About Me
About Me
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Ruth Troughton (Physiotherapist)
NZ Registered Physiotherapist Dip Phyty (Otago), BA (Mus) (UC),
PGDipHealSc (Mental Health)
FASLMCertified Lifestyle Medicine Practitioner (ASLM)
From teenage years, Ruth has had an interest in ‘how people tick’. This, and many life experiences for her and her family, have been formative influences, stimulating reflection, curiosity, and leading her into her work in mental health.
Ruth is a NZ Registered Physiotherapist, with over 20 years’ experience in general Physiotherapy as well as Mental Health. She has worked in a number of clinical areas in hospital settings (spinal injuries, musculoskeletal/orthopaedics, outpatients and older persons health). However, more than half of her experience has been in Mental Health contexts, including 6 years as Clinical Leader Physiotherapy, Specialist Mental Health Services, CDHB. During this time she played a key role in initiatives to embed the importance of physical health in mental health, along with wellbeing and lifestyle practices both as a programme framework and therapy interventions. Ruth’s passion for a neurobiological model of mental health (with non-medication and lifestyle approaches), and for ongoing learning and educating others is evident in the 40+ presentations to stakeholders such as clinical staff, students and educators on a range of topics, within the organisation, across sector and nationally. She also contributed to several webpages on ‘Healthpathways’ and developed resources for clients, now available on https://www.healthinfo.org.nz/ Ruth has a keen interest in and experience with complex and neurodevelopmental trauma, work with children, adolescents and their families, as well as with adults, and with other mental health conditions. Her approach works with dysregulated physiology, arousal states, sensorimotor processing and movement dysfunctions, as well as (chronic/persistent) pain, and the bidirectional interactions with emotion, mood, implicit memory, and behaviours.
Ruth is a NZ Registered Physiotherapist, with over 20 years’ experience in general Physiotherapy as well as Mental Health. She has worked in a number of clinical areas in hospital settings (spinal injuries, musculoskeletal/orthopaedics, outpatients and older persons health). However, more than half of her experience has been in Mental Health contexts, including 6 years as Clinical Leader Physiotherapy, Specialist Mental Health Services, CDHB. During this time she played a key role in initiatives to embed the importance of physical health in mental health, along with wellbeing and lifestyle practices both as a programme framework and therapy interventions. Ruth’s passion for a neurobiological model of mental health (with non-medication and lifestyle approaches), and for ongoing learning and educating others is evident in the 40+ presentations to stakeholders such as clinical staff, students and educators on a range of topics, within the organisation, across sector and nationally. She also contributed to several webpages on ‘Healthpathways’ and developed resources for clients, now available on https://www.healthinfo.org.nz/ Ruth has a keen interest in and experience with complex and neurodevelopmental trauma, work with children, adolescents and their families, as well as with adults, and with other mental health conditions. Her approach works with dysregulated physiology, arousal states, sensorimotor processing and movement dysfunctions, as well as (chronic/persistent) pain, and the bidirectional interactions with emotion, mood, implicit memory, and behaviours.
In 2021, Ruth established a mental health physiotherapy private practice under the name provided by tangata whenua – Te Whakamana Oranga embodying her mahi with individuals living with mental health conditions as well as resourcing other clinicians.
Ruth contributed a chapter to a book about the Internal Family Systems psychotherapeutic model, describing application of this in her clinical practice:
Troughton, ER, (2023) IFS – A Physiotherapist’s Perspective, in Redfern, E & Foot, H (Eds) Freeing Self: IFS Beyond the Therapy Room, Ben Allen Publishing Chapter 3 (pp 49-65).
In addition to her private practice, in 2024 Ruth commenced in a newly created part-time role for Physiotherapy within the Paediatric Consult Liaison Team, providing psychiatric services for children and adolescents under the care of paediatricians at Christchurch Public Hospital.
Ruth also loves exploring the natural beauty of NZ. With a background in music she enjoys singing and playing a number of instruments, listening to and incorporating aspects of music into physiotherapy interventions as appropriate. She has also worked in voluntary roles with women, children and adolescents, leadership and faith-based community development.