Qualifications

• BSc Physiotherapy - UCD, Ireland

• MSc in Veterinary Physiotherapy – Liverpool University, UK

Why Range & Valley Physiotherapy?

Eilís has had a lifelong interest in health and well-being - notably in the power of movement to achieve wellness, holding the saying “Movement is Medicine” close to her heart. She is always amazed at how much of a difference simple movement can make to our sense of well-being - from taking a few slow deep breaths, to going for a walk or a run, to moving with others in dance, play or sport or after a yoga session. Movement is powerful, movement is life.

Eilís has a passion for helping people get back on track after a set back in life - whether that be due to an ankle sprain, post knee surgery or after spending many months in hospital recovering from injury and illness. Getting back on track in life may involve choosing a different pathway after a life changing experience e.g. post neurological injury or when learning to live with chronic pain as a part of life.

She gets real joy out of witnessing others achieve their goals and seeing them get back to living the life they love - whether that be pottering around the garden, taking the dog for a walk, getting back to work, hitting the trails again on foot or on wheels or simply being able to reach up and get that cup you love off that shelf above your head! It’s the simple things that matter at the end of the day.

Eilís believes that despite the heartache and frustrations of life being made more difficult or put on hold because of health issues, there are plenty of moments of joy and satisfaction to be found when navigating during the ups and downs (or should we say ‘ranges and valleys’!) of the rehabilitation and recovery journey and Eilís will always embrace a holistic approach to physiotherapy - recognising and appreciating the importance of not just our physical health, but also our mental health and well-being.

The physiotherapy journey

Hailing from Ireland, Eilís graduated as a physiotherapist in 2007 from the University College of Dublin, Ireland, before travelling to New Zealand where she worked in private practice for 12 months. She travelled to Melbourne in 2008, planning to gain a further 12 months experience abroad, and is still here today and now acknowledges Melbourne ‘home from home’.

Over a decade of experience in physiotherapy…

Eilís has worked in a wide range of healthcare settings in Australia - from the emergency department to the intensive care unit, the acute neurosurgery wards to both inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation settings, from the sporting field to the hydrotherapy pool. Over the last decade (and a bit!), Eilís has worked in a variety of health networks in Victoria - Goulburn Valley Health, St. John of God Healthcare, Peninsula Health, Monash Health, Northern Health, Epworth Healthcare as well as in private practice. In these settings she has gained a wealth of experience in areas such as musculoskeletal physiotherapy, sports physiotherapy, orthopaedic physiotherapy, neurological rehabilitation, cardiorespiratory care and chronic pain rehabilitation. She brings all of this experience to her private practice where her clients can benefit from her skills and knowledge built up over many years. Until late 2020, Eilís has been working part time in the hospital setting providing outpatient physiotherapy for people recovering from orthopaedic surgery, multi-trauma and musculoskeletal injury, in the hydrotherapy pool in addition to being the senior physiotherapist on a multidisciplinary chronic pain management team, a specialised service for those learning to manage and rehabilitate from persistent pain. The year that was 2020 showed the importance of access to safe healthcare in the community and inspired the move to full time private practice in 2021.

Eilís also has a passion for teaching - from undergraduate physiotherapy students, to junior physiotherapists to facilitating post graduate physiotherapists on their veterinary physiotherapy clinical placements.

Eilís also has an interest in the health and well being of the animals she shares her life with. After many wonderful years of working with people in both the acute and sub-acute public health sector as well as in private practice, Eilís decided to take the plunge and pursue her dream of studying Veterinary Physiotherapy.

Masters in Veterinary Physiotherapy

In 2013, Eilís commenced her Master’s Degree in Veterinary Physiotherapy at the University of Liverpool, UK, with a mixture of online correspondence and working with Australia’s most established physiotherapists to complete the practical tasks. Eilís completed her postgraduate diploma in Veterinary Physiotherapy in 2015, and has since completed her Master’s Degree, evaluating long term outcomes for dogs post-cranial cruciate ligament surgery. Her initial physiotherapy practice Jockey, Horse & Hound Physiotherapy was set up in 2016 and has since blossomed and evolved into Animalia Physiotherapy and her sister practices Équestre Physiotherapy and Range and Valley Physiotherapy.

When not doing anything physio related, Eilís is most likely found trail running, exploring the beautiful countryside of Victoria, dabbling in art or hanging out with her dear husband and two adopted retiree greyhounds Taabi and Zafonic Josh.