Elliot Vlad – Osteopathic Manual Practitioner
D.O.M.P., B.A. (Kin)
Our founder, Elliot Vlad, a former world athlete in gymnastics, created the Life Therapies clinic following years of physical therapy after suffering a near fatal car accident while training in Ireland, which left him paralyzed. Told by specialists in several disciplines that he would never compete again and was potentially facing the rest of his life in a wheelchair, Elliot suffered from pain, depression, frustration and defeat.
These events in Elliot’s early life played a critical role in his understanding of the human body, psychology and the essence of who we are. His perseverance and determination to overcome great physical and emotional challenges, including teaching himself to walk again, inspired him to help others make pain-free living a reality. Establishing Life Therapies in 2000, the clinic provides therapeutic approaches to treating pain, increasing physical performance and dealing with stress.
Elliot began on his journey through the art of healing at St. Francis Xavier University, where he became fascinated with the mind/body relationship, motivation, human movement and performance. Elliot received a bachelor’s degree in Human Kinetics with a major in Psychology in 2000. He continued his education in Ottawa becoming a Registered Massage Therapist in 2003.
Sensing that there was more to healthcare, Elliot continued his search in understanding the body, mind and spirit. He decided to advance his education at the Canadian College of Osteopathy (CCO) in Toronto. He graduated from the CCO in November 2010, completing this 7-year program and receiving a Diploma in Osteopathic Manual Practice (D.O.M.P.). In doing so, he completed all the requirements to become a Canadian Osteopathic Manual Practitioner, including finishing his thesis, for which he was awarded by the international board of examiners the Andrew Taylor Still Award for the advancement of osteopathy in the field of philosophical and sociological research.
In life, we all must do our part to create positivity and health in the world. Elliot has a very strong passion for women’s health and obstetrics. He believes that by treating women’s health and well-being, assisting them in their pregnancy, and helping them regain their optimal state of being, they will be healthier and happier mothers. By creating balance and optimal function for the woman, she may excel in all aspect of her life, including motherhood. There is nothing more gratifying than assisting in the health of the woman, treating her during pregnancy, managing her recovery afterwards, and in some cases, assisting her in the labor and delivery room.
In pursuit of Elliot’s passion for treating woman’s health, he has continued to take post graduate courses on women’s health, fertility, preparing for pregnancy, obstetrics, and post pregnancy. Elliot has also taken additional courses on the psychology of stress and emotion, advanced palpation, understanding the patient through the fascial and articular realm, and osteopathic treatment of children and adolescents.
His intuitive approach and scientific understanding of the mind-body relationship allow Elliot to create a path of optimal health, navigating the waters of individuals in pain, chronic illness and disabilities with effectiveness and success. The goal is simply to create balance and a sense of peace and wellness that allows the individual to live a life of fulfillment and pain free living.
To contact Elliot Vlad, email: info@lifetherapies.ca