“The only people who should do massage are those who are passionate about healing, about getting other people better”, says Blanca Quincoces who, in 2006, created The Balmain Massage Centre (as it was called then) with Eric Hendriks.
This is evident in the way therapists working at Balmain Massage & Wellness introduce themselves: the words passion and passionate recur often even though they all come from different backgrounds. They also have in common a solid technical preparation – everyone has at least a Diploma in Remedial Massage or equivalent and several years’ experience, which not only means that our clients get rebates from their health funds for treatments that qualify but, more importantly, that their valuable bodies are in good hands.
Blanca Quincoces
HICAPS Registered
Blanca opened Balmain Massage & Wellness in 2006."I enjoy every day I spend at the Centre", says Blanca. "I've got such a lovely bunch of clients, we talk, swap stories... many of them have become friends." She's done much research on the impact of the mind on the body and often uses this knowledge in her treatments.
Eric Hendriks
HICAPS Registered
Eric is a legend. He's been with us since day one, when he partnered Blanca in creating BM&W. To our more active clients he offers over 20 years' experience in remedial, deep tissue trigger point and sports massage often using active, passive and resisted stretching techniques. Eric is also an accomplished pregnancy masseur - so if you need help carrying your bundle, Eric can easily accommodate.
Nana Yoshida
HICAPS Registered
Like all therapists at Balmain Massage & Wellness, Osaka born-and-bread Nana has a Diploma of Remedial Massage - but she has also a real gift in assessing what treatment clients may need. After several years in tourism and - on and off - in the hospitality industry, Nana feels she's doing something more useful and rewarding. Clients seem to agree.
Dasha Dubska
HICAPS Registered
Dasha is gentle and caring and her massages reflect that. On top of her standard Western massage modalities she has an interest in lomi-lomi, the traditional Hawaiian form of massage, where the rhythmic strokes mimic the ocean waves.
Luciana Santana
HICAPS Registered
Luciana has been a physiotherapist for over 10 years, as well as a RM therapist. Her massages are just when you need if your joints are playing up or have niggling injuries. She's also qualified as a Lymphatic Drainage therapist - great for those post-ops situations or whenever unwanted fluids accumulate in the body.
Cindy Whiteley
HICAPS Registered
Cindy is a fully rounded massage therapist with a special interest in treating sports people. She has been playing rugby league for over 14 years, experiencing quite a few soft tissue injuries herself. Her passion for massage therapy and health and fitness in general was born there.
Lulu Mo
HICAPS Registered
Lulu (shorthand for Shanlu Mo) has been a remedial massage therapist for several years, getting her RM diploma in Australia in addition to her training in traditional Chinese massage, which has given her a deeper understanding of human anatomy. She finds that the combination of Eastern and Western medicines helps her with precise diagnoses.
Leonie Macpherson
HICAPS Registered
Leonie is a multi-skilled therapist with qualifications in remedial massage and beauty therapy. Her remedial treatments are blended with relaxation techniques to help optimise healing. Blessed with healing hands and a calm nature, Leonie’s massages are therapeutic, reviving and relaxing.
Lucky Klangphimai
HICAPS Registered
Lucky's style has evolved from pure Thai massage - after all, she's from Thailand - to something more layered, with soothing strokes that invite relaxation. But she's also a very effective deep tissue/sports therapist - she has some of the strongest thumbs in the business and can use them to work very effectively on those troublesome trigger points that can make life so hard for your neck, shoulders, back and legs.
Yukino Moriyama
HICAPS Registered
If you are into yoga, then Yukino Moriyama is the person you want to see, As well as a fully qualified massage therapist (like all our people) she's an accomplished Ashtanga yogi, able to twist into the most incredible positions. Diminutive she may be, but surprisingly strong as well.
Ana Paula Lopes
NOT YET HICAPS REGISTERED
Ana Paula is physiotherapist in her native Brazil, a pilates instructor in Sydney and a fierce competitor in bodybuilding, recently becoming NSW champ in her category. So she knows a thing or two about bodies... Her massage are very technical, honing easily into problem areas. And she has a very engaging personality.
Yukiko Kanemura
HICAPS Registered
Yukiko Kanemura has over 15 years of experience in the health and fitness industry across Japan, the United States, Canada, and more recently Australia. A mother of two boys aged 4 and 1.5, she believes a healthy body can improve one's mental state, and vice versa, and feels a strong responsibility to help others achieve this balance. She has an Australian Diploma of Remedial Massage as well as a Diploma in Sport Sciences, and she is also a certified personal trainer and Pilates instructor. With her enthusiastic, friendly, dynamic, and open-minded personality, Yukiko is dedicated to providing a positive and beneficial experience to all her clients.
Paula Kimberley
Not yet HICAPS Registered.
Paula is a massage therapist with many years' experience but also a yoga teacher and breathwork facilitator. She says she loves "the intricacies and connections of physical emotional and spiritual levels of the human being. Nothing brings me greater joy than to know you feel amazing after a massage." A Balmain resident from way back, she also loves skiing, art, architecture, healing arts, traditional Chinese philosophy "...and of course travelling to exotic locations and food glorious food".
Luana Camazzola
HICAPS Registered
Luana is yet another of our band of capable and lovely Brazilian therapists. She's fully qualified with a Diploma of Remedial Massage, but even before she got her formal qualifications our talent spotters recommended we made sure she worked with us.In fact, even before she got her provider numbers (enabling her to offer rebates to clients with private health funds), client comments had been extremely positive.
Luana loves the outdoors including camping, trusts her instincts and believes that good energy and good vibes are fundamental to happiness. And she exudes lots of good vibes!
Gaby Florit
HICAPS REGISTERED
Gabriel "Gaby" Florit has taught Remedial Massage to several of our therapists during his years in Australia. He will continue assisting our therapists in their development, but will also treat some of our clients with techniques such as PNF, Myofascial Release, Functional Release, Trigger Point Therapy, and Active and Passive Muscle Release, ensuring a personalized and effective wellness experience. He honed his skills as a Personal Trainer and a Therapist in his native Spain and then in Australia, so Gaby leverages his unique blend of knowledge in fitness and massage to assess and enhance his clients' overall well-being and quality of life.
Ibrahim Mansour
HICAPS Registered
Equally fluent in English, Italian and Arabic, Ibrahim Mansour has been working with athletes for more than 10 years, gathering a range of experience with both acute and chronic sport injuries. He treats muscles and fascia to help restore function while alleviating pain and discomfort. "I have a passion for helping people with their physical performance to reach their health and fitness goals from the ground up", says Ibrahim, who also volunteers in aged care institutes and hospitals.He says family, friends and tennis (at the Ken Rosewall Centre) keep him physically and emotionally balanced.
