Practitioners

Our Team

‘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.

Camberwell Osteopath Daniel Skaer
  • Daniel SkaerOsteopath

    Daniel Skaer was drawn to study Osteopathy through his personal experiences with sporting injuries, a fascination with the science behind the human body and a passion for helping people achieve quality of life.

     

    “The complexity in the human body won’t adapt to change unless you create a change,” he says. “Treating injuries for their causing agents can become a preventative rather than a band-aid approach.”

     

    Daniel is a strong believer in Osteopathy’s philosophy of treating the body as a whole, rather than simply treating the dysfunctional region. “No two patients are the same, which is why it’s so important to work with each patient to create a tailored management plan, empowering them through education and support.”

     

    He prides himself on his ability to communicate and comfort every individual that may find seeking an Osteopath daunting as well as educating patients to help them achieve their goals.

     

    Daniel has a specific interest in chronic pain management, hypermobility dysfunctions and structural strength assistance and uses a range of techniques including soft tissue, manipulation and mobilisation techniques.

     

    Daniel hopes to continue to develop his skillset and contribute to research. He is also currently completing a Diploma in Equine Osteopathy with the London College of Animal Osteopathy.

     

    Away from the clinic, Daniel loves running, going to the gym, travelling, going for walks, working with equine athletes and spending time with friends and family.

Physiotherapist Theodora Dafinis
  • Theodora DafinisPhysiotherapist
    Theodora’s path to physiotherapy began on the soccer field, where years of playing fostered a deep appreciation for movement, performance, and the resilience of the human body. After experiencing the impact of physiotherapy during her own injury rehabilitation, she was inspired to pursue a career where she could help others regain confidence, function, and enjoyment in their sport and daily life.
    She completed a Bachelor of Physiotherapy (Honours) at La Trobe University and has developed a strong interest in sporting injuries, lower limb conditions, adolescent injuries, and pre‑ and post‑operative rehabilitation. Theodora particularly enjoys the problem‑solving nature of sports physiotherapy—understanding the demands of each sport, tailoring rehabilitation to the individual, and guiding athletes safely back to their best. She is especially curious about overuse injuries and hopes to further explore how training loads and volumes can be optimised to prevent them.
    Outside the clinic, Theodora works as a physiotherapist with the senior women’s team at FC Bulleen Lions in the NPLW, where she supports athletes in a fast‑paced, high‑performance environment. Away from work entirely, she enjoys staying active in the gym, going for the occasional run, watching soccer, and discovering new restaurants with friends and family.
    Theodora is passionate about continuing her professional development and aspires to become a titled Sports Physiotherapist, with the long‑term goal of working in professional sport—ideally within soccer.
    What she values most about Camberwell Sports & Spinal Medicine is the supportive, collaborative environment. She appreciates the genuine connections between staff, practitioners, and patients, and the shared commitment to delivering high‑quality, patient‑centred care.
Physiotherapist Kobi Phelan
  • Kobi PhelanSenior Physiotherapist

    Senior Physiotherapist

    Kobi Phelan is a physiotherapist and a strong advocate for the role of exercise therapy in the prevention and management of musculoskeletal conditions with a particular interest in lower limb injuries.

    Kobi understands the importance of tailoring treatment and rehabilitation to each patient on an individual basis when returning to sport and activity. With this in mind, Kobi places high importance on actively involving her patients in the design and implementation of their injury rehabilitation.

    “I really enjoy seeing someone through the ups and downs of long term rehabilitation, and get a huge sense of satisfaction when these patients are able to return back to their desired activity.”

    In the future, Kobi hopes to continue to evolve armed with the latest research and treatment techniques.

    In her spare time you’ll find Kobi at the gym, taking her dog for a walk, or completing DIY jobs around the house and garden.

     

    Senior practitioner pricing applies for consultations with Kobi.

Camberwell Podiatrist Adam Chalmers
  • Adam ChalmersSenior Podiatrist

    Senior Podiatrist

    Dr Adam Chalmers (Podiatrist) is a highly experienced Senior Podiatrist, bringing over three decades of clinical expertise to at Camberwell Sports and Spinal Medicine. With a career spanning private practice ownership, elite sporting environments, health leadership, and complex clinical care, Adam offers a depth of knowledge and perspective that few practitioners can match.

     

    Adam’s decision to pursue podiatry was driven by the profession’s uniquely broad and dynamic scope of practice. He was drawn to its ability to assess, diagnose and manage a wide range of complex musculoskeletal and foot-related conditions, often requiring a detailed understanding of biomechanics, load management, and rehabilitation.

     

    After graduating from La Trobe University, Adam went on to build an extensive and varied career. He has owned and led podiatry businesses for over 24 years, working across all aspects of podiatric care while developing a reputation for comprehensive, patient-centred management.

