Personal
Born and raised in Airdrie, Alberta, Denise took a detour to Australia for a year in high school before finishing her studies in Ponoka. In 1998, she met Doug, her future husband, and later that year, she moved to Denver, Colorado, to study animal health sciences. She returned to Ponoka in 1999, and life got busy, welcoming her son Benjamin in 2000, marrying Doug in 2001, and adding Jacob to the family in 2002.
Denise is a lifelong learner with a love for music, art, and literature. She played the organ for eight years and the trumpet in junior high and high school band for five years. She’s an avid reader, with a soft spot for Stephen King, Mary Roach, and classic sci-fi from Robert Heinlein. When she’s not reading or creating art, whether drawing, painting, or sculpting, she enjoys traveling. Her adventures have taken her to France, Australia, Ireland, Italy, the Czech Republic, Honduras, the Caribbean, and all over the U.S.
Professional
Denise has been a dedicated massage therapist since graduating from the Alberta Institute of Massage in 2001 with an 1100-hour certificate, later earning her 2200-hour diploma in 2006. She’s continuously expanding her skills, completing specialized training in sports massage (2001, 2006), Arthrokinetic Therapy (2009, 2011), Graston Technique (trained in 2016, certified in 2019), and shockwave therapy (2025). Most recently, she graduated from the Manual Osteopathic College of Canada with a Diploma of Osteopathic Manual Practice, achieving Honours with Distinction.
Her career highlights include working with the Canadian Pro Rodeo Sport Medicine Team from 2007 to 2019, serving on the board of directors of the Massage Therapist Association of Alberta (first as a director, then as vice chair), and contributing to the Transitional Council for the College of Massage Therapists of Alberta to support massage therapy regulation. She was also recruited to assist in curriculum development for a massage therapy program in Alberta.
Denise currently practices massage therapy and manual osteopathic therapy at Earned Fitness in Ponoka. Denise’s available booking hours are Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Fun Facts
-She has scuba-dived in the Great Barrier Reef.
-She played the trumpet at Disneyland with her high school band.
-She massaged a professional curling team during the Scotties Tournament of Hearts in Red Deer in 2012.
Goals
Denise has an insatiable curiosity about human anatomy and biomechanics, with a passion for evidence-based practice. This education cycle, she’s focusing on pain science, cadaver labs, and hands-on techniques to help her clients better understand and manage pain.
