Beyond the bio, Holly Royal

You’ve read their bios. Now meet the people behind them. Beyond the bio is our new conference video series short, candid introductions to the speakers, ideas and experiences coming to the Gold Coast this October. Watch/ listen to our speakers, in their own words, sharing what makes their session worth being in the room for. In the latest Beyond the bio, Paul Hermann takes us inside his conference workshops, Understanding multifidus dysfunction and its role in mechanical back pain and the research that is helping drive clinically relevant techniques and rehabilitation strategies. Osteopathy Conference 16-17 October 2026. Sea World Resort, Gold Coast. Osteopathy Conference 2026 register hereSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This bite-sized podcast gives you an insight into Holly Royal's thought process for patient goal setting and long-term care planning, and how they strengthen patient trust, outcomes and quite often, lead to enhanced patient-centred care. Too often, patients leave feeling better in the short term, but without agreed goals or a roadmap for care, outcomes can lack direction and longevity. As patient expectations evolve, symptom relief alone is no longer enough. People want clarity, purpose, and a treatment plan that aligns with their goals and lifestyle. In her interactive workshop at Osteopathy Conference 2026, New Zealand osteopath, Holly Royal will take delegates through her blueprint for developing a workable, mutually beneficial treatment plan. Osteopathy Conference 16-17 October 2026. Sea World Resort, Gold Coast. Purchase your conference ticket hereSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the lead up to his speaker spots at the Osteopathy Conference 2026, Nick Tripodi, Co-Course Chair and senior lecturer at Victoria University, joins the podcast to discuss the evolving research landscape within osteopathy. Nick reflects on his transition from clinical practice into research and academia, his leadership roles at Victoria University and Osteopathy Australia, and his passion for ensuring the long-term sustainability and credibility of the profession through evidence-based practice. The conversation explores the challenges facing osteopathic research, including limited research capacity, time constraints within private practice, and the need to foster a stronger research culture. Nick also shares practical ways practitioners can contribute to research, regardless of their level of experience or available time. Osteopathy Conference 16-17 October 2026. Sea World Resort, Gold Coast. Purchase your conference ticket hereSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this bite-sized podcast, we hear from Nick Penney, a highly respected osteopath, researcher, and educator whose career has spanned the UK to New Zealand. From helping shape the professional recognition of osteopathy in New Zealand to completing a PhD in Musculoskeletal Medicine at the University of Queensland, our guest shares the journey that led him from clinical practice and research into innovation. Nick shares how he leveraged his research and clinical expertise to develop a patient-focused app that not only supports treatment delivery but also captures valuable patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) to inform and improve clinical decision-making. As digital health is rapidly transforming clinical practice, Nick will be showcasing new ways to enhance patient care, improve engagement, and streamline outcomes tracking. Osteopathy Conference 16-17 October 2026. Sea World Resort, Gold Coast. Purchase your conference ticket hereSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of Osteo Talk, we sit down with Amy Lawton, Melbourne-based osteopath, lecturer at Victoria University, and PhD candidate at RMIT University, to discuss her research into falls prevention, healthy ageing, and the evolving role of osteopathy in aged care. Amy previews her two presentations at the Osteopathy Australia Conference on the Gold Coast, including her research on professional and consumer perspectives of allied health and osteopathy in falls prevention, and a practical workshop with Jack Feehan on the Ageing Well Framework for Osteopathic Practice. Amy highlights the important role osteopaths can play in supporting falls prevention and promoting healthy ageing, and importantly, we find out why osteopaths have the potential to contribute to meaningful and better outcomes for older adults. Osteopathy Conference 16-17 October 2026. Sea World Resort, Gold Coast. Purchase your conference ticket hereSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of Osteo Talk, we speak with Max Hopes, osteopath, strength and conditioning coach, lecturer, and PhD candidate, who will be presenting at this year's Osteopathy Conference on the Gold Coast. Max shares his clinical and personal insights into lower limb tendinopathy, discussing the latest thinking on diagnosis, management, and the lived experiences of people dealing with these often persistent conditions. Max Hopes is an osteopath originally trained in the UK, with clinical experience across Australia and Japan. Based in Melbourne, he combines clinical practice with teaching and PhD research. His doctoral work focuses primarily on proximal hamstring tendinopathy, while also exploring other common lower limb tendon conditions. Osteopathy Conference 16-17 October 2026. Sea World Resort, Gold Coast. Purchase your conference ticket hereSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, we take a deep dive into the world of lending and property through the unique lens of an osteopath. Whether you're fresh out of university, building your patient base, or well established in practice, this conversation is designed to demystify borrowing, reduce fear, and give you a grounded understanding of what’s genuinely possible when it comes to buying