Optimum Wellness Centres: Trans Canada

Dr. Salem Fares was born and raised in Calgary, AB. At a young age, Dr. Fares knew that he wanted to help people through the healthcare profession.

After completing his undergraduate studies in human anatomy and physiology, Dr. Fares travelled to Kansas City, Missouri, where he completed his chiropractic degree.

Dr. Fares diagnoses and treats the body’s underlying conditions by creating a personalized treatment plan according to his patients’ individual needs. Following the initial phase of care, Dr. Fares educates his patients on the importance of preventative and wellness care. Dr. Fares uses a variety of techniques from traditional manual techniques to low force instrument adjustments.

Dinika earned her bachelor’s degree from the KLE Institute of Physiotherapy in 2011. She completed her master’s in obstetrics and gynecology from KLE University of Physiotherapy in 2013. In the same year, she migrated to Canada with her family.

In Canada, she started her journey with Optimum Wellness Centres as a clinic assistant and then a team member in the head office while completing her credentialing process. She is now part of the Optimum team as a physiotherapist.

She has gained experience in musculoskeletal, neuro, pediatrics, women’s health, and various other branches during her internship and post-graduation.

She provides an individualized treatment program and works towards the goals of the patient. She works mainly on educating and empowering patients to participate in their recovery to maximize and improve quality of life.

In her free time, she loves spending time with family, writing poems, cooking, and listening to music.

Merlin Susan Philip is from the southern part of India and came to Canada in 2007 after graduating with a Bachelor of Physiotherapy from K. G. College of Physiotherapy, India.

She is currently a Registered Physiotherapist with Physiotherapy Alberta – College + Association since 2015.

Merlin has vast experience, including working as the PT in Charge at a hospital rehabilitation department for nearly 2 years in India. She treated a variety of cases referred to her. Once coming over to Canada, she has worked initially as a therapy aide and later as a PT intern at an old age home caring for senior patients until fully licensed.

Since being licensed in 2015, she has worked at a couple of clinical settings providing care for clients, which she continues to do.

At the Optimum Wellness Centre (Trans Canada), Merlin will be providing an individualized and personal assessment and providing treatment based on their evaluation and later developing rehab/exercise programs aimed at remedying the client’s issues and helping them back on track to lead a healthy life over the time of treatment.

She will also be willing to answer any questions the client has regarding their case or rehabilitation plan.

In her leisure time, Merlin loves to spend her time with family, singing, or in the garden during summer.

Jiyun is a traditional Chinese medicine doctor and Registered Acupuncturist. She completed a four-year program at the Alberta College of Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine, affiliated with Beijing University of Chinese Medicine.

Growing up in a TCM family, Jiyun has witnessed many successes of holistic healing from time to time. TCM tradition is always natural, and she believes that bringing back a balance in the body is the key to well being.

Her clients describe her treatments as supportive, peaceful, and effective. Jiyun is happy to be able to share the knowledge from her experiences and help treat stress-related issues, fatigue syndrome, insomnia, emotional disorders, gynecological problems such as fertility, menopause, pre/post-natal treatment, labour preparation, and prolapse.

Also, she specializes in treating acute and chronic pain relief, sports injury, cold/flu, allergies, digestive disorders, IBS, ADHD, prevention and post-treatment for UTI, Bell’s Palsy, post-cancer treatment, and arthritis.

Jiyun practices an extensive range of acupuncture techniques including traditional TCM channel and organ theory, Balance method, Master Tung’s method, nervous system-based sports acupuncture, Chinese herbal formula, scalp, and ear acupuncture.

Her techniques also include adjunct therapies such as cupping, acupressure, guasha, moxibustion, and TCM nutrition. With this multitude of techniques and modalities, the treatment can be more valuable and holistic, focusing on providing individual patient’s needs.

Terry Quach graduated from Mount Royal University in 2017 in the 2200 hour Massage Therapy program.

Terry believes in the therapeutic benefits of massage therapy. His goal is to educate and provide each individual with a treatment plan suited for their specific needs and concerns. He utilizes a mixture of relaxation and therapeutic techniques during his treatments. These include deep tissue, myofascial release techniques, trigger point therapy, hydrotherapy, etc. With plans on taking extra courses to expand his knowledge.

Terry grew up in the NE district of Calgary, enabling him to be immersed in a multicultural community. He enjoys speaking to all of his clients, ensuring that they all feel comfortable at all times.

He is motivated and passionate about helping people to the best of his abilities!

Menchie Dino started her career in health care as a Registered Nurse in the Philippines. She took her training to be a Registered Massage Therapist in Calgary and has certification in cupping and orthopedic massage. She offers myofascial and trigger point release, pediatric massage, pre and post natal massage and hot stone, deep tissue, relaxation and sport massage.

Menchie worked as a Registered Nurse in Canada starting in 2005 before she became a massage therapist. She was assigned to surgical and psychiatric wards. The reason she stopped working full time as a nurse was because her son needed one-on-one care and therefore decided to work less hours.

Her son, was diagnosed with autism, he had massage therapy treatment when he had funding for his gross motor problem, she saw how it relaxed and calmed him. That is why she studied to become a massage therapist, she wanted to be able to help her son.

When she is not working, Menchie enjoys working out, weight lifting, singing in the church every Sunday and going out with her family every other weekend.

I have been a Registered Massage Therapist for the past 5 years, after my graduation from CDI. Throughout this time my focus has been therapeutic massage treatments to aid clients with their rehabilitation needs. Trigger point therapy, MFR incorporated in sport massage and relaxation massage.

I have always had a passion for healthcare and health and wellness, after suffering an injury at work and going through physiotherapy and massage treatments to remediate my condition I looked into joining the healthcare field. I immediately took an interest in massage and the benefits that come with it, and joined the massage program at CDI and excelled during my college tenure graduating at the top of my class and with honours.

In my spare time, I love spending my time with my daughter on dad duty, going to playgrounds and the Zoo.

I also enjoy golfing, fishing, trail hiking, mountain climbing in Kananaskis country, going to the gym, cooking, and good music.

J is a graduate from Dalhousie University with a Bachelor of Science degree in kinesiology. During this time, he was both a varsity athlete and trainer for the Dalhousie track and field team. As a result of his work with runners, he developed an interest in the management of lower leg and foot injuries. Wanting to further his knowledge in biomechanics and injury prevention, J discovered pedorthics. He attended the University of Western Ontario, obtaining a degree in pedorthics in 2016 and later that year became a Canadian Certified Pedorthist.

J’s main goal as a pedorthist is to assess posture, movement patterns, and lower-extremity musculoskeletal function. His favourite tool is video gait analysis—the ability to visually show patients exactly when/where their imbalances occur. He encourages his patients to participate in their recovery by educating them about footwear choices, at-home tips, and stretches and exercises.

Outside of work, J takes to the mountains to camp, hike, and downhill ski. He also enjoys recreational soccer and spending time with friends.