About Us
Johanna Hampson , Physiotherapist - details coming soon
Michael Kokinos, Physiotherapist / Principal
Michael has held posts as a senior neurological physiotherapist and as an adviser on the NT Disability Advisory Council to the Australian Government on health and disability programs in rural/remote areas. This was well before the roll out of the NDIS. He holds a Masters of Remote Health Management from Flinders University's Centre for Remote Health in Alice Springs, NT.
Michael moved to Katherine, NT in 2002, to work on a project to increase therapy services to people living in remote Aboriginal people with disabilities. He founded Blue Sky Therapies in 2006. He has worked closely with families with a somatic approach to trauma rehabilitation at a crisis centre in Katherine since 2010.
Michael has broad experience in cross-cultural encounter in education, health and community development projects in India , Nepal , Indonesia and the USA . He has worked closely with Arhnem Land Aboriginal communities and schools and has been invited by local Aboriginal controlled medical organisations to work as a healer for their elders and health workers.
Also a musician, Michael recorded with Tom E. Lewis and collaborated with senior Arnhem Land songmen to perform at the annual 'Walking with Spirits' festival near Beswick/Wuggular community. He trained for 5 years to become a certified as a TaKeTiNa Rhythm facilitator, holding workshops internationally.
Since 2007, Michael has made regular visits to a number of schools to develop a ‘health promoting’ approach. Annually in India and Australia, Michael has worked as a faculty member teaching a 'health promoting school' curriculum as well as community development with a focus on organizational health, resilience and wellness. In 2018 he was a keynote speaker in WECAN conferences in the USA. In 2019 he delivered a keynote lecture in the Switzerland IASWECE Kindergarten conference. In 2015.
Cultural Advisor : Miliwanga Wurrben : Elder, Artist, Educator ,Traditional Healer
Mili is a traditional Rembarrgna woman from Central Arnhem Land. Miliwanga speaks eight languages and is a gifted presenter and educator on cultural awareness, traditional medicine/healing and Aboriginal sprituality. Mili conducts our cultural training in Katherine NT. She is regularly invited to speak at conferences and forums and has facilitated workshops with Amnesty International and Oxfam relating to the UN Declarations for Indigenous Peoples of the World. Miliwanga also a visual artist, weaver, cultural advisor and qualified librarian with a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology and Linguistics. Miliwanga and Michael first met in 2003 and often travel together managing to combine traditional Indigenous healing methodologies with modern western approaches.
Katie Talbot , Exercise Physiologist / Therapy Assistant
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Katie has been a member of the Blue Sky family for many years and most recently she has joined the team as a Therapy Assistant / Exercise Physiologist to deliver therapies to the Katherine community.
Katie grew up in Katherine. Leaving to do her undergraduate degree, only to return 4 years later. Katie has a Bachelor in Sport and Exercise Science and a Masters in Exercise Physiology. She is passionate about helping those in her community. In her spare time Katie enjoys playing with her dog, enjoying everything the NT has to offer and she is also known to get behind the camera as a bit of a photographer." |
Patron - Dr Basil Williams , Osteopathic Physician
Dr Basil Williams is a patron who lives in New York State, USA. He is a practitioner of Biodynamic Osteopathy in the Cranial Field. He teaches this work and is a member of the Cranial Academy. Michael and Basil spent 10 days together in intensive training during both in July 2015 and July 2017. Basil crossed the threshold in 2019