The Lane Cove rooms are at 2 Austin Street, directly opposite the Lane Cove Library and a few metres from Longueville Road. If you are coming from the village it is a walk of two or three minutes, and the parking behind the library is the easiest option in the middle of the day.
Lane Cove sends a particular mix of problems through the door. There are the desk-and-commute necks and low backs from St Leonards and the city, the shoulders and elbows of a suburb that plays a lot of tennis, and the knees and Achilles tendons that come with living on a hillside — the stairs down to Tambourine Bay and the streets off Burns Bay Road are their own kind of training load. Lane Cove also has a lot of people in their thirties and forties carrying small children, which is its own demand on a back.
A first appointment is mostly questions and movement testing: where the pain is, what makes it worse, what it stops you doing, and how it has behaved over weeks rather than days. From there you should leave knowing what is proposed, roughly how long it is expected to take, and what would mean changing the plan.
Worth bringing: any imaging or specialist letters you already have, a list of medications, and the shoes you actually walk or train in. If the pain is new and severe, follows a significant fall, or comes with numbness, weakness, fever or any change in bladder or bowel control, see a doctor first — that is a medical assessment, not a treatment question.
The nearest alternative if Lane Cove does not suit you is the Freshwater side, about 14 kilometres away across the Spit.
When a child is struggling, families may not know where to start. Noting the changes and seeking advice about an appropriate local assessment is a sensible first step.
Children do not always say they are anxious or sad. Sometimes distress shows up as stomach aches before school, headaches, trouble sleeping or a sudden reluctance to play sport. Parents may be unsure whether these are physical problems, emotional ones or both, and which service to approach first.
Before any appointment, it helps to record what has changed and when. Useful observations include:
Take these notes to your GP or another appropriate local health professional. Physical symptoms should be properly checked, and your GP can advise on assessment and referral to services designed for children and adolescents.
Services built around grown-ups may not be the right fit for a young person. Children's mental health care often involves specialist training, developmentally appropriate methods and close work with families and schools.
Dr Christine Shen, Acupuncturist, holds psychotherapy qualifications and provides psychological treatment at the Freshwater clinic. If you are thinking about support with her, ask directly about:
Christine will be honest about suitability and will help point you towards specialist services where they fit better.
Every child's needs are different, and the right care depends on age, circumstances and what assessment shows. If you are ever worried about your child's immediate safety, contact emergency services or go to your nearest hospital.
Reaching out on a child's behalf can feel daunting. Your notes and observations are a valuable contribution, and they help the professionals you speak with understand the young person behind the symptoms.
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