Ben Woods
Osteopathic Manual Practitioner
D.O.M.P., D.Sc.O.
Online Scams and Diploma Mills
Osteopathic Manual Therapy is not regulated in Canada, and as with any product or service that is popular, without regulations there are people who will take advantage of the situation for financial gain. There has been an increase in "diploma mill" practitioners in the region with shockingly inadequate educations. Some of these are weekend classes in 'osteopathic techniques', while others are online programs willing to give diplomas and even doctoral degrees like "DO (EU)" with literally no hands on experience required. Any therapist should have thousands of hours of education and training with extensive hours of supervised assessment and treatment time before being allowed to work independently with any member of the public.
Want to know who is legit? Start by checking here to see if the therapists you are considering are members of our primary provincial osteopathic association, Osteopathy BC.
Beware of anyone who is not a member of Osteopathy BC. Ask where they went to school, how long their training was, and remember the minimum education should be 4 years. My own professional education was 2 years at the Canadian College of Massage & Hydrotherapy, followed by 5 years studying osteopathy + 2 years to write my thesis at the Canadian College of Osteopathy. A cumulative 9 year journey dedicated to learning how to effectively identify and treat root causes of dysfunction, and provide you with the information and tools you need to move forward.
The level of commitment I put towards my education is the same commitment I put into the care of my clients. You deserve healthcare from professionals who are willing to put in the work.
FAQs
Q: Why osteopathy?
A: Osteopathy is a holistic approach to healthcare that focuses on the entire body, rather than just treating specific symptoms or conditions. This means that during your appointment we will consider your overall mobility, health and well-being, rather than just addressing a specific symptom. Osteopathy can be helpful in addressing a wide range of conditions, including back pain, neck pain, headaches, and acute injuries. It can also be useful in addressing chronic unresolved pain, and in promoting overall health, well-being, and resilience. Osteopathy is safe and effective, and it is often used as an alternative or complementary therapy to more traditional forms of medical treatment.
Q: What do you do? How does osteopathy work?
A: Osteopathy is an incredibly diverse practice that can help with a surprising variety symptoms by treating a wide range of body systems. From back pain and pinched nerves, to concussions, respiratory difficulties and digestive symptoms, osteopathy has its place. Many aspects of healthcare focus on a particular specialty or individual body system, however in osteopathy we are trained to assess the interactions between different systems in order to be able to understand which system is the primary problem, and which systems are experiencing symptoms due to their compensations, or impairments are a result of the primary system being compromised. Is your muscle spasm a result of vertebrae compressing a nerve? Or are the scar tissues from your endometriosis anchoring
the bones of your pelvis, impairing normal biomechanics of your spine? Osteopathy is about assessing these systems and correcting the system most directly impairing healthy function. By removing the blocks that are holding you back, your body is able to restore function and heal itself.
Q: Is there anything I should bring with me?
A: If you have any medical images or reports (X-rays, ultrasounds, MRIs, etc) that you can bring, it can be very helpful. Even if they are very old, the information is typically relevant to your care. It is very common for clients to discount old injuries and surgeries, but these are often core events that lead to long term adaptations.
Q: What should I wear to my appointment?
A: Loose comfortable clothing is ideal, such as T-shirts and shorts/tights. Aim to come in feeling free and unrestricted by what you are wearing. As most of my work is done over your clothing, thick clothing or anything that restricts your movement is best avoided.
Q: How many appointments will it take for me to feel better?
A: There's no real answer to this question. Everybody has a unique situation, with significant variations in the causes and dynamics of their symptoms. In general, many people with see a significant change within 3-5 appointments, but I regularly meet individuals who feel better after a single appointment, as well as those with chronic complaints that are in need of pain management.
Q: What is your treatment plan?
A: Treatment plans are individualized for every person. After your first appointment I will let you know what I found, what I typically find to be successful for other people who've been in your shoes before you, and what I believe makes sense going forward. Since we all vary so much in how we got to where we are today/how we respond to treatments, I prefer to work directly with you to meet your goals rather than set out a generalized plan that will not be appropriate for everyone.
Q: If I arrive late for my appointment, can you change the length so I don't have to pay for the lost time?
A: No, fees are based on the time you reserve.
Q: If I ran out of insurance coverage for the year, can I still book an appointment?
A: Yes, absolutely, but it will need to be paid out of pocket, like anyone who doesn't have insurance benefits, such as self-employed individuals.
Q: I don't see any appointments that fit my schedule but I need an appointment! What do I do?
A: As life happens many people need to move their appointments, which leads to last minute openings in our schedule. Get your name on our waitlist so you can be the first to know of anything that opens up. Our system automatically emails you the instant there is a cancellation and even reserves the spot for you for a couple hours to give you a chance to book in. If you're not able to make it, simply ignore the email! We LOVE this feature and hope you will use it!