Pegah graduated from the Master of Science in Physical Therapy program at the University of Toronto in 2022. Prior to this, she completed her Master’s degree in Human Physiology at the University of Ottawa.

Pegah’s research background has driven her passion to help empower individuals through understanding of the workings of our bodies and the therapeutic power of movement and exercise. Recognizing the importance of individualized care, Pegah prioritizes compassion and a patient-centered approach in order to collaboratively develop treatments with her patients that fit their therapy and lifestyle goals. Pegah’s holistic and trauma informed practice incorporates education, manual therapy and therapeutic exercise to effectively assess and treat client needs.

Pegah treats both pelvic and orthopaedic conditions and provides care to all ages and genders. She is also comfortable in providing treatment in both English and Persian.

During her leisure time, Pegah can often be found training her beautiful rescue dog and making time for biking, hiking or baking for loved ones! She’s always eager to start a new hobby or plan an outdoor adventure with her family. Pegah understands the value of hobbies and exercise in our daily lives and is enthusiastic about helping others maximize their quality of life through treatment so that they too can participate and thrive in both work and play!

Email: pegah@core-connections.ca Hours: Tuesdays 2:30 pm – 6:30 pm and Fridays 10:00 am – 4:00 pm

Services provided in English and Persian.

Pegah graduated from the Master of Science in Physical Therapy program at the University of Toron... Read More

Galia Carranco Herrera is currently on her maternity leave until the summer/fall of 2025. We are so happy for you Galia! Congratulations!

Galia completed her Master’s in Physiotherapy from the University of Ottawa after graduating from Queen’s University with a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology. Through her work in private orthopedic clinics, Galia has gained experience in soft tissue release, joint mobilization, acupuncture and functional dry needling. She went on to pursue training in pelvic health physiotherapy and helps clients with incontinence, prolapse, pelvic pain conditions and provides pre and postnatal care for people of all genders and gender identities.

Galia loves to work one-on-one with her clients. She has a keen ability to understand their individual needs and goals and to implement the appropriate care. She relies on evidence-based practices and integrates exercise and functional movement strategies as her main treatment approach. Her background in Kinesiology and her extensive experience as a competitive athlete and sprint canoeing and kayaking coach, make her very skilled at prescribing progressive and individualized exercises and motivating her clients. Her passion is to educate her clients and provide them with the skills they need to manage and recover from their condition.

In her free time, Galia loves to spend time outdoors whether it is hiking, walking her dog, stand up paddling at the cottage or going camping (especially canoe camping!)

One of her goals and passions is to continue to travel the world!

Email: galia@core-connections.ca

Hours: Mondays 8:00 am – 2:30 pm Tuesdays 2:00 pm – 7:00 pm Wednesdays 8:00 am – 11:00 am Thursdays 1:30 pm – 7:00 pm Fridays 8:00 am – 2:15 pm

Services offered in English, French and Spanish.

Galia Carranco Herrera is currently on her maternity leave until the summer/fall of 2025. We are ... Read More

Cathy Cooney is a dedicated physiotherapist who graduated from the University of Toronto in 1997. Throughout her career, Cathy has worked with a diverse range of patients, from athletes recovering from sports injuries to individuals seeking rehabilitation after surgery or accidents. In 2006 she began her journey into the field of women’s pelvic floor physiotherapy and happily found her passion. Cathy has since dedicated herself to continuously expanding her knowledge and expertise in the field while integrating her knowledge of orthopaedics into the pelvic floor world. As a self-declared life-long learner, she regularly participates in courses, seminars, and conferences to stay on top of the latest advancements in the field of pelvic health. Cathy believes in a holistic approach to physiotherapy, using evidence-based techniques along with empathy and understanding to address each patient’s unique needs. In her free time, Cathy enjoys staying active through biking, exercising, and playing pickleball. She also finds joy in travelling and spending time with her husband and her two twenty- something kids when they are home. Cathy previously owned and operated a busy and thriving multidisciplinary clinic in the south part of Ottawa and is now happily “semi-retired”. Cathy is currently providing clinical coverage for a maternity leave and is happy to be a part of the Core Connections Team.

Cathy Cooney is a dedicated physiotherapist who graduated from the University of Toronto in 1997.... Read More

I have always had a keen interest in health and movement and wellness, working with people, and trying to make a positive impact in everything I do.

Working as an orthopedic and pelvic health physiotherapist over the last 26 years has been so deeply fulfilling for me!

