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Contibutor to Our Profession: Meet Edmond Beaudry

Edmond Beaudry, RMT, is one of the true modern pioneers of our profession in Manitoba.
Beaudry became interested in massage therapy in 1979 following his return from Africa. While working for a counselling service in St. Boniface, Man., he became intrigued with the positive outcomes of “touch.”

He took his first course in massage therapy from the YMCA and began purchasing every book he could get his hands on!

In 1981 he met MTAM Honorary Life Member Peter Stachnyk, who became an inspiration and hero to him, and decided to become serious about the profession.

He remembers that the first meetings of this small group that was interested in furthering and sharing its knowledge about the profession numbered only five or six people.

In 1983 he set up his first clinic in a St. Boniface hair salon, which he found to be an uncomfortable environment for massage. He then established a clinic with a chiropractor and became the only massage therapist in the St. Boniface area.

With no formal school available, he learned his profession “on the go.” From physiotherapists and chiropractors who were his clients he learned anatomy terminology. Psychologists and psychiatrists who heard about Beaudry and the good things he was doing referred their patients. He later discovered from them that he was doing craniosacral before he had even heard about it. These advisors shared their knowledge with him – patient by patient.

The MTAM was influential in convincing the Northern Institute of Massage Therapy to offer courses in Winnipeg in 1986, and this was a big turning point for Beaudry’s future. He signed up for the one-year diploma in 1987, graduated, and officially became a massage therapist.

Throughout the late 1980s and early ’90s he and others offered six-week courses to those interested in becoming massage therapists. Many of these recruits also registered for formal training with the Northern Institute and the number of trained therapists began to grow. His practice took him to the Winnipeg Squash Club, where he treated community leaders on a regular basis, including future premier Gary Filmon.

In the 1980s he took his turn as president of the fledgling MTAM and participated in other ventures into the community, including “lunch & learn” sessions with local businesses and working with school divisions on stress management through massage therapy.

In 1993-94 he was chair of the new MTAM Continuing Education committee and oversaw the drafting of the first documents outlining the requirements for continuing education in the profession.

Organizational challenges were everywhere, as the leadership group experienced growing pains over both funding issues and debates about standards and ethics. Regular meetings to advance the MTAM were held at the Country Kitchen in St. Vital.

Another major turning point for Beaudry was his decision to take a John Barnes course in Florida – and John Barnes actually taught the course. This led the therapist into more education in somatic release and it became the centre of
his practice.

He claims to be a bit of a maverick when it comes to treatments and that he combines an eclectic variety of treatments for his patients. He used to sneak into hospitals to treat clients before massage therapy was allowed.

Always one to share his knowledge, Beaudry has added to his knowledge base over the years by attending most continuing education sessions offered.

During his frequent visits to Mexico in the “cold times” he noticed that the local massage therapists working in the resorts lacked basic skills and, during his holiday, shared his knowledge with them to improve their techniques and ability to earn a living. He is also known to provide pro bono treatments to those in need.

After an absence of several years, he recently rejoined the MTAM Continuing Education committee to offer his expertise and experience as members evaluate the current continuing education programs of the MTAM.

Says Beaudry of his work, “I only want to help people walk their journey in a healthy way – massage therapy does that for them and my hands are merely the agents to help their healing.”