Our Viva team are all experts in their particular field. We’re a friendly bunch of qualified physiotherapists, Pilates and yoga instructors. But more than that, we practice what we preach.
Our movement classes are what we use to keep our own bodies running smoothly. We do Pilates and yoga in our spare time. We don’t just teach this approach – we live it every day.
“I love the idea of you knowing and understanding exactly how your injury behaves and how you can treat it yourself. I see this empowerment as my main goal of your physiotherapy treatment.”
Kath is Viva’s Clinic Director. Born in Kyneton in Central Victoria, Kath started Viva back in 2008 with the goal of creating a clinic that was deliberately focused on finding both the source and underlying cause of every client’s pain. She loves the combination of body education and movement that goes into helping people to feel well.
Kathryn has always enjoyed helping people with back and neck pain, and has particularly developed a special interest in chronic pain and headaches. She is qualified in Clinical Pilates and Therapeutic Yoga and has a Masters of Physiotherapy Practice in Manual Therapy. You’ll see her delivering Pilates and Yoga classes to complement her manual therapy and clinical rehabilitation classes in the studio.
Kathryn has more than 20 years of clinical experience and 16 years as a lecturer for the Australian Physiotherapy and Pilates Institute (including 5 years as a Master Trainer).
On the weekends, you’ll find Kath on the side of the netball court with her two daughters and spending time outdoors. She cycles to work, likes to run, and practices yoga and strength training. She’s even been known to deadlift 1.5 times her bodyweight!
Masters of Manual Therapy, BA Physiotherapy (Honours)
Certified Pilates Instructor (APPI)
Therapeutic Yoga Instructor
Kath is Viva’s Clinic Director. Born in Kyneton in Central Victoria, Kath started Viva back in 2008 with the goal of creating a clinic that was deliberately focused on finding both the source and underlying cause of every client’s pain. She loves the combination of body education and movement that goes into helping people to feel well.
"I believe Physiotherapy is not only about the time spent within the clinic, but for the entire duration of the injury. Knowledge on self-management strategies is one of the most important tools we can teach you."
Georgia grew up in South-East Melbourne and, having been an Irish Dancer from the age of four, has fostered a love for movement and exercise from a young age. Competing for over 18 years, Georgia understands the importance of load management when it comes to recovering from injury or just simply keeping the body fine-tuned.
Georgia has a keen interest in Pilates, having completed her APPI Clinical Pilates Mat and Equipment based courses. Her personal experience in, and passion for, Pilates has again highlighted to Georgia the importance of correct movement patterns and body alignment in optimising physical health.
Georgia has always enjoyed empowering clients with education regarding the importance of movement, strength-building, and overall physical activity. She also has a strong passion for helping those through their journey of pregnancy and beyond. You can meet Georgia in the Studio as she takes the ‘Perform’ circuit strengthening class, the outdoor running group, mat Pilates, as well as our Stay Fit in Pregnancy and Mums and Bubs each week.
Outside of work hours, you’ll likely find Georgia making the most of time spent outdoors and spending quality time with family and friends. “Lockdown” family nights have become a frequent occurrence even now! She enjoys exercising, going out for her weekend coffees, and spending time with her partner and her pup, Ed.
Bachelor of Physiotherapy Advanced – Research (Honours)
APPI trained Clinical Pilates Instructor
Georgia grew up in South-East Melbourne and, having been an Irish Dancer from the age of four, has fostered a love for movement and exercise from a young age. Competing for over 18 years, Georgia understands the importance of load management when it comes to recovering from injury or just simply keeping the body fine-tuned.
“I am determined to integrate and refine my experience as a dancer, yogi and now physiotherapist to deliver a holistic approach to treatment as a way to balance and restore the physical and emotional well-being of my clients. My aim is to treat the person, not just the injury.”
Born and raised in Melbourne, Carlee enjoyed a successful career as a contemporary dancer for over 20 years before becoming a physiotherapist. Her love of movement and hands-on approach to treatment is a winning combination to get people out of pain and moving optimally.