Throughout my physiotherapy training, I loved anatomy, physiology and neuroanatomy, and I plunged enthusiastically into orthopedics, studying for years while working in an outpatient hospital setting and downtown private practice clinic in Toronto. After one glorious bike ride up to the Champlain lookout in Gatineau Park, I decided to move to Ottawa! In 2008, I became FCAMPT-certified, obtaining my Fellowship in orthopedic manual physiotherapy. My journey into pelvic health began in 2003 with a research idea about how orthopaedic factors can contribute to the development of stress urinary incontinence. That idea grew into a Master’s Research paper and publication and inspired the creation of the Pelvic Floor Program in 2008. Over a number of years, I was driven to raise awareness about pelvic health and to help fill the gap in services for clients at that time with pelvic floor dysfunction. I hosted educational workshops for clients, organized community-based pelvic health presentations, and lectured about pelvic health through the Orthopedic Physiotherapy Division of the CPA and at OPA conferences. In 2011, I founded Core Connections Physiotherapy out of a deep desire to create a beautiful, community-based clinic and centre of excellence for orthopedic, pre and postnatal, and pelvic health services.

Travel and exploration have also played a large role in my educational journey, and trips to India and Nepal – where I spent time trekking and in meditation retreats – have helped to inform my holistic view of health, wellness and mindfulness.

I’m passionate about working with clients with pre and postnatal dysfunction, bowel and bladder conditions, prolapse, pelvic pain, lumbopelvic-hip dysfunction, and neck and low back pain. I have fitted over 75 pessaries since 2014 and I’m so pleased to be able to provide this very valuable service for our clients. In 2014, I completed the 150-hour Integrated Systems Model training with Diane Lee and keenly integrated these new concepts of mechanical drivers, neural plasticity and motor control retraining into my practice. Training in anorectal disorders and balloon techniques have expanded my treatment options for clients with anorectal disorders. Having completed the Barral Visceral Mobilization introductory course, I was able integrate this visceral approach with my orthopedic and pelvic health skills.

Outside of the clinic, Heather loves to spend her time in the Gatineau Park- hiking, cross-country skiing and cycling. She loves adventure! She solo trekked the Annapurna Trail in Nepal and did a wild and arduous hut-to-hut cross-country ski adventure in Charlevoix. She has a passion for photography, international travel, gardening and yoga. When I’m not at the clinic, you can find me backcountry canoe camping in Algonguin Park and outdoor adventuring with my family and friends.

Heather is a member of the Orthopedic and Women’s Health Divisions of the Canadian Physiotherapy Association.

Email: heather@core-connections.ca

Hours: Tuesdays 8:00 am – 12 pm Wednesdays 8:30 am -1:30 pm Thursdays 8:00 am – 1:00 pm

Services offered in English and French.

I have always had a keen interest in health and movement and wellness, working with people, and t... Read More

Pratyusha has over 12 years of experience in treating patients with various musculoskeletal and sports conditions. Pratyusha is a published author and presenter at a number of international conferences. Her research interests have included varicose veins in high level athletes, land-based versus water-based exercises in reducing pain and disability in patient with knee osteoarthritis, and core stability exercises on and off the Swiss Ball.  Pratyusha also played an instrumental role in designing a novel ultrasound device that helps treat acute and chronic joint pain. Growing up, Pratyusha played a lot of soccer and she was a competitive swimmer. Her dad being a professional soccer coach, sparked her growing interest in helping players reach their goals and rehabilitate from injury.

A longstanding curiousity about the connection between the pelvic floor and other musculoskeletal conditions, led her to pursue a specialization in treating pelvic floor disorders in all genders. She strongly believes that communicating well with her patients and working towards patients’ goals helps achieve better outcomes.

Pratyusha holds additional certifications in the following areas:

Level I, II and III Pelvic Health Physiotherapy Functional Movement Training Kinesiology Taping Cupping EEDS ECHO (Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome and Hypermobility Spectrum Disorders) When she is not working, you can find her playing with her little boy and trying new recipes! She also enjoys dancing, travelling, and watching The Office!

Email: pratyusha@core-connections.ca Hours: Tuesdays 12:30 – 7:00 pm and Fridays 9:00 – 5:00 pm

Services provided in English and Telugu.

Pratyusha has over 12 years of experience in treating patients with various musculoskeletal and s... Read More

Susan graduated with a Baccalaureate of Science in Physical Therapy from McGill University in Montreal. She completed her Canadian Manipulative Physiotherapy examinations in 1997 and 2003 respectively, which qualify her to manipulate both the peripheral and spinal joints. Susan has received her Advanced Diploma in Manual and Manipulative Physiotherapy and is a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Manipulative Therapy.

Susan has over 18 years of clinical experience in orthopaedics & sports injury assessment and treatment in the Ottawa area.

