Rebecca Mellett comes originally from Co Mayo. She qualified in 1999 from University College Dublin (UCD) with an Honours degree in Physiotherapy.
Rebecca started her working life in St. Joseph's hospital, Clonmel, where she spent 2 years gaining experience in hospital based physiotherapy. While there she worked with the County football team. She then moved to Merlin Park Hospital in Galway where she spent 9 months gaining experience in acute orthopaedics and trauma.
Rebecca joined our team in Kilkenny Physiotherapy Clinic in February 2002. She has been a vibrant and dedicated member of the staff since then.
Since qualifying Rebecca has participated in many postgraduate courses including Biomechanical assessment and orthosis prescription, Myofascial Trigger Point Dry Needling and Release therapy, Acupuncture, Sideline Traumatology and Postural Reeducation and Taping, to name but a few.
Rebecca's main work interest involve around sport's rehabilitation. Her solid background in biomechanics, muscle imbalance and core stability provide her with an excellent basis for this modern and dynamic approach to physiotherapy treatments. Our very popular and successful back class was Rebecca's brainchild. click here for more information.
While being dedicated to her family and work, Rebecca still finds time to travel and enjoys skiing, diving and traveling. She is a keen GAA supporter although her loyalties sometimes cause conflict within the clinic.
Sinead Gavin, another Mayo woman (they're taking over) graduated from Trinity College, Dublin in 1998. She took a gra for the South East and has been working in this region for the past 7 years.
Sinead started working in the clinic here in 2001. After a hard day working out in the community she comes in to us, bubbling with enthusiasm, and starts all over again.
Since qualifying she has gained vast experience in orthopaedics and sports injuries as well as general experience in all areas.
She completed a post graduate diploma in Women's health in 2001 and runs a women's health clinic, through Kilkenny physiotherapy Clinic, dealing with incontinence, pregnancy related and post-menopausal issues.
As well as working a full-time and part-time job, and running a home Sinead finds enough energy to study for a Master's Degree.
Sinead works late on a Friday an Saturday morning offering those of you not around during the week a chance to receive high quality care from the clinic.
She has recently required an interest in skiing and is well settled in Carlow, so she'll hopefully be around to add her expertise for a number of years.
Colette McDonald is a fully qualified Chartered Physiotherapist who is our second Co. Carlow native. She works in Carlow, but provides accupuncture for our clients in the clinic.(More information to come.
Caroline Blake brought another touch of rivalry to the clinic. She's a true Tipperary woman. Thankfully she had to keep quiet for 2009, but I'm quite sure she'll be shouting again next year.
Caroline started her 3rd level education in UCC in 2001. She recived first class honours in social services. She then went on to do physiotherapy training in the Royal College of surgeons in Dublin in 2004 from which she graduated with a second class Honours Degree.
After qualifying she headed to Australia, as many good physiotherapists do, for 8 months, she travelled through....South east asia- (thailand, vietnam, cambodia,laos), Hong kong, Australia, New zealand, South america (chile, peru, brazil, argentina), mexico.
She had a hectic few months and on return she worked in Galway university hospital for 6 months.
She is continuing her post graduate training through our very extensive inservice programme in the clinic, but also does a lot of weekend courses, kinesiology taping, myofascial trigger point therapy and biomechanics are a few areas she has developed in, and in the past months she has done her Deep Dry Needling therapy 1 course, qualifying her to practice deep dry needling.
Since joining our staff in June 2008 Caroline has been doing much of our off-site work travelling to nursing homes and assisting with stretching lectures to youths. She is happy to do home visits if required. She also attends a lot of training sessions and matches when required.
Over the past year & half Caroline has coordinated and ran our very effective back classes.
Other than travelling Caroline's other Interests include tennis, shopping and socialising!! and GAA-tipp of course-"up tipp for the liam mccarthy for 2010!" she says - but sure we let her dream.
Stephanie Grace is our second Tipperary woman. She attended School in the Tutorial Centre in Limerick. She then travelled over the channel to study Physiotherapy in University of Bradford, from where she graduated in 2008.
Unlike most new graduates Stephanie did manage to get a job straight out of college and spent her first year getting a good all round basic training and experience as a rotational junior physiotherapist in York district Hospital. She gained valuable experience in Mental Health, Addiction units, Stroke, Neuro-Degenerative, Elderly, Respiratory and sports e.g. Rugby.
Stephanie moved back to Tipperary January 2009, to further her education. She is currently undertaking a Masters in Clinical Therapies in U.L. This course is proving the challenge Stephanie had hoped it would be. She is involved in giving presentations/ talks to sports clubs and other Physiotherapists and tutoring people undergoing masters courses. This course has given her extensive knowledge in Evidence-Based practice, which is the key to sucessful physiotherapy.
Stephanie has added a new dimension to our clinic. She keeps us all on our toes ensuring we keep up to date with developments in current practice and contributes to our inservice training programme. She also continues to develop her own skills by taking part in our inservice proramme and going on courses. She recently did her Biomechanics and Myofascial trigger point courses.
Despite all that study, and her work, she still manages to get time for her other interests - swimming and dancing. She is also fond of travelling.
Maria Walsh
Maria is originally from Wexford and is the newest member of the staff at Kilkenny Physiotherapy clinic.
Like many good physiotherapists Maria took a round about way to get to where she is today. She qualified as an Orthopaedic Sports Massage and Remedial Therapist in 2002 and from this was further inspired to increase her knowledge and skills and went on to complete her BSc (Hons) Degree in Sport Science and MSc in Physiotherapy in the UK.
During her studies Maria gained invaluable clinical experience in the areas of musculoskeletal, neurology, cardiorespiratory, paediatrics, care of the elderly and women’s health.
Since returning to Ireland in 2009 Maria has been involved in providing physiotherapy treatment to GAA clubs both in Wexford (but we wont hold that against her) and Kilkenny.
Maria divides her time between Kilkenny Physiotherapy & Sports Injury clinic and a physiotherapy clinic in Waterford. Since starting here in September 2009 Maria has taken over our entire back class programme. She organises, promotes and gives the classes, and is enjoying this immensely.
Annmarie Peters came to the clinic in May 2008. She graduated from Trinity College, Dublin in 2005 with an Honours degree in physiotherapy. She's the first Lilly White we've ever had working in the clinic, at least there's less chance of rivalry in the GAA field with Annmarie.
Like all Physiotherapy graduates in the past few years, Annmarie had difficulty securing a job, as there just wern't any to be had, so she used her initiative and worked freelance, sort of, getting involved in nursing homes and established organisations such as MS Ireland, where she gained valuable experience before beginning work in Private Practice in Kildare.
During her first few years she also kept up her post graduate training, and is a qualified Pilates Instructor as well as Dance teacher. She uses her Pilates training effectively in her treatment of many conditions in a manner that compliments the ethos of the clinic.
Annmarie has carried out research in the area of Golf injuries, and has a good understanding of biomechanics. She would be an excellent person to attend for all the niggling little injuries that affect our ever growing golf community.
Stephanie Grace joined our team in summer 2009.
Theresa McGinn comes from Co. Tyrone. She qualified from University of Ulster with a BSc Honours degree in Physiotherapy in 1986.