The Atlas of Life Chiropractic » Interviews

Consulting With Chiromatrix & iMatrix: An Interview With Teigha Jennings

Brandon Harshe, DC — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 11:00:32 +0000

Teigha Jennings works for ChiroMatrix, a subsidiary of iMatrix, where she consults with hundreds of Chiropractors about their websites and Internet marketing overall.

I had the chance to speak with her recently and wanted to interview her for the blog. Thankfully, she obliged.

I am grateful Teigha took time out of her busy schedule to answer some questions for The Atlas of Life and give us her own perspective on Chiropractic online.

Dr. Brandon Harshe: Can you tell us about your background i.e. education, work experience, etc. that led to your current role with ChiroMatrix?

Teigha Jennings: “I would love to!

My background begins when I started working towards my nutrition degree with a culinary minor from Simmons College in Boston, MA. After several years I decided to put those plans on hold and venture out into the real world and gain some hands on experience. I worked within several hospitality industries and on the side, I continued to feed my interest for wellness. I spent a year advising several hundred start-up businesses and realized that I had a strong ability and understanding of what it took to make a business thrive. I am an eager learner and have always been very intrigued by technology. You will frequently find me playing with the newest gadgets and connecting with people online through social media. It was through my dabbling in social media via LinkedIn that I was found, and after a rigorous testing of my abilities, was asked to join iMatrix within their Chiropractic division as a Senior Internet Consultant.”

Dr. Brandon Harshe: As a follow up to the previous question, what is your current role with ChiroMatrix?

Teigha Jennings: “As a consultant with ChiroMatrix, I work with chiropractors and educate them on how to effectively target and market to new patients and businesses online. I currently consult over 200 practices all over the United States and several other countries. My goal with clients is to guide them to solutions which will create educational systems, build community outreach campaigns, and help them understand and implement all the technology we offer them. Most importantly, I show them how to take our tools and use them to drive new patients (and more revenue) into their practices.”

Dr. Brandon Harshe: I heard you mention there are two different types of Chiropractors when it comes to websites. Can you elaborate on that for the readers?

Teigha Jennings: “Absolutely! As part of my job, I talk to hundreds of Chiropractors on a monthly basis. Some already have their own websites they’ve been working with. It might be a simple site a patient designed for them, something a local company made, or even their own creation (which is a very hefty undertaking if you are the main doctor of the practice!) The majority of these doctors are moving in the right direction. They have a website and for that, I must applaud them. These are what I call Type A. They understand the importance of HAVING an actual website. The problem is that, unless there are daily updates, and ongoing efforts to rank in Google, chances are they are not actually making any money from their websites. Without the right expertise and the time to implement it, they are basically fishing in an online ocean with no bait.

Type B is a very different story. Ohhh how I love my Type B doctors, I must say!! These are the doctors that use their website as a powerful tool to navigate the online ocean for opportunities and bring in new patients. Simply said, they look beyond the cosmetics of the website (that so many are distracted with) and they think about details like marketing campaigns, tracking, creating calls to action, updating content, and integrating social media. This makes the experience easier for both the chiropractor and the patients. In the end these doctors will see a much higher return on the investment of building and maintaining a website.”

Dr. Brandon Harshe: What is the biggest mistake you see Chiropractors making on the Internet?

Teigha Jennings: “Oooh this is a tough one for me, because there are several big mistakes I see regularly. Here are the top three mistakes I see most often.

Making a decision without doing your due diligence in your research. – Something I always encourage a chiropractor to do is think about the future. Maybe right now, your goal is to just get a website up, but what about a year from now? You want to make sure your growth in the future is as easy as possible so your designers, marketers, and everyone else you work with must be prepared to grow with you and keep your practice on the cutting edge of new technology.

Not setting clear goals for how your website will help your practice– What types of patients are you trying to attract? How many leads would you like to capture this month? How many reviews can you collect this week? What is your call to action? How are you going to engage the user? –These are just a few great questions to start thinking about. We help our prospects ease into this with a free consultation which takes about 15-20min to get them on the right track.

NOT TRACKING – As I mentioned before, a lot of the time I am talking with a chiropractor who already has a website (Type A) and one of my first questions is “what has it generated? OR “Have you checked your Google rankings recently?” If I had a nickel for each time someone tells me “No,” I could take each one of you readers out to a nice fancy steak and lobster dinner. I cannot stress enough how important it is to understand how Google works and have tracking in place. This is essential to having success with your online marketing. But you don’t have to do this alone, because we will help you set up your analytics so it’s easy to keep track of your marketing, while you focus on taking care of your patients. I’ll give you an example of how our own tracking has helped us. Since the year 2000, we have built a client base of over 5100 chiropractors, maintained higher than a 94% retention rate and averaged 3-6 new patients a month for our clients. Wow, I feel like a proud momma saying that. ”

Dr. Brandon Harshe: What makes ChiroMatrix unique when it comes to creating, optimizing and marketing a Chiropractic website?