Clinical Interests/Research:

Lumbo-Pelvic Disorders Upper Quadrant Dysfunction

Susan graduated with a Baccalaureate of Science in Physical Therapy from McGill University in Mon... Read More

Kelly brings to our team skills and expertise in vestibular physiotherapy (balance, dizziness and concussion), pelvic health, orthopedics and neuroscience. She completed her Master’s of Physiotherapy from the University of Ottawa in 2018.

She is happy to offer Pelvic Health Physiotherapy and has completed post-graduate courses in the management of incontinence, prolapse, pregnancy and pelvic girdle pain, as well as the management of Diastasis Rectus Abdominus.

In addition to treating sports and musculoskeletal injuries, Kelly also has a passion for treating dizziness, concussion, and other vestibular disorders.

Kelly has completed her Canadian Academy of Manual Physiotherapy Level 1 Certification, McKenzie Level A (Lumbar Spine) and B (Cervical and Thoracic Spine).

The goal of Kelly’s treatment approach is always to help you return to the activities which matter most to you, and to empower you through education and exercise!

Email: kelly@core-connections.ca

Hours: Mondays 7:00 am – 2:00 pm Wednesdays 2:30 pm – 7:30 pm

Services provided in English and French.

Kelly brings to our team skills and expertise in vestibular physiotherapy (balance, dizziness and... Read More

I have always felt a great pull toward helping people, and I knew from a young age that I wanted to work in a helping, health-care profession. I grew up in the Ottawa Valley near Almonte, and as a child, after experiencing my own injuries (during daily activities, sports, and ballet), I saw clearly how physiotherapists can transform people’s lives, by giving them the tools to work with their own bodies and easing the pain they experience.

With Masters degrees in Kinesiology and Physiotherapy from the University of Waterloo and the University of Toronto, I’ve worked in a variety of settings, treating patients with orthopedic and sports injuries, as well as neurological injuries and conditions. Over the years, however, I’ve become deeply interested in treating pelvic health issues (for all genders), particularly for people before and after they give birth.

I aim to provide people with holistic care that helps them feel strong and empowered. Pregnancy, childbirth, and caring for babies present many challenges, both physical and mental. In my practice, I help with many of the issues that arise, including general pelvic pain, urinary pain and incontinence, fecal incontinence, pelvic organ prolapse, pain during sex, limitations in movement, and sacroiliac (SI) pain, among other issues. I also help people make a plan after childbirth for a return to physical activity, such as running or fitness classes, tailored to their own goals.

I am a lifelong learner and find great joy in taking courses so I can then apply the most up to date, evidence based, clinical skills and practices for my clients. I will forever feel there will always be more to learn and continue to look forward to more learning. My list of courses and certifications is long some of which includes:

Hypopressives Level 1; Ramona Horton’s Visceral Urinary System course Antony Lo’s The Female Athlete course; Birth Healing Institute (postpartum body) Holly Herman’s Finessing your pelvic exams and treatments Susan Clinton’s Advanced GI  anorectal and Pelvic Floor Course Pelvic Health Solutions Levels 1-4 (Urinary Incontinence, Pelvic Pain and Pregnancy courses) Diane Lee: Thorax and Pelvis and Treating women with Pelvic Girdle Pain Julie Wiebe’s Athlete courses; Advanced Motor Control Training of the Spine (Dr. Paul Hodges) Acupuncture, Dry Needling, Manual Therapy Level 2, Soft Tissue Release Besides offering one-on-one client centered therapy sessions I also offer several group physiotherapy classes (currently through Zoom). I developed and led these group classes as a wonderful way to progress my clients through their rehab and focus on achieving their specific movement goals. These classes include: Postnatal Core Restore, Pelvic Organ Prolapse (POP), Prenatal movement and prepare for birth and Postnatal Return to Running Classes.

My own life provides constant inspiration and motivation for my work. I have three children, and I see motherhood as a journey, one that shifts and changes and requires new ways of caring for myself and my body, along with the needs and goals of my kids. I live with my husband, our kids, and our cat in the wonderful neighbourhood of Carlington in Ottawa, just a short walk from Core Connections Physiotherapy Clinic. We love to keep active, and we head to Gatineau Park and other beautiful areas as much as possible, for skiing, hiking, canoeing, and camping.

Email: monate@core-connections.ca Hours: Mondays 8:30 am – 11:30 am and 12:00 pm – 3:00 pm Tuesdays 8:30 am – 11:30 am and 12:00 pm – 1:30 pm Thursdays 4:00 pm – 7:00 pm Fridays 8:30 am – 1:00 pm

Services provided in English.

I have always felt a great pull toward helping people, and I knew from a young age that I wanted ... Read More