some of the best Olympic and world cyclists, but he’s also available for everyday sportsmen and women here in Squamish.

Julie McMahon, RMT

Julie employs a variety of techniques to stop pain and inflammation in their tracks so you’ll feel your best. She loves the outdoors, so you just might run into her kayaking in one of Squamish’s lakes or abseiling from the Chief after a day of climbing. If pain is preventing you from enjoying the outdoors to their fullest, she has the plan to help.

Click Here to Book with Reach Physio

One Tree Wellness

This boutique local business, specializing in holistic healthy living is the result of one woman’s devotion to improving herself and her community’s overall wellness. In addition to massage therapy, Jenna offers holistic skin care, yoga and wellness retreats.   

Jenna Olsthoorn, RMT

As an international yoga instructor and conscious breath coach, Jenna has dedicated her life to healthy living and teaching others how to find peace and balance free of pain. Her massages are holistic, so along with improving your range of motion and improving your nervous system, she uses essential oils and aromatherapy to create an even deeper sense of relaxation sure to kick your stress out the door and give you a speedy recovery.

Jenna Offers the following types of Massage:

Squamish Integrated Health

This is our go-to place for many health problems, offering  the largest team of complementary health care practitioners all under one roof. Their team  includes a large selection of talented  massage therapists. Although it’s impossible to list them all, there’re a few local favourites worth highlighting.

Susan Chapelle, RMT

One of the most recognized local  Squamish massage therapists, Susan was named RMT of the Year by the Massage Therapists Association of BC and has many other awards. With more than 18 years under her belt, many of which she spent working with the National Opera Company, the National Ballet, and the Toronto Symphony, Susan doesn’t mess around. She’s also published massage research in international journals and is now looking at how massage can be used in post-surgery for breast cancer and to treat surgical scarring. Check out our Adventure Approved interview with Susan here. 

Diana Mauriks – RMT

Like Susan, Diana has a lot of experience providing massage to professional athletes. For four years Diana followed the World Cup racing circuit and the U.S Telemark Free skiing circuit, successfully meeting her athletic goals in both disciplines. Before massage, Diana’s firts carrer was as a commercial fisher woman on her father’s salmon troller in the Queen Charlotte Islands. This unique work opportunity taught Diana the benefits of massage therapy to help relieve the aches and pains of physical labor work. Experience in the field of Massage Therapy and in her athletic and career background, has allowed Diana to gain insight into body awareness, and personal growth. It is through massage therapy that Diana enjoys facilitating others to achieve their goals and potentials through body awareness, which in turn promotes optimal wellness.

Megan Joseph, RMT

Megan Joseph moved to the Sea to Sky corridor in 1994 and fell in love with the people and all the outdoor adventures. Living an active lifestyle in Squamish inevitably led to many physiotherapy, chiropractic and massage appointments. She decided the other side of the treatment table would make for an interesting career.

Megan has a long history of treating athletes like the Vancouver Canucks and worked at the 2003 World Weight Lifting Championships. She used to be a personal trainer and has personal experience in many sports such as skiing, cycling, horseback riding, and distance running.

Click Here to Book with Squamish Integrated Health

With so many benefits, it’s hard to deny massage’s importance in active lifestyles. With so many amazing Squamish massage therapists to choose from, preventing and treating injuries in a fast, healthy, and natural way just got a lot easier.