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Rehabilitation | Dance Movement Therapy | Yoga Therapeutics
About The Soulful Physio Practice
Approach:
I see every client as more than just their condition. I take the time to listen deeply—to understand your story, your lifestyle, and the goals that matter most to you. This helps me look beyond the surface of your symptoms and explore the bigger picture of what’s contributing to your health challenges.
Work:
In each session, my focus is not only on easing symptoms but also on addressing their underlying causes. I want you to walk away with practical tools, insights, and confidence to care for yourself beyond our appointments. I believe real progress happens when you feel empowered to tune into your body, recognise its signals, and respond with awareness.
Areas of Focus:
My work combines evidence-based physiotherapy with a holistic lens. I have a particular interest in chronic conditions, fatigue, nervous system health, and the influence of mindset and belief systems on recovery. Alongside physiotherapy, I often weave in movement therapy, mindful practices, and gentle energy-based approaches to create a treatment style that is evidence-based, yet soul-led.
My Values:
Compassion, presence, and respect guide every interaction. My aim is to create a safe, supportive space where you feel understood and encouraged—while also being challenged to grow. For me, being a practitioner is not only about restoring movement and function, but about helping people reconnect with themselves and move forward with confidence.
A little About Me.
Hello!
I’m Sneha Rajagopalan, a senior physiotherapist, Dance Movement Therapy practitioner, and founder of The Soulful Physio
Sne·ha Ra·ja·go·pa·lan
/ˈsneɪ·hɑ/ · /ˈrɑː·dʒə·goʊ·pɑː·lən/
noun
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Sanskrit origin: Sneha means affection, compassion, love
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Rajagopalan combines raja (king, guide) and Gopalan (protector, nurturer)
Together: One who brings warmth, compassion, and guidance to others; a protector who leads with care.
I’m on a mission to make movement enjoyable, realistic, and empowering; not just a checklist of exercises to get through.
My focus is on helping people explore their movement capacity and gently improve their capabilities in ways that feel safe and achievable.
My work goes beyond physical outcomes. Just because you’re ageing or living with a chronic condition, it doesn’t mean you stop being you. Therapy with me is about reclaiming yourself—finding confidence, expression, rewiring your nervous system, resetting your health beliefs and connection in your body, despite the challenges you face.
That’s why I created The Soulful Physio: to blend evidence-based physiotherapy with holistic, meaningful and embodied practices like Dance Movement Therapy and Yoga Therapeutics.
In every session, we focus on what matters to you—whether it’s moving more freely at home, feeling safer in the community, or reconnecting with your sense of self.
At its heart, my approach is about movement with meaning: restoring strength and balance while also helping you feel grounded, joyful, and fully yourself.
Professional Focus.
I hold a Bachelor of Physiotherapy from Charles Sturt University and am a current research candidate, exploring the role of Dance Movement Therapy in supporting people with Functional Neurological Disorder (FND). My research work is contributing to publications in the areas of FND and creative, movement-based rehabilitation.
Alongside research, I work directly in the community as a mobile neurological physiotherapist. My clinical experience spans:
- Neurology and disability
- Chronic disease management, including chronic pain and chronic fatigue
- Falls prevention and functional rehab
- Aged care and community-based therapy
- Respiratory Physiotherapy
I also draw on my background in dance, weaving creativity and rhythmn into therapy to make movement engaging, empowering, and meaningful.
Beyond client care, I mentor and supervise junior physiotherapists and was honoured to be nominated for Best Clinical Mentor by the Australian Physiotherapy Association (APA). I’ve also presented at the APA Conference, speaking on the balance between ethics, innovation, and neurological rehabilitation.
At the heart of everything I do is a simple belief: rehabilitation should restore not just movement, but also joy, confidence, and connection. I want you to look forward to physio sessions, knowing that you will be ticking off your goals.
My Unique Approach.
I believe physiotherapy should fit into your life. The exercises we do, should have some connection to something you want to achieve in your everyday life. That is why, I take it as my goal to create therapy that is realistic, enjoyable, and deeply personal.
