Our physio team

Peter Austin

BSc (Hons) Physiotherapy

Peter moved to New Zealand from South Africa in October 2019. He has nine years’ experience treating musculoskeletal injuries ranging in type and severity.

Peter has a special interest in chronic shoulder and neck dysfunction, ankle pain, and more recently treating concussion and whiplash-associated injuries. He has completed numerous courses, including kinesiology, taping techniques, dry needling, spinal mobilisations, and vestibular rehabilitation (vertigo, dizziness, balance, vision).

Peter uses a hands-on approach that incorporates various treatment techniques to deliver a tailored and effective treatment to every client, every time.

Peter speaks English and Afrikaans.

Brooke Stevenson

BSc (Physiotherapy), PGCert Health Science (Western Acupuncture), PGDip (Rehabilitation)

Brooke’s areas of expertise are musculoskeletal physiotherapy, pain management, and vocational rehabilitation – supporting clients to return to work following an injury.

She has experience providing rehabilitation in clinics and the community and can help with breathing performance and management.

Brooke uses a holistic approach focusing on psychological wellbeing, combining brief psychological interventions with other physiotherapy approaches.

Her goal is to help her clients to return to their daily life and full functionality.

Caitlin Myocevich

BHSc Physiotherapy, PGCert (Rehabilitation)

Caitlin graduated in 2014, initially working in a musculoskeletal practice before moving into an acute setting at Middlemore Hospital.

At APM, Caitlin helps rehabilitate people in the community.

Caitlin has a special interest in working with multi-trauma orthopaedic patients and supporting their rehabilitation.

She enjoys treating concussion patients, finding the neurological physiotherapy aspect interesting and challenging.

Celene Buitendach

BPhty, PGCert (Manual Therapy), PGCert (Vocational Management)

Celene has twenty years’ experience as a physiotherapist in both her own private practice and in hospitals.

Her areas of expertise include neurological physiotherapy (strokes, multiple sclerosis), sports injuries, and chest problems.

Celene is trained in vestibular rehabilitation and can help with balance, vertigo, posture, and vision. Her special interest is treating neck and back pain, headaches, and concussion.

Celene uses a hands-on approach and can provide dry needling and Kinesio taping (elastic therapeutic taping).

Celene speaks English and Afrikaans.

Chris Boswell

BHSc Physiotherapy, PGCert (Vocational Rehabilitation)

Since 2005, Chris has worked in musculoskeletal private practice, occupational health, and community rehabilitation services across a range of private and insurer funded services.

Chris has a keen interest in concussion assessment and rehabilitation, which forms the basis of his clinical practice and learning.

He remains fascinated by the science of how the body works and translates this to this clinical practice to support his clients to achieve their goals.

Ed Breedt

BHSc Physiotherapy

Ed has three years of experience treating pain conditions and musculoskeletal injuries.

Before moving to New Zealand, Ed worked for the South African Government providing physiotherapy in rural communities.

Ed’s areas of expertise are musculoskeletal injuries and pain management for ongoing conditions.

He is skilled in helping his clients manage pain through exercise prescription, healthy lifestyle and pain neuroscience education, mindfulness therapy, and relaxation.

Maree Hohaia

BSc Physiotherapy, PGCert (Health Sciences)

Maree has been working as a physiotherapist for over thirteen years. She has a special interest in osteokinematics (movement between bones), cervical dysfunction, post-operative rehabilitation and specialist rehabilitation for ongoing painful conditions.

Her other areas of expertise include ergonomics, pilates, hand therapy, and acupuncture/dry needling.

Maree uses an approach called the integrated systems model. This framework allows her to help clients develop better movement strategies and habits, which reduces symptoms while improving function and performance.

Caroline Collard

BSc Physiotherapy

Caroline’s area of practice is musculoskeletal, concussion, complex pain and vocational rehabilitation services.

Caroline comes with ten years’ of experience and has a special interest in working with concussion patients.

