Kathleen lay motionless on the pitch crying. It was spring of 1998 somewhere in Holland, kick off had just happened but Kathleen’s playing on the tour had just ended. This was the moment that could have either made her or broken her as an athlete, and as a person, but her journey was just beginning.

Kathleen De Jesus-Gauthier became a Certified Athletic Therapist in 2004. She has a Bachelor of Science in Human Kinetics, Honours, from the University of Ottawa in 2000, and a Diploma in Sports Injury Management from Sheridan College in 2004. She achieved high academic standards graduating Magna Cum Laude and the Silver Medal recipient for the highest GPA of the program, respectively. Immediately after graduating, she began working with Rugby Canada with the National Senior Women’s team. She reached one of her goals of when she was selected to be part of the team that competed at the World Cup in 2006 finishing 4th in the world. In 2014, she returned to school at Algonquin College in the Massage Intensive Course qualifying for the Dean’s List each semester. In 2016, she became a Registered Massage Therapist.

Tearing her other ACL in Holland just after rehabilitating from the previous ACL reconstruction surgery brought her to tears, not because of the pain but because she knew she would face another year of rehab. That decision to proceed with another surgery, another round of rehab, molded Kathleen into the therapist she is today. She understands and can empathize when something like an injury or pain stops one from doing what brings one joy. She understands the mindset needed to come back from torn ACLs and go on to play for Canada. She understands that easier rarely means better, and that hard work can lead to the most gratifying outcomes and experiences. Her hard work mentality translated to her athletics and brought her back to high level rugby, being a Rugby Canada U23 Women’s team member in 2000. This attitude of achievement and persistence even saw her take the field for the Algonquin College Women’s Rugby team while she was completing her Massage Therapy Program in 2015 and earned recognition as the MVP of the team.

Finding different and effective ways to get clients moving and enjoying life is what drives her professionally. Through her schooling she was exposed to a treatment methodology that addressed organs but to do that she needed experience with light touch therapy. At that point in her career, Kathleen’s hands had not yet developed those senses so she pursued Craniosacral Therapy (CST). CST changed the way she treated because she now accessed a specific tissue, fascia. Fascia is connective tissue everywhere in the body. It covers nerves, blood vessels, organs, muscles, groups of muscles, and the entire body just under the skin. This amazing tissue is why a restriction in one area can impact not just locally but from a distance away. After taking several courses in CST, Kathleen returned to her pursuit of treating organs by taking courses in Visceral Manipulation which is organ specific fascial treatment. Even though these approaches are very gentle, their impact on the tissues can be great. A thorough history taking is needed to help Kathleen find possible connections through anatomy that can be causing the current issues. Freeing up fascia helps return movement at the tissue level but also the whole body.

Personally, she’s driven by raising her two sons and being part of a close-knit family that keeps her busy, but also keeps her grounded. She enjoys cycling, puzzle games on her phone and watching movies. She recently found a new passion, pickleball!

That young woman who had laid on that field in Holland made a choice. She chose to push herself towards the goals she set for herself and not be held back by fear or discomfort. She decided the path that was before her was going to be the one she made for herself, and she has now built a reputation structured on the same philosophy and she looks forward to working with you to help you find your path to recovery.

Kathleen lay motionless on the pitch crying. It was spring of 1998 somewhere in Holland, kick off... Read More