Teigha Jennings: “When you work with ChiroMatrix you learn very quickly how unique we are in the industry. We’ve stayed the industry leader in technology, creating the first 3D Spine Simulator, as well as being the first to provide chiropractic exercise videos for client websites. Every Monday in our team meeting, we remind ourselves who we are and why we are here. This keeps us going above and beyond the industry standard.

Along with that, our consultants are extremely knowledgeable about online marketing and work solely with chiropractors. Many of our consultants have been with ChiroMatrix for years, and have mentored literally hundreds of practices all over the globe. It’s a great feeling when I travel to chiropractic conventions and have the pleasure of meeting clients face to face for the first time. They give you a big hug and tell you how much they enjoy working with your support team, and how every time they call, someone is there to help them right away. This is a big reason why chiropractors stay with us for years at a time. It is building these long lasting relationships with our clients that continues to make ChiroMatrix the most personable and client-focused solution a chiropractor can find.”

Dr. Brandon Harshe: Is there anything else we didn’t cover in this interview that you want to share with readers of The Atlas of Life?

Teigha Jennings: “Just to remember to have a good time working with your website and let your personality shine through! If you have a great recipe for peach smoothies, then share it! You never know… it might result in a new face coming into the practice!!”

(Editor’s note: The opinions and positions expressed are Teigha’s only and don’t necessarily reflect those of Internet Matrix, Inc. or any of its subsidiaries.)

Best of the Bay 2010: An Interview with Dr. Mariza Snyder

Brandon Harshe, DC — Wed, 03 Nov 2010 11:00:13 +0000

Dr. Mariza Snyder is someone who is clearly making a difference in her community through Upper Cervical Chiropractic care. After reading her interview, and realizing that I can really identify with a lot of what she says, I was not disappointed. Now it is your turn to read and enjoy!

As always, I’m grateful to Dr. Snyder for taking time out of her busy schedule to answer some questions for The Atlas of Life.

Dr. Brandon Harshe: How did you get into Chiropractic?

Dr. Mariza Snyder: “Initially I was on track to medical school. Becoming a doctor was always a dream of mine, without really understanding why. The summer before I was going to start medical school at UC Davis, I met a chiropractor who changed my life. At the time I was suffering from debilitating migraines and headaches constantly and had no where else to turn. After getting under care my migraines and headaches slowed down significantly. My chiropractor, Dr. Michael and I began having conversations about allopathic vs. holistic medicine and my paradigm dramatically shifted towards holistic medicine. I immediately declined my acceptance to medical school and applied to Life Chiropractic College West during the summer of 2005. I began chiropractic school that fall and never looked back.”

Dr. Brandon Harshe: How did you get into Upper Cervical Chiropractic, and more specifically Knee Chest?

Dr. Mariza Snyder: “When I started Life Chiropractic College West I had no idea that there were so many techniques within the chiropractic profession. Life Chiropractic College West (LCCW) does a phenomenal job at providing an environment that supports all chiropractic techniques. During my first quarter at school Dr. Shawn Dill made a huge impact on my philosophical understanding of chiropractic care. He opened to door to upper cervical specific chiropractic, as he does for so many students at LCCW. He advised my class to go out and explore the various techniques and find the right one that suited each of us the best. After two years of exploration I found my true calling with Upper Cervical Knee Chest. I fell in love with the technique because I loved to use my hands, and I strongly resonated with the philosophy that stood behind the work; volume 18 was a required text when I was training for the knee chest technique.”

Dr. Brandon Harshe: Where are you practicing now? How is that going?

Dr. Mariza Snyder: “Currently I am practicing in Oakland, CA at The Specific Chiropractic Center along side Dr. Lauren Clum. I began practicing in Oakland approximately one year ago and I love it. I have always loved Oakland, Ca, so it was serendipitous to end up practicing in one of my favorite areas in the city. So many exciting things have happened since I joined the practice, which keeps me on my toes and as busy as ever. We have a great time passionately spreading the word of chiropractic in the community, and being apart of the overall change that is taking place in Oakland. It is also very exciting to be apart of The Specific team in the bay area. We are a close knit family who provide physical and emotional support as we grow as individual practitioners, and as a team.”

