top of page
Image by Jackson David

Our Team

Janice - Founder and Owner

Janice Patera

Owner and Founder

IMG_0327 (1).jpg

After receiving a diagnosis of breast cancer in 2016, I began to utilize a variety of wholistic health interventions to help heal from a mind body perspective. At this time I also switched to eating more whole foods and introduced more natural whole food supplements into my daily routine.

 

I believe that healing happens from the inside and this requires the right combination of treatment modalities including both Western medical practices and alternative health therapies. My personal healing journey led me to make a personal decision to leave the medical health field to create a healing space for my community.

Image by Erol Ahmed
  • Arly Dewan, RMT - Craniosacral Therapy
    Arly is a graduate of Kikkowa College. She is a Registered Massage Therapist and a CranioSacral Therapist. She is trained in Swedish, Cupping and Prenatal Massage along with extensive training and experience with CranioSacral work. Arly became a RMT, CST because of a physical connection that can be created with a client through manual practice that allows a client to take a path of self healing with an understanding of their bodies. To co-operatively work together towards a common goal of an effective, specific and unique treatment for each individual. Arly’s experience as an athlete in sports as diverse as Hoop dancing to competing on the Women’s Premier World Dragon boat team has given her an intimate knowledge of therapeutic rehab.
  • Melissa McMullen - RMT
    Melissa has been immersing herself in healthcare and energy medicine modalities for 16 years, starting her journey as an RMT and level 1 Reiki practitioner. Her thirst for knowledge led her to taking classes in past life energies, family dynamics, chakra and meridian balancing, energetic cord cutting and much more. From her past experiences, knowledge, and intuition she created Synergy Massage, a combination of massage therapy, aromatherapy, quantum healing, chakra balancing and guided meditation. ​ She has always had a passion for past life energies and has recently taken both Level 1 and 2 of the Quantum Healing Hypnosis Technique and is now offering Past Life Regression Sessions at Nature’s Gifts. Melissa has the unique ability to see what her clients are experiencing while in trance which allows her to go deeper with them in their sessions. Gently leading them on a journey of self discovery and empowerment. ​ Melissa works on a cellular and DNA level facilitating shifts at their core. She assists her clients in shifting old emotions, patterning, and beliefs that no longer serve, allowing them to create the space for greater potential. She believes that by creating change within ourselves we have the ability to create change within our families, communities and our world.
  • Jordan Hayward - RMT
    Jordan graduated from the Humber College Massage Therapy program. During his college years, Jordan took time during the weekends to gain knowledge and experience practicing yoga, and eventually earned his Yoga Exercise Specialist certificate to teach yoga of varying skill levels. It is Jordan's firm belief that hands-on massage techniques - when combined with preventative therapeutic exercise - can make the body bullet proof. Jordan is excited to help you reach your goals, as well as provide home care & education to maintain your progress. He offers both therapeutic & relaxation massages, and has experience with unique treatments such as ultrasound, lymphatic drainage, and post-surgery scar reduction.
  • Michelle Wojcik - RMT
    Finding a moment of stillness can be really difficult in this ever-changing world. I believe that healing happens in this stillness, where the chatter of the mind dissipates, and we are able to re-connect with what the body is feeling or experiencing. When this connection is achieved, awareness can be brought to the areas that may require further healing. As an RMT, I use massage as a tool to help my clients achieve a meditative state, improving mind-body connection, enhancing self-awareness, while releasing physical pain or tension that no longer serves. ​ As someone who spent the majority of her life looking for a safe space within herself, I value creating a safe, supportive space where my clients can pause, breathe, and discover their own unique path of healing. With my experience as a national level athlete and degree in Physical Health Education, I look forward to applying my knowledge of human kinesiology to my passion of holistic wellness, while continuing to expand my knowledge of different modalities and methods of treatment to best support you.
  • Tracy Griffin - RMT - Craniosacral Therapy
    Craniosacral Therapist, R.M.T., Reiki Master Tracy has been an RMT since 1996. She enjoyed running her own massage therapy practice for 14 years until she was led more to Craniosacral Therapy and Energy Healing, to help people heal on all levels- physically, emotionally, spiritually and energetically. Energy healing became a part of her life after being immersed and taught by the Universe and a few beautiful souls on her path for a life-changing 10 year period. She became a Reiki Master along the way. Cranio has been part of her journey for over 21 years. Tracy works from the heart always and her intention in any healing treatment is always for the highest good. She’s excited to work with the many exceptional therapists at Nature’s Gifts to help you wherever you are on your healing journey.
  • Lexie Kanters - RMT, Reiki, Spine to the Divine, Energy Healing
