Livewell Myofascial Release
2122B Montreal Road K1J6M7 Ottawa, ON, Canada

Collaboration is something we take very seriously at our clinic. However, that doesn't me we take ourselves too seriously. Jenni and I have been collaborating care for our clients of infants and kids for years. We love offering all our experience to our families, and we try to have a lot of fun while we do it. Jenni is such a team player that she stood on a stool for me so that I wouldn't have to bend down for our pics! For those of you that haven't met us, there is nearly a foot between us!!

Want to improve your little ones sitting?- we need to get those abdominal muscles working. *Gentle- sit ups and lay downs *Feet to mouth *Assisted rolls All help wake up abdominal muscles.#livewellmfr #kidsneedtreatmenttoo #jenniferspakdomp #pediatricscare #ottawaosteopathy ,#osteopathyforkids

Owning a business doesn't just happen between 9-5. When you love your work, you are always trying to improve on the care you and your team provide. #lovemyjob, #jenniferspakdomp, #lifelonglearning, #womanownedbiz ,

"Fish lips" are a simple yet effective way to reduce muscle tension in the cheeks. This is common with an ineffective suck/tongue movement. Slowly glide your fingers from in front of the ears, under the cheek bone to the sides of the mouth, creating Fish Lips. This helps the muscle tension in the jaw and loosens the fascial and muscle tension around the mouth. Take 30sec from one end to the other and repeat a few times. Babies love it!! repeat before meals. #kidsneedtreatmenttoo, #jenniferspakdomp, #jennibyoungrmtdomp , #tonguetied,

Sometimes my thank you comes in the best form possible! #lovemyjob, #kidsneedtreatmenttoo, #livewellmfr

Treatment for every age is so important! Kids love the learning that goes along with the therapy. Teaching them how their body works and how they can help it never feels like work. #lovemyjob, #kidsneedtreatmenttoo, #jenniferspakdomp , #lifelonglearning , #therapistmom

Dress up Tuesdays! This is how we celebrate the last day at work for 2020! #byebye2020 #fluevog

Livewell MFR is open during the lockdown. Please help us keep everyone safe by following Covid guidelines and not visiting the clinic unless two weeks past any visits ourside your household. Happy HolidaysLivewell MFR is open during the lockdown. Please help us keep everyone safe by following Covid guidelines and not visiting the clinic unless two weeks past any visits ourside your household. Happy Holidays

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Every wonder what treatment with kids look like? This is a typical day for me. Thankfully this little guy was in a great mood. Somedays, I am not so lucky. Tha...nk you so much Blush Branding www.sophiefortierphotgraphy.com , #livewellmfr #jenniferspakdomp #kidsneedtreatmenttoo #pediatricsosteopathy #meetingmilestones #treatmentisplay #happybaby, #sophiefortierphotography See more

Sometimes Mondays are tough, even for babies. How was your Monday? #myofacialrelease ,#kidsneedtreatmenttoo #jenniferspakdomp , #mondayselfie , #mondaymood

LIvewell Myofascial Release has some super exciting news! We have a new beautiful face joining our team on September 10th! Meet our new lactation consultant Beth Mcmillan! ... A little about Beth: Beth has been practicing as an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant for 14 years now Prior to studying for and receiving her IBCLC certification, Beth used her degree in Child Development, with a particular focus on special needs, in a variety of settings from running a child care program in Nunavut to providing parent support in an urban center. Through past experiences, Beth has acquired a strong foundation in listening to families to meet their needs wherever they are. Beth is always working to stay current and develop her ability to support babies and families, she attends workshops, conferences, and pursues new information and skills regularly. If you would love to book an appointment with Beth please visit: https://livewellmfr.janeapp.com/#/staff_member/13 We are so excited to welcome you Beth! See more

Here are day 3 and day 4 pics of my facial structure, wound heal and tongue extension

Slowly saying goodbye to open mouth breathing!

