Gillian Macdonald -Rigden RMT
Gillian graduated from the University of Guelph in 2011 with an Honours Bachelor of Arts Degree, majoring in Psychology. She especially loved learning about nervous system anatomy and physiology and the brain/body connection. After some years of travel and work, Gillian began the Massage Therapy program at Georgian College and graduated in 2016. Since then she has worked in spa and massage therapy clinic settings. She has also co-owned a clinic and learned a lot about the business side of massage therapy. During the pandemic, Gillian took a break from treating to focus on house renovations and her growing family, and is now excited to return to work.
Gillian started her journey to massage therapy as a birth doula in 2012. She has a passion for all things related to pregnancy and birth, and hoped that adding massage therapy to her repertoire of skills would benefit her doula business. Upon starting the program, Gillian was surprised to discover that she was just as passionate about massage therapy, combining anatomy and physiology with practical hands-on application, and decided to focus on that as her primary career. She has since completed further education in hot stone therapy and cupping therapy, and hopes to take further courses in fascial treatment. Gillian’s ultimate goal is to become an Osteopathic Manual Practitioner.
Gillian is proficient in Swedish massage, fascial work, hydrotherapy, cupping, hot stone, and enjoys providing wellness, injury rehabilitation, and perinatal treatments. Her treatment style is slow and intentional, with a focus on trigger points and a holistic approach to improve clients’ pain, range of motion, and general sense of wellbeing. The client is always the Centre focus of every treatment plan, and takes a collaborative role in their treatment with continuous communication and home care activities.
When she is not working, Gillian enjoys life as an Oro-Medonte resident, spending lots of time outdoors with her husband and two young children. She also spends lots of quality time with her dog Snoopy and cat Basil. When she’s able to, Gillian makes time to bake, read, and crochet small projects for the house.
