Questions, answered

No. You can book directly with Ghassan. If you have relevant imaging, reports, or a physician’s note, bring them with you.

If you plan to submit your visit to extended health insurance, check whether your individual plan has any referral requirements.

It depends on your extended health plan. Before your visit, check with your insurer to confirm whether manual osteopathy is covered under your plan and whether they recognize Ghassan’s credentials and association.

You’ll receive a receipt that you can use to submit your claim when applicable.

No. Ghassan is a Manual Osteopath (DOMP), not a physician.

His practice focuses on hands-on assessment and treatment. He does not prescribe medication or perform surgery, and he may recommend seeing a physician or another healthcare professional when something falls outside his scope of practice.

Carleton Square and home visits can be booked online .

For Merivale, Barrhaven, or Kanata, send an appointment request through the contact form, or call or email Ghassan to arrange a time.

You can also start from the locations page.

Choose whichever location is most convenient for you. Ghassan sees patients in Merivale, Barrhaven, Kanata, and Carleton Square, and also offers home visits by arrangement.

Carleton Square and home visits can be booked online. For the other clinic locations, send an appointment request and Ghassan will arrange a time with you.

Ghassan will ask what’s bothering you, when it started, what you’ve already tried, and what you want to get back to doing. He’ll look at how you move, explain what he notices, and recommend an approach before hands-on treatment begins.

Before you leave, he may suggest simple things to do over the next day or two and explain whether another visit makes sense.

Wear shorts and a T-shirt or comfortable athletic clothing that allows you to move. FST is table-based and you remain clothed.

Bring any relevant imaging, reports, or physician’s notes you have. Wear comfortable clothing that allows you to move, and be ready to talk about what you’re experiencing, when it started, and what you’ve already tried.

Allow extra time for intake during a first visit. Visit length is confirmed when you book or when Ghassan arranges your appointment.

Treatment should stay within a range you can tolerate. Some techniques can feel intense. You can always ask Ghassan to ease off. Some people experience temporary soreness afterward.

It depends on the problem, how long it has been present, and what you are trying to get back to doing. Ghassan will assess you first and explain what he recommends rather than promising a fixed number of visits in advance.

There can be overlap between hands-on therapies, but the training, assessment, and techniques used by each practitioner can differ.

Ghassan’s approach focuses on how joints, muscles, fascia, and movement work together. Depending on what he finds, treatment may include joint mobilization, muscle energy techniques, soft-tissue work, FST, Graston, or other approaches.

If you’re unsure which type of care makes sense for you, start by describing what’s bothering you.

FST is assisted stretching. A trained practitioner moves and stabilizes parts of your body while guiding you through ranges that may be difficult to reach on your own.

Yes. Ghassan works with people of different ages. Include your child’s age and what’s bothering them when you request the appointment.

Let Ghassan know that you’re pregnant when you request your appointment. Treatment and positioning can be adapted as appropriate, and Ghassan can let you know if another healthcare provider should be consulted first.

Let Ghassan know when you book. Some techniques may need to be modified or avoided depending on your situation. When appropriate, he may recommend speaking with your physician or another healthcare provider before treatment.

No. It is only considered when appropriate and with your consent. You can always decline any technique.

For Ghassan’s current association memberships, ask when you book or contact the clinic. The Ontario Osteopathic and Alternative Medicine Association (OOAMA) publishes information about the association and its membership requirements on its website.