Mississauga and Burlington

When Keiri was first interested in being a physiotherapist she was passionate about anatomy, and loved teaching. With increased experience and a few opportunities to see children, Keiri realized how inspiring and empowering it was to use play as a tool to make therapy fun and result in functional change. As her education and career progressed, she was consistently drawn in by making meaningful physical change and creating connections with children and their families.

Keiri enjoys treating using a very hands-on approach – sometimes trying things that might fail, and being pleasantly surprised with the response. She likes to challenge the kids and then give the families ideas and tools to be involved and push their kids without it seeming like therapy. Keiri is amazed by the children that she treats every day!

The decision to start Butterfly Paediatric Therapy with Michelle Hand was a work in progress over a few years, one that comes with no regrets. Having the business actually allows Keiri to treat kids on a regular basis, to make change, to impact families, to work alongside an amazing friend and therapists everyday, and now – going back to her original passion – to teach and mentor others.

Over her career she has found that what works best for her is an eclectic approach. Having different options and therapy approaches depending on the needs or sometimes even the moods of the child provides for more meaningful change. Keiri has taken her 8 week Neurodevelopmental Treatment (NDT), has her Level 3 Cuevas Medek Exercise (CME), Paediatric Kinesiotaping, Functional Strength Training, Pilates for Neurological Impairments, Body Weight Support Treadmill Training and draws on these to create fun and functional treatment sessions.

Fun Facts About Keiri:

• If Keiri could be any animal, she would be an otter!
• If Keiri could only eat one food for the rest of her life it would be macaroni and cheese.
• If Keiri had a movie about her life, Anna Kendrick would play her role.

Burlington

Lisa is an experienced clinician who enjoys working with children of all ages and abilities, and her passion for helping her clients reach their functional goals shines through during each one of her treatment sessions.

Lisa grew up playing competitive hockey, and as a result became fascinated by the human body’s ability to move, adapt and repair. This fascination led her to complete both an undergraduate Honours Bachelor of Science Kinesiology degree, as well as a Master’s of Physiotherapy degree from McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario. Since this time, she has completed her Level 1 and 2 Cueves Medek Exercises (CME) practitioner certifications. She has also taken continuing education courses related to infantile torticollis and plagiocephaly, infant and toddler motor development, paediatric scoliosis, pain in paediatrics and musculoskeletal soft tissue release. Most recently she has undergone further learning related to the assessment and treatment of concussions, taught by Shannon McGuire of Concussion Rehab Works Inc. Lisa is always seeking new opportunities to further her knowledge in order to provide effective care to her clients.

Lisa’s interest in paediatrics stems from her previous experiences both as a Summer Camp Counsellor and as a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist where she worked with youth athletes of various ages and skill levels to help improve their performance in sport. Lisa continues to find joy in the paediatric population now working with infants, toddlers, children and adolescents on a daily basis. She has experience working with children with both neurological or genetic conditions, as well as musculoskeletal or orthopedic conditions. She loves coming to the clinic every day to see the smiling faces of her clients, while they work towards reaching their goals.

When not treating clients, Lisa has taken on a leadership role at Butterfly Paediatric Therapy, helping to mentor our physiotherapists and set them up for success. She continues to assist with the growth and function of our clinics on a daily basis to ensure families feel welcome and comfortable in our space as they enter the doors. Lisa enjoys spending time in the community making connections with other healthcare providers as well as educating families on our services and the importance of paediatric care.

Let’s Get to Know Lisa:

• If Lisa could teleport anywhere in the world, she would go to Hawaii.
• If Lisa was on a deserted island and her needs were met, she would bring a bicycle to explore and a boat to leave when she’s ready.
• If Lisa was a celebrity, she would be famous for her organizational skills – she loves a clean pantry!

Mississauga

Nikhita is a bubbly and outgoing therapist who strives to create a meaningful and engaging therapy experience that makes kids excited to come to physiotherapy!

She graduated from Western University with a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology. During her time at Western, she discovered her passion for strength training and the complexities of human movement. Her aspirations to work with children and infants along with her interest in physical development led her to discover the role of a physiotherapist in the paediatric population. She pursued her Master of Science in Physical Therapy from the University of Toronto, and has been practicing with the paediatric population since graduating in 2020.

