When Wellness Embodied founder Suzanne Rath was hit by a car when cycling in Sydney over three years ago, she never imagined it would eventually lead to her starting a new life and business in Cairns…

The physiotherapist and Pilates instructor was working three jobs in Sydney and training for the upcoming Boston Marathon, however multiple fractures in her jaw saw her sidelined from work and training for several months, with pain and anxiety which lasted for far longer.

“I was getting constant headaches. I’d go to doctors, for physiotherapy. I did (and still do) lots of medical acupuncture on myself for pain and that was also when I first tried craniosacral therapy. I think I was really hard on myself because I thought, ‘You’re a physio, you should be making yourself better quickly’. But I was exhausted,” she says.

Suzanne also held a Masters in Sport and Exercise Medicine and had worked with clients from elite athletes to those who’d suffered strokes. However it was towards her training in chronic pain that she began to gravitate. These teachings go beyond the reach of standard physiotherapy treatments like manual therapy and rehabilitation exercises, acknowledging the effects of stress and environment on bodily function and pain.

“As physiotherapists we’re in a great situation, as we spend a lot of time with our patients and they often open up to us during a treatment. Many of my patients have been encouraged to go back to their GP for different medications, or organise a mental health plan to see a psychologist, after seeing me. If they come in with ‘just’ a sprained ankle or a sore knee, I’m confident I can give them a diagnosis, some relief and the right advice quickly and easily with my toolbox of physiotherapy techniques. But for those people who’ve been living with severe pain for a long time, I like to think I can offer that little bit of extra care, like the icing on the cake really.”

Almost eleven years after graduating from Trinity College, Dublin, Suzanne most recently worked in private practice in Katherine, NT. There, she was sole practitioner in a busy clinic and had a varied role which included working in Indigenous communities, providing home assessments and treating patients in clinic. She is excited to have made the move to Cairns and opened her own practice in March this year.

“I’m in Cairns for the long haul. I moved here for the diving, the lifestyle, the climate and the people. I think it’s a great place for the type of physiotherapy practice I’m creating, so I’m really looking forward to the future.”

Written by Suzanne Rath, Practice Principal Physiotherapist, Wellness Embodied Cairns.

At Wellness Embodied Cairns, our physiotherapists see clients of all ages, including private patients, GP referrals, Workcover and motor vehicle insurance claims, DVA and pre-employment assessments. We offer Physiotherapy, Craniosacral therapy, 1:1 and small group rehabilitation classes (Rehab Room) and Remedial Massage . The HiCaps system in place allows patients to conveniently claim rebates from their private health fund on the spot, while also offering an EFTPOS payment facility. Treatments can be booked at all times of the day, including outside of working hours.