Therapists

Acupuncturists

Heather Bracken, H.H.P., R. Ac.

“As a practitioner of Holistic Health, I feel my life’s purpose is to encourage and hold space for personal awareness and self-discovery to arise in my patients by holding them accountable to their hopes and dreams for a more fulfilling and healthy life.”

Geena Fistric

Registered Acupuncturist

“I believe in compassionate and personalized care to empower individuals to achieve peak health-physically, emotionally and energetically.”

Sydney Stanicky

Registered Acupuncturist

“My purpose is to restore balance, relieve pain, and promote holistic well-being through compassionate, individualized acupuncture care.”

Makenna Vignal

Registered Acupuncturist

“I believe that my purpose is rooted in guiding people home to who they are through compassion, authentic presence, and gentle touch.”

Steven Wong R.Ac

Registered Acupuncturist

“I combine my healthcare experience with a genuine appreciation for Eastern medicine to offer a balanced, patient-centered approach to care. I would be honored to work with you on your healing journey.”

Massage Therapists

Samantha Mertler, RMT

Registered Massage Therapist, Chi Nei Tsang Practitioner

“My passion is to help clients get curious about their bodies. To explore, learn and connect with parts of themselves that they have tuned, or numbed out.”

Megan McManus

Registered Massage Therapist

” I believe healing comes from integrating the whole human experience; the physical, energetic, and somatic bodies. It is an honor to be invited into your healing journey, in whatever form that may take.”

Susan M Barrett, RMT

Registered Massage Therapist

“I love getting to know my clients and utilizing my skills to help them achieve the long lasting health benefits they deserve. Nothing is more uplifting than watching a client leave treatment feeling better and more informed about their well being.”

Makenzie Poirier, RMT

Registered Massage Therapist

“I am passionate about supporting people through every stage of their wellness journey, offering thoughtful, evidence-informed care that meets them exactly where they are.”

Cristine Leibel

Registered Massage Therapist

“With a commitment to trauma-informed care, I strive to create a respectful therapeutic relationship that empowers individuals from all walks of life to feel safe and respected communicating their unique treatment goals. “

Psychology

Kristie Bennett

Registered Provisional Psychologist

“I believe that each client has the inner wisdom and resilience to live meaningful and fulfilled lives. By turning within and learning how to prioritize ourselves, we can revive our mind, body, and soul, moving toward our greatest potential.”

Katie Sharpe, BSc, MC

Registered Provisional Psychologist

“Whether addressing trauma, enhancing relationships, or navigating life’s challenges, I bring warmth, curiosity, and a holistic lens to support clients in cultivating meaningful change.”

Lesley Warron

Registered Provisional Psychologist

“I believe in each person’s resilience and their ability to tap into their own strengths, learnings, and awareness to be their healthiest and happiest selves.”

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Kiera Gadallah, R. Ac

Registered Acupuncturist

  • Women's Reproductive Health
  • Mental Health
  • Digestive Disorders

“I believe that lifestyle, diet, and emotional health are the driving force to a healthy life. When one aspect is out of balance the natural ebb and flow within us is disrupted. I wants to create a safe space to allow harmony and balance back into our busy lives.” 

About Kiera Gadallah:

Kiera recently graduated from the Acupuncture Program at Grant MacEwan University in Edmonton, AB. Throughout studying Traditional Chinese Medicine for the past three years, she has taken a special interest in women’s health, mental health, and digestive disorders.

Kiera supports individuals in connecting with their mind, body, and spirit. She is passionate about helping patients navigate the ever-changing aspects of their lives while maintaining harmony and balance within.

Outside of the clinic, Kiera can be found with her nose in a book, camping and kayaking, and exploring the outdoors with her dog Freddy.

Makenna Vignal

About:

"I believe that my purpose is rooted in guiding people home to who they are through compassion, authentic presence, and gentle touch. My work invites each person to come home to themselves, awakening the innate wisdom within the body that already knows how to heal. I believe that anything is possible when we attune to the wisdom within - balance, harmony, and deep restoration become not just ideas, but lived experiences."

