Element Chiropractic & Wellness

Our Story

It is often said that chiropractic finds you, you do not find it. As I reflect on how life has played out over the last 5 years, I’ve found that to become true. My life as an avid runner is what led me to discover chiropractic in the first place. My biggest role model in my life is my mom, a bad a** runner who inspired me to follow in her footsteps (pun intended). After my own struggles with weight, I took to running and haven’t looked back. In 2010 I ran my first marathon with my mom by my side the entire time, earning myself a Boston Qualifier. Despite getting into Boston for 2011, I was injury plagued following the marathon. An IT band injury kept me sidelined until I could rehab enough to get back to running. In 2012 I was able to run my second full marathon and in 2013 my third. After my 2013 marathon, my IT band injury returned. I took some time away from running while I finished up my undergrad career at the University of Michigan. During this time I adopted various cross-training activities to maintain my fitness level and also spent a great deal of time in physical therapy and doing rehabilitation on my own. Nothing was quite getting me back to running pain free.

Upon graduation in May 2014 with a Movement Science degree, I was back to running some but continued to be plagued by injury. I moved home with my parents and was working as a secretary in the construction field while trying to figure out what my next steps were. Not being able to run as far or as fast as I wanted to was growing old. Finally, my dad suggested I go see his chiropractor. It was my last resort, as I’d tried just about everything to relieve the pain and get back to running like I knew I could. I remember calling to make an appointment and being told the doctor has a 6-week waiting list- the 22 year old version of myself was annoyed and couldn’t comprehend a 6-week wait (we Millenials are truly all about instant gratification and this situation was no exception). I remember getting a call from the office while at work one afternoon in August of 2014 asking me if I’d like to move my appointment up earlier as there had been a cancellation; I jumped at the opportunity and headed off to the chiropractor. I remember my first visit like it was yesterday.

I sat in the doctor’s office and she listened to my story, acknowledged my frustration with not being able to do what I loved. She took the time to examine and assess me, acknowledging how interconnected the body is and helped me understand how each of my symptoms related to each other and to the underlying dysfunction I was experiencing. After an explanation of what she had found and an explanation of how she could help, she began to treat. My initial treatment included what I now understand as dry needling, Active Release and an adjustment. I remember rolling over for a side-posture adjustment and looking up at her diploma that read “Doctor of Chiropractic.” In that moment, as the adjustment was delivered I decided to myself that I was going to be a chiropractor.

I went home after my first appointment initially feeling a little sore from the input, but the next day, I felt the most relief I had felt in months. I kept quiet about my decision to become a chiropractor. I spent time at work and at home researching what chiropractic was and where I could go to learn. After gathering the information, I told my parents and my fiancé that I had decided I was going to quit my job, move far away (there are no chiropractic schools in Michigan) and go to chiropractic school. Mind you, I was not a very adventurous person and had never lived further than 20 miles from home, so this came as a shock to everyone. Everyone was very supportive of my decision, my dad went down to St. Louis with me in November 2014 to visit Logan College of Chiropractic. In the hotel the night following my tour, his only question was “when are you going to start?” He knew I was in my element being on that campus and was excited for me to start this next chapter.

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