All of the practitioners and therapists at Ryde Natural Health Clinic are independent entities, but they share space, facilities, services, support and knowledge to offer their patients consistent, affordable and informed health care.
Osteopaths
Dr Wei ‘David’ Tai
Having completed the 3 year undergraduate and 2 years Master of Osteopathy at Southern Cross University, David is a registered Osteopath in Australia, and in addition he’s also a registered neurological physiotherapist in Taiwan. Using a range of soft tissue techniques, dry needling, joint mobilisation, spinal adjustment techniques and physiotherapy skills from the past, David is passionate about helping people ease their symptoms from neck, back or joint pain faster, while addressing the underlying cause of their pain.
He is also SIRA accredited and able to assist with Workers compensation, CTP and DVA claims.
He’s also working in our sister clinic in Macquarie Park, Back to Active Sports and Spinal
David is also fluent in Taiwanese and Mandarin.
Dr. Tayla Lane
Tayla graduated with her Masters of Osteopathic Medicine in 2022 from Southern Cross University. For the past few years Tayla has been working in the Central West NSW where she is currently still working part time. Tayla has an interest in women and children’s health. Guiding and supporting women through their pregnancy and post partum journeys as well as paediatrics with birth strains, growth and development. She also enjoys working alongside individuals with sports injuries, job specific restrictions and chronic pain. Tayla travelled to the UK in 2023 to co-present her Masters research at The International Osteopathic Conference.
In her spare time Tayla loves going to the beach, surfing, reading or being out on the farm with her horses.
Dr. Evan Marnezos
After experiencing chronic back pain during high school, Evan was introduced to Osteopathy and was impressed by the results and the holistic nature of the treatment. From this experience he decided to pursue a career in osteopathy and enrolled into the Bachelor of Clinical Science (Osteopathy), and went on to complete a Masters of Osteopathic Medicine at Southern Cross University in Lismore. Evan is passionate about treating athletes and has actively competed in powerlifting during his studies. Evan is eager to share the benefits of osteopathic treatment to people who are interested in their health and fitness and has a broad knowledge of pain and injuries in athletes, although is open to treating people from all walks of life.
Evan adapts his technique to cater for his patient’s needs and is well equipped to assist those experiencing neck, back or joint pain!
Dr Kristopher Sanford
Kristopher is a young and passionate osteopath from Melbourne, completing his Osteopathic degree at RMIT University, Victoria. With a keen interest in sport and active lifestyles, Kristopher worked throughout his university degree as a head sports trainer for a Premier League soccer club, as well as multiple AFL clubs and university teams. At the beginning of 2015 Kristopher travelled to Mumbai to work at a very well-known and progressive orthopaedic hospital where he used Osteopathy to aid in the treatment and rehabilitation of patients requiring orthopaedic surgery.
He is passionate about treating people that are actively involved in their health and fitness, and strongly believes that everyone should be able to enjoy their exercise, be it professional or social, pain free.
Dr. Kuan Ng
Osteopath Dr Kuan Ng grew up in Malaysia in the town of Ipoh 200km north of Kuala Lumpur, however has lived with his wife and son in Australia since immigrating here in 1981. Since his early years Kuan has practised Ru Yi Bagua (‘Roo-Yee-Baa-Gwa’) – an ancient Chinese art that emphasises the role of body equilibrium, balance, fluid movements, and clarity of mind in a person’s health and wellness, and acknowledges the link between a healthy mind, body and spirit.
Through Ru Yi Bagua, Kuan has successfully treated people for postural pain and musculoskeletal conditions for over 30 years.
Dr Kevin Finnan
After suffering from chronic back pain for years on end, Kevin discovered Osteopathy, which successfully assisted him in managing his pain. Impressed with the results of his treatment, Kevin enrolled into the Bachelor of Applied Science (Osteopathy) and continued to complete a Masters of Osteopathy at University of Western Sydney. Kevin utilises a variety of hands on osteopathic techniques and offers a personalised treatment that is structured to assist you in reaching your own health goals. In addition to his roles at RNHC, Kevin currently tutors human anatomy, physiology and neuroscience to a variety of health and medical programs at the University of Western Sydney.
Kevin is the principal Osteopath and a director of RNHC. His vision is to bring the knowledge and skills of osteopathic treatment to the people of Ryde.
Chiropractors
Dr. Lucinda Slavin
Lucinda graduated from The University of Sydney with a Bachelor of Science (1995) and from Macquarie University with a Masters of Chiropractic (1998). She has been in private practice on the Northern Beaches for the past 27 years, running a practice that focuses on the body’s natural healing mechanisms by working with the spine, extremities, biomechanics and nervous systems. Lucinda has also been a lecturer and tutor at Macquarie University for the past 22 years to the 4th year Chiropractic students, teaching Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation. Her background in teaching extends to clinic, as she enjoys educating her patients about their condition, treatment plans and options to achieve their functional goals.