Over the course of her career, Nikhita has witnessed the importance of early physiotherapy intervention on the development of infants and children. Nikhita’s skills as a therapist include Cuevas Medek Exercises (Level 1), and functional strength and exercise. She has a passion for strength training, so she loves to find innovative and fun ways to incorporate weight lifting in her treatment sessions. She uses a holistic approach to assessment and treatment, and enjoys the challenge of implementing creativity into her sessions.

Nice Things to Know About Nikhita:

• If Nikhita could be any animal, she would be a monkey. Monkeys are very social animals, just like her. They work well in a team, are resourceful and intelligent. They are also very cute!
• The cartoon character that is most like Nikhita is Princess Tiana from The Princess and The Frog. She is practical, often pays attention to detail, and enjoys celebrating traditions, just like Princess Tiana. She is also very loyal to her friends and family, and Nikhita very much values her relationships with loved ones.
• Nikhita’s silliest and rarest talent is Paint By Numbers. She has always been creative, and thinks she is pretty good at painting, creative design, and decorating.

Burlington

Cassandra is a passionate, energetic, and outgoing therapist who strives to make physiotherapy fun and engaging for all kids. Cassandra developed a love for exercise, health, and wellness at a young age through skiing, gymnastics, dance, wrestling, and baseball. Her involvement in sports sparked a keen interest in the body, human movement, and injury management, leading her to complete a Diploma in Physiotherapy Assistant at Humber College. During that time, a clinical placement where she helped empower children to reach their goals and achieve milestones sparked her interest in paediatrics. The clinical experience gained through her placements led her to complete her undergraduate degree in Kinesiology at Lakehead University before pursuing a Master of Science in Rehabilitation Science, followed by a Master of Science in Physical Therapy at Queen’s University.

During her time in the physical therapy program, she pursued opportunities to gain more clinical experience in paediatrics. Cassandra has worked with paediatric clients throughout multiple settings including remote northern communities such as with the company Firefly in Red Lake, Ontario. She gained clinical experience in assessing and developing creative treatment sessions for children with various common conditions and feels that being a part of life-changing treatment is incredibly rewarding.

Cassandra is motivated and excited to continue to increase her knowledge through continuing education programs to deliver the highest possible care to children. She has already completed courses in Neurodevelopmental Therapy (NDT), toe walking, and vestibular treatment. She is excited to join the Butterfly Paediatric Therapy team and help children reach their maximum potential through play-based physiotherapy sessions.

Question and Answer with Cassandra:

• If Cassandra could have a superpower, it would be teleportation.
• If Cassandra was on a deserted island and her needs were met, she would bring a book and a stand-up paddle board.
• If Cassandra was a celebrity, she would be famous for motivational speaking.

Mississauga

Emily is a fun and energetic therapist who is motivated to make physio fun for all kids… you might even catch her dancing and singing in the clinic to keep your little one happy! Her passion for anatomy, movement and rehabilitation began with her experience growing up as a competitive horseback rider. She was exposed to physiotherapy when recovering from her own injuries but she also had the unique experience to participate in her horses’ physiotherapy and saw the positive impact that it had. This led Emily to pursue her Master of Science in Physical Therapy from the University of Toronto after completing her Bachelor of Health Sciences at the University of Ottawa. Now, Emily is combining her passion for movement and rehabilitation with her love for working with kids!

Her interest in working with children sparked her desire to pursue a clinical internship at Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital working on the Brain Injury Rehabilitation Team. Throughout her academic and professional experiences, Emily has gained valuable skills in assessing children’s gross motor development, implementing fun and engaging treatments, and working collaboratively with children and their families to help them reach their goals. Throughout her clinical experience, Emily has also gained experience treating various neurological conditions and has a special interest in neurological rehabilitation.

Emily has completed further continuing education courses related to infant and toddler gross motor development, infantile torticollis and plagiocephaly, and concussion management. She is also a certified Level 1 Cuevas Medek Exercises (CME) practitioner. She plans to complete further CME certification and courses in Neurodevelopmental Therapy (NDT).

Exciting Facts About Emily:

• Emily is embarrassed to admit that the movie Moana scares her, particularly when Moana and Pua get stuck in the water!
• The cartoon character that is most like Emily is Rapunzel from Tangled. She has long blonde hair, but more importantly she is spunky, determined, curious, independent, clever, and stubborn. She is always looking to experience new things even if it means stepping outside of her comfort zone. Her best friend is an animal (her dog), and Rapunzel’s is Pascal (a chameleon).
• If Emily could live in any country, she would live in Norway.

