Meet the Team
Sarah grew up in the Niagara region, where animals were always part of her everyday life. Surrounded by dogs, horses, and the peace of country living, she developed a deep appreciation for the quiet ways animals communicate and the comfort they bring. By the age of 14, she owned her first horse — an experience that taught her patience, trust, and the power of connection.
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Her path into bodywork began with her horses, guided by curiosity and compassion. What started with EquiBow soon expanded into craniosacral therapy and Reiki, leading her to discover how deeply these techniques could support not just animals, but people as well.
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Today, as the founder of Balanced Bodyworks, Sarah’s focus is on helping people and dogs find balance, release tension, and heal on both a physical and emotional level. Her sessions combine mindful touch, gentle energy work, and an intuitive understanding of the body to create a calm, supportive space for restoration and connection.
Grounded, heart-centered, and deeply attuned to the bond between humans and animals, Sarah believes that healing begins with listening — to the body, to energy, and to the quiet language of trust.
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Maddy Everest
Maddy has always felt a deep, natural connection to animals, a bond most powerfully reflected in her relationship with Spirit, her pony of over 11 years. Together, they have navigated life’s highs and lows, health challenges, and healing journeys. Witnessing Spirit endure multiple founder episodes and supporting his recovery profoundly shaped Maddy’s approach to animal health, care, and holistic healing.
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Surrounded by animals her whole life — from dogs and cats to horses and cattle — Maddy has experienced both the joys and the losses that come with deep companionship. These experiences fostered empathy, resilience, and a desire to understand animals on a deeper level. Her own journey with mental and physical health challenges further inspired her to embrace holistic, natural approaches — listening to the body, trusting intuition, and valuing prevention and root-cause healing.
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Maddy studied Kinesiology and Health Sciences at the University of Western Ontario before transferring to the University of Guelph to pursue a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture, majoring in Animal Science. She has worked as a veterinary assistant for Standardbred racehorses and shadowed a livestock veterinarian, gaining hands-on experience that complements her holistic approach. Certified in Reiki and craniosacral therapy, with mentorship in animal and human bodywork, Maddy blends science, intuition, and compassionate care to support both physical and emotional well-being.
Her mission is to help animals and their caretakers thrive through integrative, whole-body care — combining structure, movement, and spirit. Healing, she believes, is not linear, and she is dedicated to walking that path alongside every being she supports.
Jodi Dennis
Jodi has spent her life surrounded by animals, nature, and the kind of quiet wisdom both bring. Growing up in the Niagara Region’s countryside, she was never far from the companionship of dogs, reptiles, and fish—and often found herself helping care for the many horses and farm animals that filled her world. Those early years shaped her deep appreciation for all living beings and the invisible threads of energy that connect us.
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Coming from a large, loving family and with a mother who was a teacher, Jodi also developed a natural bond with children. That connection inspired her to become a Registered Early Childhood Educator, graduating in 2019. Every day, she works with children from infancy to twelve years old, creating nurturing environments where they feel safe, seen, and understood.
Over the years, Jodi noticed something beautiful and consistent—both animals and children respond deeply to energy. Their openness and sensitivity reminded her of her own intuitive nature and inspired her to explore energy healing more deeply. This journey led her to become a Level 2 Reiki Practitioner, allowing her to support both children and animals through gentle energetic balance. She often incorporates Reiki in her classroom, using it to help calm heightened emotions and restore harmony during the day.
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Jodi also embraces essential oils as part of her holistic approach to well-being, using them to ease daily pain, soothe anxiety, and create comfort—for herself, her students, and her beloved animals.
Grounded in compassion and guided by intuition, Jodi’s work reflects her lifelong belief that healing begins with understanding energy—and that when we nurture that balance in both people and animals, we help them shine in their truest light.