She uses a combination of techniques including gentle manipulation and mobilisations, soft tissue work, dry needling and exercises, being adaptable to treat and manage a wide range of conditions and presentations.
As a mother of three children herself, she has a passion for treating children and families and has vast experience in the management of scoliosis.Whether seeking relief from acute or chronic discomfort or striving for enhanced function, her tailored personalised plans can help you attain your goals.
Dr. Coco Ho
Having experienced chronic back pain from a young age, Coco was introduced to the benefits of chiropractic treatments early in life, and it was from this experience that lead her to applying for, enrolling in, and eventually completing the 5 year Bachelor of Chiropractic Science & Master of Chiropractic program at Sydney’s Macquaire University. Coco provides chiropractic care to adults of all ages. She is able to easily adapt her technique to treat a wide range of conditions to meet her patient’s needs.
Coco is fluent in English, Cantonese and Mandarin.
Dr. Scott ‘Hung Jae’ Lee
Scott completed his Bachelor of Chiropractic Science and Master of Chiropractic at Macquarie University. During his study, he was awarded numerous academic awards including Macquarie University Academic Excellence Award and Chiropractic Student of the Year (Dux). Scott has extensive experience in managing various conditions including lower back pain, neck pain, headache and sports injuries. He thoroughly enjoys caring for patients of all ages and provides optimal care to maintain a healthy life.
In conjunction with thorough history taking, Scott utilises the Gonstead Chiropractic System to enhance his diagnose and to provide a tailored treatment for each patient.
Scott strongly believes that right chiropractic adjustment can correct dysfunction, improve the condition and enhance the body’s ability to repair and heal itself naturally.
In addition to working as a chiropractor, Scott also tutors both undergraduate and postgraduate chiropractic students at Macquarie University.
Scott is fluent in both English and Korean.
Dr. Johanna McFadgen
Johanna graduated from Macquarie University in 2005, after completing 5 years of study for her Bachelor of Chiropractic Science and Masters of Chiropractic degrees. She is registered with the AHPRA and is a member of the Chiropractors & Osteopathic Association of Australia. She has also continued her chiropractic education with further studies in acupuncture, pediatrics and pregnancy care. Johanna’s philosophy focuses on gentle chiropractic care for all ages. With a highly adaptable approach, she is able to treat a wide variety of patients and conditions.
With 3 children herself, Johanna has a real passion for helping children and families get their health back on track with chiropractic care.
Dr. Angelo Marketos
Angelo utilises a gentle and conservative chiropractic treatment approach for pain associated with a busy lifestyle, such as back pain and headaches. He is registered with the NSW Chiropractors Registration Board and is a member of the Chiropractors Association of Australia. He has completed both a Bachelor of Chiropractic Science & Master of Chiropractic, within which Angelo undertook and successfully completed research into the effects of Chiropractic treatment on neck pain, back pain and balance.
Angelo focuses on pain relief and rehabilitation especially in desk workers, students and labourers.
Physiotherapists
Niamh ‘Neev’ Davies
With a strong background in high level sport and having experienced her own rehabilitation journeys, Niamh works closely with patients to understand what is important to them and how to achieve their return to sport or everyday life activities.
Niamh is passionate in assessment and treatment for:
– Shoulder injuries
– Sporting-related injuries
– Low back pain
– Orthopaedic rehab / Joint replacementNiamh joins us as an enthusiastic physiotherapist having gained experience in Sydney metropolitan and rural health services. With extensive knowledge of manual therapy techniques, exercise rehabilitation and an easy-going personality, she prides herself on patient-centred care to help you achieve your goals.
When you can’t find Niamh in the clinic, she’ll most likely be having a coffee with friends or working on her chin-ups goal in the gym!Alex Barrett Meyering
Alex is committed to working with you to comprehensively assess your movement and function, identify the root cause of your pain, and create a treatment plan that works for you. Alex combines manual therapy, exercise (including Pilates and strength and conditioning), and other evidence based approaches to ensure great outcomes. Alex has a special interest in: – Sport and training injuries
– Shoulders
– Back painThrough his previous career in economic policy analysis and strategy consulting, and his love for travel, rugby, and hiking, he has met people from all walks of life and earned an understanding of how modern lifestyles and the workplace impact our health, as well as a passion for overcoming this through working one-on-one with clients, building long lasting relationships, and supporting healthy and active lives.
Outside of the clinic you’ll find Alex hiking, swimming, cooking, reading, and doing his best to keep his inner-city veggie patch thriving.
