Meet Katrin Gravley from Centred Studios

People Behind the Space: Centred Studios

Katrin Gravley, founder of Centred Studios

In this edition of People Behind the Space, we speak with Katrin Gravley, the founder of Centred Studios, Christchurch’s first wellness coworking hub. With a background in musculoskeletal rehabilitation and a passion for patient-centred care, Katrin shares how her experience in large clinical settings inspired her to create a collaborative, flexible, and holistic space for health professionals.

From informal practitioner collaboration to thoughtfully designed, non-clinical environments, Centred Studios champions community care in a supportive and sustainable way.

What inspired you to create Centred Studios, and how did the idea of a health coworking space come about?

At the beginning of my career in exercise physiology / musculoskeletal rehabilitation, I worked at a multidisciplinary health clinic and really appreciated the knowledge I gathered from other health professionals, like physiotherapists, ergotherapists, psychologists, and orthopaedic surgeons etc.  It was often easier to get buy-in from patients who were concerned whether musculoskeletal rehabilitation was the right approach for them. We were able to discuss as a team the best treatment options for the client and could therefore also share combined knowledge with them. Clients felt more informed and cared for. If you got stuck with the treatment, you had other practitioners you could ask for help or refer to, and therefore you felt supported and also acting in the best interest of your client. Referrals were quick, and clients did not have to wait long to see other practitioners. 

However, the downside about working for a big clinic was that I had to get through too many clients per day, often having only 15 minutes available per person while also dealing with administrative work, like treatment notes, assessment reports, etc. This sort of workload is not sustainable and, in my opinion, also not the right approach in the best interest of clients. Taking time to really listen and also helping clients with their potential fear of movement requires trust, and that can only be developed by building a rapport. Overworked health professionals burn out and, as a result, may lack empathy (one of the main reasons they got into health in the first place)  and may also miss important information as they just don’t have enough time. 

So while I see the many benefits that come from working with other health practitioners, I didn’t want to work under a big provider that would dictate how many clients I was seeing, plus other regulations depending on the provider and which contracts they had with ACC. So my thought was that if I felt like that, there were probably a lot of other health practitioners out there who felt similar. Who had either started their own little business from home (like myself) or a small office space, or were hoping to do so in the near future. Signing a long-term lease when starting out on your own, plus all the other expenses associated with a business, is scary, and not everybody has the means to do so. Working from home can get lonely, and you can feel isolated. The idea was born to create a health co-working space that would allow practitioners to work under their own company but encourage collaboration for the benefit of our clients.

Centred Studios is the first wellness coworking hub in Christchurch. Why was it important for you to introduce this model to the city?

Christchurch is a rapidly growing city that is trying to not only meet the demands of an increased population, but it is still trying to find its feet from the enormous impact of the earthquakes and COVID-19. Many health practitioners were forced to retreat to their homes and set up home offices after both of these significant events. I think with the growth of Co-working spaces in Christchurch, we have direct evidence that people need to get out of their houses and back to socialising while still maintaining their work rhythm and productivity.

Being able to pay a membership fee as opposed to a long-term lease has made this a much more feasible option. For many health and wellness practitioners, this is a bit more difficult because of the need for specialist equipment and private spaces. There needed to be a solution, particularly since I had been dreaming of creating a multidisciplinary space like this for almost ten years, but had small children who needed more of my time. Over the years, this dream was shaped in different ways, and with the increasing number of co-working spaces for the general working market, it felt like this could be a model that could work, but we would have to do it slightly differently for health practitioners.

My original plan with Kama was to start with just us two and see where this was taking us. However, the big office space came u,p and it was a matter of jump or run, and I decided to jump. Evil Genius Co-working Space were an enormous help and a huge motivator and cheerleader in getting us up and running. In fact, it has been incredible how many people jumped in and gave a helping hand in getting this project going. 

Can you tell us about the types of practitioners who work at Centred Studios and how collaboration happens day to day?

Currently, we are having 

• - a physiotherapist - focusing on holistic patient-centred care - getting to the base of the problem of often times complex cases
• - a psychologist - primary areas of treatment include traumatic brain injury, pain, and trauma
• - a massage therapist - specialised in deep tissue massage and Bowen therapy
• - a dietitian - areas of expertise include digestive health (e.g., IBS, SIBO, IBD, coeliac disease) and women’s health (e.g., hormonal disorders, fertility, pregnancy), as well as patients managing autoimmune disorders
• - and on a casual basis (on demand), a holistic health practitioner

at Centred Studios. 

Kama (physiotherapist) and myself have been working together for several years (each from our home), and at some point the idea came up to share a space and make working together easier as we could see mutual clients for a brief handover without having to also calculate the time of traveling. Without her, I would have probably not risked this endeavor. She is an amazing physiotherapist, and I can fully trust that when I refer someone to her, that client is well taken care of.

Collaboration usually happens rather informally. I might, for example, have a client that I feel has something going on that is beyond my knowledge, but just strikes me as something that requires further investigation.  I might run this by Kama over a cup of coffee, or just call her into my studio space when I am with the client and she is available. I might point out my observations and ask her opinion (with the consent of the client). If appropriate, she will then arrange an appointment with the client. The other way around, Kama might treat someone for the initial phase post-traumatic injury and hand them over to me, when they are ready for musculoskeletal rehab  / Pilates Rehabilitation to return to their sport, or for future injury prevention by helping to improve posture and muscle balance.

