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Hi! I’m Sarah, an Australian trained (but proud Kiwi) Osteopathic Practitioner passionate in and so incredibly grateful for my work with Parent's, babes and their families. I moved from Melbourne, Australia to Vancouver Island in 2014, initially to Victoria and am now based in the Comox Valley.
As a 16 year old, fascinated by the human body and a high school athlete I decided to pursue a career in working with acutely injured athletes and rehabbing them back to high level sports performance, from start to finish. So, right out of high school I launched into my game plan: undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in sport science (BAppSci and Masters), a graduate diploma in exercise rehabilitation and undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in Osteopathy (BAppSci and Masters). I spent ten incredible years putting all this information together and working in elite sport with many developing (adolescent age) athletes. Here, I realized that although I loved working in sport, my stronger passion was for supporting these young athletes to understand and promote health in their bodies. So, as a self-confessed learning fanatic I changed my education tact and have spent the past eight years immersing myself in hundreds of hours of pre-pregnancy, pregnancy, baby, child and breast/body feeding related education.
I provide gentle hands on treatment that follows the needs of you, your little one and your family; feedings, diaper changes and anything else so that you and babe are comfortable throughout. For babies, treatment takes the form of gentle movements and subtle positioning (and sometimes may seem like I’m doing nothing at all!). Babe can be treated during feeds and while being held by a parent or carer – ensuring baby is comfortable and at ease. For older family members, including during pregnancy, treatment remains gentle, never forcing any body to do anything it doesn’t want to, instead, encouraging each body towards efficiency, ease and comfort with gentle hands on techniques.
In working with families, beyond treatment, I aim to provide clear information, answer questions and act as an accessible resource in collaboration and conjunction with other health care providers (midwives, LC’s, doctors and dentists, for example).
As an Osteopathic Practitioner I am trained in Cranio-Sacral Therapy (Upledger style and biodynamic styles) and visceral manipulation. I continue to update my postgraduate training in both of these areas, including specific training in the area of breastfeeding, infants and children (see below).
I am IBCLE Lactation Consultation designated and am trained in Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy (OMT). I am designated as a Certified Primitive Reflex Clinical Specialist (CPRCS). I am currently working towards my Postgraduate Diploma in Obstetric and Peadiatric Osteopathy.
Some relevant further education/designations:
- 'International Board Certified Lactation Consultant' (IBCLC)
- ‘Oromyofunctional Therapy (OMT) – Level 1’
- 'Certified Primitive Reflex Clinical Specialist' (CPRCS)
- ‘Biodynamic Cranial Osteopathy for Paediatrics’ – Phases 1 and 2
- ‘Cranial Techniques and Advanced Treatment Protocols in Pediatric Osteopathy’
- ‘Cranio-sacral therapy for breastfeeding infants’
- 'A manual approach to breastfeeding disorders in infants' (Osteopathic perspective)
- ‘Treating the birth’ (Osteopathic perspective)
- ‘Osteopathic Treatment of Parent and Baby’
- 'Plagiocephaly: Causes, Impact on Breastfeeding, and Solutions'
- 'Torticollis: Causes, Impact on Breastfeeding, and Solutions'
- ‘Tongue tie assessment workshop’
- ‘Breast Feeding for Health Professionals’ (90 hour program)
- 'Classifying Infant Sucking Problems'
- 'Pediatric Bowel and Bladder Disorders'
- 'Brain and Sensory Foundations (Level 1)'
- 'Primitive Reflexes in Pediatric Osteopathy'
- 'Primitive Reflexes: A means to understanding motor development'
- 'Primitive Reflexes 2: A means to developing 3D motor function'
- ‘Postpartum Corrective Exercise Specialist’ (PCES)
- ‘Treating Female Pelvic Pain Through the Uro-Genital System’
- 'PopUp Pro' (45 hour program exploring supporting pelvic organ prolapse (POP)support and management)
- ‘Treating the obstetrical patient throughout all of the stages of pregnancy: An Osteopathic approach’
- Working towards ‘Postgraduate Diploma in Obstetric and Paediatric Osteopathy’ 18 month program, proposed completion 2022