Lisa Markham, RMT

04/09/2025

🔹 Is Your Brain Keeping You in Pain? 🔹

Chronic pain isn’t just about muscles, joints, or past injuries—it’s also about how your brain and nervous system process pain signals. If you’ve tried physiotherapy, massage, or medication but your pain keeps coming back, your nervous system might be stuck in a pain loop.

Here’s what you need to know:

🧠 Pain & the Mind-Body Connection
Stress, anxiety, and past trauma can turn up the volume on pain signals, making discomfort worse than it needs to be. Counselling helps retrain the brain to lower those pain levels.

🤝 Counselling + Physiotherapy = A Winning Combo
Sometimes, pain isn’t just physical—it’s also affected by emotions, thoughts, and past experiences. Combining physiotherapy with pain counselling helps break the pain cycle at both the physical and neurological level.

🚫 Debunking the Myths
❌ “If my pain is real, I don’t need a counsellor.”
✅ Pain is real, but your brain plays a major role in how much you feel. Counselling helps calm an overactive pain response.

❌ “Pain counselling is just talk therapy.”
✅ It’s actually science-backed therapy that reprograms how your nervous system reacts to pain—helping you feel better long-term.

💰 The Hidden Costs of Chronic Pain
Pain doesn’t just affect your body—it impacts your sleep, work, relationships, and mental health. Investing in proper treatment now can prevent years of suffering and lost opportunities.

⚡ Why Some Pain Lingers (Even After Healing)
Your nervous system can get stuck in “alarm mode”, constantly sending pain signals even when no injury is present. Counselling helps turn down this alarm so you can move forward pain-free.

Pain doesn’t have to control your life. Chronic pain counselling can help rewire your brain, calm your nervous system, and give you back the life you deserve.

💬 Ready to break the cycle? Book a session today!
Emerald Park: 306-559-5676 (Friday’s for initial appointments)
Regina (Rochdale): 306-559-6469 (Thursday’s for initial appointments, starting in April)

02/14/2025

👋 Is Your Pelvic Floor Trying to Tell You Something? 🚨

Pelvic floor issues aren’t just a women’s health concern—they can affect anyone. If you’re experiencing any of these symptoms, it might be time to see a pelvic floor physiotherapist:

💧 Urinary Problems:
Leaking when you cough, sneeze, or exercise
Frequent or urgent need to go
Trouble fully emptying your bladder

💩 Bowel Issues:
Constipation or straining
Difficulty controlling gas or bowel movements

💥 Pelvic Pain:
Ongoing discomfort in the pelvic area, hips, or lower back
Pain during or after sexual activity

🏋️ Core Weakness:
Feeling instability or lack of support in your core, especially after childbirth, surgery, or injury

⚠️ Prolapse Symptoms (Women):
Heaviness, pressure, or bulging in the pelvic region

🌟 For Men:
Recovery after prostate surgery
Chronic pelvic pain or prostatitis

Whether it’s postpartum recovery, managing incontinence, or relieving discomfort, our specialized pelvic floor physiotherapists are here to help you feel stronger, supported, and symptom-free. 🙌

📅 Don’t wait—book an appointment today!
Call us or visit haasphysicaltherapy.ca — We have a female pelvic floor therapist at each of our locations!

02/13/2025

02/10/2025

💤 Why Sleep is Essential for Recovery 🌙

Sleep isn’t just about rest—it’s about healing! Whether you’re dealing with an injury, chronic pain, or following a therapy plan, quality sleep is crucial for your recovery.



Here’s how sleep helps your recovery:
🛠 Cellular Repair: During sleep, your body releases growth hormones to repair tissues and heal muscles.
🔥 Reduces Inflammation: Poor sleep increases inflammation, which can slow healing. Rest calms this response.
😌 Pain Relief: Lack of sleep heightens pain sensitivity, but good sleep helps you feel more comfortable.
🧠 Mental Recovery: Sleep restores focus and emotional balance—key for therapy and stress management.
🛡 Immune Support: Sleep strengthens your immune system to help fight infections and speed recovery.
🤸 Therapy Performance: A rested brain retains exercises better and improves motor skill learning.