Carlee has a keen interest in the neuro-myofascial system and its role in transmitting force, tissue resilience, postural compensation and pain. She uses myofascial release techniques to balance and align the system coupled with breath, mobility and strength training.
Carlee is a guest lecturer for Melbourne University, at the Victorian College of the Arts, School of Dance. She teaches both the undergraduate and postgraduate students in Dance Medicine, Anatomy, Somatic practices and Contemporary Technique.
Carlee is also a yogi, having taught elite professional dancers to seniors for the past 15 years. She enjoys combining her clinical knowledge and yoga teaching experience to ensure her clients are getting a practice that is effective and safe for them.
Carlee is passionate about education, having lectured in dance at the Victorian College of the Arts, Melbourne University, University of New South Wales and the Australian College of Physical Education. Her teaching philosophy is all about teaching people how to teach themselves. She believes that by educating her patients so they have a deeper understanding of their condition/injury and how to listen to their body, they feel empowered and motivated to manage their rehabilitation more independently. This makes treatment more effective and meaningful for the individual and has a greater impact long-term.
More recently, Carlee has been working with a small group of independent dancers, treating them in the clinic and working with them in the studio to research how physiotherapy and dance interface to develop movement strategies to support their practice.
Outside of work hours you’ll most likely catch Carlee at an arts performance. She also enjoys eating Mexican food (without coriander!) with her partner and two girls, practicing yoga and spending some quiet time with her dog, Luna.
Master of Physiotherapy
Bachelor of Dance
Advanced Diploma of Yoga Teaching
Born and raised in Melbourne, Carlee enjoyed a successful career as a contemporary dancer for over 20 years before becoming a physiotherapist. Her love of movement and hands on approach to treatment is a winning combination to get people out of pain and moving optimally.
"I believe that to live a truly meaningful life, we have to look after every part of ourselves - physical, mental and even our spiritual health. In being intentional and mindful, we may connect to “self”, which is integral to well-being."
Born in sunny Singapore, physio was Bernice’s dream job before she even knew it. She’d pursued it because it made sense – she loves science and wanted a career that is meaningful and dynamic. Now, she finds the best part of the job is the people: connecting with them, understanding their stories and helping them get back to the activities they love and living their best possible lives.
Bernice is a strong advocate for movement and holistic wellness. She is passionate about helping her patients progress through their own rehab and personal fitness journeys in a safe and rewarding manner. She found her love for movement through yoga and Pilates. But with a mind ahead of her body, her keenness resulted in injuries. This piqued her interest in sports and running injuries, and enables Bernice to empathise with the frustrations of one’s rehab journey.
Her love for yoga inspired her to complete her Yoga Teacher Training certification and taught yoga in studios before she graduated and became a full-time physiotherapist. She believes in the incredible synergy between yoga, Pilates, and physiotherapy in improving one’s performance on the mat, and its flow-on benefits enhancing day-to-day life. This further inspired her to complete her training in APPI’s Matwork Clinical Pilates to help people with injuries find safe and healing movements.
Along with qualifications in yoga and Clinical Pilates, Bernice was a Sports Trainer with Parkside Amateur Football Club where she further developed her skills in preventing and managing sports injuries. She is particularly interested in sports and running injuries, and enjoys taking the Clinical Movement classes at Viva where she helps people optimise their movement patterns.
Outside of the clinic, Bernice loves to read and enjoys exploring the different ways of moving – from bouldering to skateboarding, on top of her ‘home ground’ of yoga. Bernice has been living in Melbourne for the past 5 years.
Master of Physiotherapy, Bachelor of Applied Science
WYA 200h Yoga Teacher Training
APPI Clinical Mat Work Pilates
Sports Trainer Level 1
Born in sunny Singapore, physio was Bernice’s dream job before she even really knew it, pursuing it because it just made sense – she loves science and wanted a career that was meaningful and dynamic. For Bernice, the best part of the job is the people…
Michael's philosophy of embracing the present, envisioning future improvements, and recognizing untapped potential drives his dedication to help individuals reclaim and optimise their physical well-being, leading them towards their desired state of bodily wellness.
