Denise knew she wanted to be a physiotherapist since high school. She has been passionate about her career ever since.

She believes that the patient is best served through collaboration with sports medicine doctors, orthopedic surgeons, family doctors, and other allied health providers.

She obtained her combined physical therapy/physical education degrees from the University of Saskatchewan in 1996/1997. Denise worked in Saskatoon and then Calgary at Lindsay Park/Talisman Centre where she treated recreational athletes, National athletes, and Pro athletes. At Sunshine Physiotherapy and Sport Rehabilitation, she continues to treat this array of athletes.

The majority of her early career was in the sports setting. This included working with local, National, and International teams. The highlight of those experiences was traveling as the team physio for the Canadian Men’s Rugby Team to Ireland.

Denise has been involved in pursuing a level of excellence for her dear patients. In 1996, she obtained her Advanced Massage Therapy. In 1997 achieved her Personal Fitness and Lifestyle consultant, and in 2010 received her Diploma in Sports Physical Therapy. The diploma in sports medicine is the highest level awarded in Canada. This takes years of studying, coursework, and hands-on fieldwork. She obtained perfect marks: presently there are a little over 100 physiotherapists across Canada with this level of distinction. She has also achieved excellence in Orthopedic Studies through the Canadian Physiotherapy Association in Manual Therapy. In 2019 she obtained her international designation as a sports physical therapist.

Denise suffered from a persistent, nagging pain for a couple of years in her right ovary. She found tremendous relief from Traditional Chinese Medicine, so in 2000 went to the University of Alberta to receive that designation from the renowned Dr. Steven Aung in a yearlong course. In 2007 she took further courses in the use of acupuncture needles and obtained her GUNN IMS (Intramuscular Stimulation) certification.

After the birth of two large babies (10 pounds each), Denise took a variety of courses across Canada in women’s health to treat pelvic floor weakness, incontinence, prolapses, and pain. In 2011 she took courses to help men with pelvic pain, incontinence, pre/post prostate cancer, and erectile dysfunction.

In 2010 Denise was in a massive head-on collision on the highway where she suffered numerous injuries, including breaking her back, hip, and foot. She has successfully returned to an active, pain-free lifestyle through sports medicine, excellent physio, and yoga. She shares her passion for chronic pain at the clinic and through the classes she offers. The Physio-Yoga classes are designed to bridge the gap between physio treatments and a return to higher function. She has been teaching classes on and off for over 30 years, changing and enhancing them as she develops as a student and teacher.

In 2021, Denise’s husband was in a mountain bike accident that left him as a C4 quadriplegic. His Surgeon granted Denise privileges to start day 1 in the ICU at Foothills Hospital. We were told, by the best evidence practice on similar injury cases, that he would be discharged in a wheelchair with limited to no use of his hands. His team of specialists believes that due to the intensive, early intervention Denise provided daily for 6-8 hours a day on top of the hospital PT, OT, and RT he was discharged a month early, walking out of the hospital and shaking his hand with his surgeon thanking him and his team for his care. He now swims, bikes, dances, lifts weights, drives, and works full-time as a high-functioning quadriplegic.