Dr. Anderson grew up in Cole Harbour, NS playing competitive hockey before leaving to finish high school at Athol Murray College of Notre Dame in Wilcox, Saskatchewan. He played out his Junior ‘A’ career with the Notre Dame Hounds and Weyburn Red Wings of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League. Dr. Anderson continued his hockey career at Norwich University in Vermont, where he won a NCAA Div. III National Championship in 2010 and then finished his playing career in Germany, after two seasons of professional hockey.

After his playing career, Dr. Anderson worked at Newbridge Academy as a Strength & Conditioning Coach and coached Newbridge Senators Major Bantam team for two years. He also ran the off-season hockey training program at Blended Athletics.

Dr. Anderson holds a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Norwich University. He went on to study chiropractic at Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College (CMCC) in Toronto. While attending CMCC, he worked as a Sports Medical Trainer for the Toronto Titans hockey organization and was involved in biomechanical research. During this time he also played on a competitive golf amateur circuit in Toronto.

Dr. Anderson is certified in Functional Integrated Acupuncture, Titleist Professional Institute, Athletic Movement Assessment, Dynamic Neuromuscular Stability and RockTape (Basic, Performance and Blades Advanced).

Dr. Anderson uses an evidence-based approach to treating injuries while integrating rehabilitative techniques. Specifically, Dr. Anderson looks at physical limitations, biomechanical disadvantages or imbalances, that may cause injury or affect an athlete’s sport performance and help clear those limitations or create ways to work around them to continue to excel in their sport.

He is a member of the Canadian Chiropractic Association and the Nova Scotia College of Chiropractors. He will be entering the Royal College of Chiropractic Sports Sciences Specialty Residency Program. Dr. Anderson, when away from the clinic, enjoys all sports, camping and outdoor activities, and spending time with friends and family, including his wife and their dog.

Dr. Anderson grew up in Cole Harbour, NS playing competitive hockey before leaving to finish high... Read More

Nick holds both a Master of Science in Physiotherapy, and an honours undergraduate degree in Kinesiology from Dalhousie University. His thesis investigating the effectiveness of glutamine as a sports nutrition supplement was published in 2015 in the International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism. During his graduate Physiotherapy training he received the Canadian Physiotherapy Association’s Orthopaedic Division award for recognition of a consistently high skill level in the academic and clinical components of musculoskeletal Physiotherapy.

In addition to his academic achievements, Nick is also a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist through the National Strength and Conditioning Association, and certified in functional dry needling.

Nick’s experience as an athlete helped foster his love for sport. He played both provincial and varsity soccer, and represented Nova Scotia for freestyle skiing at the 2007 Canada Winter Games in Whitehorse, Yukon.

He now stays active through CrossFit, Olympic weightlifting and playing hockey. He is also an avid outdoorsman and enjoys hunting, fishing, and backcountry camping.

Nick’s treatment philosophy combines modern pain science principles, knowledge of sport related injuries, and evidence based strength and conditioning programming.

Whether an acute injury has you sidelined, an old injury is resurfacing, or you’d like to take a proactive approach to your health and discuss injury prevention, Nick can design a treatment program that’s right for you.

Nick holds both a Master of Science in Physiotherapy, and an honours undergraduate degree in Kine... Read More

Dr. Gina Brown is a licensed naturopathic doctor passionate about empowering others on evidence-based approaches to improve their health.

She holds Bachelor of Science degrees in Human Nutrition and Human Kinetics from Saint Francis Xavier University, where she actively supported community health promotion programs and served as a student athletic therapist for the X-Men lacrosse team. She completed her doctorate in Naturopathic Medicine at the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine in Toronto, Ontario, completing a 12-month clinical internship at Sherbourne Health and the Robert Stead Naturopathic Clinic. Gina also served as a teaching assistant and evaluator for lower-level students and engaged in research, earning the Student Innovation Award for her project on teaching kitchen usage in the United States and Canada in 2021.

Advocating for collaboration between healthcare disciplines, Gina was a member of the University of Toronto’s Interprofessional Healthcare Students Association, contributing to position statements on healthcare accessibility during the pandemic. After graduation, she moved to New York where she completed her naturopathic residency in 2023.

She is a member of the Canadian Association of Naturopathic Doctors, Nova Scotia Association of Naturopathic Doctors, The College of Naturopathic Doctors of Alberta, and The American Association of Naturopathic Physicians. Passionate about enhancing health through evidence-based nutrition and lifestyle interventions, she strives to provide options that fit within the constraints of daily life. She often draws from her background in nutrition and exercise, in addition to typical naturopathic approaches. An avid marathoner herself, she enjoys helping others reach their peak performance potential, no matter what their goals.