Graduated from the Grant Macewan Acupuncture program, Makenna comes from a background in earth-based living, spiritual exploration, and embodied wellness. She holds space for transformational healing that honours the whole self: body, mind, and spirit. Her sessions invite clients to slow down, reconnect, and access the inner wisdom within them that is innately theirs, and which already knows how to heal.

She considers herself a life time student who is constantly seeking a deeper understanding of the world and all its wonders. It is her intention to continue expanding her tool belt of healing modalities so that she can curate a unique blend of medicine that works with clients, wherever they are in their journey.

Outside the clinic, you can find her immersed in arts of all kinds, writing, sketching, playing instruments, and singing in choir with her sister. She also enjoys being outside exploring nature (anywhere by a river, lake, or ocean is her favourite), cozying up with a good book, and spending time with her parents Bernese mountain dogs, Odin and Ayla.

Areas she is especially fascinated by include mental health, nervous system regulation, women's health, cosmetic acupuncture, and energy work. Makenna is there to guide you to a place of calm, balance and serenity, no matter where you’ve come from or where you are in your journey. She is committed to addressing the root cause of physical symptoms while simultaneously balancing that of the mind and spirit.

Sydney Stanicky

About:

"My purpose is to restore balance, relieve pain, and promote holistic well-being through compassionate, individualized acupuncture care. Rooted in Traditional Chinese Medicine, I empower patients to take an active role in their healing journey; nurturing harmony between body, mind, and spirit."

Sydney’s journey into the world of healing began behind the chair as a hairstylist, where she first discovered the joy of connection — listening deeply, holding space, and helping people feel their best. Over time, she felt a quiet calling within her heart, one that guided her toward acupuncture and the timeless wisdom of Traditional Chinese Medicine.
Her path was shaped both by her own healing and the story of her family. After years of living with chronic headaches, Sydney found that acupuncture was the only thing that truly brought her relief. At the same time, watching her father navigate ongoing health challenges stirred in her a deep desire to help others find comfort, balance, and hope through natural medicine. These experiences together became the roots of her calling, inspiring her to devote her life to holistic healing.
Sydney believes that true wellness comes from tending to the whole person — mind, body, and spirit. She sees mental health as the foundation of physical well-being, and her work is guided by a love of spirituality, natural healing, and the human connections that make life meaningful. With a gentle and compassionate approach, she is especially passionate about supporting women’s health, mental wellness, digestive issues, and headaches, always seeking to bring balance by treating the root rather than only the symptoms.
Beyond her practice, Sydney finds nourishment in nature. Whether she’s camping under the stars, fishing by the water, or rollerblading in the warmth of the sun, she feels most alive under open skies — connected to the world around her and renewed by its beauty.
For Sydney, healing is not just about easing pain, but about rediscovering balance, resilience, and connection — both within ourselves and with the world around us.

Geena Fistric

About:

"I believe in compassionate and personalized care to empower individuals to achieve peak health-physically, emotionally and energetically."

Geena Fistric is a registered acupuncturist who graduated from Macewan University with distinction. She also holds a Bachelor of Education from the University of Alberta and she loves to use this experience to educate individuals on how to utilize Traditional Chinese Medicine to take control of their wellness.

Geena has continued her acupuncture journey by taking additional training in treating injuries and pain and facial rejuvenation.

Geena utilizes acupuncture, electroacupuncture, cupping, gua sha and auricular therapy in her treatments. She treats a range of conditions including musculoskeletal concerns, mental health, digestive issues, women’s health and general wellness treatments.

Steven Wong R.Ac

About:

Hi, I’m Steve!

I’m a graduate of the Acupuncture program at MacEwan University, and my journey into acupuncture has been both professional and deeply personal. With a background in biomedical engineering, I’ve spent years working in clinical and laboratory settings. However, acupuncture has been a part of my life long before it became my career. Having received treatments since childhood, I’ve experienced firsthand the profound effects of this form of medicine in managing stress, sports injuries, and overall well-being. These early experiences sparked my deep respect for holistic healing and ignited my lifelong interest in Eastern medicine.

