Team
Meet The Team
Led by TRUE health experts Doctors, Dieticians, Physiotherapists, Kinesiologists, Nurses, Recreation Therapists, Psychologists, Counsellors, who are Powerhouse athletes - World Champions, Olympians, Ironman for true mind body integration.
Empowered Med is the brain child of Dr Cathy Zeglinski MD to bring together a dynamic team of true health experts to fast track your health and Burnout Relief.
The team is always directly led by Medical Doctors at every program with fluidity in team composition depending on focus of the retreat which may include – Dieticians, Physiotherapists, Recreation / Art Therapists, Nurses, Psychologists, Kinesiologists. We merge the best of medicine, science and sport. Our team rooted in science have additional training in a variety of body modalities including accredited certifications in coaching cycling, skiing, yoga, fitness training, meditation, cross country skiing, etc.
We have access to equine therapy and other ultra-specialized therapies if desired. Our programs can include a right brain component inclusive of art and pottery.
Follow up coaching 1:1 is available for continuity and lasting change with some of team members who are contracted to EM and operate independent consultation businesses. Their collaboration can be coordinated to involve other team members as desired for wrap around care .
Cathy Zeglinski MD
CCFP FCFP Dip Sport and Exercise Medicine
World Champion XCO Mountain bike 2013/2019 (Masters)
Canadian Road Cycling Team (Former)
Tour de France Feminin 1987
Combining her love for pragmatic, solution based strategies as a renowned family and sport medicine physician of three decades when she learned the hard way about burnout she created an innovative recovery model first used on herself!
A series of misfortunes and staffing shortages affected her Northlands Medical Clinic , Whistler BC and after 12 years of service to the community had to make the heart wrenching distress of closing the doors in 2016 . Burnout recovery learned the hard way so she can save you from it.
A renowned elite athlete in International road and mountain bike racing for decades (Tour De France Feminin 1987, 2x Masters World Champion Mountain bike XCO) she had invested most of her life to studying sport , researching human performance and treating Olympians, elite athletes and avid sport enthusiasts.
Her path led her to an intensive Brain Based Coaching program at the Neuroleadership Institute which allowed her to harness all her knowledge within the coaching model.
Past certification/accreditation in multiple sports including fitness training cycling, downhill skiing, combined with her knowledge of sports psychology, neuroscience, and medicine have been combined into an innovative coaching model to invigorate your life. You will find her most often out in nature on bike, skis, paddleboard or snowshoes when she isn’t busy with a new community enhancement project in her beloved Whistler.
The team is always directly led by Medical Doctors at every program with fluidity in team composition depending on focus of the retreat which may include – Dieticians, Physiotherapists, Recreation / Art Therapists, Nurses, Psychologists, Kinesiologists. We merge the best of medicine, science and sport. Our team rooted in science have additional training in a variety of body modalities including accredited certifications in coaching cycling, skiing, yoga, fitness training, meditation, cross country skiing, etc.
We have access to equine therapy and other ultra-specialized therapies if desired. Our programs can include a right brain component inclusive of art and pottery.
Follow up coaching 1:1 is available for continuity and lasting change with some of team members who are contracted to EM and operate independent consultation businesses. Their collaboration can be coordinated to involve other team members as desired for wrap around care.
Read about Cathy Zeglinski’s Life Altering Surgery
The Immigrant – Mirek Mazur Zeglinski
Heather Vass
I am a dietitian who loves food, cooking, and moving! In my spare time you can likely find me outdoors on an adventure in the mountains, cooking, or enjoying a glass of wine with friends. I love my work, and am passionate about providing real, evidence-based nutrition information, NOT pseudo-science and trends.
In my daily practice I empower my clients to optimize their health, manage chronic conditions, and enhance their relationships with food. I play a key role as an educator in current evidence-based practice in nutrition and specialize in creating plans suited to clients’ individual goals and needs. My background encompasses a wide range of practice areas with an emphasis on sport nutrition, diabetes management, digestive issues (including IBS, Celiac disease and food intolerances), disordered eating and prevention of chronic health conditions.
