Dr. Josée graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from the University of Calgary in 1990. She then attended Northwestern College of Chiropractic and graduated with a Doctorate in Chiropractic in 2001. She obtained her certification in VSMT (aka Animal Chiropractic) in 2005 from the *Healing Oasis in Sturtevant, WI. In 2018, she became the 2nd Certified Animal Chiropractor in Canada to have the distinction of being fully trained in Advanced CranioSacral Care for small animals, from the Upledger Institute. This process entailed a total of over 8 ½ years of full time studies at the undergraduate, graduate and post-graduate levels.
Soon after starting her human practice in 2001, she spearheaded the process to make it legal for trained and qualified chiropractors to practice animal chiropractic in the state of Minnesota. In 2005, Dr. Josee started her animal practice next door, in Wisconsin, where animal chiropractic was legal. Because of the high demand from the animal owners for this type of care, her practice quickly became the largest practice in the area, with owners driving up to 3 hours each way so that their animals could receive chiropractic care. When the laws were successfully changed in Minnesota in 2008, she added a second animal practice in Lino Lakes, Minnesota. She eventually retired from ‘human practice’ in 2009, in order to devote her time entirely to her animal practice. In 2012, Dr. Gerard moved back to her home town just outside of Calgary, Alberta, and started what became one of the most successful practices in the province. In 2022, Dr. Gerard sold her practice and unofficially ‘retired’, moving to Quebec to be closer to family. After one year of ‘retirement’, she found that she missed her work tremendously, and decided to open up another practice in beautiful Berkshire, Vermont. Living in Southern Quebec within close proximity, affords her the flexibility to travel to Northern Vermont to see clients.
Dr. Josee kindly offers presentations on Animal Chiropractic as a public education and community service at no charge. She has given presentations to many dog clubs, veterinarian clinics, chiropractors, canine training schools (agility and obedience), business groups such as BNI and Chamber of Commerce. She has also been invited to speak to groups of students and doctors at Chiropractic universities, as well as Veterinary Tech programs. Dr. Josee has also acted as a consultant on several cases in Canada, the U.S., Mexico and the Caribbean. As well, her work has been featured in over 100 print and online publications throughout North America and in the U.K.
*The Healing Oasis (www.healingoasis.edu), is one of only 5 schools worldwide that meet the strict criteria and guidelines for programs offered in Animal Chiropractic, as set by the American Veterinary Chiropractic Association (www.animalchiropractic.org), the International Veterinary Chiropractic Association (www.ivca.de),as well as the College of Animal Chiropractors. (www.collegeofanimalchiropractors.org)