I combine my healthcare experience with a genuine appreciation for Eastern medicine to offer a balanced, patient-centered approach to care. I would be honored to work with you on your healing journey.

Outside of the clinic, I enjoy spending time on the North Saskatchewan River and exploring the trails around Edmonton!

Cristine Leibel RMT

About:

"My mission is to support the holistic well-being of each client through their wellness journey by providing personalized, therapeutic massage. With a commitment to trauma-informed care, I strive to create a respectful therapeutic relationship that empowers individuals from all walks of life to feel safe and respected communicating their unique treatment goals. "

-Cris

Cris completed her 2200 hour Massage Therapy diploma here in Edmonton, graduating from M.H. Vicars School of Massage Therapy in June of 2022. Cris is passionate about offering thoughtful care to all of her clients. She has a deep respect for the mind-body connection, how energy and trauma present anatomically and affect soft tissue. Cris strives to ensure the treatment room is a safe, welcoming, therapeutic space for all to receive the many physical and emotional health benefits of Massage Therapy. Outside of work, Cris is passionate about her rescue greyhounds.

Heather Bracken, H.H.P., R. Ac.

  • Mental & Emotional Health
  • Women's Health, including Cycle Regulation, Fertility, Pregnancy, Postpartum, Perimenopause and Menopause
  • Chakra-Based Acupuncture and Reiki Exploration

"As a practitioner of Holistic Health, I feel my life’s purpose is to encourage and hold space for personal awareness and self-discovery to arise in my patients by holding them accountable to their hopes and dreams for a more fulfilling and healthy life.”

About Heather Bracken:

By promoting an attitude of internal awareness, personal discovery and self-care, it is her ambition to support others in achieving their goals and reach their highest potential on all levels.

With over 6 years of combined educational studies at Grant MacEwan University in Edmonton, Alberta and two diploma programs under her belt, Heather is certified as a Registered Acupuncturist, Holistic Health Practitioner (specializing in Western Herbology) and Reiki Master. Having practiced in the alternative healthcare field for over 15 consecutive years, Heather works in combining her modalities to create unique and specialized treatment sessions for each one of her patients.

With over 6 years of combined educational studies at Grant MacEwan University in Edmonton, Alberta and two diploma programs under her belt, Heather is certified as a Registered Acupuncturist, Holistic Health Practitioner (specializing in Western Herbology) and Reiki Master. Having practiced in the alternative healthcare field for over 15 consecutive years, Heather works in combining her modalities to create unique and specialized treatment sessions for each one of her patients.

Heather’s mantra serves as her life’s purpose; to encourage, support and empower individuals along their chosen path towards better health and well-being by facilitating the body’s natural ability to heal. By promoting an attitude of internal awareness, personal discovery and self-care, it is her ambition to support others in achieving their goals and reach their highest potential on all levels. Heather believes that disease is not to be viewed as a conditional life sentence, but rather as an imbalance within the mind, body and Spirit that can be corrected and brought back into a state of balance and harmony.

One of the foundational components of Heather’s practice is the study of neuroscience and neuroplasticity aka: the inner workings of the nervous system and the inherent ability of neurons (or nerve cells in the brain) to adapt to injury, disease or disharmony such as chronic stress, addiction, anxiety, depression, etc… by restructuring and rewiring themselves to stimulate healing and recovery. With enough willingness, perseverance and dedication, it is Heather’s unwavering belief that the ability to heal is always possible.

Heather’s areas of specialization include Mental Health, Metabolic Disorders, Gynecology/ Obstetrics and Esoteric (Chakra-Based and Spirituality-Minded) Acupuncture.

Megan McManus RMT

About Megan:

Mission Statement:
" I believe healing comes from integrating the whole human experience; the physical, energetic, and somatic bodies. It is an honor to be invited into your healing journey, in whatever form that may take."

