Meet Our Team
Our Team
Thrive Therapeutics is led by our Head Physiotherapist/Osteopathic Manual Practitioner, Kathy Leung Degen. The incredible programs and classes that we offer are run through her guidance and knowledge.
Our clinical team consists of Physiotherapists, Osteopathic Manual Practitioner, Massage Therapist and Movement Educators who are certified in Pilates.
We have been serving patients in Barrie for 30 years and have lots of experience with working with all different populations.
Kathy Leung Degen
Head Physiotherapist/Osteopathic Manual Practitioner
Kathy graduated from the physiotherapy program at the University of Western Ontario in 1995. She gained early clinical experience working with both the chronic pain population and dealing with industrial physiotherapy. Although she loved physiotherapy, she had personal experience with Osteopathy and found it to be incredibly interesting and effective. She began her studies with the Canadian College of Osteopathy in 2002. The program consists of 5 years of academic courses, followed by a 2 year period to complete her thesis. She graduated as a D.O.M.P. in 2009.
Since 1999, Kathy had been an avid traditional yoga student and would often incorporate yogic techniques and philosophy into her treatments. In 2002, she added Pilates to her therapeutic approach when she began learning Pilates to deal with symptoms as a consequence of her pregnancies. Through the years, Kathy has been passionate about incorporating the evidence-based practices of physiotherapy, the holistic approach of osteopathy, and the utilization of yoga and Pilates to empower patients with their own healing.
Kathy is committed to helping her clients regain an improved state of vitality and well-being. She is a firm believer that her role is to assist the client in figuring out how to remove blockages from their own healing. Her mission is always to help her clients find the root cause of their pain and/or dysfunction and work with them to develop a rational strategy to get them back to where they want to be.
Jamilie Brochu
Osteopathic Manual Practitioner, Athletic Therapist
Jamilie completed a Bachelor of Science with Honours, in Exercise Science with a specialization in Athletic Therapy. She attended Concordia University, in Montreal. Jamilie is also bilingual, fluent in both English and French!
Jamilie fits in so well with the philosophy of care at Thrive. She is a strong believer in the body’s natural ability to self regulate and to heal. Her role in healing is to restore function within the body using manual therapy. As a therapist, she believes in the use of therapeutic exercises to consolidate the effects of treatment; as well as a method of preventing further injuries.
Sarah Burke
Physiotherapist / Registered Massage Therapist/ Pilates Teacher
Sarah studied Human Kinetics at the University of Guelph, where she also competed on the varsity swim team at the national level. She then earned a Master’s in Physiotherapy from the University of Toronto while continuing to swim for the Varsity Blues. Since 2004, Sarah has worked in various settings, including private orthopedic clinics, sports facilities, long-term care, and strength and conditioning centers.
Recently, Sarah completed her Doctorate in Physical Therapy and is training to become a certified Pilates instructor.
She also holds certifications in acupuncture (CAFCI), manual therapy (CMT), strength and conditioning, and earned her diploma in Massage Therapy in 2014, becoming a Registered Massage Therapist in 2015.
Sarah's athletic achievements include competing in the World Championship Half Ironman, and Florida Ironman, representing Canada in Olympic and Sprint distance triathlons, and owning a CrossFit gym from 2010-2015.
Michelle Jay
Certified Pilates Teacher
With a background in martial arts, Michelle is dedicated to fitness and functional movement and has been teaching people how to use their bodies efficiently for over 20 years. In 2002, she completed her studies and became a certified international Stott Pilates Instructor. She enjoys working with clients and developing individualized programs for them to help them get stronger and more confident. Michelle enjoys being a part of the Thrive Therapeutics team and is looking forward to helping more and more people achieve their best version of themselves!
Candice Jones
Certified Pilates Teacher
Through her journey with chronic issues, Candice has found Pilates to be the most effective method to find balance and be pain-free in her own body. This motivated her to complete her mat and reformer teacher training certification through Body Harmonics.
With a background in massage therapy and acupuncture, Candice has worked with many clients to correct muscle imbalances and find alignment. Candice believes that Pilates keeps the body functioning efficiently, and is key to pain management and injury prevention.
Candice also practices as a Registered Acupuncturist and is currently a student in a Sports Medicine Acupuncture program. She has a special interest in working with athletes to help them reach their full potential.