Meet Dr Laura Bell, B.App.Sc
Principal Acupuncturist
Chinese Herbal Medicine Practitioner
Dr Laura Bell combines advanced training in Neoclassical Acupuncture with a calm, precise and highly individualised clinical approach. Dr Laura Bell has completed the full Neoclassical Acupuncture training pathway through to Expert level, including Foundation, Advanced and Nexus training. Her treatments closely reflect the refined palpation-based and minimal needle treatment style that Mackay Acupuncture Natural Medicine is known for.
Working closely alongside Dr Mark McAuliffe within the clinic environment, Dr Laura has strong clinical skills in palpatory assessment, transport point regulation and focused treatment strategies designed to create measurable change while supporting long-term health and balance.
Dr Laura integrates Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine to support patients with a wide range of concerns including pain and musculoskeletal conditions, stress and emotional wellbeing, fertility support, women’s health, digestive issues, sleep disturbances, hormonal balance, cosmetic acupuncture and general vitality.
Patients appreciate Dr Laura’s attentive, thoughtful manner and her ability to combine detailed assessment with gentle, effective treatments tailored to the individual. Her approach is both clinically focused and supportive, helping patients feel comfortable, heard and confident throughout their care.
Dr Laura is an Australian registered Acupuncturist and AHPRA approved practitioner. She is a professional member of the Australian Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine Association.
Dr Laura is available in clinic on Monday and Tuesday afternoons, Wednesday morning and all-day Thursday.
Meet Dr Mark McAuliffe M.App.Sc
Acupuncturist + Oriental Medicine Practitioner
At Mackay Acupuncture Natural Medicine, we provide personalised Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine in a calm, supportive environment focused on helping you feel better as quickly and safely as possible.
Dr Mark McAuliffe has worked continuously in allied health since 1980 and is an internationally recognised practitioner and educator in Neoclassical Acupuncture. He is a former Senior Lecturer of Acupuncture at the Australian College of Natural Medicine (now Endeavour College of Health Sciences) and the authorised Clinical Instructor for Neoclassical Acupuncture in Oceania.
Dr Mark is known for his precise, highly individualised treatment approach, combining detailed palpation-based assessment with refined minimal needle techniques. Treatments are designed to identify and address the underlying patterns contributing to pain, dysfunction and imbalance while supporting the body’s natural healing processes.
He supports patients with a wide range of concerns including pain and injury management, fertility and IVF support, women’s, men’s and children’s health, stress-related conditions, digestive issues, fatigue, skin conditions and cancer care support. Carefully selected TGA-approved Chinese herbal medicine formulas are also prescribed where appropriate.
Dr Mark continues to maintain a busy clinical practice, where decades of hands-on experience continue to refine his clinical observation, diagnostic precision, and results-focused approach to patient care.
Dr Mark is an Australian registered Acupuncturist and AHPRA approved practitioner. He is a professional member of the Australian Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine Association and the Society for Integrative Oncology. Dr Mark is the authorised NCA trainer for Oceania. You can view his upcoming training schedule here:
Neoclassical Acupuncture Training – Acupuncture Training
Dr Mark is available in clinic on Tuesday, Friday and Saturday mornings.
Meet Bethrene Laurenson - Practice Director
Bethrene Laurenson is the Practice Director of Mackay Acupuncture Natural Medicine and works alongside her husband, Dr. Mark McAuliffe. She is an integral part of the warm, supportive environment the clinic is known for. With a lifelong background in business, health, beauty and interior design, she brings together professionalism, creativity and genuine care in every aspect of the patient experience.
Having founded and managed several successful businesses throughout her career, Bethrene has also worked extensively as an interior designer across Australia and internationally. She personally designed the clinic spaces with the intention of creating an environment that feels calm, welcoming and restorative — a place where patients can slow down, feel supported and begin to relax from the moment they arrive.
Bethrene is also a Reiki Master with a long-standing interest in Buddhism and Dzogchen. For more than four decades she has maintained a daily meditation and contemplative practice, which deeply influences the peaceful atmosphere and thoughtful attention to detail throughout the clinic.
Patients often comment on the sense of warmth and ease they feel when entering the clinic, something Bethrene helps cultivate through her caring presence and genuine desire to ensure each person feels comfortable, welcomed and looked after.
For more details on how we can help you, please Contact us
We may help you with these health issues, and more...
Pain Management
Neck Pain, Headaches, Back Pain, Neck Pain, Hip Pain, Elbow Pain, Wrist Pain, Knee Pain, Ankle Pain, Arthritis