Mikayla Hopper
Mikayla embarked on her journey in the realm of Physiotherapy, laying her educational groundwork with a Bachelor’s degree in Sport and Exercise Science. This comprehensive program provided her with a profound comprehension of movement mechanics, particularly emphasising strength and conditioning training. Building upon this foundation, she pursued further studies, culminating in a Masters degree in Physiotherapy from UTS. With a wealth of experience in the athletic domain, Mikayla specialises in addressing sports-related injuries and facilitating rehabilitation. Her expertise extends to areas such as ankle and knee injuries, lower back pain, and hip pathology. Mikayla approaches each patient’s case with a personalised touch, crafting treatment plans tailored to their unique needs and aspirations, be it recovering from a sports injury, managing chronic pain, or regaining mobility post-surgery.
Outside of her professional endeavours, Mikayla embraces an active lifestyle. Whether she’s soaking up the sun at the beach, enjoying quality time with friends, hitting the gym, or engaging in competitive touch football, she embodies the principles she advocates. Mikayla firmly believes in leading by example, illustrating the transformative power of a balanced and healthy way of life on overall well-being.
Nicole ‘Nikki’ Bennett
Nikki is passionate about assisting her patients to reach their personal goals. This may be anything from an athlete keen to maximise their performance on field, to a grandparent wanting to play more easily with their grandkids. Nikki loves to work with her patients through education, exercise and manual therapy to help them achieve their goals.Nikki has a special interest in:– Back pain– Adolescent injuries– Falls preventionCatherine ‘Cat’ Miller
Growing up competing at elite levels of running and following her fair share of injuries, Cat quickly developed an appreciation and interest in sporting injuries and rehabilitation. This led her to undertake a Bachelor of Physiotherapy from ACU. Cat has a special interest in:
· Sports Injuries
· Ankle Biomechanics, and
· Knee Injuries
Cat is a bubbly and vibrant person who focuses on helping patients achieve their goals whether those entail returning to sports or performing daily routines pain-free. She believes in providing personalised and evidence-based care to each of her patients to optimize their recovery. With her friendly and approachable nature, Cat makes it a priority to build strong relationships with her patients and ensure their overall well-being.
Outside of work you can find Cat out finding the best new running routes, at the gym or spending time with family and friends.
Scott Lyon
Scott’s passion for Physiotherapy began while he was working as a CrossFit trainer, teaching members safe and functional movements, and promoting an active lifestyle. In order to pursue his passion, Scott packed up his belongings, left North Queensland and made his way to Sydney.
Scott has amazing abilities in:– Fitness Training injuries– Ankles– Exercised based treatment
Scott can most often be found in the CrossFit gym, hiking along trails rarely travelled and volunteering with the State Emergency Service.
Alex Donald
As one of Australia’s leading Physiotherapists, Alex has advanced the profession with special interests in the treatment of headaches, chronic foot pain and orthotics. Having trained many elite athletes, weekend warriors, and beginners over a wide variety of sports, Alex has been uniquely placed to train Physiotherapists in how to best treat everyone at every level.
Working closely with Olympic Physiotherapists, he has gained valuable experience and has treated a number of elite athletes through both Physiotherapy and Clinical Pilates.Dominic Fitzgerald
Dom holds a Doctor of Physiotherapy degree and is an experienced Physiotherapist. Dom has a passion for rehabilitation, whether it be acute sporting injuries or chronic illness. Over the years he has developed an interest in treating shoulders, back and knees, along with a special interest in rheumatology, an area he has practiced in for nearly three years. Prior to working as a physiotherapist Dom spent five years as an exercise physiologist. He enjoys combining hands on manual therapy with exercise prescription in his treatment approach. After sustaining numerous injuries over the years he understand the importance of effective and efficient rehabilitation.
Christine Berzekian
Christine holds a Masters of Physiotherapy after completing an undergraduate degree in Exercise & Sport Science at the University of Technology Sydney.
She is passionate about Physiotherapy and has a keen interest in rehabilitating all types of musculoskeletal injuries, particularly neck, back and joint pain management. She has an extensive background of exercise rehabilitation and uses these skills to help transition her patients from the acute phase to safely returning to full function. Complementing this with her manual handling skills allows her to effectively help patients overcome pain, and work on preventing further exacerbations.Outside of work, Christine loves playing football, enjoys going to the gym and spending time with her family and friends. She is actively engaged in her church and is always up for a challenge!
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Practitioners
Dr. Kuo Jen (Hank) Chen
Having completed a Bachelor of Applied Science (Traditional Chinese Medicine) at the University of Western Sydney, followed by a Masters of Traditional Chinese Medicine, and a PhD in Nanjing, China, Dr Kuo Jen ‘Hank’ Chen is not only an experienced and accomplished practitioner, but he has a deep passion for the profession. While patients have sought out Hank’s assistance to treat and manage the symptoms of a range of conditions, he has a keen interest in working with patients with issues related to pain, stress, digestion, fatigue, women’s health and infertility* (both male and female).