a home or investment property. Many osteopaths underestimate their borrowing power or assume lenders don’t understand the realities of allied health income. This episode aims to change that narrative. Our guest, Andrew Jacobs, brings a rare dual perspective. As both an osteopath and a Mortgage Choice franchise owner, he has carved out a niche as an Allied Health lending specialist. Andrew has helped countless practitioners refinance, restructure their loans, or secure lending for their first home or next property. As we hear in this insightful conversation with osteopath Tara Bain, Andrew’s background means he understands not just the numbers, but the profession, how osteopaths earn, how their income grows, and the financial challenges and opportunities that come with clinical practice. If you would like to follow up on Andrew’s advice or if it has been more than 12 months since your last loan review, feel free to contact him directly here Andrew Jacobs’ own podcast, The Successful Allied Health Practitioner, listen here Join/re-join Osteopathy Australia today https://bit.ly/4v3sbk0See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As demand for dry needling continues to grow worldwide, more clinicians are integrating it into their practice. But with no regulatory body overseeing the field, this rapid expansion has also increased the potential for inconsistent standards and patient risk. That’s where the International Dry Needling Education & Training Advisory Group (IDNETAG) comes in. IDNETAG was created to fill this critical gap, placing patient safety at the centre of its mission. The Advisory Group has developed a comprehensive, evidence‑based framework of standards and educational guidelines designed to support practitioners and safeguard the public. In this episode, IDNETAG Co‑Chair Dr Wael Mahmoud D.O., M App Sci Acupuncture, CMTPT joins Azharuddin Fazalbhoy, Assistant Associate Dean of Osteopathy at RMIT University, for an in‑depth conversation about how IDNETAG was formed and the vision Wael, Group Co‑Chair, Dr Jan Dommerholt and its committee share for the future. They explore the surprising origins of dry needling in Western practice, including its connection to Janet G. Travell, personal physician to President John F. Kennedy, and trace how the technique evolved without clear guidelines or a safety framework. With insurers and regulators lacking a reference point for decades, IDNETAG now provides the evidence‑based benchmarks the practice has long needed. Find out more about the work IDNETAG does here Join/re-join Osteopathy Australia today https://bit.ly/4v3sbk0  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Osteopath Kale Mazurek reached a turning point after a decade in practice, when the physical demands of hands‑on work began to take a toll. With long‑term career sustainability and family life front of mind, he started exploring roles beyond the treatment room. That search led him to a new professional direction where he could continue drawing on his osteopathic training in a different way. In this conversation, Heath Williams speaks with Kale about the transition he made, what prompted it, and why osteopaths are uniquely positioned to move into a wide range of non‑clinical roles thanks to their strong transferable skills. Kale describes the path he followed beyond the clinic and how core osteopathic capabilities—critical thinking, adaptability, time management, and stakeholder communication—helped him thrive in a government position. Their discussion also highlights the breadth of opportunities available to osteopaths, including policy, support coordination, occupational rehabilitation, claims management, injury prevention, and corporate wellbeing. With the research article (Trends in retention and attrition among osteopaths in Australia, 2025*) showing declining early‑career retention, this episode offers a timely reminder that osteopaths have diverse and meaningful career options both within and beyond clinical practice. *Lathlean T, Orrock P, Malon R, Barclay L, McNamara T, Tan J, Divakar R, Woodward C, Saar E. Trends in retention and attrition among osteopaths in Australia: Insights from the Workforce Retention and Attrition Project. Int J Osteopath Med. 2025;58:100793. doi:10.1016/j.ijosm.2025.100793 Rejoin or join Osteopathy Australia today, click hereSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It took a chance listening encounter for clinician scientist and osteopath Roger Engel to hear Elise Fuller and Katie Willy speaking on a webinar about lactation and mastitis. At the time, what Elise and Katie didn’t realise was that they were sitting on a wealth of clinical data, and it was the data which caught Roger’s attention. Following the webinar, Roger contacted Katie and with Elise on board, the three of them started down their path of research and as they say, the rest is history. Hear someone who knows a thing or two about a case series, Michael Fleischmann, chat with Elise, Katie and Roger on the journey they took to having their case series, Osteopathic intervention for inflammatory conditions of the lactating breast: a case series, published in the International Journal of Osteopathic Medicine. This conversation stands as an inspiration to any osteopath wanting to turn the wealth of knowledge they gain in clinic into meaningful research that can help shape the profession. A philanthropic grant, that was administered by Southern Cross University, helped make this research possible. Engel, R., Willy, K., & Fuller, E. (2025). Osteopathic intervention for inflammatory conditions of the lactating breast: a case series. International Journal of Osteopathic Medicine, Article 100769. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijosm.2025.100769 For resources and courses on mastitis and breastfeeding, see https://yourtwojugs.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.