Staff Spotlight: Frankie, Physiotherapist

Frankie’s passion for learning and keeping fit and strong benefits her Physiotherapy clients in a multitude of ways at Better Days, from motivating them to achieve their exercise goals to having a program tailored to their specific needs. 

Since graduating with a Bachelor of Health Science (Physiotherapy) from Auckland University of Technology, Frankie’s desire to help people on their path to recovery has seen her continue to grow her knowledge of Physiotherapy and other allied health therapies. 

“I’ve committed myself to learning as much as I can – mostly via weekend courses, seminars and webinars – to help my patients recover from their injuries and get back on the path of wellness,” she explains. To date, Frankie has completed courses in acupuncture, vestibular rehabilitation, concussion, manual therapy, dry needling, pain management, and more. 

 

Why Frankie chose a career in Physiotherapy 

Physiotherapy seems like an obvious choice for someone who enjoyed studying biology, exercise science and anatomy at school and has a strong desire to help people, however Frankie needed that ‘light bulb’ moment to reveal the right career for her: “Before going to university I was at a loss of what to study, so when my aunt suggested Physiotherapy, it was a lightbulb moment for me, and I’ve never looked back.” 

 

A background in elite sports benefits her patients 

Frankie’s love of staying fit and strong – a “classic Physio characteristic” she says – sees her hiking, swimming and regularly hitting the gym, where she does strength training. It also inspired her to compete in Powerlifting and Olympic Weightlifting at a National level.  

Her knowledge and first-hand experience in strength training carries over to her practice, benefiting her clients, particularly those who need to their build muscle and improve their balance the right way to help them overcome injury, become more independent, and more resilient. “I try to get as many of my patients into the gym as possible because making people stronger means making them more resilient,” she explains. 

 

Supporting her clients every step of the way 

With every client, Frankie is both their Physiotherapist and biggest supporter, championing them through every step of their recovery journey – and enjoying seeing them hit milestones as much as they do. 

“I love watching them make progress and achieve their goals, and being able to help improve their quality of life and their ability to undertake tasks that are meaningful for them. I love pushing patients to do more – safely, of course – so they can get better faster, and then we get to celebrate their achievements together!” says Frankie, who not surprisingly admits her personal motto would be ‘one more rep’. 

 

Better Days a better fit for Frankie 

Prior to joining Better Days in mid-2023, Frankie gained experience in clinic-based roles and community-based work. “I worked in a small clinic treating mostly jaw, head, and neck pain, which is very helpful for my community-based concussion patients!” 

It was the ethos of putting people first that attracted Frankie to Better Days – and inspired her to apply to join the Auckland-based team.  

“As soon as I saw the job ad I was drawn to the company. I was in the UK at the time on holiday and ended up doing my interview at 6am in an Airbnb while everyone else was sleeping! 

“It’s so awesome to work with a company that puts their people first, so we can put our clients first,” says Frankie who confesses to being a ‘people person’ who enjoys meeting and helping people (no prizes for guessing her favourite Better Days Kaupapa (value) is We Are People People!).  

 

And about her unusual accent … 

If you have already met Frankie, you might like to know how she got her unusual accent. According to her, it’s a mix of English and Kiwi as she lived in England during her childhood and teens: “When my parents and I moved back to New Zealand, my accent changed to a weird English/Kiwi hybrid within six months!” 

 

If you would like to join Better Days, simply contact us on 021 645 163 or email us at admin@betterdays.nz. And for more information on our Kaupapa, employee support, culture, environment, multidisciplinary approach, and many benefits and perks visit https://betterdays.nz/nz-who-we-are/careers/