Meet Robyn Davidson:
1. Why did you choose Physiotherapy?
When I was in high school, I knew I wanted to get into a helping / medical profession. I decided to do some job shadowing to see what career path I wanted to pursue. I shadowed a family doctor, dietician, chiropractor, and physiotherapist. Prior to shadowing the physiotherapist in a neighboring town (an hour away) I had a very vague idea of what physiotherapy was. Then I got to experience it and I fell in love with the profession right away. I spent the day chatting with patients, learning so much about the human body, and I saw a woman successfully running her own business. After that I made decisions to make sure I would get into the Masters of Physical Therapist program at the University of Alberta and there was no plan B!
2. What is your overarching treatment philosophy?
I believe very strongly that passive treatment/modalities have temporary results. The research is very clear that the only thing that changes our tissues (muscles, tendons, etc.) for more than a couple of hours is exercise. Tissues, yes even injured tissues, need to be progressively and appropriate loaded in order to heal properly.
It doesn’t mean that passive treatments have no benefits! My definition of a passive treatment is any intervention where the patient is a passive recipient (i.e. massage, acupuncture, heat, ice, TENS, etc.). I believe these types of interventions can play a vital role in helping your body move and function better! However, a lot of the injuries and issues we see stem from underlying imbalances and if those are not addressed properly the issue(s) comes back (again and again and again).
Proper progressive loading of the tissues (EXERCISE) is key!
From my experience, people often equate exercise and rehabilitation with the “no pain no gain” mentality but I do NOT believe exercise should be painful – more on that topic later!
3. What are you passionate about outside of work?
I am passionate about raising my three children to love the outdoors and you can find us on a trail walk almost every day. I love animals; we have a dog and two cats (and more animals to come… once my husband is on board). I enjoy playing sports more than watching them, especially basketball and volleyball. I love travelling and exposing our children to other cultures and languages.
4. What is your favorite travelling memory?
I have many wonderful memories travelling but two of my highlights are climbing Machu Pichu in Peru and scuba diving in Mexico with turtles.
5. What are your next personal goals?
I have wanted to complete a triathlon for some time now! If anyone has any training tips I’m all ears!
Meet Carmen North:
1. Why did you choose to pursue Occupational Therapy?
When I was completing my undergrad, I was actually determined to go into physio school. However, a family friend was (and still is) an Occupational Therapist and I went "what's that?" That's when I was able to research it some more, and actually got the opportunity to shadow a few OTs at the Glenrose Hospital in Edmonton. I was really intrigued by how broad the OT field was, and how OTs look at all 4 aspects of the individual (physical, emotional, intellectual/cognition, and spiritual). So I applied, and haven't looked back! Of course, I still love and value physios. It's why I partnered with one of the best (ie. Robyn Davidson)! ;)
2. What is your overarching treatment philosophy?
"Change moves at the speed of trust" - Stephen Covey. I believe I can have the most knowledge and best ideas for treatment, but if I don't have a foundation of trust with my clients, then it can be all for nothing and likely nothing will change. I highly value building relationships with and helping others, and I believe building trust is key to being able to help my clients reach their goals.
3. What are you passionate about outside of work?
So many things! I love spending time with my family - my awesome and supportive husband, and my 3 kids that are growing and changing so quickly before my eyes. I also homeschool my kids as I feel like it's such an awesome opportunity to learn more about them, and to have an impact on their educational foundation. I thought about being a teacher when I was going through school, so being able to teach my children is a great way to do that! As well, I like to experiment with different recipes as my tolerance for certain foods have changes over the years, but I love to eat! I didn't catch the sourdough bandwagon during the pandemic, but I've caught it now and love making fresh bread for my family and friends :)
4. What is a defining moment for you as your career has progressed?
I would say starting my own practice! During my pregnancy with my 3rd child, I was evaluating my career and where I wanted to go. I always wanted to start my own practice and be more independent so that I could have more flexibility with my schedule, and more importantly, how I got to spend time with my family. I feel this has really progressed my career as I have had to take more ownership in my role as an Occupational Therapist. I've also been able to network with so many other professionals in the field while building our company, and this has also allowed me to grow and learn as an OT.
5. Which of your personal attributes have been most beneficial to you in your career?
I'd say my desire and intentionality to build relationship and get to know others, specifically other professionals. In any field, it's all about who you know! I'm not afraid (most of the time) to reach out to someone new and there have been so many occasions where they've been able to help me, vice versa, or perhaps a mutual benefit!
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