Caroline uses a client-centred approach to design treatment plans and empowers her clients to gain control of their recovery and rehabilitation.

Hannah Rosser

BHSc Physiotherapy

Hannah has eleven years’ experience across a diverse field of physiotherapy, including neurology, respiratory, community, musculoskeletal injuries, and concussion.

Hannah’s primary area of expertise is treating acute musculoskeletal injuries. She has attended multiple musculoskeletal training courses and worked alongside Sports Physicians in Australia for six years.

Hannah’s other special interests include treating concussions and providing community rehabilitation. She is an experienced provider of vocational rehabilitation and is also trained in acupuncture/dry needling.

Alice Scranney

BSc (Hons) Physiotherapy, PGDip (Education), PGCert (Vocational Rehabilitation)

Alice and her family moved to New Zealand in 2006. Before joining APM, she mainly worked in the public health sector in acute care, orthopaedics, and trauma.

Alice has been with APM for three years, providing vocational rehabilitation, concussion treatment (vestibular physiotherapy), and pain management services.

Alice is also a Clinical Educator at the University of Otago for fourth-year physiotherapists. In this role, she provides one-on-one supervision and educational input across key areas of physiotherapy, from paediatrics to community and private practice.

Alice uses a holistic approach in her clinical practice, considering a client’s lifestyle and looking at the ‘bigger picture’ to provide a tailored and effective treatment.

Karla de Kock

BSc Physiotherapy

Karla has over 15 years of physiotherapy experience. She came to New Zealand in 2018 and has since been working at APM seeing clients under the Concussion Service, Training for Independence, and providing vocational and functional rehabilitation.

Karla has a special interest in dry needling, pilates (as an instructor) and vestibular rehabilitation (dizziness, vertigo, balance, vision).

Karla uses a hands-on, exercise rehabilitative approach; she has a firm belief that a healthy mind breeds a healthy body and vice versa.

Karla speaks English and Afrikaans. In her free time, Karla is paddle-boarding, fishing, or hiking with her family.

Nienke Horn

BSc Physiotherapy, PGCert (Chronic Pain Management), PGCert (Vocational Rehabilitation)

Nienke has over 15 years’ experience working in rehabilitation and helping clients return to optimal function. A large part of Nienke’s training was centred on working with people with different religions, cultures, and beliefs.

She enjoys the cultural diversity of her clients in New Zealand.

Nienke’s special interests are chronic pain management and vocational rehabilitation, and she enjoys working with clients who have different physical abilities. She uses a client-centred approach and incorporates tailored exercises to help individuals reach their goals.

Nienke is fluent in English and Afrikaans.

Suzanne Levey

BSc Physiotherapy

Suzanne moved from South Africa to New Zealand in 2017 and has been a Team Leader at APM for four years.

Before coming to New Zealand, Suzanne owned a private physiotherapy practice for over twenty years.

Her work was primarily focused on musculoskeletal, respiratory, and neurological conditions. She has also worked as a physio in Iceland and America.

When she’s not working, you’ll find Suzanne outdoors – she is passionate about snowboarding, paddle boarding, and fishing. Suzanne speaks Afrikaans and English.

Emma Hopkinson

BPhty, PGCert (Occupational Health)

Emma has experience providing vocational and community rehabilitation and treating musculoskeletal injuries and concussions.

She has a special interest in sports injuries, with experience treating high-performance athletes.

Emma uses a hands-on approach that incorporates manual therapy and exercise prescription.

When she’s not working, Emma spends her time outdoors and keeps active through CrossFit.

Gemma Alchin-Grey

BPhty

Before joining APM, Gemma worked for two and a half years in a busy physiotherapy clinic treating a wide range of musculoskeletal injuries.

Gemma has a special interest in treating sporting injuries, particularly concussion and lower limb injuries, as well as post-operative rehabilitation.

Gemma believes exercise is medicine and uses this approach when working with clients. She has completed her foundation acupuncture/dry needling course and can incorporate this into treatment as applicable.

