Jacqueline Jurchuk RMT, C.Ac.

Certified in massage, hydrotherapy and acupuncture, Jacqueline has been a registered massage therapist since 2002. She is the owner of Jema Therapeutics where she is free to follow her vision of providing the best in professional health services for an assortment of needs within the community.

I absolutely love my career and only wish I had started earlier. When asked why I became a massage therapist my answer is an immediate, “I wanted to help others as I was helped years before.”

I was 27, with 2 toddlers of my own and babysitting a 5-month old baby. Unfortunately my back was in very bad shape. Mornings, I would roll out of bed onto my knees and work myself slowly up to a standing position. Dressing was a nightmare. My doctor prescribed muscle relaxants and bed rest. I had to refuse because of the children and the quality of care I wanted to give. His next suggestion was massage therapy.

I tried a few before I found someone with whom I was comfortable. We worked together once every week for a couple of months, then less often as my back improved. Amazingly, within 3 months I was popping out of bed and dressing normally. I continued on once-a-month maintenance which made it easy to keep up with the children. One day, during a treatment I thought how rewarding it would be to help others this way.

The seed was planted and every now and again I would think about it. Meanwhile, I took a part-time job at Zehrs. After 7 years, still longing to do something to help others, I began to investigate schools for massage therapy. A friend told me about the Canadian College of Massage and Hydrotherapy here in Kitchener and I immediately went to visit. I tentatively enrolled in their Anatomy and Physiology prep course and swore that if I got over 90%, I would take the full course. And here I am.

I have no regrets. I love my work and can think of nothing I would rather do.

Since graduating, I have completed courses in acupuncture and Thai massage. I will continue to further my knowledge in these and related fields for I believe that the more I learn, the more efficient and effective my treatments become.

Volunteer Work

• 5 years helping children participating in Dutch Boy Drum and Bugle Corps, Kitchener, Ont.
• 2006, 2007 – ISC Men’s World Fastball Tournament – sports massage.

Certificates

• Massage Therapy Diploma, Canadian College of Massage and Hydrotherapy, 2002
• Certified Acupuncture Certificate, College of Acupuncture and Therapeutics, 2004
• Level 1 Thai Massage, 2007
• Level 2 Thai Massage, 2008