✨ Tips for Better Sleep:
✔ Stick to a consistent schedule.
✔ Keep your bedroom cool, dark, and quiet.
✔ Avoid caffeine, alcohol, and screens before bed.
✔ Try deep breathing or guided relaxation.
✔ Adjust your sleeping position for specific conditions:
TMJ pain: Avoid sleeping on your stomach.
Pelvic floor recovery: Side-sleeping with a pillow between your legs can help alignment.

💤 Remember: Sleep is when your body does its best healing. Don’t skip it!

01/09/2025

I’ve received some questions about whether I’m still offering Massage Therapy at Crooked Lake now that I’m providing Chronic Pain Counselling at Haas Physical Therapy in Emerald Park and the answer is yes—I’m continuing to do both! I’m so grateful for your ongoing support and look forward to helping you on your wellness journey.

12/16/2024

I’m so over the top excited that we get to break the news! I can’t wait to join this amazing team💕

🌟 Exciting News! 🌟�

Starting January 10, 2025, our Emerald Park location is thrilled to welcome Lisa Markham, a Chronic Pain Counsellor, to our team!

Lisa is a Registered Massage Therapist and a Registered Social Worker with a Bachelor of Social Work and a Master in Clinical Science in Interprofessional Pain Management. She is also certified in Pain Reprocessing Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, and Behavioral Therapy.

What can a chronic pain counsellor do for you?�They help you manage the emotional and mental toll of living with pain by providing strategies to reduce stress, anxiety, and depression. Lisa offers guidance for navigating relationships and daily challenges while building resilience and a positive mindset. She is certified in pain reprocessing therapy (PRT), acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), and cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). Take the first step toward improving your quality of life today!

📞 Book now by phone: 306-559-5676�💻 Or online: haasphysicaltherapy.ca

10/10/2024

📢 Now Offering Concussion Baseline Testing & Treatment at Emerald Park!

We are excited to announce that we now provide Concussion Baseline Testing for individuals and teams, as well as Concussion Treatment at our Emerald Park location.

Our physical therapist, Quinn Tulloch, has undergone extensive training and is now fully certified through Complete Concussion Management Inc. (CCMI), a global leader in concussion care. CCMI's evidence-based approach ensures that you receive the most up-to-date testing, treatment, and rehabilitation to manage concussions effectively.

Whether you're part of a sports team, an individual athlete, or someone recovering from a concussion, we’re here to help!

To book your appointment or learn more about how concussion management can benefit you, give us a call today!

10/10/2024

🚀 Join Our Growing Team at Haas Physical Therapy!

Are you a passionate Physiotherapist looking for your next opportunity? We're on the lookout for a full-time, dedicated professional to join our vibrant Regina clinic! 💼

Why Work With Us?

Dynamic, growing clinic offering orthopaedic, pelvic floor, vestibular therapy & more
Competitive salary & comprehensive benefits 💪
Education allowance, flexible hours, NO weekends/evenings 🎓
Private treatment rooms for focused, patient-centered care
If you're driven, patient-focused, and eager to make a difference, we want to hear from you!

📧 Send your resume and cover letter to: jannah@haasphysicaltherapy.ca
📍 Visit us at 4535 Rochdale Blvd, Regina (position is for our Rochdale location!)
🌐 Learn more at haasphysicaltherapy.ca

07/12/2024

05/24/2024

Did you know the greatest benefit of regular massage is the impact it has on your moods? A meta-analysis of massage therapy research concluded regular massage reduced traits of anxiety by 77% and depression by 73% when compared to control groups, showing massage therapy is a SUPPORTIVE modality for enhancing positive moods (Moyer et al., 2004).

05/22/2024

Shout out to you golfers out there, book your pre-season massage therapy appointment and prevent any injuries. Also, the increased range of motion will improve your game!
lisamarkham.as.me

Schedule your appointment online Lisa Markham, RMT