Kimberlie has spent most of her life on the Mornington Peninsula. She loves the feeling of ‘community’ we have in the Mt Eliza village and is proud to call it home. Both her sons attend the local school and the family live close by. She loves keeping fit and regularly attends the local gyms as well as playing in the local tennis competition at Ranelagh.
Kimberlie’s parents always opted for natural healthcare and took her to a Mornington Chiropractor when she was twelve years old. At that time she suffered from frequent migraine headaches, especially after playing tennis. She was so impressed with the whole experience and the amazing results that the decision was made to make Chiropractic her chosen profession.
After completing a 5 year Chiropractic degree at Phillip Institute (now RMIT Bundoora) in 1992 she received the ‘Graduate of the Year’ and ‘Clinical Excellence’ awards. Kimberlie then worked as an associate in Melbourne for 18 months, prior to moving to the U.K. to mix locum work and travel. She worked in Scotland, England, Northern Island and Cuba before settling down in Newcastle upon Tyne for 12 months. It was there that she met her husband to be, Michael Doherty and together they opened Hexham Family Chiropractic in Northumberland in 1995. Kimberlie ran the practice for 5 years before moving the family back home to the Peninsula.
Both Kimberlie’s son’s were born at home and after an eight year break, her newest little girl Evie was also born safely at home. Her adoring brothers were there to welcome her into the world and are her fierce protectors. These life changing experiences inspired her passion for birth education. She is a qualified birth educator and together with midwife, Colleen White, holds regular birth workshops at Lotus. Currently Kimberlie is undertaking a 3 year Paediatric Diplomate course which will further support her love of adjusting children. The course regularly takes her to Auckland 7-8 times a year for weekend modules and exams.
As well as checking newborns and mums in hospital, Kimberlie is also fortunate enough to have attended many of her patients’ births, both as a support person and Chiropractor.
Her vision is to have every woman during pregnancy and each newborn baby on the Peninsula under Chiropractic care, hence helping to create a whole new generation of healthier, well adjusted babies.
| Gentle Chiropractic Care . . . .Enhancing Your Performance for Life "Through gentle chiropractic, we guide you on your journey towards greater health and wellness, enhancing your life experience" - OUR MISSION The Mornington Peninsula has always played a significant part in Joanne’s life as from the age of three her summer holidays were spent camping on the Rosebud foreshore. Raised in Melbourne, Joanne grew up in the South Eastern suburbs with her family. In her teens her family brought a beach house at Rye where she spent many holiday periods enjoying the beach and beautiful surrounds. After spending years studying and travelling overseas Joanne is delighted to have now moved to the peninsula permanently to practice at Lotus Chiropractic in Mt Eliza. Despite a childhood of illnesses such as asthma, eczema, chronic fatigue, appendicitis, tonsillitis, Joanne has always been a high achiever and has been searching for a higher quality of life, health and happiness. In her early 20’s Joanne was in a serious car accident, broke many bones, experienced nerve damage and her health decreased. It was at this point that she began to question the difference between living and existing? Surely there was more to life than this? In 1996 Joanne completed an Associate Diploma in Marketing & Japanese as well as a Bachelor of Business from RMIT and went on to live and work in Japan. Loving the experiences that international travel provided she then travelled through America and Canada – working with youth and children. After years of travel, it was time to return to Australia where Joanne worked in the corporate world specializing in project co-ordination and information technology. It was at this point that despite a successful career, Joanne realised that there was something missing from her life. After only a few visits to her chiropractor – Dr Kimberlie Furness, it became obvious to Joanne that a new profession was waiting for her. Chiropractic brought her the higher level of health and wellbeing that she had been searching for. Improved energy, regained nerve function, healthier life choices and increased happiness gave Joanne the incentive to become a chiropractor so that she could share this with others. Knowing that the New Zealand College of Chiropractic provided an exceptional level of education as well as a strong focus on philosophy she moved overseas to complete her degree. Upon completion Joanne received the BJ Palmer Philosophy Award in recognition of superior application in the Philosophy of Chiropractic. Joanne then spent six months working in Chicago alongside one of her mentors; Dr Sue Brown, the founder of Bio-Geometric Integration. (BGI) Joanne applies the concepts of BGI at Lotus and uses a range of gentle techniques as the force application. She works with the sacred geometry of the human body to release and utilize the stored potential energy that is in your system. Vertebral subluxations - interference to your nervous system may be stored as stress, distortion in the human frame or symptoms. By adjusting the subluxation and allowing your body to integrate this stored potential energy; your body is able to function at its optimum.
 A member of the International Chiropractic Paediatric Association, she is also a certified practitioner of the Webster Technique. Her passion is working with women throughout their pregnancy, infants, children and families. Joanne also discovered a new passion of adjusting animals whilst working on the farms in the Mid West of America. Today, she is extremely excited to have joined the passionate team at Lotus Chiropractic and to work alongside Dr Kimberlie Furness. She shares the vision of adjusting all of the families on the peninsula and facilitating optimal health for all. “I often wonder how my life would be different if I was adjusted from a birth. I will never know the answer to that, but what I do know is that adjusting a child from birth and allowing them to express their optimal level of health and wellbeing, without interference is the greatest gift possible.” Dr J Dobson |
Caroline is the most recent chiropractor to join the team at Lotus. She moved back from the UK (where she had spent 3 years working and travelling) at just the right time as Kimberlie was looking for someone to step in while she was on maternity leave. She grew up in Melbourne but was fortunate to spend a lot of time on the peninsula as her family bought a beach house in Rye when she was in her teens. Some of her fondest memories are of summers spent on the peninsula with her friends and family.
Caroline began studying chiropractic in 1999 at RMIT in Bundoora. She loved playing sport (particularly athletics and hockey) and found that a chiropractor was the only person who was able to help her with her recurrent shin splints. The chiropractic approach to health made so much sense to her that she decided to study chiropractic and transferred from her occupational therapy degree.
After her first adjustment she felt like her body was able to function more efficiently, like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders. She had a very healthy childhood and had never really had any health issues but soon realised that health is more than just the absence of disease or symptoms. She has regular adjustments to keep healthy and be at her best.
After practicing in a busy family practice in Albert Park for 18 months after graduating, Caroline moved to the UK with her partner, Nicholas, to travel and work and soon became the principal chiropractor in a busy multidisciplinary practice in Berkshire. Being healthy and active has always been of great importance to Caroline and through chiropractic and wellness education, she strives to empower others to adopt these same values. She has a special interest in helping pregnant women have a healthy and happy pregnancy and birth through chiropractic care and gently adjusting newborns and children.
Caroline and Nicholas decided to move back from the UK in September 2009 and have settled right back into the australian way of life. They got married in April 2010 in Daylesford and are currently living in Richmond. Caroline feels blessed to be part of such an amazing team at Lotus and is glad she is part of a practice that has a warm and caring atmosphere and a very clear mission - to help people reach their full health potential.