One of my clients, an amputee, had a personal goal: she wanted to start dating again without her disability being noticed right away. Together, we practiced in places where dates usually happen—cafés, parks, and even ten-pin bowling. We worked on the movements, pacing, stairs, and mobility strategies that she would need so that when the moment came, she could focus on being herself. By doing so, her altered mobility, or balance disturbance would not give away her disability. Her disability would only be revealed when she chose to share it.
That’s what makes my approach unique: therapy that protects dignity, builds confidence, and prepares people for the life they want to live. Whether it’s preventing falls, improving balance, or making sure someone can enjoy meaningful moments like a walk in the park or a night out, I design therapy that goes beyond exercise—it’s movement woven into real life
Practice Areas
Disability
Disability is one of my areas of passion. I love helping people live active and meaningful lives, supporting individuals with disabilities to be confident, engaged members of their communities and leaders of their own lives. My approach is about building skills, capacity, and independence in very unique ways that feel practical, enjoyable, and empowering. You'll be doing physio, and you won't even realise it!
Conditions supported:
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Developmental disorders
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Spinal cord injury
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Intellectual Disability
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Autism
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Down Syndrome
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Limb Amputations
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Other lifelong disabilities
Neurology
Neurology is my bread and butter—my brainchild, if I may.
In our sessions, I’ll help you explore your capacity and discover what your body is still capable of. I believe every time you engage in therapy, you’ll make some kind of gain—and feel proud of yourself for it. I live for those moments when I see the joy on your face as you do something you didn’t even realise was possible.
I am your biggest advocate and cheerleader, and we will celebrate every win together. Where appropriate, I also weave in Yoga Therapeutics and Dance Movement Therapy to offer embodied expression and creative skill-building—so rehab feels empowering, unique, and truly yours
Conditions supported:
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Stroke
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Parkinson's Disease
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Multiple Sclerosis
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Functional Neurological Disorder
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Guilian-Barre Syndrome
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Cerebral Palsy
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Acquired Brain Injury
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Huntington's Disease
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Amongst many others!
Respiratory
This area is deeply personal to me because I live with chronic asthma. And I know this truth: when you can’t breathe, nothing else in the world matters. That’s why I’m passionate about helping people with respiratory conditions feel safe, calm, and confident in their movement.
I prescribe airway clearance devices and personalised strategies to prevent chest infections, maintain strength, and support overall health—with the goal of keeping you well, and out of hospital. Together, we’ll use gentle breathing practices, pacing, and movement to make daily life less stressful and more free.
Conditions supported:
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COPD
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Asthma
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Post COVID recovery
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Bronchiectasis
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Pulmonary Fibrosis
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Respiratory complications as a result of progression of a neurological condition
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And other chronic lung conditions!
Chronic & Complex Conditions
Living with chronic or complex conditions can feel unpredictable and overwhelming. My approach is gentle, flexible, and realistic, with a strong focus on pacing, energy management, and graded exercise exposure—so you can build capacity safely and steadily.
I also use embodied and creative ways of moving—like Dance Movement Therapy and Yoga Therapeutics—alongside progressive muscle relaxation, breathwork, and visualisations. These practices help calm the nervous system, reduce flare-ups, and make movement feel safe, expressive, and enjoyable again.
Together, we’ll explore strategies that protect energy, build resilience, and make daily life more manageable and meaningful
Conditions Supported:
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Chronic Pain
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Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
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Fibromyalgia
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Osteoarthritis
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Rheumatoid Arthritis
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Deconditioning after illness/hospital stay
Falls Prevention & Dignified Ageing
I truly believe getting older should never mean losing yourself. My passion is helping older adults feel steady, strong, and confident, so they can keep living the lives they love.
Together, we’ll focus on real-life movements—like standing up from a chair, climbing steps, or walking in the garden—so therapy feels familiar and practical. Where needed, I’ll gently introduce aids and home strategies, and even practise how to fall safely to reduce fear and build control. I also work in aged care settings, making therapy engaging wherever you live, and I guide support staff in ways that protect your safety without taking away your independence.
Focus Areas:
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Balance/ Strength
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Mobility
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Transfers
