Our Team

Meet Our Physiotherapists and Staff

Lindsay Baker

Physiotherapist

Certified Gunn IMS Practitioner
Certified Pelvic Floor Physiotherapist
Level 3 Orthopedic Division of CPA
Special Interest in Chronic Pain Management

Lindsay is Registered Physiotherapist and co-owner of French Creek Physiotherapy. Using a combination of treatments including manual therapy, IMS, education, and exercise prescription, she focuses on helping patients return to doing what is most important to them. She not only educates her patients on what they need to do to manage their own health, but works with them to identify barriers that prevent them from adopting a healthier lifestyle.

Since completing a Master’s degree in Physiotherapy at Queen’s University in 2007, she has completed additional training in Chronic Pain Management, Chan Gunn Intramuscular Stimulation (IMS) through the Faculty of Medicine at UBC, and has a Level 3 Diploma of Advanced Manual and Manipulative Therapy.

She is also certified to treat pelvic floor dysfunction including:

  • pelvic pain (vaginal/perineal/rectal pain, dyspareunia, vestibulodynia, pudendal neuralgia, coccydynia)
  • incontinence (urinary and fecal, stress and urge, overactive bladder)
  • pelvic organ prolapse

She can assess and treat women in the pre- and post-natal period to address pain, pelvic floor dysfunction, and diastasis rectus abdominus.

When not at work, she spends her time wrangling her two young children, running or biking in the forest, and trying to grow things in her garden.

Leif Cope

Physiotherapist

Certified Gunn IMS Practitioner
Level 2 Orthopedic Division of CPA
Acupuncture Foundation of Canada (Anatomical Acupuncture)
Graston Technique Certified
Titleist Performance Institute Certified

Leif is a Registered Physiotherapist and co-owner of French Creek Physiotherapy.  A life long resident of the Oceanside area, Leif is excited to be practicing in his home community.

Leif graduated from the University of Notre Dame, Australia in 2009 with a Bachelor of Physiotherapy. A former University level baseball player, Leif was drawn to the orthopedic and sport Physiotherapy world and has stayed in this field for the duration of his career. With 11 years of private practice experience on Vancouver Island, he understands the needs and expectations of the population in this region very well.

Leif believes that good Physiotherapy outcomes start with accurate assessment and patient empowerment. He believes this can be achieved through one to one care in a setting that provides the necessary physical infrastructure, ample treatment time and the opportunity for effective patient/therapist communication.

Leif looks forward to providing Physiotherapy services to the community and sharing his passion for movement and rehabilitation with you.  

Elle Bryson

Registered Massage Therapist

Registered Massage Therapist
Anatomy Educator

After a rewarding career in yoga and caring for the bodies of others for nearly 10 years, Elle began her RMT career with experienced hands. A certified anatomy nerd, Elle is a graduate from the 3400-hour RMT program and has been passionate about the inner workings of the human form for many years.

Also inspired by yogic practices, she is a firm believer in the power of massage, movement and breath to facilitate healing. Creating a conscious, trusting relationship between the person and their bodies is at the forefront of her work.

Elle is and has been an anatomy educator for nearly a decade in various mediums and communities – spanning online, in-person workshops and professional training for movement professionals and therapists.

Elle’s areas of interest include TMJ issues; breathing disorders; myofascial release; mental health experiences including anxiety & PTSD; traumatic brain injury; MVAs; post-concussion syndrome; end of life care; as well as the daily maintenance of the physical human experience.

Each individual is worthy of the time and space to learn about and understand their own physical makeup. Knowing how to live well in your body is her ultimate goal.

Jennifer Francis

LPN

Foot Care

Originally from PEI, Jennifer served in the Royal Canadian Navy for 6 years before relocating to Vancouver Island and training as a Licensed Practical Nurse.

Jennifer loves working with people and is passionate about healthy feet and helping those in pain. She brings an infectious smile and laughs to her work with patients. She has an abundance of energy and is committed to volunteering in the community and helping those most vulnerable. As a Veteran of the Canadian forces, Jennifer has continued to serve the community with her passion and commitment for everyone to have healthy happy feet!

Kyra Cristiano

Office Manager (on maternity leave)

Medical Office Assistant
Payroll Administrator

Kyra manages everything behind the scenes at French Creek Physiotherapy. Her expertise lies in keeping everything running smoothly, from making sure we all show up on time to making sure your health benefits are billed properly.

Even though she’ll be on maternity leave for the next year or so, she remains an invaluable part of French Creek Physiotherapy.

Shae Gerke

Medical Office Assistant

Medical Office Assistant
Social Media Manager

Shae will often be the first person you see when you walk into our clinic and the last person you talk to on your way out the door. You can trust her to take care of all of your administrative needs in the clinic and make your day a little brighter.

She’s also halfway through her Kinesiology degree at VIU and runs her own personal training business. If you’re looking for an amazing personal trainer, check out Vera Fitness at:

https://www.verafitnesstraining.com/

Samantha Relf

Medical Office Assistant

Medical Office Assistant

Sam is another smiling face you will often see at the front desk to greet you when you enter the clinic. You can trust her to take care of all administrative needs during your appointment while making sure you feel comfortable and at ease.