New staff uniform #fluevogfridays #itsnotthemask

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Day 1 Pics with Before and After. The biggest change is where my jaw (mandible) sits while at rest. My lower teeth use to sit back a bit behind my upper teeth. ...Now when at rest, I feel my teeth meeting in the front. This will not happen with eating as my molars/bite will return to their best contact points, but it's quite nice when not eating. My jaw feels more relaxed and my tongue is starting to float up more to the roof of my mouth in a better resting state. My extension is better and my tongue isn't nearly as "Pointy", My wound is a traditional diamond shape and is only mildly sensitive. #adultstonguetied#livewellmfr#chapmanmillsdental#TongueTie#Myofunctional,##craniofacialawareness,

Recertification in CPR and 1st aid done. Fun way to spend a Sunday saving my colleagues.

Some days I feel like an impostor. I'm out there telling people to take care of their health, and to put their well-being first. In the meantime, I seem to forg...et to follow that advice for myself. For a long time, I've been on a mission to help others gain control over their health. It's my life's purpose. I feel really passionate about this because I see how much it changes a person's life, and the type of positive ripple effect it can have. The beautiful thing about Nutrition and TCM is that, while people may first focus on feeling better physically, as they begin to address their health concerns, their mental health improves. They can think more clearly, and they tend to have a better handle on their emotions. This positively impacts their interactions with the rest of the world. But sometimes, I focus on that aspect a little too much. I work myself to the bone. I become depleted. And then, I become sick. Did you know that I recently finished a 3-year diploma in Acupuncture? I was in such a hurry to make a difference that I decided to take on the program in 21 months. On the one hand, I'm proud of myself for managing that. But on the other hand, it cost me so much (and I'm not talking $$, here). I took on a course load that was too heavy to allow me to have a balanced life. I missed out on a lot of social events. I sacrificed precious sleep at times to get it all done. My semester breaks were spent completing more courses "to get ahead". While I was in school, I was diagnosed with Crohn's Disease. I very briefly contemplated slowing down a little. I quickly brushed that idea aside. I had already come this far, after all. Plus, my diet was nearly perfect, and I was getting a balance of medical and alternative healthcare. So I kept pushing myself. And then I had a bad reaction to my medication because my body was too drained to be able to process the medication properly. I finally negotiated some sort of balance with myself. I asked myself what work I absolutely needed to get done right away, and what I could defer for the time being. And just like that, things started to improve. The Crohn's flare that I was experiencing went into remission even though I was no longer taking medication (which I don't recommend doing without proper medical supervision!). But then, in April, between the new lifestyle that the pandemic brought on and the heavy study load that comes with the last semester of the Acupuncture program, another flare started. You may have guessed that I once again didn't take the proper time to slow down. I mean, I really only had to keep pushing on to finish the semester, and then I would be able to rest. This mindset only contributed to feeling worse. My body is screaming really loudly at me right now in the form of new symptoms. It can't handle it anymore. So here I am, publicly committing to taking better care of myself. Because after all, how can I help others if I don't take care of myself? I can't pour from an empty cup. And neither can you. Will you join me in making more time for self-care? If you're ready to put in the work to take better care of yourself, head on over to https://livewellmfr.janeapp.com/#/holistic-nutrition to get started. I look forward to hearing your story.

I couldn't do it alone. At Livewell MFR we believe AND practice Collaborative Care. What does that mean? We believe two or more sets of eyes that share the same philosophy of care can do more your child. I work closely with Jennifer B-Young to create a treatment plan that identifies hard to see issues that sometimes are missed with only one set of eyes. With two therapists, we also have the schedule that can accommodate the frequency of treatment that is optimal for babies. We work closely together and share regularly to ensure the best care for your little one.

