Sort Practitioners by Modality
‘It's our level of care that sets us apart’ - Lisa Thomson, Senior Partner
Click on the links below to learn about the CSSM team.
From an early fascination with anatomy in high school PE classes to a professional career dedicated to movement and recovery, Hamish Williams’ journey into Myotherapy has been shaped by both passion and experience. While many saw sport as a pastime, Hamish was captivated by the invisible architecture behind every stride and jump—the muscles, the bones, the interplay that makes movement possible.
Yet, it was adversity that truly defined his path. During his final year of school, a succession of injuries—adductor tendinopathy, a torn hamstring, and eventually a torn ACL—forced him off the field and into a new role: observer and student of the recovery process. Unable to participate in the sports he loved, Hamish’s focus shifted from performance to rehabilitation. He became engrossed in understanding how and why the body breaks down—and, more importantly, how it heals.
This deeper curiosity led him straight to Myotherapy. What set this discipline apart for Hamish was its hands-on nature, its blend of practical rehabilitation, movement education, and personal connection. Myotherapy spoke to his love of science and problem-solving, but also satisfied a deeper drive: helping people overcome obstacles and return to the activities that enrich their lives.
Today, as a dedicated Myotherapist, Hamish works with a diverse clientele—from athletes striving for peak performance to individuals seeking relief from everyday pain and restriction. He is committed to uncovering the root causes of discomfort, collaborating with each client to craft a clear, personalised plan for recovery and improved movement.
Personal experience has taught Hamish that injuries don’t just challenge the body; they shape perspectives, build resilience, and open new possibilities. Now, he channels that insight to empower others—guiding them past setbacks and towards renewed freedom of movement.
Physiotherapist Grace Rutter believes patients should feel supported whilst being provided tailored education and a comprehensive management plan based upon their rehabilitation and lifestyle goals.
“I have grown up surrounded by family that have been living with chronic pain for multiples years and have seen how impactful it can be to someone’s life.”
Grace has a particular interest in neck injuries (including neck related headache), sporting injuries, women’s health, knee rehabilitation, as well as running injuries.
“I love being able to have the opportunity to help people do what they love, no matter their stage of life. My aim is to help people feel empowered about their rehabilitation journey to achieve their goals.”
With an additional degree in sports and exercise science, Grace also worked with various high performance athletes including the Port Melbourne VFL club.
Grace has experience working in acute hospitals (cardio/ musculoskeletal/neuro), subacute settings (geriatric evaluation and management), and women’s health (acute, private, continence clinic). She has also had experience working in private practice.
Away from the clinic, you’ll find Grace on the driving range, playing netball or out for dinner with friends. When time permits, she also loves to cook and hanging out with her pet Corgi Henry.
CSSM Physiotherapist Corey Farrell has always been interested in how the body works, sport and strength training. Physio was the perfect fit.
“It’s also a great combination of problem solving and working with people.”
Corey has an intense passion for physiotherapy with a particular interest in lower limb injuries including the ankle and knee. He also has a keen focus on injury prevention and high performance especially in younger age groups with many of his patients playing football, soccer and basketball.
“I love the challenge of appropriately reintegrating people back into sport as fast as possible while minimising the risk of re-injury.”
Spending a lot of time strength training in the gym, Corey enjoys helping others who have any niggles or injuries to modify their program to keep them moving.
“I enjoy empowering people with the information and the tools they need to manage their own health and get back to the things they love to do.”
When not working at CSSM, he can be found providing match day support for the West Coast Eagles AFL and AFLW teams.
Away from the clinic, Corey enjoys music – as well as reading and strength training.
After multiple injuries and different rehab experiences, Julia Meeuwissen found a love and appreciation of myotherapy.
“I like that myotherapy has a holistic approach that empowers and supports people to take responsibility for their own rehabilitation journey and to gain more confidence, trust and respect for their body and its innate capacity to heal and recover.”
With an interest in the human body, anatomy and biomechanics, Julia enjoys treating tendinopathies, tension headaches, neck pain and TMD.
“I have had all of these issues myself so can empathise and share techniques that have helped me. I’d like to further investigate optimal load management strategies for tendinopathies and posture as well as mind-body connection for stress related tension headaches, neck pain and TMD.”
As a myotherapist, Julia hopes to empower patients to live an active and healthy life knowing that injuries can be overcome and aches and pains are part of the journey.
Julia was attracted to the multimodal aspect of CSSM where each practitioner can learn from other modalities to ensure the best outcome for each patient.
“I like CSSM’s philosophy including best practice, patient education and exercise as an integral part of treatment.”
When she’s not working, Julia enjoys going for multiple day hikes, camping, and going to the beach as well as reading fiction, putting on incense and listening to records, or walking her dog Zephyr.
Senior physiotherapist Caroline Szafranski was drawn to physio during her four years spent living in the United States on a tennis scholarship at Arkansas State University. “I was training six days a week and spending a bit of time in the medical rooms!”
She studied Exercise Science and then spent 6 months working in California. “I think my involvement in tennis and triathlons has helped me enormously with treating patients and understanding their emotional ride as well.”
After completing a Bachelor of Physiotherapy at La Trobe University back home, Caroline has worked with various sporting organisations including the AFL Umpires Association in addition to grass roots football clubs.
