Growing up in Rome, sport and particularly soccer (football in my country) has a strong influence on you. I was really inspired to be a soccer player and as you do, I chased my dreams from the age of 4. I played soccer at a high -professional level from the age of 16 and fortunate enough to be in several teams along the way including Juventus, AC Siena and Italian League). During my career I have been lucky enough to meet a lot of Physiotherapist, Chiropractors and Osteopaths. I was always wondering about what the difference between the three were.

It goes without saying with the intensity of the sport that injuries occur. In 2012, I too started to get some issues with my lower back, and nobody could figure out what was happening. I went to see this Osteopath in Rome and in three sessions he put me back in the pitch.

Ever since, I have always been fascinated about anatomy and sport so I decided to give up on soccer and I moved to London. I chose to go to London because the British School of Osteopathy is the number one University of Osteopathy in Europe.

In my 4 years of study I really developed an interest in the connection between the body and mind but my interest also fell toward paediatric (wellbeing of children) and visceral (movement and quality of the organs to treat back, neck, shoulder and leg, complaints) osteopathy.

Like any medical profession, it is complex with many layers. I describe Osteopathy as the ability to approach the body as a single unit, where everything is working together. I firmly believe that the body has the ability to heal itself given the right condition. I am fascinated in helping people and I look forward to growing my interest in helping particularly in the categories of sport and the elderly.

During my upbringing, respect and honesty were priority and I am so grateful these values were instilled in me as I continue to apply them to everything that I do.  In regard to health, I believe in functional and alternative medicine and in the ability of the body to heal itself. I am really looking forward to bringing these values all together in my Osteopathy and work here at Path to Health when I start on Monday 28 September 2020. I remember the first day I walked into the clinic and I felt straight away a family environment with a positive energy in it. I am super happy to work along great practitioners and have the opportunity to be mentored by Steven Takchi.

When I am not working, hopefully I get the time to enjoy soccer, surfing and obviously cooking. I do hope I get to meet a lot of faces and enjoy my new home in Sydney.

By Andrea Mari