Michael, born in Hong Kong, is a highly qualified physiotherapist, APPI Clinical Pilates Instructor, and Strength & Conditioning Coach. With a deep commitment to helping individuals achieve their optimal physical health and performance, Michael brings a diverse range of skills and cultural understanding to his practice.
Fluent in Cantonese, Mandarin, and English, Michael effectively communicates with patients from various backgrounds, ensuring clear and comprehensive care. His language abilities allow him to establish strong connections and provide personalised treatment plans tailored to individual needs.
Michael’s passion for physiotherapy led him to travel to Melbourne to pursue his qualifications in the field. He was inspired by the latest research and advancements in physiotherapy in this country, as well as the strong focus on client education.
As a physiotherapist, Michael is experienced in treating a wide range of cases and is open to various conditions. However, his particular interest lies in sports injuries and post-surgical rehabilitation. With running and cycling-related injuries, Michael has developed specialised skills in diagnosing and rehabilitating athletes from these disciplines.
In addition to his role as a physiotherapist, Michael is an active 100m sprinter who competes at the state level. This firsthand experience in athletics allows him to empathise with athletes and better understand the demands they face in their respective sports.
Outside the clinic, you’ll often find Michael hitting the gym, where he combines his expertise in strength and conditioning with weight training to stay in peak physical condition. He also spends time at the track, honing his own sprinting skills during speed sessions. When he’s not engaged in athletic pursuits, Michael enjoys road cycling, badminton, snooker, and exploring his musical and literary interests through reading.
If you’re seeking a dedicated physiotherapist who understands the needs of athletes and is passionate about helping you recover from sports-related injuries, Michael is here to support you.
Bachelor of Physiotherapy (Honours)
ASCA Level 1 Strength & Conditioning Coach
APPI Level 4 Clinical Pilates
IAAF Level 1 Community Athletics Coach
Michael is a highly qualified multilingual physiotherapist and clinical pilates instructor, specializing in sports injuries and post-surgical rehabilitation. With his athletic background, he delivers personalized care and comprehends the unique requirements of athletes.
Ilaria loves to play with the hoola hoop and is very fascinated by Circus Arts; still hoping to become professional one day!
Ilaria was born in Italy but moved to Melbourne 12 years ago; before settling here, she travelled a lot around the world and also lived 5 years in the green land of Ireland. She has a beautiful daughter named Amelie.
Ilaria is our Head Receptionist and customer service champion; she always makes sure to go the extra mile in her job and have a banter with every client to make them feel very welcome; she joined Viva staff on January 23, completely changing her career after many years in Hospitality and Events industries.
Born in Italy, Ilaria moved to Melbourne 12 years ago and lives here with her beautiful daughter Amelie.
Her parents and some close relatives in Hong Kong call her ManMan (Her full name is Kit Man Hong).
Born and raised in Hong Kong, Kit made the move to the greatest city in the world (AKA Melbourne) in 2017. The year after that, she joined the admin team at Viva. Kit finished her Bachelor of Communications in YEAR, and is a fully qualified APPI Pilates instructor. She’s also completing a Diploma of Early Childhood Education – it’s been her dream to work in the child care sector. Kit always goes the extra mile to make sure our clients feel comfortable.
BA Communications
Born and raised in Hong Kong, Kit made the move to the greatest city in the world (AKA Melbourne) in 2017. The year after that, she joined the admin team at Viva…
During her Fine Arts degree, Ruby was able to learn the medieval printing technique called Lithography.
Born and raised in Melbourne, Ruby is an aspiring young artist and filmmaker studying at the VCA. With her creative mind, she loves to find out of the box solutions to any problem. She brings a warm and friendly presence to the waiting room, always keen for a laugh or a chat.
Born and raised in Melbourne, Ruby is an aspiring young artist and filmmaker studying at the VCA. She brings a warm and friendly presence to the waiting room, always keen for a laugh or a chat.
