How I Became a Chiropractor Because of My Own Pain
I have had health issues since the day I was born.
My parents did not find out until my mom was in labor that I was actually breach. They waited, hoping I would turn naturally, but alas, I did not. At that point, my mom was told that she needed a C-section to get me out. She did not want to do a C-section, so the obstetrician manually turned me before delivering me vaginally; and according to my family, my poor little neck wasn't thrilled about the process. I was colicky for 9 months (my poor mom!). The only way I would fall asleep was laying on my dad with my head turned to the right.
When I started to walk, I walked with my feet turned in. My mom used to joke that if I put my shoes on the wrong feet like my sister, that would correct my pigeon toes.
I was “fine” until 6th grade when a boy fell on me in gym class. He landed on my shins, which sprained both of my knees badly. And my poor knees that were already compromised from being internally rotated for so many years. I was thrown in braces and that was it for treatment.
After that, I started to develop problems that did not seem connected at the time – knee pain, neck pain, headaches, and low back pain. I could not sit up straight, which got me yelled at by the nuns (did I mention that I went to Catholic school?!). Slouching was more comfortable, so I used to study and draw with my nose about an inch away from the paper.
By high school, I had low back pain so bad that I could barely stand in the lunch line for French fries. When my mom realized I wasn’t lazy or exaggerating (we all know how kids can be), she took me to a chiropractor because she’d had previous success with chiropractic for her migraines.
After just a few visits, my low back pain was significantly reduced. I could stand as much as I wanted without pain. My neck pain and headaches got better too – I never realized daily headaches weren’t “normal.” I also thought it was “normal” to take Advil every day for pain by age 16. 🙄
That’s when I knew I wanted to become a chiropractor. I already knew I wanted to become a “holistic medical doctor” (what an oxymoron now!), but now I wanted to help people the way I was helped. I wanted to help people in a tangible way without drugs or surgery.
I decided to study BioMedical Engineering as my sort of “pre-med”, and it turns out that engineering is great foundation for understanding the biomechanics of the body (aka chiropractic).
I often tell my patients that the body is a lot like a car. Your posture is the alignment, your joints are the tires, your nervous system is the electrical system, and your nutrition is the fuel. If one part isn't working well, the whole system is affected.
I choose New York Chiropractic College (now Northeast College of Health Sciences) because it was a more “science-based” chiropractic school, and because it also had an acupuncture program at the Finger Lakes School of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine.
I matriculated to both programs at the same time because I’m an uber nerd. 😂 Honestly, I was just so excited to learn everything I could. I really connected with my Biochemistry class (taught by Dr. Balliett, who founded Potential Power Nutrition, where you can purchase what I believe to be the best meal replacement all-in-one multivitamin on the market via my Shop page) because of my deep love for nutrition. After I graduated, I started my practice and pursued my degree in Applied Clinical Nutrition to learn more about food and herbs.
Because I started learning both Eastern (acupuncture) and Western (chiropractic) health philosophies at the same time, I believe it helped me blend my understanding in a really unique way. It also helps me evaluate you from a more holistic standpoint because I understand just how deeply connected all of our body systems are.
Looking back, every part of my journey taught me something:
Living with pain taught me empathy.
Engineering taught me to think about how the body functions as a system.
Chiropractic taught me that the body has an incredible ability to heal when we restore proper movement.
Acupuncture taught me that healing isn't always about treating the place that hurts.
Nutrition taught me that what we put into our bodies matters just as much as how we move them.
Today, all of those experiences come together in the way I care for my patients. My goal isn't simply to help you feel better for today — it's to understand why you're hurting in the first place and help you build a healthier future.
If you have been struggling to get to the root of your health issues, or you have felt dismissed by other doctors, you are in the right place. I would be happy to help if I can!