Denise Hamilton-Cousins, acupuncturist
http://dhcacupuncture.co.uk
BSc (Hons) D.O. :
I loved being an osteopath from the moment I began my studies on the bones of the foot. That was over 30 years ago in the South of France. I qualified (in French) in 1994 and in 1995 anglicised my studies at the Oxford School of Osteopathy. I treated my first patient in Petersfield that year – who arrived by taxi then on all fours after slipping on a polished floor in India.
The birth of my first child started a fascination with paediatric Osteopathy. Fortnightly, over four years, I worked at the ‘Osteopathic Centre for Children’ charity in London. I was privileged to be overseen by Europe’s leading paediatric Osteopath Stuart Korth. For twelve years I taught at the London School of Osteopathy where I had the pleasure of designing then running the courses for visceral (the internal organs) and cranial specialities. Also the more doubtful pleasure of writing and marking the final exams.
Full Circle: I was born in London, grew up in South Harting and was made to shop in Petersfield – most grudgingly. Desperate to see the world I went to South Africa to work on a gold mine (level 7,200), later I worked in a cable factory and on a farm. I came back overland to take Chemistry at Imperial College, London. I travelled to Sydney, Australia working as an Employment Consultant then as a set carpenter for Channel 9, Australian TV. Back in London I ran a carpentry business for six years until I left to restore a French farmhouse. Instead I enrolled in Osteopathic school – and so I returned to Petersfield to shop, now happily, and to start practices here and in Godalming. - March 2023
Kim Pritchard D. O.
Kim grew up in Portsmouth, mostly on the beaches. "occasionally I went to school!" she says. As soon as she could travel she went in search of beaches in New Zealand and Australia. she worked for a year with IBM, Australia, before moving on to New Zealand. Here she lived in a camper van while working at the Cadbury's chocolate factory in Dunedin, South Island.
She returned home to begin studies to become a physiotherapist. However she noticed that every time her Mum visited the Osteopath she got better. And so in 1990 Kim enrolled at the remarkable ESO, the European College of Osteopathy in Maidstone. After 4 years of fascinating study she went to work for Caroline Penn, a much revered British Osteopath.
Kim reflects "I began to realise that I could just read in people's bodies what was happening in their lives. I just found an incredible love for people and their life stories."
But the beaches of Southern England drew her back. She currently lives with her three children and two dogs near Thorney Island while practising in both Petersfield and Chichester.
In her spare time Kim is a long distance open water swimmer. She is also a self-confessed addict of 85% Lindt chocolate.
Chuan Lai (Andrew) M.Ost.
I was studying Social and Political Sciences at Cambridge when I was struck by debilitating back pain. For years, I went from GPs to physiotherapists, chiropractors, podiatrists, neurologists, and orthopaedic surgeons—yet nothing truly helped. Then, a friend suggested I visit The Wishing Well Osteopathic Practice. That visit changed everything. My backache eased, since then I never needed to take strong painkillers again. The experienced osteopaths, Chris Grey and Paul, said to me, “You have the hands to become a truly sensitive osteopath.”
I took the idea seriously. Soon after, I enrolled at the prestigious European School of Osteopathy in Maidstone. Osteopathy transformed my life—so now I want to do the same for others. While studying, I was fortunate to learn from Susan Turner, another experienced osteopath with similar approach to Chris', left a lasting impression on me. I developed a keen interest in cranial and visceral osteopathy—where gentle and precise touches can yield powerful results and unlock profound healing and transformative benefits.
Before Osteopathy, I took a different path. I worked as a schoolteacher and later in marketing within my family business. But my own experience with osteopathy eventually led me here.
Outside of work, I am a keen backpacker. My travels through Tibet and India were especially inspiring, allowing me to live and eat with locals and see the world from a different perspective. Meditation is another great passion—mindfulness, loving-kindness, gratitude and boundless space all play a central role in my life. My next adventure is to walk the Camino de Santiago—a journey I feel a strong calling towards.
I firmly believe that health and longevity aren’t just about dieting and exercise—they also include enjoying a good meal with friends and family, and plenty of laughter. I love 95% Lindt chocolate, matcha, and good Thai food! Indeed, Osteopathy is not just about easing pain—it’s about living holistically, in harmony with ourselves, with sentient beings and the environment around us.