Dr. Gina Brown is a licensed naturopathic doctor passionate about empowering others on evidence-b... Read More

Dr. Hefford holds a BSc from the University of Prince Edward Island, as well as a Masters of Science Kinesiology from Dalhousie University. Originally from Newfoundland, he competed in competitive hockey most of his life where he developed a keen interest in sports medicine. This interest in sports medicine led him to the Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College in Toronto, where he graduated in 2010 with cum laude and clinic honors.

During his tenure at the college, Dr. Hefford was the recipient of several awards including the Excellence in Biomechanics Award, the Newfoundland and Labrador Chiropractic Association Award, and the John M Wallace Memorial Award for clinical proficiency. Following the completion of his Doctor of Chiropractic Degree, he entered a 5-year intensive Fellowship program with a focus on the diagnosis and management of sport-related injuries. Currently, he is one of only a select few of Chiropractic Sports Specialists in Atlantic Canada as designated by the Royal College of Chiropractic Sports Sciences (FRCCSS) Canada.

Dr. Hefford’s treatment cornerstone is the optimization of performance through movement-based protocols that he has developed over the past decade working with a wide range of athletes from various athletic backgrounds. He uses a multimodal therapeutic approach that is constantly evolving with the addition of evidence-based therapeutic and rehabilitative advancements. He takes pride in empowering his patients to drive their own recovery through prescription of drills and movements specific to the athlete and their sport.

Dr. Hefford is a certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist and an Active Release Techniques, Contemporary Medical Acupuncture, Integrated therapeutics/patterning, Functional Range Conditioning, and Graston Techniques provider. He is a member of the Chiropractic College of Sport Sciences, the Canadian Chiropractic Association, and the Nova Scotia College of Chiropractors. Dr. Hefford enjoys being active during his time off as well as spending time with friends and family, including his wife Amy and their 3 young children Cameron, Emily, and Owen.

Dr. Hefford holds a BSc from the University of Prince Edward Island, as well as a Masters of Scie... Read More

Brandon is a physiotherapist from Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, and has been part of the PROactive team since 2019. An alumni of Dalhousie University, he holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Kinesiology and a Masters of Science degree in Physiotherapy. Since graduation, Brandon has completed further training in Biomedical Dry Needling. Outside of academics, Brandon has achieved the rank of black belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ), and more recently became a certified Yoga teacher after 200 hours of training.

Brandon has devoted over 10 years to studying and teaching the martial arts. He has practiced wrestling, muay thai kickboxing, boxing, and teaches BJJ at multiple gyms in HRM. To balance the physicality associated with these activities, Brandon incorporates a regular Yoga practice.

Growing up, Brandon has competitive sport experience playing hockey and soccer at the provincial level, and has intermittently explored other activities including rugby, canoe/kayaking, ultimate frisbee, crossfit and bouldering. From calisthenics to kettlebell training to powerlifting, Brandon has performed many different forms of resistance training over the last 15 years and is continuously exploring different methods of exercise.

Brandon’s treatment philosophy involves combining his evidenced-based training with his professional and personal experience. When addressing acute pain and injury, clients can expect some or all of the following: Strengthening, movement analysis, soft tissue release, dry needling techniques and passive/active stretching. As you start to feel stronger, clients of Brandon can expect an emphasis on education so you can take greater ownership over your own physical health.

Brandon looks forward to working with you to achieve your performance, rehabilitation and optimization goals!

Brandon is a physiotherapist from Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, and has been part of the PROactive team... Read More

Jacob grew up in Fall River, Nova Scotia. Growing up he developed a love for all sports, some of his favorites being soccer, basketball, football, golf, volleyball and hockey. Throughout years of competing in various sports he dealt with many sports injuries and turned to all types of physical therapy as a way to heal. At a young age he gained a big interest in understanding the human body and how these therapies can help us. He always enjoyed asking his therapists questions so he could learn from them.

After high school, he went to the Canadian College of Massage and Hydrotherapy and earned his diploma in massage therapy graduating with honors. After a year of practice, he developed a treatment style utilizing deep tissue massage and trigger point therapy. Jacob wanted to gain more knowledge and skills so that he could help his patients in new ways. He decided to pursue Osteopathy so he went to the National Academy of Osteopathy and just graduated in February! Jacob aims to approach each patient in a way that is specific to their dysfunctions with the goal of finding the root of their problem.

Outside of work, Jacob loves to spend time with friends and family. He comes from a family of 6 so growing up he always had some siblings to stay active and compete with. He is always looking to try new things and learn new skills. Some of his favorite hobbies outside the more traditional sports include weight lifting, 8 ball pool, disc golf, ping pong, and knee boarding.