Mississauga

From a young age, Elina has been fascinated by the human body’s ability to adapt and react, and was intrigued by the concept of exercise as medicine. This led her to complete her Master of Science in Physical Therapy at the University of Toronto, following the successful completion of her Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology at McMaster University, determined to pursue a career in paediatric physiotherapy. Elina’s passion for physiotherapy lies in watching her clients transform into more independent and confident versions of themselves.

To further her learning, Elina completed an internship at Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital on the Brain Injury Rehabilitation Team. There, she had the opportunity to deliver creative and engaging treatments to kids with varying brain injury diagnoses. She also completed an internship at a private paediatric clinic, where she prepared and delivered engaging play-based physiotherapy interventions for clients with gross motor/developmental milestone delays, gait abnormalities, torticollis, plagiocephaly, and a variety of other conditions.

Elina’s treatment style is straightforward and honest. She uses humour and empathy to guide her clients to achieve their and their families’ therapeutic goals. Showcasing her commitment to life-long learning, Elina is currently a doctoral student in Rehabilitation Sciences at KITE-Toronto Rehab-University Health Network, with a collaborative specialization in Neurosciences, at the University of Toronto. Her research involves studying balance and mobility in children and adults with non-neurodegenerative conditions, such as cerebral palsy.

Learning About Elina:

• One thing that Elina could not live without is Ginger Ale.
• If Elina could live in any country, she would live in Switzerland.
• Elina’s hidden talent is that she used to be a competitive ballroom dancer, and even performed half-time shows on Dancing with the Stars and So You Think You Can Dance. These days she is far too shy to dance in front of others!

Mississauga

Sandy has always been fascinated and interested in the science and movement of the human body which steered her to choosing physiotherapy as a career. She was interested in sports science but during her training she was exposed to working with babies and children with medical, surgical, orthopedic, neurological and genetic conditions in a variety of different settings which changed the trajectory of her career path. It was very rewarding and Sandy quickly found that her interest and passion was being directed towards paediatrics with a special interest in paediatric neurology.

In order to pursue her career in paediatrics and to have a well-rounded approach, Sandy’s continuing education includes being trained in Neurodevelopmental Therapy (NDT), Cuevas Medek Exercises (CME) Level I and II, paediatric kinesiotaping, core stability, infant mental health, early intervention, Task Specific Electrical Stimulation (TASES), General Movement Assessment certification and Certified Infant Massage Instructor by the International Association of Infant Massage (IAIM).

Sandy is constantly seeking new ways and approaches to helping and treating the babies and children who are in her care in order for them to be the best that they can be.

What May Surprise You About Sandy:

• If Sandy could have a superpower, it would be to have photographic memory.
• One thing that Sandy could not live without is chocolate.
• Sandy’s hidden talent is that she can sing!

Mississauga

Jessie is a passionate therapist who finds creative ways to make sessions fun and engaging for kids! She has known that she wanted to pursue a career in physiotherapy ever since she broke her arm at the age of 14 years old and needed surgery for it to heal. Now, she is inspired to help children achieve meaningful physical changes in the same way that her physiotherapist helped her in the past. She held previous positions as a summer camp counsellor, a youth basketball coach and a children’s hospital volunteer, and in each of these roles she gained experience helping kids reach their maximum potential in sports and in everyday life.

She graduated with a Master of Science in Physical Therapy (MScPT) degree from the University of Toronto in 2022. During her time in the program, she remained eager to work with children as she had paediatric internships at SickKids Hospital and at ErinoakKids Children’s Treatment Centre. In these internships, she gained clinical experience while treating a number of different conditions including: torticollis, plagiocephaly, limb length discrepancy, brachial plexus injury, developmental delay, and cerebral palsy. Jessie is motivated to continue increasing her knowledge of paediatric physiotherapy through continuing education programs, so that she can deliver the highest possible quality of care to kids who come for treatment at Butterfly Paediatric Therapy!

More About Jessie:

• If Jessie could only eat one food for the rest of her life it would be pizza so that she could still get lots of variety with different toppings.
• If Jessie had an elephant, she would search the Earth for a witch or wizard who could cast a spell to make her elephant fly like Dumbo!
• The song that best describes Jessie is The Heart of Life by John Mayer. She loves John Mayer, and the song is about how life has its ups and downs but love from friends and family makes everything turn out well in the end.