Megan has been practicing since graduating from the West Coast College of Massage Therapy in Victoria in 2019. Her journey as a manual therapist began with more of a focus on athletics and high level sports teams. Throughout her own healing, which was focused in nervous system regulation and somatics, she found her way back to mindful body movement practices, deeper connection with her body and cycle, and a new desire for wanting to be of support to women in their different stages of life, as well as those wanting to connect with their bodies as a whole woven system.
Megan has a strong belief that when we are providing manual therapy, we are in direct communication with the nervous and energetic systems, not just the physical body. You can expect her treatments to be slow, rhythmic, and blended with breathwork and energy movement.

Outside of her work you can find her travelling anywhere, and everywhere (especially if it involves music and the opportunity to wear a sparkly costume), finding new trails to run, or deepening her love for learning about the Wheel of the Year, the cyclical nature of our world and how it relates to our human existence.

Leanne Keyko R.Ac Registered Acupuncturist, RN (non-practicing), Reiki Master/ Energy work practitioner
  • Mental and emotional health
  • Digestive Health/Gut-Brain Health
  • Women’s Health
  • Energy Work/ Reiki
  • Facial Rejuvenation.

"I believe that deeper understanding and connection to self allows us to maintain a more
balanced state and ultimately be more engaged in life. Through developing relationships with my patients, I am able to offer uniquely designed treatments to facilitate deep rest and relaxation, alleviate stress, restore balance and support the body’s innate capacity for healing."

About Leanne Keyko:

"I believe that deeper understanding and connection to self allows us to maintain a more
balanced state and ultimately be more engaged in life. Through developing relationships with my patients, I am able to offer uniquely designed treatments to facilitate deep rest and relaxation, alleviate stress, restore balance and support the body’s innate capacity for healing."

Leanne has an extensive background within health and wellness spanning nearly two decades. Fueled by a deep curiosity to understand people, the body and this human experience, her career has been an ever-evolving journey. Beginning with Kinesiology and then Nursing, she gained experience within metabolic and neurological disorders, obstetrics and women’s health, as well as adult and pediatric mental health. Although Nursing afforded her many valuable skills and opportunities, there was always a deep sense that something was missing. For years
Leanne felt drawn to Eastern philosophy and energy-based healing modalities. It was ultimately within this realm that she experienced the greatest success within her own health and wellbeing.

Inspired by personal experiences and wanting to share these practices with others, she completed the Diploma in Acupuncture, including a 700-hour residency, at the Alberta
College of Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine. Two deeply held beliefs guide Leanne’s approach in the treatment room:

The first being that our internal world and personal experience is deeply connected to and impacted by the external world, and that the influence of each upon the other cannot be separated. The second is belief in the innate power of the body to heal itself. Understanding and embodying these principles have been some of her most powerful learnings. Supporting patients to explore this
and build capacity to prevent or minimize health concerns is a key goal within her treatment plans. Through building meaningful relationships and applying a multi-facetted approach, Leanne provides deeply restorative treatments to rebalance the body, mind and spirit. Treatment plans not only alleviate symptoms but also uncover and address the root of imbalance. She aspires to empowers others with knowledge and tools to create lasting change and support their health and wellbeing far beyond the treatment room.
Leanne’s unique background and expertise support her in addressing a variety of concerns
including:

-Mental and emotional health
-Digestive Health/Gut-Brain Health
-Women’s Health
-Energy Work/ Reiki
-Facial Rejuvenation.

She also has a keen ability to work with adolescent patients to support menstrual cycle regulation and emotional wellbeing.

To find out more about Leanne and her approach visit www.dovetailwellnessco.com

Kristie Bennett, Registered Provisional Psychologist

About Kristie:

As a Registered Provisional Psychologist, Kristie specializes in grief and loss, women’s mental health and relationship issues. She brings a compassionate, emotion-focused approach to her sessions, rooted in evidence-based practices tailored to address her client’s unique circumstances. Kristie has additional training in mindfulness, positive psychology practices, and goal setting to help her clients increase life meaning and happiness. Her goal is to not only help her clients overcome painful internal struggles, but empower them to create their best life.

The loss of her mother in 2015 was a pivotal moment in her life. Struggling with the pain and devastation of grief, Kristie became certified as a Grief Recovery Specialist and Funeral Celebrant, to support others experiencing loss. Through her own experience and her work, Kristie developed a deep respect of heartbreak and pain. Her deepest desire is that your story will be heard and truly honoured in your time together.

