Jacquie Townsend BMR PT

Jacquie achieved a Bachelor of Medical Rehabilitation in Physiotherapy, at the University of Manitoba in 2008. Her background includes a variety of paediatrics, long term care, palliative care and acute in-patient rehab from her start working in a small city hospital in her hometown, Brandon, MB. She moved to Calgary in 2011 and started her career with Alberta Health Services at the Foothills Medical Centre before moving to the Outpatient Neurology department at the South Health Campus where she worked in neuromuscular, general neurology, movement disorders and the vertigo clinics before leaving in 2023. She became LSVT BIG® certified, a gold standard treatment for Parkinson’s Disease, in Billings, Montana. She received Vestibular Competency Certification from Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. She is a founding member of the Functional Movement Disorders (FMD) Society and has twice attended treatment workshops for FMD in Louisville, Kentucky. She has completed a Canadian Falls Prevention Curriculum from the University of Victoria, has advanced training in concussion management, is acupuncture certified, a certified Urban Poling instructor and has completed Part A and B of the McKenzie Method®, a spinal assessment and treatment model. Most recently, she has achieved Multiple Sclerosis Specialist Certification and training at the Cleveland Clinic in Las Vegas, Nevada.

You can find Jacquie at the hockey arenas in Calgary, cheering on her two young sons, or catch her completing a half marathon each year at the Calgary Marathon or Calgary Police Half Marathon. Jacquie enjoys taking advantage of the mountains by snowboarding, hiking or camping whenever possible. Jacquie values an active lifestyle and is motivated to help each individual achieve their mobility goals.

 

Urvi Desai, PT

 

 Urvi is originally from India but calls Calgary her home now.

Her journey into physiotherapy began in 2010 after earning her Bachelor's degree from University in Mumbai. Since then, she's focused much of her career on working with individuals who have neurological disorders. She spent five years in acute setting in a hospital in Mumbai, treating patients with conditions like stroke, brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, Parkinson's disease, Multiple Sclerosis and more. Urvi was able to support her patients from the ICU all the way through to their recovery at home, building a deep understanding of their evolving needs.

In 2015, Urvi expanded her horizons by working in Singapore for two years at a multidisciplinary musculoskeletal clinic, where she developed a broader understanding of human movement. In 2018 she moved to Calgary. Urvi wanted to pursue her journey back  in Neuro rehabilitation this time  and was fortunate to find work at a community rehabilitation centre called ARBI where she continues to work as a contractor.

Urvi is always learning and staying up-to-date with the latest research and techniques, with certifications in several specialized areas, including Certification in Stroke Rehabilitation, NDT basics, Functional Electrical Stimulation, Trainer for FAME Program, High Intensity Gait Training, Perturbation Based Balance Training, Rhythmic Auditory Stimulation for Gait Training, Spasticity Management,  Vestibular Therapy, and more. Urvi takes pride in taking conscientious efforts to stay up to date with latest research as she understands recovery after neurological insult can be tedious and  knowing that  best evidence based treatment approach can give her clients that  head-start in their rehabilitation journey. It is also important to her that her treatment approach is client centric. She strives to balance her knowledge with client’s unique needs to get best possible outcomes.

Outside of work, Urvi is embracing Canadian life and enjoying the challenges of winter sports, like ice skating and cross-country skiing. Her other interests are learning classical Indian dance form and performing yoga.. She loves spending time with her family, including her husband and their young son, and is always eager to explore new places.