Massage & Myotherapy Connect
Massage & Myotherapy Australia's broadcast show Connect provides therapists in the industry with Association news, tips, techniques and special opportunities to assist you in improving and developing your skills as a therapist in this busy industry!
Massage & Myotherapy Connect
2026 National Conference Episode
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This special episode of Connect was filmed at the 2026 National Conference in Geelong VIC. In this episode, Dave Sheehan chats with Presenters Aubrey Gowing, Alison Slater, and Stuart Hinds as well as Association CEO Ann Davey and Association Vice President Garry Lavis.
Ann Davey
SPEAKER_05Hey everybody, this is Dave Sheen here at the conference, 2026 conference at GMHBA Stadium. I'm here with CEO Ann Davy.
SPEAKER_03I know, how awesome is this 20-second conference.
SPEAKER_05Amazing, we're on day two, lunchtime, as you can see behind us. We've got everyone getting a good feed. And uh you could pan across there, Nathan, and have a look out the window. Look where we are, absolutely superb. We're at the footy ground, and uh the venue's been awesome. Highlights Anne.
SPEAKER_03Highlights. Oh look, the number of exhibitors for a start, it's our biggest crowd since COVID, which I hate using the COVID word, but it is. Um, all the feedback from the members and the delegates have just been so positive about all the presentations because we mixed up the programme a bit. We did, we did, and the breakout workshops, no one has had a bad word to say about anybody, which is fantastic. And of course, the gun la dinner. Gulla dinner it went off the dance floor all the night, my you know, and the big announcement.
SPEAKER_05Which is Cairns next year.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, so the first weekend in Cairns, the 5th and 6th of June in 2027. Yeah, so watching space.
SPEAKER_05That's right, and also exhibitors. I mean, we had to put on extra space for additional exhibitors, so we'll be having a host of exhibitors up in Cairns as well.
SPEAKER_03And all the exhibitors have said it's been a fabulous weekend.
SPEAKER_05Yeah, and yeah, they've had a really good engagement with the delegates, so getting back to sessions and we've had a lot, we've had the normal sessions where we have massage tables out everywhere and people learning techniques, etc. But there's been some really interesting and positive feedback on some of the other more plenary style sessions. We've had Pain Australia.
SPEAKER_03Pain Australia, um, we've had Pain Revolution, a couple of people from Pain Revolution. We've had Sarah Fogerty from the Massage Therapy Foundation talking about research, we've had Kelly Linnicker talking about her journey of pain because of course it the theme is multidisciplinary care in chronic pain, and there is just this plethora of people that work in chronic pain in different capacities and different modalities.
SPEAKER_05So hats off to committee because we really did a great job, all of this, um, in locating great presentations to match the focus of this year's theme. But next year's theme, neurological conditions.
SPEAKER_03Yes.
SPEAKER_05Um so once again, if you guys you know are interested in some really top-notch presentations, next year's Cannes presentations will be unreal. We've already put our feelers out and uh watch this space.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, so well done to everybody in the team, well done to you, Dave. Our conference. As you say, it takes a team. It does take a team, and this would not happen without our members, our exhibitors, and the team that do everything behind the scenes. So, watch this space, and we'll see you next year in Cairns.
SPEAKER_05See you next year. Thanks, guys. Hi everybody, this is Dave Sheen from 2026 conference. I have Aubrey going with me from all
Aubrey Gowing
SPEAKER_05the way from Ireland, Rockstar. It's been a fantastic presenter once again. Uh what do you mean by presenting on?
SPEAKER_00So, uh, very much in concert with the theme for this whole ATM, uh, we're talking about eliminating back pain. So looking at common patterns of a dysfunction and then tying them to particular structures to make treatment really targeted so that you can really hone in on what is the underlying cause and not just the symptom. But I've really enjoyed the conference so far, Dave. There's been some great speakers. You always pick up some interesting little facts. Uh the lady speaking this morning from Pain Australia's really great information. Monica. Yeah, yeah, really, really interesting stuff. It's always nice to get demographics as well and uh research information from different parts of the world. Sure. And even seeing how and where the manual therapy field really fits into the treatment of chronic pain, because it's it is my main area of interest, I focus. And it's just interesting to see where other things are going to also feed into client benefit and helping people to manage pain, and even the effects for people that you don't get to see, that are really suffering from debilitating chronic pain and how it's really affecting their life so much.
SPEAKER_05We've done well this year. I mentioned on another interview that I think committee I take my hat off too because we really did get a great bunch of presenters who are offering um a whole lot of different areas of focus in on chronic pain. So it's just been wonderful. It's been great to have you out here again. And you've got some more workshops around.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, we've got a few more, and uh so far we're loving it. I mean, the participants that we've had in class each day have been amazing. Such a nice mix of therapists, really enthusiastic, really staying with it all day, really engaging with the content. So I'm looking forward to then visiting the other parts of Australia. We're gonna be going back and doing a two-day seminar in Melbourne, and then we're over in Hobart, we're gonna do a two-day there, and then Brisbane, and a lot of guys from the conference have already said, is there any places left? So I think places are getting pretty limited. So if folks are interested, they want to get on and start booking in or get onto the Massage Myotherapy Australia website and get their place sorted. Fantastic.
