About
Equilibrium Pain Management Coaching & Massage Therapy is located in Ōwhiro Bay. Focused on pain management, injury rehabilitation and supporting mental wellbeing, the clinic is owned and operated by me, Odette Wood, a qualified pain therapist and registered massage therapist (RMT) with Massage Aotearoa New Zealand (MANZ). I have been in practice since 2013.
In my clinical practice as a pain management coach and specialist massage therapist I use a range of skills and techniques to assist people with chronic pain conditions to manage their pain and live well. I also work with people in need of massage therapy to support an existing injury rehabilitation treatment programme - so they can get back to doing the things they love, and those living with ongoing mental health conditions (e.g. anxiety, depression, PTSD, severe stress) who may benefit from massage therapy to support other approaches and calm the nervous system.
Prior to embarking on a change in career as a massage therapist, I spent 16 years working in the community, mental health and primary health sectors. Having used massage myself over many years to help me manage chronic pain, recover from sports injuries and support me through periods of depression and stress, I became aware of the benefits that massage therapy provided. In 2012 I decided to retrain and pursue a career in massage therapy.
I opened my clinic in October 2014, providing therapeutic, relaxation and sports massage to wide range of clients. As I began to see more clients with chronic pain, I became more interested in this area.
In 2019 I began postgraduate study at the University of Otago, in the area of painand pain management. In 2021 my interest in this area and in mental health led to a decision to specialise in the areas of pain management, injury rehabilitation and mental wellbeing. In 2022 I earnt a Postgraduate Diploma in Health Sciences with Distinction, endorsed in Pain and Pain Management. This study has provided me with the knowledge and skills to provide pain management coaching in addition to massage therapy.
Having an appreciation for the complexity of health from my work and life experiences and my studies, my clinical philosophy is influenced by three main approaches:
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evidence-informed practice which combines current best research with clinical expertise and client values and needs;
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whole person-centred care which respects a person's own knowledge and experience of their condition;
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the biopsychosocial model which acknowledges the relationship between biological, psychological and social factors that influence wellness and illness.
As well as being a registered member of Massage Aotearoa New Zealand (MANZ), the professional association of massage therapists in New Zealand. I co-edited MNZ Magazine from 2017-2023, initiated and coordinated the MNZ Case Report Contest, and regularly present to undergraduate massage therapy students on working with people with chronic pain. I am also a member of the New Zealand Pain Society and the International Association for the Study of Pain and have contributed articles to both MNZ Magazine and Nga Mamae, the New Zealand Pain Society journal, which you can read here.
If taking responsibility for your own well-being, working to make changes that may no longer be serving your body and playing an active part in developing a treatment plan that best addresses your needs sounds like an approach that suits you, Equilibrium Pain Management Coaching & Massage Therapy can help.