Centre of Balance started in 2006 when Tracy Phua came back home to New Zealand. She’d completed her Chinese Medicine studies in Shanghai where she met her husband, Szenan Phua. Tracy began treating fertility patients in late 2006, making house calls with a portable examination table, while Szenan stayed in China to complete his studies.
Szenan came to New Zealand in early 2007 and together they opened Centre of Balance, working from the converted basement of their first home. They moved into premises in Boundary Road and then to the clinic in the Dinsdale Shopping Centre as we know it today. Centre of Balance now has three practitioners in Hamilton, Szenan Phua, Kevin Ma and Monica Ding who treat many patients seeking relief from pain and medical conditions.
Bachelor of Medicine graduate, Acupuncturist & Practitioner of Chinese Medicine, member of FCPAA Malaysia.
Szenan Phua (pronounced Sh’naan Pwa) comes from Malaysia and speaks fluent Mandarin, Cantonese, Hokkien and English. Szenan is the senior practitioner at Centre of Balance.
He undertook his studies in China at Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, completing a five year Bachelor degree majoring in Herbal Medicine, Acupuncture and Tuina (Chinese therapeutic massage).
Szenan had the privilege of studying under some of the most distinguished practitioners in China. Amongst them was Dr Songjing Bian who prescribes herbs according to the ancient classics. Dr Bian is renowned for his treatment of gastrointestinal disorders, tumours, cancer and difficult cases.
Szenan lives in Hamilton with his wife Tracy Phua and their daughter Meia; all devoted vegans and animal rights activists.
Licensed Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioner in New Zealand
Licensed Physician in China
Licensed Pharmacist in China
Yang holds a Master’s Degree in Traditional Chinese Medicine and a Bachelor’s Degree in Medicine.
I am originally from Hebei province in China. I hold a NZ bachelor’s degree of health and science with a major in acupuncture. I am honoured to be an acupuncturist at Centre of Balance.
Hi, my name is Ani and I joined the Centre of Balance team in May of 2024. I am a 2023 Highschool graduate currently studying a Bachelor of Business at Waikato University.
Licensed Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioner in New Zealand
Licensed Physician in China
Licensed Pharmacist in China
Yang holds a Master’s Degree in Traditional Chinese Medicine and a Bachelor’s Degree in Medicine.
From 2012 to 2017, he studied Acupuncture, Moxibustion and Massage at Hubei University of Chinese Medicine. From 2019 to 2022, he pursued a Master’s degree in the Clinical Discipline of Chinese and Western Integrative Medicine at Guizhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, during which time he also completed a three-year standardized residency training in Traditional Chinese Medicine at the Second Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (Guizhou Provincial Hospital of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine). This hospital is a Grade A Tertiary (Class III-A) hospital with approximately 2,600 inpatient beds.
During his postgraduate studies, Yang trained under Professor Xun Zhou, Chief Physician of the Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine at Guizhou Provincial Hospital of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine. Professor Zhou has long specialized in the integrative treatment of respiratory diseases and is highly experienced in managing COPD, asthma, cor pulmonale, and pneumonia. Under Professor Zhou’s supervision, Yang participated in clinical and molecular biology research on the use of traditional Chinese medicine compound formulas—such as Jibei Kechuan Capsules, Feilike Capsules, and Tingli Dazao Xiefei Decoction—in the treatment of AECOPD and COPD.
During his residency training (2019–2022), Yang rotated through multiple clinical departments, including Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Otolaryngology, Pediatrics, Emergency Medicine, Neurology, Acupuncture, Geriatrics, Orthopedics, Tuina, Pharmacy, Hematology, Neurosurgery, Gastroenterology, and Cardiology.
After completing his Master’s degree in 2022, Yang returned to his hometown hospital, where he worked as a resident physician in both the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine and the Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine. In his clinical practice, he independently managed and treated critically ill patients. His clinical experience includes the treatment of asthma, COPD, pneumonia, cor pulmonale, coronary heart disease, hypertension, and other common and critical conditions. In 2023, Yang successfully resuscitated three patients with cardiac arrest.
Yang is highly proficient in Western medicine while also extensively applying Traditional Chinese Medicine, including acupuncture and herbal medicine, in hospital settings. He has used Chinese herbal compound formulas in the treatment of advanced lung cancer, COVID-19, and post-COVID conditions, demonstrating particular strength in integrative, multi-modal, and safety-focused treatment strategies.
Since joining Center of Balance in September 2025, Yang has trained under Szenan Phua, learning Dr.Tan Acupuncture, Jiyi Acupuncture, and advanced Chinese herbal prescribing. These methods have been widely applied in his clinical practice with excellent therapeutic outcomes.
Looking ahead, Yang remains committed to continuous advancement in the field of Traditional Chinese Medicine, further refining his skills in acupuncture and herbal medicine to provide high-quality, integrative medical care to a broader patient population.
Beth started working for Centre of Balance in August 2023. She is also an undergraduate at Waikato university, studying a bachelor of science majoring in chemistry and environmental science.
Outside of work and studying she enjoys modelling for her sister’s photography profile, and spending time with her partner, friends, and family.
Hi, my name is Ani and I joined the Centre of Balance team in May of 2024. I am a 2023 Highschool graduate currently studying a Bachelor of Business at Waikato University.
I enjoy spending time with loved ones and am a big fan of the McLaren Formula One team! I enjoy being a receptionist at Centre of Balance and can’t wait to see you around.
