Get to Know Our Team of Healthcare Practitioners in Calgary

Dr. Ayesha Ebrahim, D.C., B.A., BSc., ART

Dr. Ayesha Ebrahim was born and raised in Calgary, Alberta. She has had the privilege of competing at a national level in field hockey, competitive ringette, ice and ball hockey as well as soccer. She completed her undergraduate degree in Kinesiology at the University of Lethbridge. Following her undergraduate degree, Dr. Ebrahim attended the University of Western States in Portland Oregon, where she received a Bachelor of Science in Human Biology and a Doctor of Chiropractic degree. In her free time, Dr. Ebrahim enjoys running, playing ice hockey, ball hockey, powerlifting, practicing yoga and road biking.

Dr. Ebrahim is an evidence-based practitioner who employs a non-pharmacological practice to health care. She incorporates gentle spinal manipulation, Active Release Technique® (ART), Graston® Technique, kinesio tape, shockwave therapy, rehabilitative and functional exercises as well as sports therapy in her practice. Dr. Ebrahim is also a member of the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association and incorporates treatments for young children aged 0 and up, as well as practices Webster Technique for pregnant females. Dr. Ebrahim has also completed a 300 hour training course for Contemporary Medical Acupuncture at McMaster University and is proficient in the safe needle technique which is mandatory for safe practice.

Dr. Ebrahim stresses the crucial nature of properly functioning musculoskeletal, immune, and nervous systems to achieve optimal patient health and performance. Her goal is to provide patient education and ultimately give her patients the knowledge, confidence, and tools necessary to take an active role in their recovery to optimum health, future injury prevention, and to enhance athletic performance. Dr. Ebrahim’s goal is for her patients to live healthier and balanced lives, with professional care they can trust.

Dr. Bairu Wang, DCTM

Upon earning her Medicine bachelor’s degree at the University of The Traditional Chinese Medicine in China, Dr. Bairu Wang began working at a Chinese hospital between 2010 and 2016 as a licensed Doctor of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Due to the volume of patients in the hospital Dr. Wang was treating 40-60 patients daily, which has largely contributed to her knowledge and skills.

After relocating to Alberta, Dr. Wang has continued with her private acupuncture practice, and is actively instructing at the Canadian Institute of TCM (CITCM), as it is her passion to assist people in gaining optimal health, and to share her extensive experience and knowledge on to students and patients.

Dr. Bairu practices Traditional Chinese style Acupuncture, which is primarily based on meridian and viscera theory, yet she also adopts Western Anatomical Theory in her treatment principles. She emphasizes finding the underlying causes of diseases rather than treating one painful region at a time, as would be done using Western anatomical theory.

Dr. Bairu also combines prescribing Chinese herbal formulas tailored to your body’s specific needs. These formulas may consist of 4 to 15 ingredients. Herbal formulas can be prescribed in conjunction with traditional acupuncture, or individually for those who may be weary of traditional needles used during treatment.

Dr. Bairu commonly treats both chronic and acute pain, in any part of the body, including but not limited to:

• Cervical spondylosis/ lumbar spondylosis
• Myalgia/myofascitis /plantar fasciitis
• Rheumatoid arthritis/arthritical pain
• Diabetic neuropathy/Parkinson’s disease/sequela of shingles/multiple sclerosis
• Temporomandibular joint syndrome
• Frozen shoulder/external humeral epicondylitis/carpal tunnel syndrome

In addition to treating pain, Dr. Bairu also treats a wide range of internal and external conditions including:

• Female and male reproductive organ issues (irregular menstruation, dysmenorrhea, pre-menstrual syndrome, menopause syndrome, infertility, post-partum depression, impotence or premature ejaculation)
• Gastrointestinal system issues (constipation, diarrhea, IBS, acid reflux, flatulence, indigestion, over-eating)
• Neurovascular system issues (vertigo, migraines, headache, stroke sequelae, facial paralysis, poor memory/poor concentration/high blood pressure)
• Emotional disorder (anxiety, depression, insomnia, stress, over-thinking, irritability, moodiness, fatigue)
• ENT system ailment (ear pain, tinnitus, loss of hearing, nose congestion, nasosinusitis, sore and swollen throat)
• Immune system issues (common colds, flu, asthma, allergies)
• Facial skin problems (aging, wrinkles, pimples/acne)

