Helen Burger

Clinic Location

Education

You might be surprised that I…

Biography

Helen (she/they) is a physiotherapist with a passion for the arts, and who strives to provide evidence-based, person-centred care with sincerity, curiosity and playfulness.

If you’re curious about Helen’s academic background:
They have degrees. They graduated with an MScPT from the University of Toronto in 2020 and with a BScKin from the University of Victoria in 2017. They also completed a minor in psychology (also at UVic), and have been involved in various research projects: They’ve published research on the exercise experiences of adults living with HIV and complex multi-morbidity. They’ve worked as a research assistant collecting data for the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Ageing. They’ve worked in the UVic Motion and Mobility Lab assisting with research on Falls Risk in Older Adults… They also happen to have a certificate in Front End Web Development from BCIT, but maybe that’s less relevant here.

If you’re curious about Helen’s treatment approach:
Every session begins with a story, and whether it be simple or complex, they hope to hear you out. Helen’s role is to collaborate with you: to gain perspective on your problems and to develop a robust treatment plan that suits you and your needs. In their treatment plans, Helen looks for strategies that regulate the nervous system and for catalysts that stimulate the body’s adaptive / repair responses. This may involve modalities and/or manual therapy, and will almost definitely involve some level of mindful movement and/or exercise. Ultimately, their goal is to facilitate your ability to do the things that are important to you. Helen enjoys helping people with post-surgical recovery, learning how to manage chronic conditions like hyper-mobility, and has several years of experience working in hand therapy.

If you’re curious about Helen outside of academics and work:
Helen has been a dancer since the age of two. In high school, they were enrolled in a pre-professional dance program in North Vancouver. During their undergrad, they taught contemporary dance classes.  During their masters program, they performed in 5 community theatre musicals within the span of 18 months. They play D&D almost weekly, are part of a performing improv duo, and have watched the Lord of the Rings too many times to count. Outside, they enjoy hiking and camping, and will never forget getting caught in a lightning storm in a canoe in the middle of a lake in Algonquin Park.

Helen is frequently reminded that it is an honour to be entrusted with people’s stories. Thank you for reading a little bit about theirs.