At The Way Wellness Hub on Nicklin Way, Currimundi, acupuncturist and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) practitioner Kirby Quin pours a raspberry leaf and chamomile tea, and speaks openly about her passion for women’s health — the heart of her business, Women and the Way.
Kirby’s interest in natural therapies began early, shaped by her mother and grandmother, who treated her childhood ailments with herbal concoctions instead of Panadol. By 20, she was immersed in sports, massaging and strapping teammates and experimenting with herbs—already sensing her path in holistic healing.
A trip overseas introduced her to McTimoney therapy, a gentle, full-body approach to chiropractic care, expanding her view of what natural medicine could offer.
A pivotal moment came upon her return to Australia when she met renowned Doctor of Chinese Medicine Kirsten Wolfe. “I watched Kirsten treat a pale, vomiting child. Within 15 minutes, that same child was up and playing. I was amazed—I signed up to the Chinese medicine degree the next week, finished my training and went to her courses. I’ve learnt everything I know about fertility through her.”
Kirsten’s approach—centred on whole-body support—now informs Kirby’s work at Women and the Way. Initially drawn to pregnancy care, she worked closely with midwifery teams before shifting focus to fertility and postpartum. “I love being part of a woman’s journey through her fertile years. Postpartum, especially, is so overlooked. It’s a vital time for recovery and renewal.”
Kirby says support for women trying to conceive is often lacking. “Many are told, ‘Just try for a year, then are sent to IVF.’ But the right blood tests aren’t being done, and there’s little guidance on lifestyle or nutrition,” she explains. “Often it comes down to missing nutrients. Mainstream advice stops at folate, but we go further—iron, magnesium, B vitamins, choline and iodine. Our soils are depleted, and so are we.”
“Women experience 28-day cycles with constant hormonal shifts,” she continues. “Your period tells you how your body is functioning—and learning to read those signs is empowering.”
Kirby also finds insight in the emotional rhythms of the cycle. “Consider that PMS-related anger is often about what we haven’t let go of before entering a new cycle.” She notes that post-period, the body is at its most “yin”, making it a crucial time for rest and nourishment.
She also references the idea of seven-year cycles. “Women are said to evolve in seven-year stages, while men grow in eight. These phases often bring profound physical, emotional, and spiritual changes.” I’ve developed healing packages that recognise these transitions through preconception, pregnancy, postpartum, and menopause. They help women to tune in and care for themselves with greater awareness.
Beyond her one-on-one practice, Kirby’s vision has expanded into a collaborative model for natural health practitioners. The Way Wellness Hub emerged from a need for connection, shared learning, and community care. “Practitioners often burn out trying to sustain solo practices,” she says. “By working together in one space, we can support each other and grow.”
This September, Kirby will co-host Voices of the Deep—a women’s retreat at Shelly Beach—with adventure therapist Bridget Kruger. The retreat offers four to eight days of nourishing food, voice activation, acupuncture, and havening—a gentle technique to support trauma recovery and ease anxiety. There’ll be dance classes led by Abby Wake of The Inbodied Woman, and the rare chance to swim alongside migrating whales. “Each baby whale passing through our shores adds a new note to their song,” Kirby says. “It’s the sound of creation itself.”
