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.
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.”
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
(03) 9889 1078
Open 7 days