Jacob grew up in Fall River, Nova Scotia. Growing up he developed a love for all sports, some of ... Read More

Meet Dr. Kokes,

Dr. Nikole MacLellan a.k.a Dr. Kokes (nicknames always stick) was fortunate enough to have the opportunity at a young age to play many sports. She found herself leading national ringette teams to gold medals, playing provincial soccer for New Brunswick, and her amazing hockey career lead her to play for the Dalhousie University women’s varsity team. She has been extremely fortunate to take invaluable leadership and teamwork skills from sport but has always had a strong passion for education.

Dr. Kokes completed her Bachelors of Commerce at Dalhousie University with a major in Marketing Management. She always had a keen interest in nutrition and health so she pivoted and obtained her Bachelors of Applied Human Nutrition with Dietetics from Mount Saint Vincent University. Through this degree she was able to experience so many amazing opportunities from working at the Halifax Rehabilitation centre, working with at risk youth, to working with QMJHL athletes, and in hospitals all across Nova Scotia.

She built a solid foundation in nutrition but was looking for more ways to evoke change in patients so she attended the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine where she completed her Doctorate in 2017. She is a licensed member of the Canadian Association of Naturopathic Doctors, the College of Naturopathic Doctors of Alberta, and the Nova Scotia Association of Naturopathic Doctors. The type of medicine Dr. Kokes practices allows her the time to connect with patients, find out what really drives them, and allows for an evidence-based treatment plan that is in line with their goals and passions.

Through her training Dr. Kokes primarily focuses in sports medicine and pain management. She has completed her certification in sports nutrition through the International Society of Sports Nutrition and has taken Sport Medicine training at Harvard University. All of these skills have culminated into total performance optimization. When we speak of performance most minds go direct to athletics but we perform tasks all day every day. Performance encompasses optimizing your total daily experience from wake to sleep.

“I believe we are capable of more, I believe in removing the hurdles that impede us from reaching the apex of human performance. If you feel that passion inside you, that drive… I want to work with you.”

Meet Dr. Kokes, Dr. Nikole MacLellan a.k.a Dr. Kokes (nicknames always stick) was fortunate enou... Read More

Tricia is a Physiotherapist originally from New Brunswick but has worked internationally and all across Canada, most recently in British Columbia, and is excited to be back on the East Coast. With a love for all things sport and science she completed her Bachelor of Kinesiology at Acadia, Bachelor of Science in Physiotherapy at Dalhousie, and Masters of Clinical Science at Western University.

Tricia’s post graduate credentials include completing the highest level of orthopaedic (Fellow of the Canadian Association of Manual Physiotherapy) and sports credentialling (Registered International Sport Physical Therapist) as well as Gunn IMS needling.

Over the years Tricia has worked in several multidisciplinary sport medicine clinics with university, provincial, national, and professional athletes and teams. She has also been privileged enough to be a team physiotherapist within Soccer Canada Women’s program, Hockey Canada Women’s program, and spent the last 5 years as the Lead Physiotherapist for Rowing Canada Aviron (men, women, and para programs). Working along side other members of multidisciplinary teams has allowed Tricia to broaden her scope of knowledge within the sport, exercise, and rehabilitation world to help create efficient rehabilitation programs, return to sport plans, as well as strategies around injury prevention and performance optimization.

When not working Tricia can be found outside – hiking, biking, skiing, paddle boarding, travelling, or reading a good book.

Tricia is a Physiotherapist originally from New Brunswick but has worked internationally and all ... Read More

Dr. Nicole Monk grew up in an athletic oriented atmosphere, with 2 younger brothers who pushed her to compete not only in sports, but in all aspects of life. She had the opportunity to compete in a wide variety of sports, most notably basketball, swimming, water polo, and rugby. She has always had a passion for training and pushing herself that instilled a sense of resiliency she still carries in all aspects of her life. After suffering an ACL injury during a playoff rugby game during her grade 12 year, Nicole had to overcome one of her most difficult challenges. She turned to fitness and ultimately become a trainer at Blended Athletics inc. where her passion for health and connecting with others continued to grow.

Dr. Monk completed her Bachelor of Science at Dalhousie University with a Double Major in Biology and Psychology. With a therapist as her mom and her love of physical health, Nicole was eager to learn about the intersection of both the mind and body. Through this degree she was able to build a solid foundation in human physiology and witness the powerful impact that collaborative and preventative care can have on health outcomes.

