Our Team
Our Team of Practitioners
Shannon Gibson
Acupuncturist
Shannon Gibson’s inspiration for Blue Wren Acupuncture developed after her own experience with health and fertility issues. From her very first experience with acupuncture, a passion quickly developed for supporting people to achieve their own personal goals and find happiness using Chinese medicine. With her gentle, compassionate and thorough approach, she takes the time to truly understand her patients’ health concerns and develops carefully considered treatment plans that encourage long term health.
Shannon’s treatments involve techniques including acupuncture, Chinese cupping, gua sha (spooning) and Chinese herbal medicine, together with diet and lifestyle advice according to Chinese medicine principles.
She is fully qualified and registered with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA), a member of ANTA, and is covered by all major funds for private health insurance rebates on acupuncture consultations.
Shannon was awarded the dux award for the study of Chinese medicine at SSNT in 2016. She then pursued advanced courses into a form of acupuncture particularly well suited for chronic pain (Dr Tan’s balance method). Master Tung style acupuncture, and also auricular acupuncture. She also completed several further courses into her special interest areas of fertility and maternity acupuncture.
Her clinic is upstairs at The Laneway, Level 2, 127 Thomas St Brighton East. Book now to reserve your time with Shannon.
Nikki Hills
Acupuncturist
Nikki Hills’ passion for improving overall wellbeing for her patients began in 2011. Facing health and fertility challenges herself, she made the conscious decision to leave her Corporate career behind and focus on empowering patients and working with them to achieve better health outcomes, in a considerate and respectful way.
Nikki graduated with a Diploma of Remedial Massage in 2011, treating patients for nearly 10 years in a busy Bayside Physio clinic, helping them achieve both their health and personal goals. It was during this time she completed her certification in Myofascial Dry Needling, thus her passion for therapeutic needling was ignited!
Pursuing a qualification in Acupuncture and Chinese Herbal medicine seemed the next logical step, graduating from SSNT with a Bachelor of Health Science, in both specialties. Utilising her professional qualifications and life experience, Nikki’s caring and focused approach is about treating the whole person, through a combination of therapeutic and preventative practices, to redress imbalances and disharmony in her patients. She utilises acupuncture, cupping, gua sha (spooning), massage, Chinese herbal medicine plus diet and lifestyle recommendations, to promote sustained physical and emotional wellbeing.
Nikki is fully qualified and registered with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA), a member of ANTA, and is covered by all major funds for private health insurance rebates on Acupuncture, Chinese Herbal Medicine and Remedial Massage consultations.
Elissa Phippen
Naturopath
Elissa Phippen is an experienced Naturopath with a passion for helping others become their optimal selves. Elissa has been practicing naturopathy since graduating from Endeavour College of Natural Health in 2011 with a Bachelor of Health Science (Naturopathy). Alongside her professional practice, she managed a busy health food store renowned for supporting people with allergies and intolerances. She has also been a professional member of the Australian Traditional Medicine Society for over 10 years.
Her journey to Naturopathy started with her own experience where she noticed gaps in the health system, especially in relation to managing chronic health conditions. Naturopathy helped her in so many ways, and most of all in becoming a mum.
Elissa’s passion is for helping people get to the bottom of their dis-ease state. She loves analysing and doing deep dives into how and why a person’s health has become unbalanced, creating unwanted symptoms. She educates people about their health and how fascinating the body really is in its innate ability to heal itself, given the right conditions. She feels that the best part of her job is taking the time to listen to you and your health story, and then seeing you thrive after implementing your personalised health plan.
Elissa works with all aspects of fertility, whether that be at the start of the fertility journey, maintaining a pregnancy or post-partum and helps couples achieve optimal health and wellbeing. Alongside fertility, she also has particular interests in supporting mental and digestive health as well as providing naturopathic advice for acute health conditions.
Book an appointment at Blue Wren Acupuncture clinic for acupuncture, Chinese herbal medicine, cupping, or gua sha massage.