    Lexie was a Registered Massage Therapist for 10 years, and has recently decided to expand her craft. After leaving the CMTO, she decided to explore a deeper, more effective way of healing. Lexie still offers massage, but is also a Reiki Master, Spine to the Divine Practitioner, Body Mapper and well-rounded Energy Healer. ​ What is Spine to the Divine? A Spine to the Divine Practitioner uses subtle techniques (some CranioSacral, some energetic, some massage) to soften the armor of defense that the body automatically puts up due to trauma. This helps us to work with the emotional and mental level to alchemize suppressed and traumatized imprints. Through the spinal channel and chakras, we help the body revert back to harmonizing, connecting and resolving. From chaos to calm, we go back to the root cause of any and all “discomfort”, “disease” and trauma responses. We understand symptoms as a defense response, and we help the body to recognize them and move through them in order to return back to its original and healthy state. ​ Lexie believes in the body’s ability to heal itself from any trauma or disease, with the help of a facilitator (healer). With the right combination of modalities, anything can be accomplished.
  • Sheila Abbruzzo - Thai Massage, Indian Head Massage, Reiki, Yoga
    Sheila is an Experienced Registered Yoga Teacher and Trainer in the Kripalu Yoga tradition. She is also certified to teach Yin Yoga and Advanced Yin Yoga (Traditional Chinese Medicine with chakras and meridians). Sheila practices and shares yoga and other methods of improving energy awareness as methods for restoring and balancing the body, mind and soul. Trained in Compassionate Inquiry, Sheila is a therapeutic space holder and meditation coach specializing in CBT and MBSR. She is a certified Reiki II healer and practitioner and is a certified by the Thai Massage Toronto school as a Thai Masseuse. She is whole-heartedly committed to being of service to our community and especially passionate about healing trauma as it relates to ACE’s and any form of addiction. Immersing herself in nature while hiking and biking nearly every day, Sheila is most in her element near the water. Her spiritual connection begins in meditation and a self-healing Reiki practice every day. She enjoys a regular dose of herbs, essential oils and spiritual readings to restore and improve energy in and around her environment. Yoga is a journey, for Sheila, it’s a way of life. “We are all just walking each other home” (Ram Dass) Sheila will be offering Thai massage and yoga and much more!
  • Jacinda Thomson - Osteopath, Acupuncture, Rapid NFR
    Jacinda has been working in Health care for over 20 years, her caring nature ensures all patients receive the care they need to heal. She is trained in Manual Osteopathy, Acupuncture, and Yoga Therapy. Jacinda uses a combination of these therapies to treat a wide variety of conditions and injuries, including sports injuries, repetitive strain injuries, chronic pain, post-surgical, postpartum conditions, injuries caused by motor vehicle accidents (whiplash, concussions), and other common conditions. Her Thesis was written on the Geriatric Patient and the positive outcome Osteopathy has on this population. A recent article she wrote, Osteopathy Helps Mom and Baby was featured in the Healthy Living Magazine.
  • Alicia Ayala - Aesthetician
    Alicia has been perfecting her craft as an aesthetician for the past 15 years throughout the GTA. Through her work in the past she has gained a multitude of knowledge by performing various different beauty techniques; such as, traditional aesthetic services, organic facials and waxing, use of essential oils, and working with plant-based products. After persevering through her own skin healing journey she was inspired to use what she had learned in the past in order to help others she encounters throughout her profession. Currently, Alicia is continuing to learn about organic compounds/products and how they react with the skin; as well, she wants to build upon her wealth of knowledge by constantly seeking new information on how to help each individual client that sees her.
  • Janice Holmes - Clinical Director and owner of HealthSCAN Thermography
    Janice has been involved in healthcare at many levels for over thirty years starting as an Athletic Therapist working with athletes and sport related injuries. Throughout her experience she realized that motivating people to consider all aspects of their health is a passion. In 2007, she discovered the value of Digital Infrared Thermographic Imaging (Thermography) technology and shifted focus to becoming a Certified Clinical Thermographer Level II with the American College of Clinical Thermology so she could provide a more in depth level of health information to her clients. HealthSCAN opened in 2008 and has been servicing the Burlington, GTA and southern Ontario communities since. ​ Janice has worked extensively with provincial, national and international colleagues to grow and promote all aspects of health care and continue to focus on educating all women, men and healthcare practitioners about the benefits of using thermography services. She is both ready and willing to help those who choose to use thermography for early risk marker detection screening and an adjunct screening tool for body and breast health. She believes, as do many health care professionals, that being proactive with your health and early detection of conditions provides the best outcomes.
  • Nicky Nock - Personal Training
    Nicky is a passionate, qualified fitness professional originally from the UK now living in Ontario, Canada. Nicky’s extensive experience in group fitness and personal training management on a regional and worldwide scale in Canada, the UK and New Zealand, has made her an influencer in the industry. Nicky has presented worldwide at various fitness industry events and most recently taken her presenting skills online creating and contributing to webinars and online education. Currently Nicky works in the education division of the active leisure sector as a PRO TRAINER Manager at canfitpro. To keep her skills sharp, to stay current and for pure passion, Nicky is the director of The Nock Academy, an online fitness experience. Teaching small group training and Yoga. Nicky’s ultimate goal is to recruit, educate and break down barriers for anyone wanting to enter the fitness industry as a participant or as a career. Visit the website: https://www.thenockacademy.com/
  • Abotti with Antonietta - Low impact group fitness
    Low impact group fitness experience, where we incorporate everyday practical movements to fun music instructed by a high energy instructor Antonietta Abotti. Visit the website: https://abotti.ca/
bottom of page