We would like to extend our warmest thanks to outgoing directors Christine Michaud and Dr. Philippe Sauthier, who have given their all at Board meetings over the past few years.
We would like to take this opportunity to officially welcome five new directors, all of whom are committed to the advancement of our profession.
Sébastien Forgues, Chair
Sébastien Forgues has long nurtured a passion for the human body. After studying the martial arts, he went on to work as a contemporary dancer both at the national and international levels. After an injury put an end to his dance career, he turned to massage therapy, then kinesitherapy. He currently works exclusively in kinesitherapy. Sébastien’s wealth of experience and commitment to the profession make him a dedicated and rigorous manual therapist. He has developed and presented several training activities, while also being responsible for training accreditation and inspections at the FQM. Through his participation on the FQM board of directors, Sébastien aims to promote the “self-determination” of the profession, by and for its actors. In his view, the contours and the future of the profession lie largely in teaching, the exercise of the practice, and supervision, all of which call for higher standards, strategic positioning, and the professionalization of massage therapy and kinesitherapy in Québec.
Marie-Chantale Gaba, Vice-Chair
Marie-Chantale Gaba has been a certified massage therapist since 2001. Like many of her massage therapist colleagues, her desire to offer adapted care stemmed from an intention to help a loved one dealing with pain. It was in witnessing first-hand the relief and comfort that massage therapy provided that she found her true calling. After completing her university studies in social sciences and management, she worked with various management groups, boards of directors and committees over the past 20-plus years. As a member of the FQM board of directors, she intends to continue promoting massage therapy as an integral part of the health care continuum, while supporting her peers in their practice as health professionals and upholding a strong commitment to public safety.
Claudette Maheux, Director
Claudette Maheux has always taken an active interest in the human condition . She defines herself as an excellent communicator with good listening and interpersonal skills, and strong human values. She acted as a suicide prevention “sentinel” in workplaces for 20 years and has accumulated several hours of volunteer work in suicide prevention. Claudette has undergone training in Swedish massage, kinesitherapy, osteopathy and chronic pain. After supporting her mother through palliative care, she shifted her career focus to oncology. Since 2008, she has supported the families of children with cancer by offering home-based massage services. She also practices in chemotherapy rooms, and she recently began providing massage services to seniors in residential and long-term care centres (CHSLD). After some 20 years as an FQM member, she joined its board of directors with the intention of helping develop quality training activities adapted to vulnerable or aging clients. During her term as a director, she plans to draw on the expertise she has forged with these clienteles.
Edy De Pretto, Director
Edy De Pretto has been practicing massage therapy for almost 25 years. Her interest in the professionalization of the occupation is as strong today as it was at the outset of her career. Her energetic and flamboyant personality makes her an excellent communicator with an innate marketing savvy, which helps the board of directors promote our beautiful profession. Her wealth of experience, as president of the Saint-Alexis-des-Monts tourism committee and as a regional spa owner and trainer (Swedish massage, physical fitness and yoga), are sure to be of great value when it comes to decision-making. Through her knowledge, know-how, soft skills, and ability to adapt, Edy becomes a valued asset for our board of directors and for the advancement of massage therapy in Québec. Ensuring that massage therapy has its rightful position in the health care field is a core concern for Ms. De Pretto.
Michel Van Waeyenberge, Director
Michel Van Waeyenberge, an economics graduate, moved to Québec in 1975 to teach mathematics and economics. After spawning an interest in massage therapy in 1980, he went on to train under such masters as David Palmer and Dr. Trager in California. Michel has been a member of the FQM since the association’s inception. In 1989, he founded l’Attitude, a massage therapy centre in Québec City. In the years that followed, he developed a massage philosophy whereby massage therapists’ left and right brains work together to reach their clients across conscious and subconscious dimensions. This vision led to teaching stints in Paris, Mexico, and Cancun. Over the years, Michel has been involved in various FQM projects, including the development of competency profiles. In the past 15 years, he has sat on various boards of directors, including that of the Fondation de la massothérapie, for which he helped recruit donors and sponsors. In the spring of 2024, Mr. Van Waeyenberge sold his school to dedicate his time to other pursuits. To this day, he continues to uphold the values of the FQM, and he naturally sought to join its board of directors in an effort to fulfil his vision and mission.