Get To Know Us
Dr. Clare MacFarlane
Doctor of Physiotherapy, PhD, BSc
Owner and Principal Physiotherapist
Practitioner Profile
Clare has been practicing physiotherapy since the beginning of 2011 when she graduated from Bond University’s Doctor of Physiotherapy. She knew her passion was within the field of paediatrics and was driven by the flexibility and ‘outside the box’ therapy private practice could provide.
Clare began her paediatric career working in Therapy and Learning Centre in two separate locations in Sydney. This was where she first discovered the impact of lower limb orthotics and how they could improve foot alignment. From here she moved into one of the bigger paediatric private practices in the Inner West of Sydney - Therapies for Kids - where she really began growing her knowledge of childhood disability, games for therapy and began her research on Sensomotoric orthoses. During this time, Clare began her own mobile practice (Pitter Patter Physio) so she could deliver high quality in-home therapy in the Northern Beaches of Sydney, especially to those who were unable to travel.
In 2014, Clare was approached by the NAPA Center LA to become the Director of Rehabilitation and open the first NAPA Centre in Sydney. By March 2015, she was in LA, ready to learn! After 6 months of training in the intensive therapy approach with CME, NeuroSuit (TM), SpiderCage and vibration plate therapy, NAPA Centre Sydney -the first NAPA Centre location in Lane Cove - was officially opened in 2015.
Clare continued her research (PhD) whilst working at NAPA and left Sydney mid 2018 to enjoy some time completing her PhD in the sunny Sunshine Coast. Pitter Patter Physio was her first baby and she is happy for it to have re-opened with success in the Sunshine Coast.
The weekends have Clare spending time with Brenton and Fletcher, going for a cheeky surf or planning the next big project.
Qualifications
- PhD
- Doctor of Physiotherapy
- Bachelor of Science (Sports & Exercise)
- CME Level II
- MEDEK Level II
- Diploma of Remedial Massage
Memberships
- Australian Physiotherapy Association (Paediatric Member - APAM)
- Allied Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA)
Zarana Christian
Senior Physiotherapist
Practitioner Profile
Zarana has always had an interest in neurological physiotherapy and movement science since she began studying physiotherapy. Upon graduating in 2009, she started working in a multidisciplinary clinic where she primarily worked with children. Soon thereafter, she became increasingly interested in paediatric physiotherapy, as it is like putting together pieces of a puzzle! The pieces are a combination of understanding brain function, development, movement and handling and how they fit together. Once you have an understanding of typical and atypical development, you can come up with all kinds of innovative solutions, combining all the systems like sensory, motor, visual and cognition to get the best outcome for the child. In addition, Zarana has completed a variety of courses, including ‘Certification in Neurodevelopmental Therapy (NDT)’ in America in 2011.
Zarana owned a private practice in India where she helped change the lives of thousands of children and their families. She moved to Australia in 2021 for a better future for her family and to sharpen her skills. She is committed to upgrading her skills and knowledge as much as possible to best help the children and families she is seeing.
Outside of work, Zarana loves playing with her two beautiful boys, Kion and Dhanya, and spending time with her husband Jonathan, who is also a physiotherapist. She loves people, travelling and cooking. She is more than excited to see what the future holds for her and her family in beautiful Australia.
Qualifications
- Bachelor of Physiotherapy
- CME Level I
- Certified NDT (NDTA)
Memberships
- Australian Physiotherapy Association (Paediatric Member - APAM)
- Allied Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA)
Georgia Clifford
Senior Physiotherapist
Practitioner Profile
Georgia has been practicing Physiotherapy since the beginning of 2017. After graduating from the University of Queensland, she moved to Bundaberg to work at the Bundaberg Base Hospital. She worked in a variety of roles, largely gaining experience working with neurological populations, before moving into the private world of Physiotherapy. While working at the hospital, Georgia was given the opportunity to work in the Paediatric Outpatient department. It’s here that she got a taste for working with children and realised this is where her passion lies!
In the hopes of upskilling and finding a mentor, Georgia contacted Clare to do some work shadowing in early 2023. After spending a few days at Pitter Patter, she fell in love with the clinic and so made the decision to move to the Coast! Georgia is offering CME, TASES, Spider Cage and FUNctional therapy. She is looking forward to being CME II trained in November 2023 in Chile with Ramon himself!
In her spare time, she enjoys spending time outdoors with her husband Joel and her (fur) baby Nala. She is always searching for more time to spend reading, crocheting, and waterskiing.
Qualifications
- Bachelor of Physiotherapy (Hons)
- CME Level II
Memberships
- Australian Physiotherapy Association (Paediatric Member - APAM)
- Allied Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA)