To celebrate Women’s Health Week, “CityNews” spoke with a number of experts across Canberra who have tips, insights and advice to help women lead healthier lives.

WOMEN’S Health Week is a campaign of events and online activities centred on improving women’s health.

Running from September 5-11, the week is a reminder for women to set aside time for their wellbeing.

Each day of the week will focus on an important women’s health topic including menopause, pelvic health, mind health, movement and health checks.

There’ll be daily videos, recipes, quizzes, articles and tools to help women unlock their powers for good health, all researched and reviewed by an expert medical team.

To celebrate the week, “CityNews” spoke with a number of experts across Canberra who have tips, insights and advice to help women lead healthier lives.

Hair salon makes clients look and feel good

AMANDA Harrington, owner of Socialise Hair, says her staff are friendly and approachable, and they have a wealth of knowledge and experience.

She opened Socialise Hair two years ago, and has 15 years of experience in the hairdressing industry, 10 of which in Canberra.

“We’re just a small salon with a great team and beautiful clients,” says Amanda.

“Every client deserves to feel and look amazing, and that’s what we endeavour to do. Make people feel good about themselves.

“A woman can walk into our salon feeling miserable, but she’ll walk out on cloud nine with her self confidence high, which will help her mentally.”

Amanda says Socialise Hair is more like a family than just a team.

“We’re always together here. It creates a really comfortable and happy atmosphere, which encourages client interaction,” she says.

Socialise Hair provides cutting, styling and colouring services, as well as hair extensions and moisture and protein treatments.

Amanda says the most rewarding part for the team is making people feel beautiful.

“Our clients are important to us. We love spending time creating beautiful hair and awesome friendships.”

Socialise Hair, 117a Anthony Rolfe Avenue, Gungahlin. Call 0422 456690 or visit socialisehair.com.au

A culturally safe service for indigenous women

WINNUNGA Nimmityjah Aboriginal Health and Community Services is a culturally safe service that provides holistic care to indigenous women throughout Canberra and the surrounding region, says CEO Julie Tongs.

“It is well documented that Aboriginal women die eight to 10 years younger than non-Aboriginal women and carry a higher burden of chronic disease at very young ages,” says Julie.

“It is important for women who are struggling to reach out to the Winnunga social health team or a Winnunga staff member to seek assistance. They should never feel ashamed as there is assistance available.”

Poverty, racism, trauma, addiction, mental health issues, domestic violence, homelessness and incarceration are just some of the issues that Julie says are affecting indigenous women every day.

On top of providing assistance with all of those issues, she says Winnunga can help secure access to covid testing and vaccination, child protection, court and Centrelink support and assist with the filling out of paperwork.

“Winnunga provides GPs, nurses, midwives, a drug and alcohol nurse, and a mental health nurse who are also able to be accessed in the Alexander Maconochie Centre,” she says. 

“We also have allied health professionals in our clinic who the GPs can do internal referrals to. They include the social health team psychiatrist, psychologists, sessional dietitians, an audiologist, optometrist, physiotherapist and a podiatrist.”

Winnunga Nimmityjah Aboriginal Health and Community Services, 63 Boolimba Crescent, Narrabundah. Call 6284 6222 or visit winnunga.org.au

Camps to support the whole family

ARTHRITIS ACT can support people no matter what type of chronic pain condition they have, says CEO Rebecca Davey.

“Whether it’s musculoskeletal pain, endometriosis, headaches or whatever it may be, we have programs in place to help make everyday lives easier,” she says.

On October 2 and March 12, Arthritis ACT will host day camps that focus on children with a chronic pain or chronic fatigue condition – as well as focusing the camp on the entire family unit that is impacted.

“The day camps will provide some support to mum and dad, and provide some support to the siblings, as well as allowing the kids who are impacted to meet up with other kids who are living just like them,” says Bec.

“If we don’t respect the entire family unit, then nothing we ever do with the child is going to be enough. We have to recognise the fact that the entire family gets impacted.

“Chronic pain affects all parts of a person’s life and we approach supporting the person from a holistic premise,” she says

“It’s great for social interaction as well, which is also key in beating the anxiety and depression lots of chronic pain sufferers [can] go through.”

Arthritis ACT, Pain Support & ME/CFS ACT, 170 Haydon Drive, Bruce. Call 1800 011041, email info@arthritisact.org.au or visit arthritisact.org.au

Physios to provide safe, strengthening exercises

IF you want to age well and enjoy activities that you love for longer, then you need to be strong, stable and move freely with less pain, says Janet Fabbri, CEO of Higher Function.

“At Higher Function, we know how to do this in a safe, fun way,” says Janet.

“As we age, our muscles and bones get weaker but this can be reduced, or even reversed, with exercise, and type two diabetes can also be improved with exercise.

“All women need a stable core and strong muscles and bones, particularly through the childbearing years and also as they get older.”

Janet says physiotherapists are the most highly trained in providing these exercises safely.

“We offer individual, as well as small group classes, so that we can provide continuous feedback and correction.

“It’s a really fun, welcoming environment. It’s very different to a normal gym, but we can work you really hard, too, if that’s what you need!”

Janet says exercise is also the best evidence-based treatment for preventing dementia, “so we all need to be doing it”.

“Core stability, abdominal-muscle strengthening and pelvic-floor strengthening exercises improve the tension around your pelvis,” she says.

“Our exercise physiologists are experts in treating bone density, muscle weakness, fatigue, long covid, pacing, performance training, weight management and exercise for mental health.”

Higher Function Physio & Pilates, Suite 4, Level 1/23 Petrie Plaza. Call 6262 9664 or visit higherfunction.com.au

Rebalancing with personally tailored Pilates classes

OWNER of The Pilates Centre Canberra, Felicia Darbyshire-Pirie says she’s proud that the centre provides pilates sessions that focus on each individual.

“We believe in quality over quantity,” says Felicia, a pilates instructor of more than 15 years.

“Pilates is total body strengthening, conditioning and re-balancing, which is why it’s perfect as rehab. To me it’s a combination of intuition and science that helps people achieve goals.

From two weeks post-spinal surgery all the way through to high-performing, advanced clients, Felica says the centre welcomes anyone regardless of experience or fitness level. 

“A body that is in pain needs time, space and re-education to recover. Each individual’s pain journey is different and therefore we are never comparing one person to another,” she says.

She believes a good instructor is what makes all the difference.

“We only hire really high-quality instructors with really good qualifications,” she says.

“At the Pilates Centre we often work with pain specialists such as osteopaths and physiotherapists for client goals. 

“I like to say Pilates is the perfect training partner for everything, especially for life.”

The Pilates Centre Canberra, 58 Colbee Court, Phillip. Call 6162 1793, or visit pilatescentre.com.au

Strengthening health from all angles

ORTHOPAEDICS ACT has been helping people live an active life since 2013, says deputy practice manager Lois Wurzer.

According to the highly trained team of specialists, resistance training is an excellent way to help people maintain strength and mobility.

“The Australian movement guidelines state that moving for 30 minutes, five days a week is ideal, but this can be an effort as short as 10 minutes at a time,” says the team.

“It doesn’t have to be sport but could be gardening, housework, taking the stairs instead of the lift or getting off the bus one stop early.”

According to Lois, Orthopaedics ACT brings together the expertise and skills of nine surgeons, one pain-management specialist and a clinical nurse that work as a team with a number of physiotherapy and hydrotherapy providers to keep patients as active as possible.

For people with early arthritis, Lois says Orthopaedics ACT’s surgeons and sports physicians recommend an exercise program called GLA:D, which is run by physiotherapists and strengthens the knees and hips, and can reduce pain and medication requirements.

When necessary, whether due to age, trauma or sporting injuries, Lois says that Orthopaedics ACT can improve quality of life through surgical intervention.

“Whether minor or major surgery, it’s aimed at allowing our patients to resume a healthy, active lifestyle,” she says.

“Having nine surgeons means we have all parts of the body covered, head to toe. [But] we don’t just fix bones, we fix people.”

Orthopaedics ACT, Woden Specialist Medical Centre, Level 2, 90 Corinna Street, Phillip. Call 6221 9320 or visit orthoact.com.au

Women’s workshop offers healing with horses

EUREKA Horse Wisdom will host a one-day women’s workshop that will offer a grounding experience with therapy horses, says owner Soo Woods.

“Reconnect, release and relax with a program of energy-based activities supported by Eureka’s herd of therapy horses, set on 100 picturesque acres in Moss Vale,” says Soo.

“The program will include emotional freedom technique (EFT) tapping, walking meditation and equine reiki.”

A top equine therapy and reiki practitioner, Sue will be facilitating the event and says it will give women a chance to embrace Spring with a day of renewal.

The event will also feature a session by accredited EFT teacher Toni Mills.

“It’s a rare opportunity to experience the magic of the Eureka therapy horse herd,” says Soo.

“Bring your friend, sister or mum for a day out with a difference.”

Eureka Horse Wisdom Women’s Workshop, September 25, 10am-3pm, 674 Nowra Road, Moss Vale. Call 0411 623479 or visit eurekahorsewisdom.com.au

When it comes to beauty, Olivia glows all the way

OLIVIA Robinson, owner of The Glowing Complexions, says their skilled team offers a full range of professional beauty services.

Olivia began working in beauty when she was 15 and, eight years later, she says she’s never stopped learning.

“There’s always more to learn, there’s all these new ingredients to figure out and it just never stops,” she says.

She’s encouraging new people who enter the industry to do a lot of training, and practice as much as they can.

“I struggled getting used to being so close to people, because they’re in such a vulnerable state and you’re near their eyes. It’s a bit nerve-wracking to start with but you do get used to it.”

Olivia loves working in beauty, and loves that there’s new things to learn every day.

“Giving people confidence, and boosting their natural features, it makes them feel good about themselves and that’s why I love it,” she says.

“Facials are fun, and it’s satisfying to see the change in people’s face and skin.”

The Glowing Complexions, 3/16 Weetangera Place, Weetangera. Call 0401 164421 or visit theglowingcomplexions.com

Gym focusing on women’s health

STELLAR Canberra’s centre manager Kasie Nugent says Stellar offers a women’s only gym with a group fitness program of more than 100 fitness classes a week.

“Stellar is a boutique gym that opened nearly three years ago, it’s owned by the Canberra Southern Cross Club and is staffed with capable and experienced personal trainers,” says Kasie.

“We offer complimentary towels, we have a chill-out zone which offers free tea and coffee, the equipment is top-of-the-range and it’s got a 360-degree view of Canberra.

“It’s a pretty schmick place to work out; it’s a good, safe environment, everyone is really friendly and they love being here,” she says.

Members can book straight in whenever they need new fitness programs, Kasie says, there are always personal trainers available.

“The other thing that helps the gym stand out is that it’s really culturally sensitive,” she says.

“Sometimes we have male personal trainers come here for their clients if they requested it, but we don’t actually have any men that work on the floor.

“If we do have men come up we always advertise that that is the case, or if we have tradespeople come up we’ll give people as much notice as we can.”

Kasie says Stellar Canberra is the go-to place for people of varying backgrounds, who need to work out in a safe environment.”

Stellar Canberra, 50 Launceston Street, Phillip. Call 6283 7340, or visit stellarcanberra.com.au

Dr Sun moves her family planning practice to Erindale

WITH a total of 20 years of experience, British-trained general practitioner, Dr Shiamala Suntharalingam has spent 10 of those years living and working in Canberra. 

Dr Suntharalingam graduated from St George’s Hospital Medical School in the UK in 1997, then undertook GP training. She has special interests in women’s health and family planning, including STI checks and contraception insertion/removal.

“Dr Sun”, as her regular patients call her, is moving her practice, Canberra Family Planning Practice, to Erindale Healthcare. Dr Sun welcomes new patients. 

In her practice, Dr Sun says she focuses on providing patient care in an accessible, confidential and inclusive manner.  

Dr Sun says she’s able to assist women with fertility issues, antenatal and postnatal care, perimenopause and menopause, osteoporosis, breast and heart health screening.

Dr Shiamala provides care to patients of all ages, from child health and immunisations to chronic disease management.

She also has interests in preventive care, travel and acute medicine, offering minor procedures such as suturing wounds and skin lesion biopsy/excision (not head or neck).

To book an appointment with Dr Shiamala Suntharalingam call  6269 2266 or visit ipn.com.au/gp/act-wanniassa-erindale-healthcare. Erindale Healthcare, corner of Comrie Street and McBryde Crescent, Wanniassa.

Helping women achieve important life goals

LIFE coach Jackie Nield helps people find their direction in life so they can live with passion and purpose.

Passionate about helping people make positive changes, Jackie says that women often don’t take enough time to look after themselves while trying to juggle life’s responsibilities.

“Women take a lot on mentally, not just what they’re doing physically,” says Jackie.

“They’re often juggling kids, work, home life, social life and the myriad of things that come with all of that.

“A lot of the time they’re taking care of others and not taking care of themselves.”

Jackie says she can help women develop strategies to find time for themselves, something she says can have greatly positive flow-on effects.

“Self care is different for everyone. It could just be making some space in the calendar to have a coffee with a friend, go for a massage, a walk or read a book,” she says.

“We explore what works for them. I’ve seen women who are exhausted  and worn out who, with some help, have found time for themselves, got that promotion at work, changed careers, found new beliefs and improved their family life.”

Jackie, who also specialises in Reiki classes and meditation, offers a free, 30-minute introduction call to first-time clients.

“I help people come into a place to actually explore what it is holding them back and then setting goals and looking for how they can move forward,” she says.

Jackie Nield, visit jackienield.com.au