While it doesn’t hurt to have a positive attitude about a treatment or experience you’re about to have, the treatments at Mahaya Health are based on peer-reviewed scientific evidence. There is a large and growing body of research proving the effectiveness of naturopathic medicine, acupuncture, classical osteopathy, registered massage therapy, physiotherapy, and psychotherapy.

Unfortunately, no. However, most of our services are covered by extended healthcare benefits packages. Refer to your individual provider for more information on that.

In general, yes. Let your acupuncturist know if you’re pregnant, breastfeeding, you’re on blood thinners, or you use a pacemaker. Side effects are generally mild, and almost always go away quickly. These may include minor bruising or bleeding, or soreness at the acupuncture point. But acupuncture is well tolerated by the vast majority of patients.

The answer to this depends on your unique health state and goals. However, many people will feel a difference after the first session.

In general, you may feel some mild pain and aching. However, for the most part, acupuncture is considered to be a relaxing experience.

In order to be an osteopathic manual practitioner, one needs to hold a valid DOMP or M.OMSc degree from a qualified classical osteopathy college, including the Canadian Academy of Osteopathy in Hamilton. This is a 4 year program including 4400 hours of training.

Both chiropractors and osteopathic manual practitioners can provide effective treatments, and both address some of the same health concerns. However, your experience with an OMP will be different. Chiropractic treatment tends to be quick, lasting about 10-15 minutes, and adjustments can feel more jarring.

With an OMP your treatment will be longer – 45-60 minutes in length – and will take a gentler approach, addressing your skeleton as well as your soft tissues. OMP treatments are geared toward healing the whole body, rather than individual problem areas.

Legally, the words “osteopath” and “osteopathy” refer to somebody who holds a DO degree, or doctor of osteopathy. A DO is a type of medical doctor – it’s not the same as what we do. To distinguish, we talk about classical osteopathy and osteopathic manual practitioners.

The answer to this depends on what your concerns and health goals are. Some people are satisfied with the results after just a few sessions, while for others it can last over an extended period.

There is an old misconception that the only people who need help with their mental health are people who are mentally ill. While psychotherapy can benefit people with mental illnesses, the truth is psychotherapy can be beneficial to anyone. Seeing a psychotherapist is not a sign of weakness, or that you’re “crazy”, it’s a sign that you recognize a problem in your life and you’re taking steps to solve it.

Psychotherapist is an umbrella term that refers to a number of different types of professionals who provide help with mental and emotional concerns. Psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, addictions counsellors, and occupational therapists are some of the people who may practice psychotherapy.

You may occasionally feel some mild discomfort. This is especially true when your RMT is working through specific problem areas in your body. In general, though, it should be a pain-free experience. Let your RMT know if you’re experiencing any pain, and they will adjust your treatment accordingly.

For most people, massage therapy is a relaxing experience, but there’s more to it than that. Registered massage therapy treatments have a number of proven health benefits.

No. In order to practice as a registered massage therapist in Ontario, you must be registered with the College of Massage Therapists of Ontario. In order to register, you must hold a diploma of massage therapy from an accredited institution. Here is a list of schools in Canada where you can get the proper credentials.