Meet The Backbone Team: Reena Depala

Meet Our Team member Reena! Associate Osteopath at The Backbone Clinics:

Reena qualified from Swansea University and is a member of the Institute of Osteopathy. She has experience in helping patients who are living with conditions which could be affecting not only the muscular-skeletal system but all other systems in the body too. Reena uses a variety of Osteopathy techniques adapting to each individual, including neuromuscular techniques, mobilisations, lymphatic drainage, strain counter strain and many more, which all target to relieve any stress or tension in tissues.

What first attracted you to Osteopathy? 

From a young age I’ve always wanted to help people, which first started with my dad who had lower back pain and I would walk on his back (do not try this at home!) or use my hands to massage and help his pain. Seeing the relief my dad would get made me happy, and then one day I got to first-hand see my dad receive treatment from an osteopath and seeing how hands on and the complete support the osteopath gave is something I really wanted to be able to achieve. The non-invasive nature of helping different people manage their pain and doing this through simply using hands or giving advice is what really attracted me to Osteopathy.  

What have you found most challenging since becoming an Osteopath? 

It has been challenging in seeing how people know so little about what osteopathy is, I believe we are equal to all practioners in the manner we all aim to help people just in different ways, and yet so many people are surprised at how much we know about medicine and being able to treat such a vast number of issues. We are such multifaceted practioners, it is important people are more aware of this so that they can experience the management they may not know they need.  

What’s your most memorable moment as a practitioner? 

Treating a patient who had been diagnosed with HIV and sarcoidosis, and whom had immense artistic talent, unfortunately due to the pain and condition this patient was in, it did not allow the patient to carry on. After coming in to receive osteopathic treatment, I was able to help manage the pain and allow the patient to get back into creating art again. The patient- practitioner relationship that is built, as the trust patients put into us can be so rewarding as you enable them to live their life pain free. 

What surprised you most about the profession?  

How adaptable we are as osteopaths and the attention to detail and the time we take in really supporting our patients, we do not just address the pain, but we put all the pieces together from what the patient does daily to what they eat to what they enjoy doing, in order for the patient to be pain free.  

Can you share a nugget of wisdom for well-being? 

“Three key things in life – your health, your mission, and the people you love. That’s it”. Naval Ravikant

“View health as an investment, not an expense”. John Quelch

What are you doing when you aren’t working? 

Taking time for myself and keeping mind/body fit through attending the gym, fitness classes and practising mindfulness meditation. I love spending time with family and friends, eating good food, watching movies/documentaries, and trying new things!

What makes you smile?  

To put it simply, my family/friends/ the patients I get to treat, nature, music, singing/dancing, giving, and receiving love is what makes me smile.  

Reena works on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays at our Southgate Branch. To book an appointment with Ishita you can call the clinic directly on: 020 8886 8698 or to make an online booking please click here…