Occasionally, we treat at the same time as for example at the moment, for someone who has had significant postural changes due to cancer treatment. While I am working on flexibility and functional strengthening to correct posture, Kama assists in releasing scar tissue as well as treating the other effects of the cancer treatment. 

Some of my clients have auto-immune diseases or suffer from gut issues that the dietitian can assist with.  Collaboration between the physiotherapist and the psychologist happens regularly due to complex pain management or acute head injuries. Deep tissue massage can be an amazing tool to improve muscle activation and relaxation more readily than just exercise itself, or in other words, we will be able to see results quicker than if we only did one of those. 

What are the biggest benefits for health and wellness professionals working in a shared space like Centred Studios compared to more traditional setups?

Everyone is their own boss and can work the hours and days they like. They are in charge of their own work routine and the time they want to allocate to each client without taking the risk of a long-term rent and additional expenses like power, internet, security, cleaners, etc.  We are offering three months' cancellation of the room lease agreement and casual / on-demand rates that include all costs.  Rooms are already set up, so no additional initial expenses for room set up, like a treatment bed, massage table, privacy screens, etc. 

At the same time, practitioners will meet and collaborate with like-minded healthcare professionals, will have in the future the opportunity for in-services / professional development, etc., and will build a network of healthcare providers that they can trust. 

Holistic and integrated care is a key part of your vision. How does the studio environment help support that for clients?

My personal journey brought me from a Sports and Exercise Science Degree, to a PG Dip in Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation and Sports Nutrition, to Pilates. I loved the way that the Pilates Method looks at the body as a whole. Not one “wonky knee” that started hurting when running, but rather why has that knee been injured or overused? What is the postural alignment like? How is the functional movement and core stability potentially contributing to the knee instability or overload? 

On a personal level, I have struggled for 20 years with autoimmune diseases and found that often times we need not one approach but look at a multitude of systems, like stress management, diet, movement, medication, supplements, etc. 

At Centred Studios, I wanted to create a space that doesn’t feel clinical but that creates a sense of welcoming and warmth. Coloured walls, art and plants, quiet and calming music, relaxing smells, and some laughter and fun. The rooms are designed in this way and are further developing in this direction as we are growing in practitioners. Like a house, I feel this space needs to grow organically in “personality” with the people working in it. And a vision I had a couple of months ago, doesn’t necessarily seem right anymore now but something else feels more fitting. 

The most important part for all the people working at Centred Studios is getting the best outcome for our clients. Being their advocate and helping them navigate their health journey to the best of our knowledge. I might not be the best treatment option for everyone but I will do my best to find the person that is. Additionally, I am aiming to find a broad range of health practitioners and am currently looking for an osteopath, female health physiotherapist, acupuncturist, podiatrist, and ergotherapist.

What has been the most rewarding moment for you since launching Centred Studios?

After the initial sense of overwhelm with all the things that needed doing all at once, I think the sense that this can actually work out and it’s not just a dream, and that the people that are working at Centred are really great, is just such an amazing feeling. I have incredible Pilates instructors working for me who all have internationally recognized qualifications, a profound knowledge of anatomy and physiology,  and the other practitioners are amazing in what they are doing.  Everyone seems to enjoy themselves here and get along. 

What makes me really happy is when I can actually help someone, and when collaboration works. It is the best feeling when someone who has been in pain comes into the studio, looking forward to their next session with a big smile on their face.

What kind of feedback have you received from both practitioners and their clients about the shared space model?

Very positive, as everyone thinks it is such a good idea and can see the benefit for clients and practitioners alike. 

As Centred Studios continues to grow, what kind of community and culture are you hoping to foster within the space?

I want this space to be known for its exceptional health practitioners and care for clients. Quality over Quantity has been my motto all along, and those are the practitioners I am looking for. The culture within is professional and kind, but also grows organically. So no one is forced to have small talk if they have a busy day and they just need to rush in and out between clients, but also, when you have time, see if someone else wants a coffee as well, if you happen to make one.

If you could collaborate with any health or wellness leader, either local or international, who would it be and why?

Sorry, I am drawing a blank on this one as I have a few inspirations in my line of work, but not one person who represents everything I admire. I am personally drawn at the moment to female health, and from this perspective, there are a few physiotherapists in the States that seem to be leading in this field. I would like to learn more from them for sure. 

What’s next for Centred Studios? Are there any new offerings, expansions, or goals you’re working toward?

So many ideas …

Firstly, there needs to be a few more renovations done, and from what I learned from the landlord, the studio front is going to be renewed,d which will improve the street appeal. 

Then I would like to add a few more practitioners (as stated above) to our space and increase what we can offer to our clients. 

In the future, I see regular workshops for clients covering different fields within our practitioner community and their respective expertise, and in-service/professional development workshops for practitioners working here. 

Also, following some collaborations with some other businesses in the community, like our neighbour Evil Bar and Lair, and Lady Lash around the corner, I am intending to find more ways to include other businesses in the community. The next project will be with The Nourish Food Company, a business run by one of my clients. We might offer a Saturday morning healthy breakfast with class for at least one of the Winter months to make getting out of bed and taking care of oneself that much easier and appealing. 

Personally, I would like to increase my knowledge in female health and cancer rehabilitation. 

Quite a list for the rest of the year 🙂

DISCOVER Centred Studios