     

    Adam has a particular clinical interest in biomechanics, rehabilitation of ankle injuries, heel and plantar fascial conditions, and complex nail injuries and pathologies. He is especially drawn to challenging cases, enjoying the process of working closely with patients through the step-by-step journey required to achieve meaningful, lasting outcomes.

     

    His experience also extends into elite and professional sport. Adam provided podiatric care and advice to the AFL Under‑19 Greater Western Victorian Rebels for six years, supporting developing athletes through injury management, rehabilitation and performance optimisation.

     

    Beyond private practice and sport, Adam has held senior leadership roles within the profession. He previously served as Vice Chairman of the Podiatry Association and spent six years as National Allied Health Manager for Medibank, where he worked at a strategic level to help shape access to high‑quality, evidence‑based care across Australia. This experience gives Adam a rare understanding of healthcare systems, clinical governance, and what truly supports best‑practice patient outcomes.

     

    Adam is deeply committed to the collaborative model of care that defines Camberwell Sports and Spinal Medicine. He values working alongside a broad team of health professionals, believing that a truly multidisciplinary approach leads to better clinical decisions and superior outcomes for patients.

     

    Outside the clinic, Adam is passionate about staying active, with road cycling playing a key role in his own fitness and wellbeing. He is an enthusiastic follower of sport, including AFL, NFL, cricket and Formula 1, and places high value on spending quality time with his wife and two children.

     

    Adam’s professional philosophy is simple yet powerful:
    “No matter how much time we spend together, I aim to have you leave feeling better than when you arrived.”

    This mindset underpins everything he does—delivering thoughtful, evidence‑based care with a strong focus on patient outcomes, long‑term function and confidence in movement.

Myotherapist Adele Agius
  • Adele AgiusSenior Myotherapist

    Senior Myotherapist – 

     

    After 15 years of international competitive Taekwondo, Adele sustained several injuries. “I was always so fascinated by how the human body functions and heals – seemingly myotherapy was the perfect fit.  An enthusiast about health, fitness and being the best version of yourself is a key factor”. 

     

    Adele feels that analysing the main components of people’s everyday lifestyles and interests allows her to identify and provide specialised ways for a specific individual to help aid in strengthening, rehabilitating and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Adele enjoys working with people “to help get them back to the activities they love”.

     

    Adele executes this through a “hands-on approach”, which includes trigger point therapy, dry needling, cupping, myofascial release and treatment of musculoskeletal pain and dysfunction. Adele is a firm believer on educating her clients about their condition and what their recovery process will entail to improve their ability to manage, maintain and overcome their injuries.  

    Adele has worked with NICA (National Institute of Circus Australia) and amateur basketball, netball and football leagues across Melbourne. 

     

    In Adele’s spare time, she loves to participate in pilates, rock climbing, hiking, baking and spending time with family and friends.

     

    Senior practitioner pricing applies for consultations with Adele.

Physiotherapist Lily Taplin
  • Lily TaplinPhysiotherapist

    CSSM physio Lily Taplin is a Camberwell local.

    An active individual, Lily grew up participating in sport, fascinated by biomechanics and how the body moves.  It is an interest that grew into a profession.

    For Lily, being a physiotherapist combines the challenge of uncovering the cause of pain with the fulfilment of empowering others to manage their injuries and reach their fullest potential.

    “That is why I love it”

    “What I’m passionate about, is taking the time to really get to know the individual, their goals, interests, and expectations, and collaboratively developing a treatment plan that enables them to achieve these factors.”

    “So many people experience aches and pains in their everyday lives but there is so much we as physiotherapists can do to help and getting the right help is vital in being able to return to the activities you need to and want to do. I love being a part of the journey to help others return to what they love and lead fulfilling lives.”

    Away from the clinic, you’ll find Lily getting out in nature, whether its running, hiking or simply walking her dog.

    “I also love to travel and explore new places and beautiful scenery.”

     

     

Camberwell Osteopath Jordan Wylie
  • Jordan WylieOsteopath

    Jordan Wylie is a passionate osteopath driven by a love for movement and a desire to help others return to the activities they enjoy most. With a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Health Science in Osteopathy from Victoria University, Jordan brings a strong academic foundation to his practice at CSSM.

    His personal experience with injuries and recovery sparked his interest in osteopathy, and he now channels that insight into supporting patients in achieving their fitness goals and personal bests. Jordan has a particular interest in exercise-based rehabilitation, strength and conditioning, and performance care, though he values variety in his caseload and enjoys tailoring treatment plans to each individual.

