Our Team
Rebekah Miller
Business Owner, Physio Specialist
Rebekah studied at the University of Otago, graduating with a Bachelor’s and Masters of Physiotherapy, she is now undertaking a PhD focussing on vestibular and concussion issues through the University of Otago. She initially worked in paediatric neurology before taking over running the University of Otago Balance Clinic. She created Balance Works Physiotherapy in 2008. Since then, she has been working with clients who predominantly have balance and dizziness issues but continues to see people with concussion, moderate to severe head injuries or strokes and other neurological disorders.
Rebekah enjoys assisting people overcome their complex health issues especially around dizziness, balance and concussion. She tries to incorporate the activities and to my clients into their rehabilitation.
Rebekah is enjoying studying towards her PhD as well as working as she can incorporate anything new she learns straight into practice.
Living Active
Rebekah loves to tramp with her husband. She enjoys the challenge of multiday walks throughout New Zealand’s great outdoors. She enjoys supporting her two adult children who have interests in kick boxing and music.
Skills
- Vestibular rehabilitation
- Concussion rehabilitation
- Exercise based neurological rehabilitation
Katie Lucas
Senior Physiotherapist
Katie is passionate about rehabilitation. She values the importance of meaningful goal setting to ensure that patients remain motivated and involved in rehab and thereby optimising their potential.
Katie trained as physiotherapist in the UK gaining a 1st class honours degree in Physiotherapy from the University of East London in 1999. She spent her first two years post qualification working in a London teaching hospital, gaining a range of experience across a variety of in-patient and outpatient settings. Following on from this Katie chose to specialise in neurorehabilitation which she has continued to work in.
Katie has gained a wide breadth of experience within neurology and brain injury and since moving to New Zealand with her family in 2012, she chose to specialise in concussion and vestibular rehabilitation which aligned well with her neuro background.
Throughout her career Katie has continued to ensure that professional development is at the centre of her practice. She has gained accreditation in several modules at master’s level and recently completed a practice unit in Audiology at Canterbury University. Prior to her physiotherapy training Katie gained an honours degree in Physiology. Both her degrees have given her a good foundation for critically appraising scientific evidence, ensuring her practice remains current and relevant.
I love the variety of my work, including the diagnostic challenge of the clinic setting and also providing rehabilitation to clients in their homes and community settings.
Living Active
I live in the Port Hills and love getting out into nature for an adventure whether it is hiking, biking or open water swimming. I also am a keen musician playing in an All Girl Big Band.
Skills
- Vestibular rehabilitation.
- Post concussion/traumatic brain injury assessment and rehabilitation.
- Spinal cord injury rehabilitation.
- Stroke rehabilitation.
Grace Barker
Physiotherapist
Grace trained as a Physiotherapist in the UK at Cardiff University in Wales. Following graduation she stayed in Wales and worked within a wide variety of speciality areas developing her skills and broadening her knowledge base. Having developed an interest in Neurology she moved to London to work in a couple of teaching hospitals specialising in this area. During this time she has worked within acute, outpatient and community settings alongside clients who have a wide variety of neurological presentations. With a strong foundation in Neurological Physiotherapy, she spent time developing her skills in vestibular rehabilitation while working at a central London Hospital.
Having spent some time travelling she is excited to return to Physiotherapy, here in New Zealand.
Grace takes a holistic approach when working with clients, spending time understanding an individual’s unique challenges helps her to support them to reach their goals and return to activities they enjoy.
Living Active
Having travelled throughout New Zealand and spent the last year in Canterbury she has been able to spend a lot of time tramping and exploring in the outdoors. Grace also regularly practises Pilates, plays squash and enjoys both indoor and outdoor climbing. All outdoor adventures require cake, so she spends a lot of time baking too. Her favourite quote is that you don’t have to be good at your hobbies you just have to enjoy them.
Skills
- Neurological rehabilitation (Stroke, Multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s amongst others)
- Vestibular rehabilitation
Ann Saul
Physiotherapist
Ann is a German-Dutch trained physiotherapist with 15 years of clinical experience in neurological rehabilitation and vestibular physiotherapy.
Her first job was at the German Centre for Vertigo and Balance Disorders where she gained experience in assessing and treating patients with a broad spectrum of symptoms and diseases. Such was the extent of her exposure; she became familiar with even rare diagnoses. Together with a colleague she developed vestibular therapy standards which she teaches to physio and occupational therapists in Germany.
Ann’s other professional passion besides vestibular therapy is neurological rehabilitation. For several years, she worked with a practice that had a pioneering role in modern evidence based neurological therapy in Germany focusing on participation. There she accompanied patients with an acquired brain injury in an interprofessional team on their way back to independence. For the last 8 years, Ann was self-employed in Germany seeing patients with dizziness, imbalance or oculomotor disorders.
In 2015 Ann first set foot on Aotearoa New Zealand ground and walked the Te Araroa from Cape Reinga to Bluff falling in love with the country and its people from the very beginning. After many years of pondering, she made the move and came to New Zealand for good to enjoy its unique nature and to give something back to the people and their country.
Living active
Ann loves tramping, cycling and generally being outdoors. She keeps her body and mind fit and flexible by doing lots of Yoga, meditation, reading, writing and by pursuing a vegan and sustainable lifestyle.
Skills
- Vestibular rehabilitation
- Neurological rehabilitation
- Falls prevention
Join Our Team
Are you interested in vestibular or concussion physiotherapy?
As the world does not stand in one place, our business is interested in getting more talented people to join our friendly staff.
If you would like to join us please send your CV and a cover letter to rebekah@balanceworks.co.nz and we will get in touch.