MANDATORY CLOTH MASKS: A Very Long Post. Please read to the end. Public Health is about following evidence, so when we call for change, that change is the resul...t of what our evidence is telling us. Lately evidence has been coming at great speed & volume. We've been doing our best to keep you informed, but some of you may feel like in March & April we said cloth masks weren't needed, then in May & June said cloth masks were needed, & now we're saying theyll soon be mandatory. We know this may have seemed confusing, and we're sorry about that. However, each shift was evidence-based. Before we knew about asymptomatic transmission, there was no need for you to wear a cloth mask unless you were sick. Then evidence emerged to support its existence. We needed to react quickly, so we asked you to wear cloth masks when distancing was difficult to protect those around you. We are once again in a period of change. The emerging evidence shows us that wearing cloth masks in indoor public spaces is a necessary measure to help keep our community safe; especially as we all begin gathering again. We know that this transition wont be easy for you. There will be bumps in the road as we work w/community partners to implement this measure. Some of you may have a hard time adjusting, and thats ok. Were all human, and none of us are perfect, but we will make this work. We know this isnt easy for you, and we understand. Just know that we care. We really do. Weve been at this for months now, working tirelessly to try to keep pace with COVID-19 and keep you safe. Can we guarantee that things won't shift again? No. Can we guarantee that this measure will put an end to COVID-19? Also no. But we can say this: we will beat this. We will keep following evidence & working together. We've said it 100 times: We are in this together. Thanks for sticking with us, Ottawa. You can read today's special statement about mandatory masks here: http://ow.ly/wNcF30qW0Hl

Painful Latch? Clicking sounds? Vasospasms? Poor milk transfer? If any of these sound familiar, then a much needed appt with an IBCLC (Lactation Consultant)and a Manual therapist are in your future. I work with IBCLCs and Midwives daily to assess structural and neurological issues that impact the ability of a baby to have an effective latch with both Breast and Bottle. #kidsneedtreatmenttoo, #livewellmfr, #breastfeeding, #painfullatch, #jenniferspakdomp, #jennibyoungrmt,#ICBLC,#vasospasm,

I get tongue tie and other oral tissue restrictions questions daily. Here is a bit of additional infomation about what a tongue tie is and what are the other tethered oral tissues (TOTs).

Tell me your birth story. As Therapists, learning about your pregnancy and birth experience gives us valuable information about your child and what is happening in their bodies. The more you share, the more we learn and can really get a full picture of you and your baby's needs. #kidsneedtreatmenttoo, #jenniferspakdomp, #jennibyoungRMT

What is Infant Massage Therapy and how can it support your family post partum and beyond?? Meet Jennifer Young, Registered Massage Therapist and another excelle...nt human in our community. She works at LiveWell Myofascial Release and is part of the amazing team there. She and I met years ago when she was teaching pre-natal yoga (8+ years ago!!) and I can't wait to introduce her to you. This photo sums it up beautifully - full of light! Join us on Thursday June 18 at 10:00am - this is part of the "Post Partum" support series which will begin this week and continue 2 weeks from now. See you then! https://www.livewellmfr.com/jennifer-young

Missed the Facebook Live with Jennifer Spak DOMP and Breathe In Photography? Watch the replay to learn what exactly it is that Jennifer Spak does - she has a waiting list that is months long for a reason! What is it that osteopathy and cranial sacral therapy offers babies post birth that is so helpful?... Can these modalities help with feeding? Colic? Fussiness?

#blackouttuesday

We are pleased to be welcoming our clients back to the clinic. We have all been through an extraordinary time and as we know, it is not yet over. As we start to resume some normal activities and habits, we would like to share the new protocol that will be in place for your visit to the clinic. Please take the time to read fully through the new steps. We take your health very seriously and ask that everyone, including our staff, to follow the new protocol for in-clinic treatm...ent. Stringent cleaning protocols with approved Health Canada cleaners will be used after every client and throughout common areas multiple times a day. Please note that June will be a transitional month for the therapists and will have limited availability as we have been recommended by the Ministry of Health and our Colleges to make a gradual transition back. We hope to be running at the new normal capacity by July. Online booking will be opened gradually for each Therapy in accordance to their College recommendations. 1. Each person will be asked on every visit a series of COVID screening questions. If you answer yes to any questions, or we see that you are visibly unwell (such as a cold or cough), treatment will be refused and rescheduled to a later date. We recognize that you may wake the morning of with an illness. Please call the clinic immediately and we will assess if we can switch you to an Online Telehealth appt or move your appt to a later date. 2. You will be permitted to enter the clinic approximately 1-2 minutes before your scheduled time. This will allow you to wash or sanitize your hands before entering the treatment room. If you arrive early, please wait in your car or outside respecting physical distancing. We have a small waiting area that has been re-designed to allow for better spacing, but we need to keep the number of people in the common area to a minimum. Read the rest of our protocol in our blog https://www.livewellmfr.com/blog See more