    Outside the clinic, Jordan leads an active lifestyle—training for triathlons, surfing, and playing indoor soccer. His philosophy is grounded in consistency, progressive overload, and showing up with purpose: “Rome wasn’t built in a day.”

    At CSSM, Jordan appreciates the multidisciplinary environment, access to gym facilities, and the warm, welcoming atmosphere. His long-term goal is to build a strong client base and eventually run his own clinic, continuing to make a meaningful impact in the community.

Camberwell Osteopath Travis Bateman
  • Travis BatemanSenior Osteopath

    Practice Principal & Senior Osteopath

     

    Travis is an Osteopath and the founder of CSSM.

    Travis chose osteopathy because he has always liked the hands-on approach to treatment. “That, together with the high level of study and knowledge in areas such as anatomy and movement, which is inherent within the osteopathy program, really excited me.  I had already done four years of study in health before commencing osteopathy and I had the opportunity to do other things.  But I chose to pursue osteopathy, and another five years of study because of the ability of the skills I learnt to help people in a meaningful way.”

    Travis enjoys treating most injuries of the “active” person.  “One of the biggest areas of interest is treating teenagers.  There is a perception that kids and teenagers are just little adults – this is a massive misconception. Growing athletes have a unique set of needs.  We are seeing a lot of kids and teens suffering significant injuries from a young age.”  Recent studies have shown that in Australia, the highest increase in knee reconstruction surgery has occurred in teenagers between the ages of 12 and 16. “The impact of that on their future is scary.”

    After working at a few other clinics, Travis found that health care suffered from a lack of direction and, CSSM was born. “Osteopathy was a relatively small profession with just a few hundred of us in Australia.  I saw the opportunity to bring osteo to the masses.”

    Ever since, Travis has been keen to make osteopathy accessible as a health service that can deliver a patient focussed approach to care, giving meaningful evidence-based treatment and management to patients.

    “We started as a one man show, and have grown to a team of over 20.  As part of this growth and expansion we have added a team of other modalities such as physio, podiatry, myotherapy and Pilates to the clinic – a centre of excellence for the management of musculoskeletal injury.”

    Travis describes CSSM as an extension of his family. “I am just as passionate about our team and the community we treat as I am about few other things.  Doing what we do and doing it well, is my biggest objective.”

    The CSSM philosophy is to provide a level of care that exceeds the norm and ensures the best outcome for patients.  “Our standard appointment is what most other clinics call an extended appointment. It is a source of amusement to us when we see other clinics promote their guarantees of extended care.  From our perspective, you do not need to guarantee it, if it is what is ingrained in you.”

    Just as families continue to grow, Travis hopes CSSM will too and continue to serve the community. “As a larger clinic, we are able to offer more specialised services to our patients, such as our running gait analysis and pre-pointe assessments.  We hope to continue to grow this suite of programs (golfers and cyclists stay tuned).  From there, we also hope to spread our reach to other locations when the opportunity presents itself.”

    When he’s not working within the Practice, Travis looks forward to catching up on some much needed sleep. “CSSM is all-consuming but nothing is more important than watching my kids do their thing and celebrating their achievements. If I get the time, I do enjoy hitting the trails with some mountain biking and trail running through the Dandenong’s. I love the solitude of being out there working up a sweat, lost in my own thoughts.”

Physiotherapist Kelsey Thomas
  • Kelsey ThomasSenior Physiotherapist

    Senior Physiotherapist

    Dance Program Coordinator

    Myotherapy Program Mentor

     

     

    17 years of dance training, 12 years of tennis and 7 years of competitive rock climbing fueled Kelsey’s interest in sport and associated injuries. “I’d always been interested in health and fitness and Physiotherapy was a great transition from Personal training into the treatment and rehabilitation of a lot of the issues I saw in the gym. It came with a stronger understanding of the human body.”

    While sport is her passion, Kelsey believes that creating solid foundations of strength and rehabilitation are key components in maintaining a healthy lifestyle, whether you work in an office or as an elite athlete. “Having participated in a fair few sports over the years it’s given me a better understanding of the demands the body can be put through, the movements required to succeed and the difficult task of taking time away from the sport you love when injured.”

    Kelsey employs a hands-on approach when treating muscular pains and joint dysfunction, complementing treatment outcomes with modalities such as cupping, dry needling, trigger point therapy, and taping. “Shoulder joint issues really fascinate me because they can be unpredictable and complex. I really enjoy the process of breaking down why the injury has occurred in the first place and rehabilitating the joint structures.”

    Away from work, Kelsey is an avid participator in rock climbing and has competed in both state and national events. “I can also be a great couch potato when I need some down time and enjoy meeting up with friends.”

     

    Senior Practitioner pricing applies to consultations with Kelsey.