Nicole’s interest in preventative medicine ultimately led her to the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine where she graduated with her Doctorate in 2024. Dr. Monk’s clinical areas of interest include sport performance and recovery, hormonal health, and mental health. She believes that a strong foundation begins in the mind –in the conscious and unconscious thoughts we’re relaying to ourselves every day. Both her personal and professional experiences have shown her that even small changes in daily habits can have lasting impacts on health. She is passionate about motivating and educating her patients to achieve optimal functioning in both life and sport.

Dr. Monk is a member of the Canadian Association of Naturopathic Doctors, the Nova Scotia Association of Naturopathic Doctors, and The College of Naturopathic Doctors of Alberta.

Dr. Nicole Monk grew up in an athletic oriented atmosphere, with 2 younger brothers who pushed he... Read More

Teresa has been practicing massage therapy since she graduated from the Canadian College of Massage and Hydrotherapy with honours in 2010, where her studies centered on neurological dysfunction and the application of deep tissue treatment. In 2015, she completed her training as a manual osteopath, graduating from the National Academy of Osteopathy. There, she expanded her practice by adding a focus on visceral manipulation. She has also taken additional training in fascial release work, craniosacral treatments, and gua sha therapy.

Teresa’s approach involves specific, targeted tissue manipulation to address restriction and dysfunction in individual muscles and their kinetic chains. Merging osteopathic and massage based techniques and theory results in efficient and effective treatments that confront dysfunction, then work to re-establish and maintain healthy movement patterns.

From May 2013 until August 2015, Teresa served as a member on the board of directors for the Massage Therapists’ and Wholistic Practitioners’ Association of the Maritimes, starting out as a Member at Large and eventually rising to President. Her focus was on the pursuit of legislation, as well as educating the public about massage and alternative healthcare.

Outside of work, Teresa spends her time camping, hiking, and exploring the Nova Scotia landscape. She is also a gamer, a reader, and a volunteer with the SPCA.

Teresa has been practicing massage therapy since she graduated from the Canadian College of Massa... Read More

Ashley grew up here in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia attending Northumberland College in Halifax where she received extensive training in Massage Therapy and knowledge treating musculoskeletal conditions and common tissue manifestations. Ashley graduated in June 2007 and has been working as a full time RMT ever since. Upon graduation, she was offered a job in a physioclinic downtown Calgary and set off to the west coast. She worked in Calgary for 2 years before moving to Edmonton where she worked at a busy high end massage therapy clinic for 15 years. While there, she gained many years of hands-on experience and knowledge treating a vast variety of conditions including chronic tension, myofascial restrictions, postural conditions, TMJ Dysfunction, pre/post surgical, sports related injuries, pregnancy and more.

Ashley really takes the time to listen to her clients needs and treats each client with an individualized treatment plan. Ashley’s treatment style focuses on therapeutic and deep tissue and often incorporates myofascial release and dynamic cupping if needed. Her goal is to make every client feel comfortable and heard while providing a tailored treatment to ensure they feel their very best. Even though Ashley has been practicing for 17 years she is always interested in adding new tools and knowledge to her skill set.

Outside of work, Ashley loves spending time with her 2 children, family and friends. Recently returning to NS she loves re-exploring all the beauty the east coast has to offer. She is often outdoors in nature with her 2 children exploring parks, beaches, and trails.

Ashley grew up here in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia attending Northumberland College in Halifax where s... Read More

Dr. Trueman holds a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology from Dalhousie University and is a Cole Harbour, NS native. He competed in competitive hockey, sprint canoe/kayak, soccer and badminton growing up and eventually became a coach in all but soccer. His major coaching focus was in sprint canoe/kayak where he was a national champion both as a coach and as an athlete. Dr. Trueman worked as a personal trainer in the Cole Harbour area and was driven to provide evidence-based information regarding workouts and nutrition.

Following his undergraduate degree Dr. Trueman went on to study chiropractic at Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College in Toronto. While at CMCC he was the president of the Advancing Science Club and worked on Students’ Council.

Dr. Trueman is certified in Contemporary Medical Acupuncture, Functional Range Conditioning, Active Release Therapy, Athletic Movement Assessment and Instrument Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization (SMART tools certified). He has further training in concussion management through CCMI (Complete Concussion Management) as well as Evidence Based Nutrition.

Dr. Trueman’s approach to care is to not only treat tissue injuries but to also address movement dysfunction and biomechanical/muscular imbalances. This allows him to treat your condition entirely and play a role in prevention of future reinjury.

He is a member of the Canadian Chiropractic Association and the Nova Scotia College of Chiropractors. When Dr. Trueman is not working he enjoys playing/watching sports, being active outdoors, traveling and spending time with his friends, family and dogs.

Dr. Trueman holds a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology from Dalhousie University and is a Cole Ha... Read More