We have been given the green light to slowly begin to reopen the clinic. The month of June will be a transition month as we begin to schedule in-clinic appts. We ask that you are patient with us as we have numerous obstacles to overcome to safely offer in-clinic care. We will in accordance to the Ministry of Healths recommendations be continuing Tele-Health care. It has been recommended that if we can address issues via Tele-Health, we are to do so. This will be at the ther...apists discretion. If you have appts scheduled in July and onwards, your appt will remain. If you have any questions. Please contact the clinic via email at [email protected] We thank you in advance for your patience as we navigate this new normal. The Livewell Team

Tele-Health is available for all disciplines Book NowTele-Health is available for all disciplines Book Now

FB friends, let me know what you would like to learn about in regards to infants/kids. Milestones, birth injuries, feeding , digestion. Leave your question in the comments and I will share some of my clinical experience with you.

Dear friends, We are adapting to this world challenge right along side each one of you. We want you to know that we care about your health and well-being during this difficult time. My staff and I have been brainstorming on how we can still support your physical health during this time. We decided to make a move to Tele-health sessions. We know this isn't the same as seeing us in person, but we also aware that the length of time before we can re-open fully is getting furthe...r and further away. We know that our therapists have been a part of keeping you healthy as well as helping you maintain a good quality of life. I would encourage you to continue that work with us, even in this modified way. Having a followup appt of 15 or 30 minutes gives us time to review how you are doing, reassess your condition and monitor for new issues. We also can provide you with lots of home care exercises and care to manage the conditions you have. We will also have the opportunity to work on the educations side with pain science, movement therapy and mindfulness. All important things in this stressful environment. For all my parents of babies and kids that have been looking to get into my schedule. I have decided to open my Telehealth for Assessments for children. With my years of experience, I can make lots of discoveries about your child just through observation, health history, questions, as well as having you take your child through some easy movement patterns. Science has shown that early detection in children is a key to optimal development. While it is not quite the same as me seeing them in person, early corrections and some home exercise can be invaluable to getting your children off to the right start. You will be hearing from us in the next few days and we will be looking to schedule a follow up session with you soon for Physiotherapy, Manual Osteopathy, Naturopathy and Holistic Nutrition. If you have questions, send us an email at [email protected]. For once I can say that your therapists have lots of time to answer your questions. If you are ready to book, head over to www.livewellmfr.com today. Much love and health to you all, Jennifer Spak RMT,DOMP #jenniferspakdomp, #stayhealthy, #telehealth, #supportlocalbusinesses #jasonkresicpt, #drjola, #christinanajjarRHN

Attention Livewell MFR Clients! ALL TREATMENTS are cancelled effective immediately until April 6th. If there is an urgent need for care, please contact the clinic so that it can be discussed with the therapist. For full details, please visit the link below.

Dear Valued Livewell Clients, The currrent health climate and government directives have been rapidly evolving. We have also heard from some of our governing associations, such as The Canadian Physiotherapy Association, the College of Massage Therapists of Ontario and our Osteopathic Associations who are recommending that we only provide in person care for urgent needs. Add to this the urgency of social distancing that our government has strongly advised and we feel it is tim...e to make some additional changes to our current Covid19 protocols. Effective immediately, all appointments at Livewell are cancelled until April 6th. HOWEVER, if you, our valued client, feel that your situation is urgent, please email [email protected] or leave a voicemail at the clinic (613-706-2811) and we will make arrangements for your therapist to call or email. Together, you and the therapist will decide the best course of action for your health. Perhaps we can assist with your health concern via the phone or email. If you and the therapist decide only an in-person treatment will help, we will make arrangements for you to come to the clinic. In those cases, any appointments will be spaced out to limit contact with other people, therapists will work on different days, our stringent hygiene and sanitizing measures will stay in place, as will screening for any illness or travel history (in which case only email and phone advice are available). These are unprecedented times and we will continue to provide updates as the sitution evolves. Our focus will continue to be the wellbeing of the entire Livewell Community. Stay safe, get some fresh air, send loving vibes.