SPEAKER_05Aubrey, once again, thank you so much for coming halfway around the world to present at our conference. And for those days for those interested, 2027 focuses on neurological conditions, it's gonna be an absolute cracker. Uh up in cans, and uh yeah, keep watching this space for more information. See you next time.
Alison Slater
SPEAKER_05Alison Slater's with me, one of our amazing presenters. What have you been presenting?
SPEAKER_01So, my interest is in fascia, yeah, and obviously that's really applicable to anybody who's putting their hands on patients. So we've been going through the different layers of fascia, the functionality of fascia, why it's important, basically how to define fascia in itself, and how that plays out functionally and what happens when things aren't working really as well as they should. Yeah, right. They're the sort of people that we're seeing as our clients.
SPEAKER_05And how great at the conference we get a chance with massage tables to go through some techniques as well. It's not a full workshop, but it's a great place to get tasters of what is out there from different presenters.
SPEAKER_01So well, what I'm looking at is um the use of IASTM tools, yeah, but also rollers, tape, given that we are working at a superficial level, not we can't deep dive and affect the really, really deep fascia to anything like the same extent as we can the superficial stuff. So we're looking at you know what we can do to enhance perception, um, encourage function and start to influence fascia in a very positive way.
SPEAKER_05Fantastic. And I think Alison had one of the biggest enrolments out of all of the uh the conference present presenters for this year, which is very chufed about. So we'd like to say thank you so much for being a part of it.
SPEAKER_01It's been a pleasure and it's been an absolute privilege to be involved.
SPEAKER_05And hopefully, next year you guys will come along to Cairns June next year, 2027.
SPEAKER_01And I mean, let's face it, who's gonna miss the chance to go to Cairns? So um, yeah, go and enjoy. There's such a nice range of teaching opportunities out there, so make the most of the opportunity.
SPEAKER_05See you then. Thank you.
Stuart Hinds
SPEAKER_05I'm with Stuy Hines, and Stu's been one of our presenters this year, done a fine job as usual. What are you right?
SPEAKER_04What have you been what have you been uh uh we've been so it's been all elbow pain? Elbow pain? Yes, absolutely. So it's great. We've uh we've had some great participants. Um I've run through basically just the clinical outcomes that you can expect treating elbow pain. So very case studied oriented. So we've got obviously participants who are actually got elbow pain, we're treating them, reassessing them, yeah, it's great. Yeah, and we've been using on massage tables as well. Absolutely. Yep.
SPEAKER_05Great thing about this conference is it's not just a sit-down conference, you actually get stuck into it.
SPEAKER_04Absolutely, see the real flavour of all the clinical experience, that's what I'm about. So, yeah. Fantastic. And some of the highlights around the around the conference itself. Oh, I would say the highlight of the conference was you getting your life membership, mate.
SPEAKER_05Oh, that's very sweet. That wasn't I didn't set that up, by the way, but that's very good.
SPEAKER_04It was actually a great night, the goal idea. Yeah, yeah. Well, that's always fantastic. Yeah, so you getting your life membership was absolutely fantastic. Well overdue. Thanks, mate. Um and the other two participants, how beautiful were they? Oh, they're amazing. The speeches were great. Great band. Yep, awesome band.
SPEAKER_05Lots of dancing, it was good fun too. This happen because Shiraz, it happens every every conference, folks. Yeah, 2027, neurological conditions, it's gonna be a cracker up in Cairns 2027. So, watch this space. Uh, we'll be feeding information.
SPEAKER_04So, that time of the year it won't be very humid either.
SPEAKER_05No, it'd be beautiful, great, great time of year, especially if you live in Melbourne or G Town. Beautiful place for them. Perfect. Maybe go scuba diving. Anyway, enough of that. We'll see you in 2027. Thanks, Jewey. Thanks, Dave. And congratulations. Thanks. Gary
Garry Lavis
SPEAKER_05Levis, how are we going? Brother Dave, how are you? Oh, a day and a half into the conference, getting a little tired, but geez, it's been a it's been a cracker this year. New Life member, Dave Gang. Oh, thank you. So that was yeah, thanks for throwing that in and the sausage story. I appreciate that very much. You're welcome. So we just wanted to get a highlight. What's one of the highlights that you've had for this year?
SPEAKER_02Look, I think it's just that the amount of uh you know, mix of people that we've got here. I've noticed the demographics this year, like quite considerable, a lot more younger people than class. So I think that's a good idea. You know, it's a good thing that the conference is opening up to serve a wider span of our members, which is really awesome.
SPEAKER_05And have you ever heard such an applause, loud applause when Cairns was announced for next year? There you go. How massive was that?
SPEAKER_02I mean, if you're gonna if you're gonna have a conference, I reckon Cairns would be a great place to have. Last time we were there, it was it was nuts, it was really good. Gives everybody an opportunity to go and have the holiday at the end of it as well.
SPEAKER_05Absolutely. So get on board everyone. So we've got Cairns first weekend in June 2027. Yep. Um neurological disorders is the theme, and we've already started working on bringing presenters into the into the rain forest. So, yes, it's gonna be fantastic. So, uh thanks a lot, uh Gaz for sharing your thoughts. Exactly. Hopefully, we'll see you there next year.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, we'll see you in Cairns.