Meet the team at Osteopaths of Bentleigh
Dr Connie Petousis and Dr Vivienne Willmott are the directors of Osteopaths of Bentleigh and have been providing treatment to the Bentleigh area for the past 8 years. After working in East St Kilda for the past year, Dr Gabriela Pecherskiy, has been a welcome addition to the team at Osteopaths of Bentleigh in 2020. Dr Justine Garnes is the newest Osteopath to joint Osteopaths of Bentleigh, bringing a wealth of knowledge and experience.
Connie, Vivienne and Gaby graduated from Victoria University with a Masters of Osteopathy and were all drawn to the field of Osteopathy by their interest in the anatomy and function of the human body. Justine graduate from the British School of Osteopathy with a Masters Degree and has further training in Animal Osteopathy, completing her Post Graduate Diploma in Animal Osteopathy in 2012.
Dr Vivienne Willmott
B.Sc (Clin.Sci);M.H.Sc(Osteo)
Vivienne firmly believes that helping her patients to understand the nature of their condition is the key to pain management and recovery from injury. She provides hands on treatment combined with exercise prescription, ergonomic advice and lifestyle modifications to help her patients get back to their normal.
Vivienne enjoys treating the wide variety of musculoskeletal conditions that patients present to her with and is enthusiastic about the role she plays in helping her patients to overcome injuries and manage pain.
Vivienne has completed further training in Women’s Pelvic Health assessment and management as well as Clinical Pilates with specific Pre and Post Natal training. She enjoys supporting women in the Pre and Post Natal period and for pelvic floor dysfunction and chronic pelvic conditions including endometriosis, pelvic organ prolapse and incontinence.
She has also undergone further Paediatric Osteopathic training. Following on from her own breast feeding challenges she found a passion for helping parents and their babies with infant feeding and latching issues, reflux, unsettled behaviour and restrictions in head movement. She uses gentle hands on osteopathic treatment to promote a baby’s balance body posture and function.
In her spare time, Vivienne loves being active outside in nature with her husband and their two young daughters.
Dr Connie Petousis
B.Sc (Clin.Sci);M.H.Sc(Osteo)
During her studies, Connie worked closely with the De La Salle Old Collegians Football Club as a sports trainer. She has a keen interest in working with prenatal and postnatal women as well as babies and children. Connie has a passion for treating everyone; from expecting mothers to improving musculoskeletal function of babies and children, including newborns.
Connie has undertaken many Postgraduate courses related to treating pre and post natal women, treating infants, advice regarding breastfeeding, recognising tongue ties and teaching calm birth skills.
Connie strongly believes in the Osteopathic philosophy of treating the cause of the pain rather than just the symptoms and enjoys the challenges that this brings. She employs a wide variety of techniques both structural and indirect.
Connie is a Bentleigh local and enjoys cooking, keeping active and catching up with friends in her spare time.
Dr Gabriela Pecherskiy
B.Sc (Clin.Sci);M.H.Sc(Osteo)
Gaby is passionate about implementing a patient centred approach to treatment; her focus is on finding and explaining the root cause of the problem specific to each individual patient. Gaby has a particular interest in managing postural related pain and headaches, which many students and office workers suffer from. Gaby’s vast experience in the sporting field has also given her the opportunity to support a range of patients from football players to marathon runners.
Gaby has experience working as a sports trainer at Ormond Amateur Football Club, making her adept at treating and managing a range of acute sports injuries. During her studies at Victoria University, Gaby also spent time working in a hospital setting in India where she was part of a multidisciplinary team and gained invaluable experience aiding with post-surgical rehabilitation of patients.
Gaby’s treatment approach involves using a diverse range of treatment modalities; including hands on treatment, exercise prescription and Pilates to ensure optimal management of each condition. Gaby has undergone further qualifications in Dry Needling and Myofascial Cupping, as well as kinesiotaping and sports taping.
When not working, Gaby can be found enjoying time with her family and friends, traveling and being active while exploring the outdoors. Growing up in the Bentleigh area, Gaby is excited to be working as an Osteopath in her local community.
Dr Justine garnes
M.Ost; PgDip.AO:Osteopath
With over 16 years of experience, Justine is a skilled Osteopath dedicated to helping people of all ages from babies through to patients in their 90s.
Justine has a special interest in treating postural issues, headaches, TMJ (jaw) dysfunction, neck, back and hip pain, sciatica, and neurological conditions including Parkinson’s Disease and Multiple Sclerosis.
Since graduating from the British School of Osteopathy in 2010, she has worked across private practice, GP clinics, hospitals, a Multiple Sclerosis charity, veterinary practices, and as a Clinical Skills Supervisor at Victoria University, helping train the next generation of Osteopaths.
Her treatment approach is individualised, practical, and hands-on, combining techniques such as soft tissue massage, joint articulation, TMJ and intra-oral release, MET, dry needling, kinesiology taping, cranial and functional techniques, and spinal adjustments where appropriate. Justine also provides tailored home exercise programs to help patients continue improving between treatments and achieve lasting results.
Alongside treating people, Justine is also qualified in Animal Osteopathy (Animal Osteopathic Centre, 2012). She works with pets and performance animals to improve mobility, reduce pain, and support recovery, often incorporating VetLaser (cold laser therapy) and dry needling to enhance healing.
She is currently practising at Bentleigh Vet, providing osteopathic care for animals with musculoskeletal issues, mobility concerns, and performance demands.