Valentyna graduated with a physiotherapy degree from the South Australian Institute of Technology in 1981. Further study at the University of South Australia led to a Master of Applied Science in Physiotherapy (Orthopaedics) in 1991. During this time, Valentyna was strongly influenced by David S Butler (theory and research on adverse mechanical tension of the nervous system) and Mark Jones (clinical reasoning). These teachings assisted in the development of her theory of regarding the role of (FS) in chronic low back pain and the FS self-management protocol.