In her spare time, Gemma loves playing basketball, baking, hiking, and in winter, you can find her up Mount Hutt trying to improve her skiing skills!

James McAllister

BHSc Physiotherapy

James has been practising for over 20 years, with most of his experience gained while working in the USA. His expertise includes sports injuries, orthopaedics (pre- and post-surgery), back clinics, geriatrics, respiratory physiotherapy, and paediatrics.

James has a special interest in neurological rehabilitation (concussion), vestibular rehabilitation, pain management, visual therapy, and back and musculoskeletal injuries.

James’s approach is to support his clients to self-manage and be in control of their health.

James speaks Cook Island Māori and has a basic understanding of Samoan.

Josh Wilks

BHSc Physiotherapy

Josh has worked in many different areas of physiotherapy. His previous experience includes working in a hospital setting in the community and burns teams; working with strength and fitness athletes in a musculoskeletal clinic; delivering long term rehabilitation for ACC clients under the ACC pain management programme in larger clinics.

Josh has a special interest in pain management, using a holistic approach to manage injuries and chronic and persistent pain.

Josh has recently moved from Auckland and joined APM’s Christchurch team. When he’s not working, you can usually find him at the gym – he even has experience coaching CrossFit!

Katharine Kerr

BSc (Hons) Physiotherapy, PGCert (Rehabilitation)

Katharine has a predominantly musculoskeletal background.

She has worked in several different settings in Ireland, the UK, and New Zealand – including UK NHS, private practice, HM Prison Service (UK).

Katharine’s special interest areas include general musculoskeletal pain and injuries and back pain.

Her approach is exercise-based, and she can provide acupuncture and dry needling.

Sue Grant

Dip Physiotherapy, PGDip (Acupuncture)

Sue has 21 years’ experience, including working in her own private musculoskeletal and acupuncture practice and as a club physiotherapist for senior rugby teams. Her special interest areas are musculoskeletal, persistent pain, general wellbeing, and biomechanics.

Sue is passionate about furthering her knowledge and expertise and has a Masters of Traditional Chinese Medicine, which included papers in psychology, biology, botany, nutrition, Chinese herbs, acupuncture and shiatsu massage. Sue has 36 years’ experience in acupuncture and manual therapy.

Sue draws on her vast knowledge to provide comprehensive and effective treatments and incorporates acupuncture, biomechanics, lifestyle balance, mindfulness, and education in her approach.

Tim Lovett

BPhty

Tim graduated from the University of Otago in 2020 and is currently completing a postgraduate certificate in physiotherapy endorsed in occupational health.

Tim has a special interest in persistent pain and musculoskeletal conditions.

He uses a client-centred approach that incorporates exercise prescription and hands-on treatment to help patients achieve their goals.

He enjoys the challenge of treating a wide range of conditions.

Suzanne Ambrose

DPT, PGDip (Mechanical Diagnosis and Therapy - McKenzie Method)

Suzanne has almost 30 years of experience as a physiotherapist. She trained as a physio in New Zealand but completed her Doctor in Physical Therapy training in the USA, where she practised sports medicine for over 15 years.

Suzanne also has a Diploma in Mechanical Diagnosis and Therapy (McKenzie Method). Her other special interest areas include concussion and vocational rehabilitation.

Suzanne uses a mechanical approach to assess and treat musculoskeletal injuries and a holistic approach for big picture problems requiring physiotherapy.

Suzanne empowers her clients through education and self-treatment strategies to complement her hands-on approach.

​Lynne Weir

BSc (Hons) Physiotherapy, PGCert (Vocational Rehabilitation)

Lynne has 18 years' experience as a physiotherapist, initially working in Scotland before moving to New Zealand in 2007.

She has extensive experience with musculoskeletal injuries, including sports injuries and is qualified to do acupuncture.

She is especially interested in providing concussion and vocational rehabilitation.