Kristie is also trained in the Gottman Method and Emotionally-Focused Couples Therapy (EFCT). Both provide a roadmap for helping couples compassionately manage conflict, deepen friendship and intimacy, and share their life purpose and dreams. Additionally, Kristie specializes in helping couples navigate the mental load of running a household and family.

Away from the therapy room, Kristie loves to spend time with her husband, three adult daughters, and extended family. She likes nature walks with her dogs and exploring the city’s coffee shops. Kristie is a lifelong learner, and is often found reading a book, listening to a podcast, or taking an online course.

Currently Offering:

  • Adult Therapy: $185.00/ 50 mins
  • Couples Therapy: $200/ 50 mins
  • Family Therapy: $200.00/ 50 mins

Susan Barrett, RMT

About:

Susan has joined us after a year long micro retirement to spend time with her grand kids and focus on DIY skill development.

After completing her 2500 hour massage Therapy program in 1998 (not a typo), Susan spent 25 years growing her private practice in several locations throughout Newfoundland and Labrador. Combining her extensive knowledge with therapeutic instincts, Susan brings a seasoned approach to our team. Her treatments focus on a client first approach; relying on continuous feedback and assessment to improve results. When she’s not improving her skills and knowledge to become the best version of herself, you can find Susan playing with her three grandchildren, hiking with her pup, riding her fat bike through the River Valley, and reading various genres of books from the public library.

Samantha Mertler, RMT

About Samantha:

Samantha completed 2200hrs of training from MH Vicars in 2016. After training in both Therapeutic and Swedish techniques, Samantha then expanded her practice to include Fire Cupping and Chi Nei Tsang.

Treatments are crafted with an open mind and a holistic style that reflects your needs. Whether it is soothing your nervous system using Relaxation Massage, tackling old injuries, or working with chronic tension through the use of Therapeutic Massage and Fire Cupping, Samantha’s diverse skill set has got you covered. Samantha also specializes in Chi Nei Tsang, an abdominal-base massage that deepens internal awareness and addresses issues related to the abdomen such as digestive disorders, endometriosis, scarring, etc.

Samantha is most interested in the interplay between stress, emotions, posture habits, energy and pain within our bodies, getting curious around aspects in which her clients numb out, or when they have a habit of staying entirely in their mind during the day.

Reading and learning about trauma, somatics, focused awareness practices, Traditional Chinese Medicine theory and energy work is what constantly evolves her practice.

Out of the clinic you can find Samantha with her four kids, gardening/earthing or reading.

Makenzie Poirier RMT

About:

**Mackenzie is unable to direct bill to Blue Cross at this time, clients are welcome to submit their receipts to their provider.**

“I am passionate about supporting people through every stage of their wellness journey, offering thoughtful, evidence-informed care that meets them exactly where they are.”

Mackenzie is a compassionate and dedicated Registered Massage Therapist who completed the 2200-hour program at MacEwan University in 2022. Her path into massage therapy began with a genuine interest in how the body works and a strong desire to support others in both their physical and emotional well-being. Since becoming an RMT, Mackenzie has focused much of her work on supporting pregnant and postpartum clients. She takes pride in the knowledge and experience she brings to those navigating the perinatal journey, including infants, adolescents, and new parents. While this is her main area of focus, she welcomes clients of all ages and genders. She **does offer** prenatal massage during the first trimester.

Mackenzie is committed to providing a safe and welcoming space for the queer community. With extensive experience supporting clients of diverse identities, she has a special interest in post-surgical care, including work with top surgery and hysterectomy scars. Her goal is always to create an environment where every client feels seen, respected, and at ease. Her massage style centers on fluid movement and the use of forearms to create a smooth, intuitive experience tailored to each individual's needs.

Outside the clinic, Mackenzie enjoys reading, baking, and exploring new hobbies. There is always something new she’s learning or trying out.

Through her thoughtful care and creative energy, Mackenzie is here to support you wherever you are in your wellness journey.