When I first started to tell my clients and friends that I was returning to school (yes again) to receive a Diploma as an Osteopathic Manual Practitioner I was often asked what is that and why do you want to do that? To be honest I didnt have a great answer. I really wasnt sure all I knew was that osteopathy worked for me, and it helped people. For me, working with and receiving regular treatments from an Osteopathic Manual Practitioner makes me feel better, as do m...y clients who see one. After starting the Diploma program, over the first month or so I still had a hard time defining what it was that I would be doing. A simple definition of it being holistic manual medicine as so many osteopathic web sites define didnt seem to be enough. I started to learn the principles of osteopathy and thats when it started to click. Read more about Jenni's journey to becoming an Osteopathic Manual Practitioner. #livewellmfr #jennibRMT #ottawa #613 #ottawaliving #healthyottawa #manualosteopathy #jenniferspakdomp See more

What is the problem with W-Sitting? It is common to see children move in and out of W-sitting, especially while playing on the ground. While its okay for a child to move into a W-position occasionally, they shouldnt hang out that way for too long. W-sitting for long periods of time can strain the body and affect physical and neural development. ... Read 5 ways w-sitting affects development in our blog https://www.livewellmfr.com/blog See more

Our February Newsletter is here! Catch up with the team at Livewell MFR and learn more about what to wear to a massage therapy appointment, w-sitting, tummy time and more.

I like most, hate accounting. But every year it comes back full force, especially for business owners. I have to appreciate when your accountant asks you to pick the rock that speaks to you. Your rock of strength for getting through the spreadsheets. He brought a trunk full home from the shores of Lake Superior. I have to say it is working as thing were easier today. #accountingrocks, #smallbusinessowner #womeninbusiness #livewellmfr #michaelnorthcoteCA

Criss-Cross Crawling: Why Does It Matter? In criss-cross crawling a baby moves a limb to the opposite side of the body. For example, your babe may touch the left hand to the right elbow. This is called crossing the midline of the body.... This type of movement is key for developing vision, hearing, learning, and integration of reflexes. It also increases low back strength, prepares the ankles/feet for flexion with walking, encourages spinal rotation strength and strengthens hand-eye coordination. Help get your baby crawling and learn what to do if your baby uses another method of crawling with tips from Jennifer Spak DOMP in our blog. https://www.livewellmfr.com/post/how-baby-crawls-matters

What is a Tongue-Tie? The term tongue-tie, formally known as Ankyloglossia, describes a congenital (in utero) condition whereby an infant or child has a short and/or thick frenulum (fascial string-like tissue anchoring the tongue to the floor of the mouth). A tongue-tie can restrict tongue movement and impact the function of the tongue. Around 50% of infants with a tongue-tie experience feeding difficulties because of the condition. Symptoms like: discomfort and pain durin...g breastfeeding, digestive issues and frequent ineffective feedings. Beyond breastfeeding: tongue-ties can affect development Learn who to speak to if you suspect a tongue or lip tie & what to do if one is confirmed in our blog. https://www.livewellmfr.com/blog

In order to see the birds, it is necessary to be come part of the silence Robert Lynd. A moment with my daughter practicing her silence. #familytime, #livethesilence,#jenniferspakdomp

We usually have loads of babies passing though. In this case we got to spend some time with the fur babies. This little one is named Angus! @ Livewell Myofascial Release

The best part of the day is starting babies off right in life! #mybestlife, #livewellmfr, #kidsneedtreatmenttoo

My Thursdays are treatment free days, but are usually jammed packed nonetheless. But i still find the time for me, usually in nature. What do you do to help you keep everything balanced?

Wishing you all a wonderful Thanksgiving. I hope you spent a little time doing what you love- I know I did. #familytime #paddletime, #timeforpie