What do I do?

I am an Acupuncturist specialising in Pregnancy Acupuncture and acupuncture for fertility . Apart from pregnant women my clients are mostly women who come to me for hormonal problems, menstrual problems or for stress and anxiety. I provide treatment for couples trying to concieve, pregnant women, women who have just had a baby and for babies and kids. I also do home and hospital visits for women in labour or who can't travel.

My clients are commited to the health and wellbeing of themselves and their family. They understand that I have tools to help them along, but ultimately they take responsibility for making the necessary changes to restore balance to their lives.

I provide birth support as a doula , helping couples to welcome their baby (or babies!) feeling supported and confident. I support teenage mums, women who want a natural birth, women wanting a vaginal birth after caesarean, women who want a homebirth (with a midwife - I do not provide medical support), hospital birth or birth centre birth, single mums, women who want continuous support throughout their labour...and anyone who just wants some extra support, unbiased information, the calm presence of someone who has experience with birth, a back rubber or a birth photographer or child-minder for siblings. Couples tell me what they want me there for!

I teach calmbirth® classes to couples wanting to develop skills and knowledge that will help them to welcome their baby calmy and joyfully. I love watching mums leave empowered and looking forward to the birth and I love watching the Dads arrive at the classes dragging their feet and leave excited and feeling involved in the process with information and tools to help their partner through the birth.

I study midwifery ! Yes, I do somehow manage to fit it all in (for now). I am currently doing my 2nd year over 2 years and I hope to graduate in 2011.

And when I'm not doing all that?

I read - far too much than can possibly be healthy. I play my beloved (and completely gorgeous) piano while my neglected cello collects dust in the corner. I hang out with my lovely friends and family and eat lots of good food. I love food and fancy restaurants. I travel whenever I can and I spend alot of time thinking of all the things I would do if I had more time :-) Like surfing lessons, dance classes, bush walking, horseriding, art classes, sewing my own clothes (although I recently started on this one), improving my spanish...

What did I do before I did all that?

I studied Interior Design and International studies at uni for a few years on and off before finally kicking it in to run off and be a ski-instructor and travel the world (those teenagers, so flightly). I flitted about doing all sorts of odd jobs and courses between travel adventures, walked 1500kms along the Camino through France and Spain, lived in Andorra (in the Pyrenees) for 2 years before returning to Sydney to study Chinese Medicine at UTS. While I was studying I developed a passion for fertility, women's health, pregnancy and birth and when I got to the birth bit I just couldn't stop reading about it and so I thought I may aswell get a degree out of all this extra-curricular activity...so now it's curriculum.

I have always been on a search for deeper meaning which took me through the A-Z of spiritual seeking and finally to the extraordinary (and perfectly ordinary) recognition that all the love and peace I was seeking was always right here and as the Tao Te Ching says in it's very first line - it's a truth that can't be spoken. I never really had a single "teacher" (just life) but I am deeply grateful to the following people Eckhart Tolle, Adyashanti, John Wheeler, Jeff Foster and the gorgeous Byron Katie for their clear pointers.

What's with the love of birth?

I do love birth. But my passion is much more about supporting women, supporting women's choices and right to self-determination, honouring this amazing time in their lives and holding the space for them while they go through it. I love it most when women don't feel they need me for anything at all and can stand strong in their own power. Being with women through this journey and witness to their strength is an absolute honour...and totally addictive.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor of Health Science (Traditional Chinese Medicine) 2007
• Certificate in Acupuncture & Chinese Herbal Medicine ( Beijing ) 2007
• Cert IV in Chinese Remedial Massage 2007
• Reiki Master 2002
• Shamanic Healing 2007
• Master Practitioner of Neuro-Linguistic Programming 2004
• Master Practitioner of Time-line Therapy 2004
• Certificate in Hypnotherapy 2004
• Certificate of Doula Education (Optimum Birth) 2007
• calmbirth® Practitioner Education 2008

Professional Memberships:

• Member of the Australian Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine Association
• Student Member of the Australian College of Midwives
• Student Member of the Australian Private Midwives Association

Continuing education and seminars:

• Heart and Soul of Gynecology and Obstetrics - Winton Terry 1/2 day 2009
• Paediatric Acupuncture and Chinese Herbal Medicine - 2 days 2009
• Japanese Acupuncture techniques for Fertility - 2 days 2009
• Japanese Acupuncture techniques for Scars Pain and Injuries - 2days 2009
• Japanese Acupuncture for Psycho-emotional disorders - 2 days 2009
• Recurrent Miscarriage Seminar - Francesca Naish 2009
• Independant Midwifery Workshop - 6 evenings 2008
• Natural Fertility Management Contraception - Jane Bennett 2008
• Birth, Breastfeeding and Beyond Conference - 1 day 2008
• Preconception Care for Men and Women -Jann Mehmet 2006
• Natural Fertility Management - Francesca Naish 2005

If you have any questions you can email me

Acupuncture & Chinese Herbal Medicine

I practice from Your Health Integrative Medical Centre in Manly (Sydney, Australia) www.yourhealth.com.au on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.

Initial Visit 1hr: $90
Initial Fertility consult 1.5hrs: $135
Standard Visit 50mins to 1hr: $75
Children Initial visit 30-45mins: $55
Children Follow-up 20-30mins: $30 - $40
Home & hospital visits: $120 + tolls ( for the first hour then $60 for each hour after that)

If prescribed, herbs are an extra cost between $15 - $30 for 1 week.
Private Health Fund rebates available

For appointments in Manly:

Ph: (02) 9977 7888

Birth Support/ Doula Services

Initial Meeting
This is your opportunity to meet me (over tea and cake is nice), ask questions and so we can get to know each other. It's a good idea to meet with a few doulas before deciding.
The first meeting is FREE if you come to me and $50 if I come to you although this is taken off the total package price if you hire me.

The Doula Packages include:

• Unlimited phone and email contact
• I am on call from 37 weeks until the birth of your baby
• Access to my lending library of DVDs, CDs, books, the Pink Kit etc.
• Articles and help finding resources and information
• Birth Photography on request
• Acupuncture in early labour if required and requested
• Back up doula available to meet you at your request

Standard Doula Package $1000

• 3 to 4 pre-birth meetings
• labour and birth support
• 2 post-natal visits

• 1 pre-birth meeting
• labour and birth support
• 1 postnatal visit

Payment is flexible: Most couples pay the $150 non-refundable deposit on booking and then stretch the payment over the various meetings with the final payment after the birth.

Private Health Fund rebates are available for any meetings that include pregnancy acupuncture

Extras :

calmbirth ® classes: There is a $100 discount for private or group classes if you engage me as your doula. This applies only to the Standard Doula Package. If you choose private classes the 3 pre-birth consultations will be worked into the classes. The discounted prices are $395 Private and $295 Class (normally $495 Private and $395 Class).

Pre-birth and postnatal acupuncture & herbs: 6 acupuncture treatments and postnatal herbs (4 weekly treatments before the birth and 2 postnatally are recommended). This is $480 with the Birth Only Package and $380 with the Standard Package (Private Health Fund Rebates available). The pre-birth treatments are from my clinic in Manly or Woollahra or from your home if we have a pre-birth meeting booked for that week. The postnatal treatments are done in your home. The price includes postnatal herbs for 2 weeks valued at $40 - $55 (they are tailored individually to you and so price varies).

calmbirth ® classes:

See Here for more information