Mental Health, Chronic Pain, Invisible Disabilities
There is no health without mental health
3 of every 4 people who present to their GP with bodily pain later go on to be diagnosed with depression, and 1 in 4 Australians will have an episode of poor mental health every calendar year. The overlap between mental illness and physical symptoms can be overwhelming, but I really enjoy teasing out the finer details of multiple overlapping conditions to come up with real solutions.
Mental Illness doesn't mean broken
I have been a patient, clinician and a carer. I understand what it is like to be in your shoes. I live with a number of invisible disabilities, so I have road-tested many of the strategies I recommend. I have been in a psychiatric hospital as an employee and as a patient - there is no symptom, experience or thought too scary.
ASD, ADHD, AuDHD
Executive dysfunction typically makes sticking to an exercise routine incredibly difficult. Even though you know it's good for you, it's difficult to maintain.
ME/CFS, MCAS, POTS, EDS, Long COVID, Fibromyalgia
If you don't know these acronyms, congratulations! If you do, I have you sorted. It's a common misbelief that exercise can't help these conditions, but I often find that the wrong type of exercise is prescribed, or prescribed too aggressively.
Being guided by the evidence is good, but tailoring it to the individual is crucial to avoid over-doing it.
Endometriosis, Adenomyosis, PCOS and Pelvic Pain
Not all chronic pelvic pain is purely musculoskeletal, but it can seriously disrupt lives. Menstruating people aren't always aware of the connectedness of their reproductive hormones, distant chronic pain and fluctuation in physical and mental abilities. Finding movement whilst avoiding a flare can be difficult.
Ballet & the Artist-Athlete
Once a ballerina, always a ballerina
Little many little girls, I dreamed of performing professionally as a career. It's common for dance physiotherapists to have found their new career path after a career-ending dance injury, I am no different.
Adolescents aren't mini adults
Our teenage years have unique healthcare needs, and this is especially true in the pre-professional ballet setting. Changing bodies, minds and identities need special thought and care in their rehab, injury prevention, and performance improvement exercise programming.
Speaking the language
It's not often that your local physiotherapist is going to understand that you need to improve your sickle in adagio, you're struggling to get that extra beat in your petit allegro, or you're not sure if your dead shoes are to blame for your sore toes.
Part of my QB Academy role is to interpret between parents, students, and Artistic Staff so everyone is on the same page but safety, confidentiality and trust are maintained.
Sport and Exercise
Strength Sports
My favourite sports are strength sports: Powerlifting, Olympic lifting, Body Building and Strongman/Strongwoman.
I am also a passionate spectator of women's football, and enjoy women's rugby 15s and 7s.
Strength & Conditioning
One of my favourite things to craft for a client is a gym program that will enhance their performance and make them happy. I enjoy bringing the programming principles of "high-performance sport" to meet you where you are, even if that's housebound, and craft a pathway from there. It's always refreshing to assist someone to discover a new stronger self.
Physical Activity vs Exercise
Intent is everything. You can be very active but not get enough exercise, or you can exercise a lot and still be sedentary. Each affect your body and mind in different ways, and can be used for different goals.
If you don't "like exercise" that's fine by me. There is no one right way to do it.
No mandatory gym membership, no turning the spare room into a gym, no spending lots of money. You'd be surprised how much you can do at home, in a park or walking around the neighbourhood.
Queer Health
LGBTQIA+ People Deserve Equity of Access
Creating a culturally safe environment for all queer, intersex, trasngender, non-binary and gender non-conforming people is something I care deeply about. We are all often lumped together under a Queer or Gay banner, but each group of us have our own healthcare needs, stigma and struggles. This is further 'complicated' by daring to exist as our intersectional and individual selves, with unique gender expression, identity, history and wisdom that we bring to the table.
Gender expression comes first
Truly gender-affirming healthcare means I would never recommend that you stop binding, but provide information on how to do it safely. I would show you the basics of body-building if you lean masc. I always explain why I'd like you to remove a piece of clothing before asking for consent, and am happy to take no as an answer. If you roll an ankle voguing in pumps for the first time, pumps will be part of your rehab.
You are safe with me - whatever your gender, or lackthereof.