My Special Interests
I graduated in 2004 and have been working at the Brisbane Osteopathic Centre since then. I am very fortunate to have found a job I love. My main passion is working with newborns and new mothers, but I also particularly enjoy working with children who are moving asymmetrically and women with period pain or pregnancy pains.
Breastfeeding and Babies – Helping mothers and babies improve their breastfeeding is a particularly special interest for me. Since having trouble with my babies I have gone on to do many hours of lactation study and have applied my osteopathic thinking to this area.
For the breastfeeding baby I will work to help the mother understand how their feeding position is affecting their baby’s ability to open their mouth. I will work directly with the baby to help improve their neck movement and jaw movement to also assist with breastfeeding. I find this is particularly effective for babies who aren’t opening their mouths very wide, or who are looking mainly to one direction and having problems feeding from one side more than the other. I will also give the parents exercises for the baby’s tongue to help it improve it’s mobility and control.
I work with mothers to improve pain associated with breastfeeding such as back pain, neck pain, wrist and elbow pain. I also work to empower them with lymphatic drainage techniques they can do at home that won’t cause extra damage to the breast when it is inflamed with mastitis.
Pregnancy – Having had two pregnancies myself I am well aware of the different postures a pregnant mothers body goes through, and also of how it’s easier to strain joints, in particular the pubic joint. I work with mothers to normalise their motion through the joints and muscles of the pelvis, legs and diaphragm and ribs to help their pain, but I will also teach them which movements they are doing which are causing problems for them so that they are less likely to injure themselves again.
Children moving asymmetrically – I work with babies for these problems, but also with older children. If a baby is crawling asymmetrically or turning one foot out while walking, having trouble holding a pencil or difficulty sitting with their legs crossed. There may be some retained primitive reflexes that are making this asymmetry more prominent and I also give the parents exercises to help decrease this aspect of the problem.
Digestive and period related pains and bloating – working with the Barral visceral techniques has been a fabulous new resource for me when I work with someone who is having pains in their abdomen. While diet and nutrition are incredibly important for these there is also a mechanical factor once the area has already been inflamed or injured (like when you bang into some thing heavily in your abdomen or have a heavy fall on your bottom). It is these mechanical strain patterns that I work with, as well as the diaphragm and lymphatic pathways to help you alleviated some pain while you are finding the right diet for yourself.
Education
Since graduating in 2004 from the five year university double degree in Melbourne at RMIT I have gone on to complete all 9 phases of James Jealous Biodynamic approach to osteopathy, and also done all three of the Treatment of Children phases.
I have also done many extra hours of study from the Lactation Resource Centre and the Australian Breastfeeding Associations annual seminars.
More recently I have started learning with the Barral Institute and working more with the viscera (the organs). Having done so much cranial work it is a very natural extension for me and I feel adjuncts particularly well with the skills I’ve already worked so much with.
During Covid it was difficult to continue with my training so I sought more online courses and have started working with retained reflexes, identifying if the child has anything limiting their movements and helping their parents with exercises to get their child moving more symmetrically.
Availability
Monday 8.30am-5pm
Wednesday 9.15am-2.00pm
Thursday 8.30am-5pm
Friday 9.15am-2.00pm
Doctors Referral (Medicare CDM) and DVA
I regularly receive referrals from Medical practitioners (G.P’s) as part of Medicare’s chronic disease management plan. As a government registered practitioner I am also able to accept both Gold and White card holders for the DVA.
Check out the other videos and blogs I’ve made:
Video Blog: Why treating newborn neck strain can help breastfeeding
Video Blog: Painless Mastitis and Blocked Ducts Natural Treatment
An Osteopathic Approach to Poor Latch
Video Blog: Osteopathic Treatment Post Surgery
Postural and Stretching Guidelines
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