Dr. Katie MacDonald

Dr. Katie MacDonald completed her Bachelor of Science in natural science at the University of Calgary with concentrations in biology and chemistry. Her interests in sports and the medical field led her to move to Portland, Oregon to complete her Doctor of Chiropractic and Bachelor of Science in human biology at the University of Western States. She is focused on educating her patients to give them the tools they need to be at their optimal health and peak athletic performance. She is a native Calgarian who grew up playing various sports with different clubs in the city. She uses her personal experiences with injury to enhance her understanding of how to modify training around injuries and pain. Clinical practicum has given her more rehab experience and involvement in providing integrated care as part of a multidisciplinary team. She enjoys helping her patients get back to functioning normally and pain free by utilizing a variety of soft tissue techniques, taping, functional rehab, diversified and activator adjustments to improve her patients’ active lifestyles.

Grace Lee, RMT

Grace graduated from a 2200-hour massage therapy diploma program at Mount Royal University in Calgary, Alberta and is a registered massage therapist with the Remedial Massage Therapy Association. She specializes in therapeutic massage related to sports injuries, motor-vehicle accidents, postural issues, pre/post-natal and overused soft-tissue injuries.

Along with the therapeutic massage, Grace is also interested in stress management based on relaxation massage. She is passionate about supporting individuals with integrated approach to relieve both physical and emotional stress.
She utilizes a wide range of techniques such as deep tissue, trigger point, myofascial release, and joint mobilization to better suit and care for each individual client’s needs.

In her spare time, she is usually in the gym, or out in nature walking with her cat, hiking, and snowboarding.

Rhonda Tensen, RMT

Rhonda graduated from MaKami College in Edmonton 2012. She has worked in a variety of settings, and specializes in therapeutic massage combining myofascial, trigger point, orthopedic, and bits of NMT to make the massage a unique experience. Many clients have expressed how 'loose' and great they feel afterwards.

She is committed to the idea that massage should be a regular part of maintaining health and lifestyle. She believes in the body's ability to heal itself and that massage therapy is one of the many paths to restoring health and wholeness to the body.

In her spare time you can find her watching movies and TV shows, reading, doing puzzles on the computer, searching the web or playing games, or hanging out with family and friends. She would love to go travelling again (if ever has mula) to see parts of the world, and also to get more tattoos.

Carla Barrett, Office Manager

Carla was born and raised in Manitoba and relocated to Calgary in 1997 to further advance her career. 

She has devoted the majority of her career to working in the Disability Services Sector where she worked as a direct service worker supporting adults with Developmental Disabilities and then moved into the management level with a continued focus on inclusion, advocacy and disability awareness within the community. 

In 2009 Carla shifted gears and accepted a role managing a local company which provides therapeutic services to children with varying degrees of needs. Reflective of her career choices, she strongly believes there is incredible value in being of service to others.

Carla promotes supporting a healthy work-life balance and as a mother of two young daughters she knows it is essential. Her children keep her busy and entertained each and every day, and she enjoys spending time them, her family and friends. She most enjoys travelling and camping with her family.

Carla is honored to be part of the professional team working at Vantage Integrative Health + Wellness.

Dr. Chelsea Nelson, D.C., BKin

Dr. Chelsea Nelson earned her Doctorate in Chiropractic, in December 2018, where she graduated with Summa Cum Laude honors, from Palmer College of Chiropractic West in San Jose, California. 

Dr. Nelson is originally from Vancouver Island, but now calls Calgary home. Prior to her post-graduate studies, she completed her undergraduate degree in Kinesiology at the University of Calgary, November 2012. She then had the opportunity to move to Australia for a year and a half, and then worked as a Kinesiologist at a physiotherapy clinic after her return to Calgary.

Dr. Nelson’s practice consists of using evidence-based approaches to provide the best care for her patients. She uses diversified chiropractic adjustments, activator and drop table, as well as soft tissue therapy and provides stretching and strengthening exercises to further aide in the recovery process. She is certified in Smart Tools, K-Tape, and Dynamic Neuromuscular Stabilization, and trained in Class IV laser and shockwave therapies.

Her ambition is to assist patients in achieving their optimal health goals by decreasing musculoskeletal dysfunctions and allowing them to focus on optimizing function in their daily lives. In her spare time, Dr. Nelson enjoys travelling, camping, cheering for the Calgary Flames and stand up paddle boarding.