TEAM
Emily Lewis
R.Ac.
Growing up in a family of medical professionals, Emily always felt drawn to working in healthcare. However, it wasn’t until she saw an acupuncturist for back pain that her path became clear. Shortly after her treatment, Emily woke up pain-free and realized that acupuncture and Chinese medicine was the direction her life would take.
Emily received her doctorate from the International College of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Vancouver (now named Tzu Chi International College of TCM), and is a registered acupuncturist. She also interned at the China University Hospital in Taiwan, completing rotations in pediatrics, oncology, internal medicine, and the acupuncture department. Emily has provided acupuncture to the UBC track team and has presented at workshops on chronic pain, fertility and pregnancy, and MS.
Emily enjoys treating patients with a variety of health conditions, but her areas of special interest include men’s and women’s reproductive health, insomnia, digestive disorders, depression, and musculoskeletal issues. She especially likes working with people who have fertility issues. The joy of seeing a client move from the helplessness of infertility to the joy of pregnancy is deeply moving.
Emily is drawn to Chinese medicine because of its gentle nature and its ability to address the root of a health problem. She embraces the philosophy that each person is a holistic being and that both the physical and emotional aspects of their health need to be addressed for complete healing. Emily stands out as a practitioner by her ability to easily connect with her clients and her genuine care for their well-being. She offers a safe, non-judgmental, and supportive place to heal, where the lines of communication are always open and everyone is welcome.
When she’s not in the clinic, Emily’s love of the natural world takes her outdoors; camping, travelling, and spending time in nature. She loves being a mom to 6-year old Lauren, time with her husband, friends and family, and getting out for walks with her two frisky dogs Ruby and Bruno.
Dawn sells
RMT
Dawn Sells, RMT has been a Registered Massage Therapist since 2006. She received her diploma in massage therapy from the West Coast College of Massage Therapy. Previously, she received her undergraduate degree in speech communications from the University of Minnesota.
Dawn came to massage therapy after a career as a film and advertising producer. Being on the receiving end of massages, she had a great deal of respect for the RMT’s that she knew. This, along with a passion for complementary health care and helping others, led her back to school to study massage therapy.
Dawn’s focus is to help maintain and restore balance, alignment, and optimal function for women who are undergoing care for various reproductive health issues, such as fertility, pregnancy, postpartum care, and menopause. As a mom who had her two daughters a bit later in life, Dawn has a good perspective on the stresses and challenges that women face during their reproductive years. Dawn brings that understanding into the work she does as a massage therapist. In addition to women’s health issues, Dawn is also interested in helping patients who struggle with chronic headaches, neck and jaw pain, insomnia, stress, and anxiety.
Dawn has taken a number of post-graduate courses to enhance her knowledge and clinical skills, including:
Massage Therapy and the Childbearing Year:
Part 1 – Pregnancy
Part 2 – Labour, Birth, and Postpartum
Part 3 – The Complicated Pregnancy
Part 5 – Post Cesarean Section Treatment
Female Pelvis, Female Issues
Womb & Fertility Massage Therapy
Digestion
Visceral Connections: A Fascial Approach, Level 1
Fascial Integration Series, Lumbo-Pelvic Region
Myofascial Assessment and Treatment of the Shoulder Complex
Upledger Craniosacral Therapy, Levels 1 and 2
Dawn’s approach is gentle and effective. In the 17 years of honing her massage skills, she has evolved her craft so that she effectively addresses issues in the body without having to use deep pressure. Dawn’s patients have frequently told Dawn she is highly skilled in finding the right “spots”.
She says,
“we are living in stressful times, and my approach is to offer my patients massage therapy support within that context. My goal is to give them some time to decompress. My hope is that they will leave my treatment room feeling relaxed, with more mobility, and less pain and tension than when they arrived”.
Dawn’s techniques include Swedish massage, myofascial release, visceral manipulation, trigger point release, and craniosacral therapy.
When she’s not working, her two daughters keep her busy. Dawn also enjoys travel, music, photography, Zumba, and yoga.
Rainforest Wellness wishes to acknowledge that we are guests on the unceded, ancestral and Indigenous territories of the xʷməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations. We recognize it is a privilege and an honour to be able to live and work on this unceded land, and we are deeply grateful to the Coast Salish peoples.