As a Registered Dietitian, I am held to high standards of practice. I am committed to providing evidence-based care and clarifying the difference between trends and real information in the worlds of health and nutrition. I am a clinical dietitian at Copeman Healthcare Centre in Vancouver and Instructor at University of British Columbia. During my 9 years of university education, I completed degrees in Food, Nutrition and Health as well as Exercise and Health Physiology. After graduation I completed an internship with Providence Healthcare before becoming a clinical dietitian.
3x Olympian
Nickolai Skriabin
Our master of Zen and moving in the mountains three-time Ukrainian team Olympian for alpine ski racing he is our cold water immersion expert meditation and yoga master. He is also a forager of mushrooms a fixer of all Bicycles to renew their lease and lease on life and he can do the same for you. He is fluent in English Russian German and Ukrainian.
Coral Dawn Tipton
She has been working in the Stl’atl’imx region for a decade. In this time working as a Community Health Nurse, she has built relationships with community members, Indigenous knowledge keepers and Healers. Working from a ‘Community Development’ lens she has built a foundation of trust where she has been invited to both participate and facilitate culturally based healing practices that serve the Indigenous community members in living, retaining, sharing and revitalization of cultural practices. Rooted in the traditional language, land and water of the Nations in the Stl’atl’imx Territory. Coral acts as a bridge between those seeking healing practices and the gifted individuals willing to share what it is to identify as First Nations, living a with a foot in both worlds, one of the deep past and the modern present. Coral is a mother of two adult children raised between Bowen Island and Whistler, a part-time student at UNBC working towards her Degree in Nursing. She has been practicing Registered Nurse for 24 years and is passionate about Indigenous health
Ironman Canadian Champion
Dawn Titus
Dawn Titus is a renowned Whistler educator and fitness gutu.
She was previous Canadian champion (age group) in Ironman and a finisher at Kona.
She has been a lifetime athlete running marathons, road and mountain biking and now is a certified yoga guru teaching locally on a regular basis. She has decades long experience as an educator in the primary school system now retired and a recreation expert with decades of fitness classes and teachings. She is very focused on assisting others find comfort and movement in their bodies. She is a lover of nature, mother of twin men who have long been launched and carry on the family tradition of winning running races.
She’s very excited and passion about sharing her knowledge of sport, movement and joy in celebrating nature in movement.
Nevada Christianson
She is a Metis artist and she is the designer and owner of Chicadee Designs www.chicadeedesigns.com
A former ice and alpine climber, Nevada was the first woman to attempt a solo of Mount Logan, Canada’s highest peak. She spent seventeen days on the mountain climbing Logan’s East Ridge before descending safely. Nevada now enjoys trail running and lake swimming in summer and skiing in winter. She commutes year round on her electric bike and is happiest in the breezes.
Nevada learned meditation as a young teen and is a lifetime practitioner. She has studied Zen, Shambhala and Vipassana meditation and incorporates mindfulness practices into her work as a Métis artist. She studied Creative Writing at the University of Victoria and is currently studying Visual Art at Emily Carr University of Art + Design. Her work has been exhibited nationally, internationally, resides in private collections and published in book, magazine and newspaper formats.
Clinical Counsellor
Brenda Montani
Brenda Montani, BA, BEd, MSC in clinical counseling, EMDR trained Over the past 40+ years Brenda has been a school counsellor and a private practitioner in all aspects of individual mental health as well as couples counselling. Most recently her work has been with depression and anxiety. She runs local workshops teaching self compassion, mindfulness and CBT practices.
Brenda has lived for 30 years in Whistler . She partakes in all the Whistler activities and is very grateful for shaped skis\, e-bikes, and pickleball. All have made her recreational life continue to be vibrant and social.
Her passion, as has always been, is her client’s wellness.
