About Us

Donna Smith

Owner of Benchmark Wellness Clinic, RMT (Hons), CMRP

Donna graduated with her registered massage therapy diploma (honours) from Medix School, Kitchener in the Fall of 2007. Donna started her career at a local rehabilitation clinic dealing with clients suffering from the effects of motor vehicle accidents. She then shifted her focus and started working within a health club, where together with a team of health care professionals, was able to help athletes with their sports related injuries.

Donna is enthusiastic about her education, continually upgrading her skill set with various techniques and modalities. She currently specializes in deep tissue massage and is also a Certified Matrix Repatterning Practitioner. This can help clients with long term and chronic issues ranging anywhere from concussion to sleep apnea. This is a more gentle approach creating diversity for her client base. Donna’s knowledge also expands to pregnancy massage, Thai massage and trigger point therapy.

Donna has developed a loyal client base during her many years of practice and received the “Diamond Award” by the readers of the Waterloo Chronicle for 2010, 2011 and 2012, before working within other multidisciplinary clinics. Donna’s interests include working out, hiking, reading and world travel.

Shannon Primmer

RMT

Shannon is a Registered Massage Therapist who graduated from CCMH in 2019. She is an  ambitious and motivated therapist. Her strongest skills at this moment are working with mental health and deep tissue work. She is working on expanding into other areas to help a wider array of people and conditions. She’s easy going and has a great sense of humor. That being said she takes her work with clients very seriously and enjoys getting to know people. Because of her warm personality, she makes people feel comfortable and is able to provide the most appropriate treatment for each individual client.

Trudy Klassen

RMT

Trudy graduated from Medix College in Kitchener in 2017. She has training in hydrotherapy, general Swedish massage, joint mobilizations, trigger points, fascial restrictions, deep tissue techniques, GTO and O&I techniques. Trudy understands every client’s body and condition are different, therefore each treatment should be specialized towards each individuals needs. She strives to ensure each client leaves the treatment feeling refreshed and improved.

Paula Carl

RMT

Paula is a Massage therapist who graduated from Sir Sandford Fleming college in the spring of 2016. She is a dedicated and determined RMT. Her focus is on deep tissue and chronic pain. As a person with chronic pain herself, she always approaches clients with a positive and kind treatment method. An approachable and interactive person she strives to make clients comfortable through any situation.

She has her level one pregnancy massage certification and performs hot stone massage. Hot stone massage provides a deep systemic heat to a client that allows muscles to loosen. It helps to move fluids around the body and improves general relaxation.

Heba Abdulla

D.O.M.P., BSc Kin

Heba graduated as an Osteopathic Manual Practitioner from the National Academy of Osteopathy in 2022. In addition, she has a Bachelor’s Degree with Honours in Kinesiology (specialising in Rehabilitation Sciences) from the University of Waterloo. 

Heba is passionate about injury prevention and being able to assist patients with chronic pain. She believes that simple aspects of body movement and posture are key to leading a healthy lifestyle. Her treatment encompasses identifying root causes of pain and providing holistic remedies for a better functioning body.

Always cheerful with a friendly attitude, Heba is also a dance instructor, ballerina, pianist and swimmer, giving her exposure to various forms of movement related injuries. She is well versed in athletic therapy and injury prevention with a goal of educating patients about their overall well being. Her other interests include drawing, reading and travelling.