Osteopathy, The Magic Touch

by Kelly Putter For Metro News, May, 2012
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Caryn Seniscal’s all-consuming hunger for knowledge is what drove the Vancouver resident to a career in osteopathy.

A successful massage therapist since the late 1980s, Seniscal knew she was diving in deep by committing to a five-year osteopathic program that wouldn’t see her graduate until her late 40s. Despite the trepidation and lack of support from some friends, she forged ahead.

“I had this epiphany that if I’m going to go in a new direction, I’m going to go for the whole enchilada,” recalls Seniscal.

Today, she co-runs the Vancouver Osteopathy Centre. Her “love affair” with the profession stems from her work with clients, many of whom turn to her as their last hope for help.

“Often, people will try everything else before coming to an Osteopathic Practitioner,” she says. “I’m sort of the last stop on the train and I feel a huge responsibility.”

Osteopathy is a natural medicine that treats the patient holistically through gentle manual manipulation. Osteopathic Practitioners develop a fine sense of touch that allows them to treat joints, soft tissue, organs and the nervous system and be aware of how all of these are connected in their quest to get to the source of the issue.

There are a number of private schools in Canada that teach osteopathy. Before enrolling in a course or program, students should find out what standards the school adheres to, advises Chantale Bertrand, an Osteopathic Practitioner and president of the Canadian Federation of Osteopaths (CFO).

It’s believed there are about 1,600 Osteopathic Practitioners in Canada. By comparison, the country has only a handful of osteopathic doctors, who received their education in the U.S. They are fully qualified to practise regular medicine in addition to osteopathy. These osteopathic physicians numbered about 200 in Ontario in the 1920s, but after the provincial government took away their ability to prescribe medication, their numbers dwindled.

The College of Osteopathic Studies offers a part-time course that takes five years to complete. Students must have a bachelor’s degree in a health-related discipline such as kinesiology or physiotherapy. Students are required to write a thesis to obtain their diploma. The cost of the program is about $30,000.