Celebrating 15 Years of PANM

Today marks 15 years of Peninsula Acupuncture and Natural Medicine in Mornington!

After graduating in 2007 and working on cruise ships until 2009, Peninsula Acupuncture and Natural Medicine began from my parents’ house in Merricks North. Whilst the scenery there was calming and beautiful, some clients were understandably deterred by the inland drive and dirt roads. And, fairly enough, my parents were also ready for me to move my clients out of their home!

After an extensive search around Mornington, 2/321 Main Street was chosen. Setting up the clinic was daunting, although my parents were a huge support at the time and continued to offer guidance along the way. I was 26, unsure whether the clinic would be successful, and unsure whether we would even be welcomed into the Mornington community.

Around the time of opening, I received a phone call that I now look back on as pivotal to the clinic’s success, with long time practitioner Janette reaching out to see if I’d be interested in having her join me. She was the perfect Yin to my Yang, and with her and two remedial massage therapists, we opened the clinic on January 15th, 2011. To my surprise and relief, the clinic gained traction fairly quickly and we were busy from early on. Over the 11 years in that location, both patient numbers and staff grew significantly, and by 2020 we had outgrown the space and relocated to 3 Main Street.

A clinic is only ever as successful as its people. I have been incredibly lucky to work with so many dedicated, skilful, and professional team members over the past 15 years. I want to make special mention of Janette, Michelle, and Tam, who have each spent over 10 years at the clinic and have all been pivotal to its success. There have also been many other team members who have worked at the clinic and moved on over the years, and I’m deeply grateful to every one of them.

There has been a huge amount of personal growth and learning over these years as an owner, manager, and practitioner. I’ve learnt to let go of the small things more, focus on the bigger picture, and work harder at supporting the team and being approachable. I also know there’s still plenty of room for growth in all of these areas.

Lastly, thank you to every client who has ever walked through the doors. From the moment we opened in 2011, the community has embraced the clinic. While helping people improve their health is incredibly fulfilling, the long-term relationships formed over the years, often across families, are one of the most rewarding parts of working in allied health.

In that time, we’ve used countless needles, seen over 100,000 clients, survived torrential storms and power outages, a burglary, a major street fire, street closures, a grumpy politician neighbour who complained about everything, and a global pandemic. And we’re still here, doing what we love and doing our best to support the Mornington community.

Thanks for being part of the journey. Enjoy our photos throughout the years!

Steve