Robert Walsh

Qualifications

• Registered Physiotherapist
• GLA:D Canada Trained Practitioner: Managing hip and knee osteoarthritis

Services Offered

• Physiotherapy
• Chronic Pain Physiotherapy 
• Manual Therapy
• Shockwave Therapy
• GLA:D Exercise Classes

Rob grew up in New York state. Rob’s first undergraduate degree was at York University in Toronto, receiving a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in Film Production. After working in the film industry for a few years, he began practicing mindfulness and meditation, while managing low back pain with the support of physiotherapy and yoga. Becoming fascinated by how the body functions and moves, and how it’s influenced by the mind-body connection, Rob returned to York University for a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Kinesiology and went on to the University of Toronto, receiving a Masters of Science in Physical Therapy (MScPT).

During Rob’s Masters studies in Physical Therapy, he focused on chronic pain and hip and knee osteoarthritis. After graduating, he was proud to work at the Toronto Academic Pain Medicine Institute (TAPMI) at Women’s College Hospital (WCH), one of the leading academic publicly funded chronic pain treatment programs in Canada. As part of the pain program, he treated patients individually, led exercise programs, taught the flagship Pain U pain education program, and co-facilitated the mindfulness group. While at WCH, he also enjoyed working with the total hip and knee replacement surgical program.

Rob also has extensive training in Mindfulness and meditation. He has practiced and facilitated Applied Mindfulness, with the Plum Village School of Thich Nhat Hanh, for over a decade. He has facilitated multiple hospital based mindfulness interventions for people living with chronic illness.

Rob takes a whole-person mind-body approach, focusing on exercise based treatment that promotes independence. He integrates education, manual therapy, neuromuscular exercise, and compassionate mind-body training. He uses a movement based examination, along with in-depth conversation about a person’s history, to explore contributions to a person’s pain and implement a treatment plan tailored to the unique needs of each individual.

Rob is dedicated to continuing education. He is a member of the Canadian Physiotherapy Association’s Pain Science Division and Orthopaedic Division. He has also taken advanced courses in musculoskeletal physiotherapy and shoulder rehabilitation.

Rob’s work outside the clinic includes curriculum development and lecturing at the University of Toronto in the Department of Physical Therapy, Inquiry Mindset and Applied Mindfulness content. He has facilitated mindfulness and meditation in a variety of settings, including for University students, working professionals (UofT School of Continuing Studies), physicians (The Applied Mindfulness Program for Medical Personnel AMP-MP), and patients with chronic illness (Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction MBSR and Mindful Awareness and Resilience Skills for Adolescents MARS-A).

In his spare time, Rob enjoys specialty coffee, camping, meditation retreats, writing, photography, and relaxing with a vinyl record surrounded by the orchids in his living room.

Learn more about some of the conditions and people Rob works with

• Chronic Pain Physiotherapy
• GLA:D Canada Exercise Program