Certified fitness Instructor (Retired)
Former Canadian Team Gymnast World Gold Medalist Cross Country Skiing
Barb Turner
B.Sc. Dietetics, Registered Dietitian, (Retired)
Certified fitness Instructor (Retired)
Former gymnast Canadian Jr. National Gymnastics Team
Masters Athlete Nordic Skiing
Gold medalist Masters World Cup 10km Freestyle 2018
Frequent Silver and Gold medalist 15km and 30 km freestyle Masters World Cup
Barb obtained her Bachelor of Sciences in Dietetics at UBC in 1989, and completed her internship in Dietetics at VGH in 1990. Barb is a lifelong athlete having competed internationally for Canada in gymnastics as a youth, and now continuing to compete in the Masters World Cup in Nordic skiing. During her studies she also completed several courses in exercise physiology and sports nutrition and became a Certified Fitness Instructor and personal trainer.
Upon graduation, Barb operated a private Nutrition and Fitness Consulting business, the first of its kind in Vancouver. Her focus has always been to help clients achieve optimal health and wellbeing through active living, healthy eating and a good work-life balance. Barb is passionate about making good nutrition and lifestyle choices easy for everyone by translating scientific recommendations into real life food and activity choices. As a world cup athlete in her late fifties, she firmly believes that health and fitness is achievable at any age, and that we should all aim for a long healthspan, not just long lifespan!
Barb has spent much of her leisure time travelling which always involved some sort of sporting activity such as cycling, hiking or skiing, as well as learning about local foods and cuisine. Part of her enthusiasm for learning about international cuisine is to be able to share her knowledge with her clients, friends and family. Barb firmly believes that healthy eating should be easy, fun and delicious!
As a mother of two, she understands the challenges of providing healthy and appealing meals for a family while maintaining a professional career and finding time to look after one’s own health and fitness. She is passionate about sharing her experience and knowledge to help clients reach their optimal health and to discover how to make healthy, fun living a way of life.
Magdalena Regdos RMT
RMT / Kinesiology
Magdalena Regdos RMT. Capoeirista. Myofascial Release Expert.
Born in Krakow, Poland. Resides in Whistler, Canada.
“I provide a wonderful environment for you to reconnect with your true essence, your kick butt healing capabilities and release chronic pain from your body. By addressing your myofascial restrictions, you will regain mobility and ease in your daily life.”
I began my studies of human body movement as a toddler. Learning to walk, and run at a steady pace. During high school, I was passionate about soccer and all things related to Survival of the Fittest.
I went on to study Kinesiology at Dalhousie University, in Halifax NS. For 3 years, I played on the Dalhousie Women’s Varsity Soccer team, and began my studies of Sports Medicine.
One day, during a soccer game, I sustained a groin injury, and found myself in rehab with the team physio and massage therapist. My personal results with the physical therapy began to lead me toward a more hands-on vision for my lifelong career.
I enrolled in a 2200 hr Registered Massage Therapy program, and subsequently in the summer of 2001, I graduated ICT Northumberland College with the Highest Overall grade. Optimal Performance and Efficient Recovery have been a balancing act for me, for as long as I can remember.
Past certification/accreditation in various activities including Thai Massage, Reiki Level 2, Bellyfit Master Training, CASI Snowboard Instruction, PADI Divemaster Training, 13 years of Capoeira and 7 years of Jiu Jitsu practice. Combined with her knowledge of preventative health services, Eastern study of Thai Massage and Western RMT experience since 2001, you have an authentic treatment model to improve your quality of life.
You will find her most often out in nature hiking, biking in the summer months or skiing in the winter. She loves to share movement experiences, freestyle dancing and a daily Journey into Fascia routine.
Magdalena has taught self care in various forms since her early days of study in Thai Massage Therapy, Snowboarding, Capoeira and Bellyfit. Her combined knowledge of self care and martial arts has led her to study in depth with Myofascial Release Founder John F Barnes PT. Assisting his seminars over the years has brought her to understand the power of teaching clients how to take their treatment beyond the clinic walls and into an everyday practice. Her Journey Into Fascia experience is created to help you help yourself, with ease, courage and curiosity.
One on One sessions with Magdalena are also available in her clinic. Please inquire about the MFR Intensified Experience … receiving 2 hours of treatment daily, monday to friday is a great way to loosen myofascial restrictions and regain mobility.
