Sprouts staff

Christine Stewart

Owner/Facilitator, Baby Sign Language and Play Programs Instructor, SSW

Christine Stewart is a former social service worker with over 13 years of professional experience with children, teens and adults. She began taking the first of many community based American Sign Language classes with a hearing impaired friend in grade nine. She then went on to complete courses at Bob Rumball Center for the Deaf and The Canadian Hearing Society. Christine has had extensive experience signing with clients with developmental disabilities, mental health issues and deaf clients; where the use of ASL was at times the only form of communication. Now a Mother of two signing toddlers, baby sign language is an integral part of her family life.

Throughout Christine's career she has professionally facilitated at the regional, provincial and national level. She is currently a support group counsellor for the Infertility Association Of Canada ( IAAC ). She is a True Colours and Personality Dimensions trained facilitator, and she has completed numerous courses in case management, motivational interviewing and common assessment training. She has created and facilitated workshops throughout her career.

Christine's strong theatrical background and creativity are evident within her programs. Working with babies and children is a passion for this Mompreneur! Christine looks forward to sharing her knowledge and experience with the clients and dynamic team which makes up the Sprouts family, and looks forward to "sprouting with you!"

Emilie Closs

Registered Yoga Teacher, Professional Doula, Hot Stone Massage & Reiki

Emilie began yoga 7 years ago to escape from the stressful world of high school, but soon after fell in love and realised that what she wanted to do was teach. After working in various daycares and as a nanny, and completing a Yoga Teachers Training course, she combined her love for children and yoga, offering everything from Pregnancy Yoga, Mommy and Me, and Kids Yoga, to Adults and Seniors.

Whether you are looking for physical benefits or the spiritual, when you take your first class and head home, you'll feel like you have landed in a different world. You are more aware of your surroundings, the sun shines brighter, and your smile is bigger.

Emilie is also a Professional Doula, assisting women during labor and encouraging them through the moment that they will remember forever. Having children is a beautiful but life changing experience, and bringing them into this world in the most stress free way for mom is very important. By having a safe and encouraging environment, everyone benefits, especially mom and baby.

Meredith Deasley

The Resourceful Mother, BA, RHN, RNCP

Meredith's major focus has been on "food" since 1999. She is a Registered Nutritional Consulting Practitioner (R.N.C.P.), graduating from the Canadian School of Natural Nutrition (CSNN) in Richmond Hill, Ontario with Certificate of Merit. She specializes in pediatric nutrition. She has written a book that will assist parents in tackling food sensitivities and help them heal their children. We look forward to the release of Meredith's book later this year!

Today, Meredith owns The Resourceful Mother, a company whose major function is to help other parents detect, manage and eliminate reactions to food. She regularly conducts seminars at Prenatal Plus Parenting Centre, CSNN and out of her home. She teaches pediatric nutrition to future nutritionists at CSNN. Meredith also meets with parents on an individual basis, teaching them how to do things differently than the majority, in order to raise the healthiest, happiest, and most wholesome children possible. There has never been a family that The Resourceful Mother could not help.

Monica Frohmann

Homeopathy For Your Health

In clinic, it is my mission to help enhance the health of each of my patients on an individual basis, through the gentle and effective medicine of homeopathy.

About eighteen years ago, I was referred to a Homeopath by a medical doctor. After only a few visits to the Homeopath, I realized that this was the method of healing I had always been looking for and wanted to begin to study it immediately.

At that time, there were few options available so I studied informally with a mentor. Several years later, I began to study more formally and after graduating from Toronto School of Homeopathic Medicine in June 1999, I began practicing in downtown Toronto. Soon after graduating I moved to Newmarket where I now have my clinic and have been practicing ever since.

Although there are various, very valuable kinds of alternative therapies, I chose to study homeopathy for a few reasons:

From all the available information on alternative and complimentary therapies, I was able to find only a few that don't use methods to mask symptoms, but instead use the body's own energy to heal itself. I found that energy medicine was the most deep acting and long lasting, therefore the most gratifying to practice. Helping people regain their health was my main goal and Homeopathy is one of the safest and gentlest means of obtaining health.

In addition to practicing full time Homeopathy, I have been involved in developing a 3 year post-graduate course in Homeopathy with Dr. Joseph Kellerstein, D.C., N.D., F.C.A.H. This series of seminars has been a great success and this September will be our eighth year running.

Brandi McCarthy-Keays

Certified Personal Trainer, Nutrition and Wellness Specialist

Brandi entered into the fitness industry 10 years ago last December with a goal of helping people make effective and lasting changes to their lifestyle. She has spent most of her career working for a big chain gym, but has come to realize that a smaller wellness clinic approach is a far better environment for a personalized fitness training.

Over the last several years she has noticed a shift in attitudes. Big chain gyms are trying to mass produce fitness and are beginning to lose their service focus. The general public, on the other hand, are searching for a more personalized approach, somewhere that they feel they are not just another number. More importantly, she thinks people are looking for an environment where they can focus on their needs and goals without the distraction of the people around them.

Obviously results are so important, but we also need to focus on the journey, the small victories that get us closer to our end goal. A true belief that a fit and healthy lifestyle is achievable for everyone. All you need are the right tools and right attitude to get you there. Too many of us put our faith in fad diets and exercise trends in the hopes of making a quick fix that just doesn't last. Armed with the right tools and knowledge, fitness can be fun and easy. Once you make the commitment to small changes, you can really start to make those effective and lasting changes in your lifestyle. Everyone can do it.

Brandi has helped hundreds of people with hundreds of different goals over the last 10 years. Goals ranging from losing 10 - 100lbs, running up a flight of stairs to running a marathon. She has helped people recover from injuries that they thought they could never recover from and reach fitness goals they never thought possible. We all have it in us to make lasting changes, to live a healthier lifestyle and feel better about ourselves.

Whether you have never exercised before or are a seasoned gym rat, Brandi can help you get closer to your goals. If you are trying to add fitness into your lifestyle or need a point in the right direction nutritionally, Brandi can help!

Sharon Nolson

Registered Massage Therapist (RMT)

Sharon is currently building her practise in Newmarket at McCallum Health & Holistic Center and works over the summer months at Fair Havens Resort and Conference Center. She also has the privilege of volunteering with the Newmarket TLC Pregnancy Center providing prenatal instruction, massage, and Doula services to single moms. It is especially rewarding to provide care and support throughout a woman's prenatal growth and development, and to continue that relationship postpartum with both mommy and baby!

Sharon's love for children of all ages has always played a huge role in her life. Whether providing daycare in her home, teaching summer theatre camps, directing musical theatre productions or working with the York Region Arts Council to coordinate an Elementary Public Speaking Festival and a High School Drama Festival, Sharon has always been inspired and encouraged from the youthful energy and creativity of surrounding herself with children. Sharon's love for the Arts has also found Sharon on stage performing in over 15 musical theatre productions.

Partnering with Sprouts is just another wonderful way to keep that creative side alive and well, not to mention a great way to get her "baby-fix" too! Through teaching new moms (dads and grandparents too!!) the art of infant massage, Sharon is able to incorporate simple massage techniques into a playful and bonding time for both parent and child. Love and communication expressed through touch is a valuable tool to have and use from newborn right up to the teen years.

Sharon lives in Newmarket with her husband Jim and her 3 beautiful daughters. Each one is unique and special, and watching them sprout each day is the most rewarding experience of all!!