Dr Julia Oh
Julia is a bright and caring Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioner who has a particular interest in working with patients with issues related to Women’s Health and Infertility* (both male and female), pain, stress, digestion and fatigue. Currently completing her PhD at the University of Technology Sydney, Julia supports and contributes to the Chinese Medicine profession’s move towards evidence-based treatments through rigorous research and clinical trials.
*There is some research evidence that Chinese medicine treatment may assist in supporting specific fertility treatments such as IVF, and there is also broad agreement by Chinese medicine practitioners and other health practitioners about acupuncture as an adjunct treatment for IVF.
There is continuing research on how acupuncture can assist with the effectiveness of IVF treatment. Many health practitioners may recommend acupuncture as a supplementary treatment that may assist with IVF. Consult your treating practitioner/s about how acupuncture may be able to help you.
Dr Anthony Keating
Anthony Keating B.H.Sc, (UTS, Sydney) is a registered Acupuncturist with over 12 years of clinical experience. Anthony’s treats patients with a wide variety of medical conditions and has a special interest and a lot of experience in the following areas.
• Pain management and Injury recovery
• Mental Health
• Oncology/ Chemo Support
• Immune Function Support
• Pregnancy, IVF and LabourAnthony is dedicated practitioner who is known to be supportive and attentive to clients needs. The acupuncture treatments seem to allow the patient to draw on the bodies own resources for healing and self repair. Often the patient will report feeling centred and deeply relaxed post treatment and this feeling can remain with them for several days after.
In his practice, Anthony draws from his unique clinical and cultural experiences during 18 months living and working in China and South Korea. It was these countries where he did intern-ships in both public and private hospitals settings.
Outside of his work Anthony is a proud father, plays sports like Brazilian Jujitsu, enjoys cooking and music, as well as meditating regularly.
Remedial Massage Therapists:
Mustafa Yildirim
Mustafa is a Physiotherapist from Turkey and Remedial Massage Therapist in Australia, with extensive experience in shoulder injury management and post-op rehab, and will be working at Ryde Natural Health Clinic as a Remedial Massage Therapist while working towards being recognised as a Physio in Australia. Anna Kaminski
Anna Kaminski is a fully qualified Remedial Massage Therapist with over 15 years of experience. Over the years, she has gained extensive experience in a variety of massage styles, including relaxation, remedial, sports, and deep tissue massage, as well as pregnancy and postnatal massage. Anna firmly believes that massage plays a vital role in assisting with pain management and for injury recovery. She has worked with people of all ages and professions, and has gained knowledge in the treatment of a variety of musculoskeletal conditions.
Menelik ‘Ben’ Haylemariam
Originally from Ethiopia, Menelik or as he is better known in the clinic- ‘Ben’ has been living in Sydney since 2010. After completing his nursing qualification in Tasmania and working in the industry for several years, Ben looked for a change of pace but to remain in a in a role that would utilise his knowledge of human anatomy, physiology, and bioscience. This lead him to completing his formal remedial massage qualifications.
Ben’s nursing background, combined with his passion for the massage profession has provided him with the ability to confidently treat muscular issues through remedial massage therapy, and he is happy to adapt his style to suit his clients needs, be it for sports, deep tissue, or relaxation.
Leah Dwyer
Leah is originally from Toronto, Canada but made Sydney her home in 1997. She has been a Remedial Massage Therapist for over 10 years and is covered by all the health care funds.Leah provides remedial, relaxation for stress relief, pregnancy, and gentle massage for clients of all ages- including the elderly and children. Due to her own chronic pain condition, Leah has a keen interest in chronic pain management and has dedicated her career to helping people manage chronic pain and chronic conditions.
Leah is committed to furthering the field of massage therapy and most recently was the only NSW massage therapist on the 9 member committee to revise and update the national Diploma of Remedial Massage completed in 2021.When not working she can be found sea kayaking or surf skiing on Middle Harbour. Motion is lotion!Tom Clarke
Tom has been active and involved in fitness since playing field hockey as a child. His philosophy is ‘take care of your overall health and the rest takes care of itself’. Massage became very important and effective in his rehabilitation after suffering a number of sports injuries from running and martial arts. Tom does weight training 5 days per week, Hapkido martial arts 3 days per week, and practises yoga and callisthenics daily, so by the end of the week, he loves to get a great massage.
Tom believes in helping others achieve their health and fitness goals, which is why he has chosen massage as his career. He strongly promotes the idea that we can improve our lives so much by simply looking after our bodies through a healthy diet, plenty of exercise, adequate sleep and regular massages. After a great massage, clients are better able to get back to their daily activities, whether that be sports or life in general, with greater range of movement, less muscular pain and feeling better overall.
Practice Manager
Ashley Harrop
Ashley is a valued member here at Ryde Natural Health Clinic. Having completed her Diploma of practice management and business administration, Ashley makes sure everything in the clinic is running smoothly, from reception to all the behind the scenes admin!