“I’ve also worked in various roles both in private practice and in a hospital environment, both in the UK and Australia, giving me extensive experience in treating patients with both acute and chronic musculoskeletal conditions,” she said.
Caroline has a special interest in biomechanics, rehabilitation and Clinical Pilates training having completed mat and equipment Level 1 Certificate in Pilates and Level 1 Dry Needling Certificate, and several other courses. “I treat all areas but but enjoy treating backs, neck and doing pilates, plus post surgery rehab especially total hip and knee replacements.”
Away from the clinic, Caroline continues to play tennis and still has that competitive nature participating in ironman triathlon and marathon running, competing in several races including the half ironman and long course world championships and completing two Melbourne marathons! “I’d like to say that my competitive spirit is a little more tame these days but I can’t help myself sometimes!”
Caroline is at CSSM on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Senior Practitioner pricing applies.
Educated at the University of South Australia, Vaughan has gained a wide range of clinical experiences since completing his studies and moving to Melbourne in 1998. Sporting and family commitments helped to shape his core range of clinical interests. Originally drawn to Podiatry after having his own knee pain cured by orthotic management, Vaughan values how much more enjoyment can be gained from sports when you have no pain associated with playing them. Likewise through watching his three children’s development, Vaughan is determined to minimise any pain associated within childhood development.
Vaughan’s philosophy regarding treatment is to address the cause of the pain biomechanically, and instill a treatment plan that will enhance every patient’s enjoyment of life’s endeavours.
CSSM Podiatrist Paula Alarcon become interested in Podiatry after an ACL reconstruction. “I visited a Podiatrist who helped me stabilise my knee after I had noticed the changes that orthotics made in my running cycle when I went back into sports.”
“I have always led an active lifestyle, growing up with sports and dancing. This inspired an interest in how the body moves, and a passion to help people move.”
Paula’s sporting background has provided her with a particular interest in the recovery and management of foot and ankle injuries.
“Our feet are what keep us moving every day, they are the wheels in our daily journey, and they work very hard all year around. Therefore, prevention and proper management of foot problems are essential for our mobility, comfort and health.”
Joining CSSM, Paula says she enjoys being able to work with a great variety of health professionals allowing patients to have a more holistic approach as well as contributing to her own learning process by exchanging opinions and ideas from other practitioners.
While Paula believes Podiatry enables her to choose her own pathway from rehabilitation of the foot and ankle, biomechanics, running gait analysis to skin conditions, she hopes to specialise in the rehabilitation of injuries and sports Podiatry.
A true believer that movement is medicine, Paula is an elite Ultimate Frisbee player having participated in the under 24’s championships world cup with the Colombian team in 2018 held in Perth and the under 24’s Australian team in 2019 held in Heidelberg, Germany. Away from the clinic you will likely find Paula training with her Ultimate frisbee team called Spicy Chilly!
If she has any time left, Paula also enjoys going for hikes on the weekends or going to the beach as well as Salsa dancing thanks to her Latino background.
After 15 years of intensive dance training and working as on osteopath, Kim was looking for a pro-active way to help people manage their conditions. “Pilates was the perfect fit.”
Rather than “treat” conditions, Kim says Pilates improves movement and helps to relieve pain. “I work to help people overcome their back and neck pain, manage restrictions with arthritis, rehabilitate joint injuries, improve balance, build strength and increase bone mass in osteoporosis. I also love keeping people strong throughout their pregnancies and beyond.”
According to Kim, clients are surprised at how easily a problem area can be identified. “We have elite athletes coming in who are very strong and fit but have pain or an injury. We can find a muscle not doing its job properly and they are surprised at how quickly that muscle tires and how we can progress exercises to keep Pilates continually challenging.”
“I love that my clients are very pro-active leading to great, long term results. There is a huge variety in the people and conditions I see, keeping each class interesting. I also love getting to know people and hearing about their lives.”
Kim has first-hand knowledge in the role pilates can play in pre and post-natal health but also has extensive experience treating and rehabilitating AFL and dance injuries.
Away from the clinic, Kim enjoys spending time with her three boys and getting involved in sports, activities, camping, and bushwalking. She also loves walking her dogs.
An active lifestyle is what piques Kaitlyn Wallace’s interest in Osteopathy. “I’ve experienced many injuries myself and I know the setback that individuals face from injuries, both physically and emotionally. I love being involved in working alongside individuals to get them back to the activities they enjoy.”
Kaitlyn has an holistic approach to treatment, treating the body as a whole and working alongside her patients to achieve optimal health outcomes. “To put it simply, I love Osteopathy because I love helping people achieve both their health and personal goals!”
Throughout her career, Kaitlyn has worked in a variety of settings including the RMIT Sports Clinic environment, which has given her exposure to a wide variety of acute sporting injuries and from that, the ability to accurately diagnosis and apply effective evidence-based care. “I enjoyed sharing my knowledge on rehabilitation advice and working closely with athletes to get them back onto the field.”
While Kaitlyn enjoys treating patients from all ages and walks of life, she has developed a passion for working with pain – both acute and chronic. In particular; low back, neck pain and sports related injuries.
“I love working at CSSM as we have built a great team environment, and all strive to provide the best service of care for all our patients.”
Away from the clinic, you’ll find Kaitlyn staying active through basketball and football, or going for a run/walk with friends. I also love travelling, spending time at the beach and trying new restaurants!