(Editor’s note: Play the video below to watch Dr. Snyder and Dr. Clum in their video entry for the Best of the Bay 2010 competition courtesy of KRON Channel 4 in San Francisco.)

Dr. Brandon Harshe: What is the biggest thing you have learned since being in practice?

Dr. Mariza Snyder: “In the short time I have been in practice I have learned that there is no time like the present to bring the message of hope and health to the masses. Everyday is a new day to create change and help people discover the power of chiropractic care. One of my favorite things to do is MARKET!!! I love to market myself and my profession and I believe that every moment is an opportunity to educate someone about what we do and how we can make a difference in their life. Chiropractic changed my life; it’s time for me to pay that forward in every way that I can.”

Dr. Brandon Harshe: You recently co-authored a book. Can you tell us about that?

Dr. Mariza Snyder: “About 6 months ago I was talking to Lauren about writing a book in the next 5 years. Clearly the universe heard me and gave us the opportunity to write our first book just 3 weeks later. We met with a publisher, who pitched us an idea about nutrition and we loved it. We spent the last 6 months writing it and we are excited to have it published by the end of the year.

As chiropractors, it is our responsibility to assist our patients in navigating through their journey of health and wellness. Nutrition happens to be an area that our patients have a lot of control over. Unfortunately, many people are not properly educated on the subject of how and what to eat. As we reach out beyond the walls of our practice, our intention is to provide easy, healthy solutions that the average person can incorporate into their everyday lives. The book is designed to serve as a practical guide for healthy eating and living. Our book is called The Antioxidant Counter: A Pocket Guide to the Revolutionary ORAC Scale for Choosing Healthy Foods.”

Dr. Brandon Harshe: What advice can you offer people who are sick and suffering and haven’t found a way to achieve optimal health yet?

Dr. Mariza Snyder: “I try to always keep my advice simple and not over complicate it. The best advice I know to give someone who is sick and suffering is to invite them into the office for an evaluation. Our goal is to provide hope and support to the sick and suffering as they begin their journey towards health and wellness. Ultimately sick people want to know if we can help them, and that answer is yes we can!”

Dr. Brandon Harshe: How do you see Chiropractic, and more specifically Upper Cervical Chiropractic evolving in the future?

Dr. Mariza Snyder: “One of the areas Chiropractic is evolving, especially Upper Cervical Chiropractic, is through research. As I have witnessed through the recent upper cervical conferences, a lot of research is coming out to support the results we have been experiencing in our practices for a very long time. I am so grateful to all of the doctors and researchers involved in providing empirical validation behind the work that we do.

Upper cervical chiropractic is also slowly evolving in terms of becoming a supportive and cooperative community. Although there is still some division among doctors of different techniques; we are beginning to see unity within this small faction of the chiropractic community. It is exciting to see doctors coming together to initiate the Upper Cervical Council and Upper Cervical Diplomat Program as a way to bring the synthesis of Upper Cervical Chiropractic alive!”

Chiropractic Gut Check: An Interview With Dr. Mychal Beebe

Brandon Harshe, DC — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 11:00:17 +0000

I first met Dr. Mychal Beebe at Upper Cervical Evolution in 2009 while we were both still chiropractic students. Since then, we have conversed every so often through Facebook. I saw Dr. Beebe again a few weeks ago at Upper Cervical Fusion in San Jose, CA, and after seeing her speak on stage briefly, I thought she would be a great person to interview.

I’m grateful Dr. Beebe could take time out of her very busy schedule to answer some questions for The Atlas of Life.

Dr. Brandon Harshe: How did you get into Chiropractic?

Dr. Mychal Beebe: “I attended the University of New Hampshire as a pre-med student, but realized senior year how much the dynamic individual is taken out of the equation once a patient has a diagnosis. So at my last alumni weekend I met a chiropractor and over a six pack, was explained chiropractic. I was clear that providing health care that empowered the individual and increased vitality was for me so… I took a year and a half off between undergrad and chiropractic school, became a Chiropractic assistant (to make sure that I liked the day to day) and in 2006 drove across the cross country and enrolled at Life Chiropractic College West.”

Dr. Brandon Harshe: Where did you go to Chiropractic school and why?

Dr. Mychal Beebe: “I graduated in March 2010 from Life Chiropractic College West in Hayward California! The D.C. I worked for went to Life University in Atlanta and encouraged me to read the green books when I worked in his office, so I knew I wanted a school who demonstrated a strong philosophical connection. I also wanted to experience the West Coast.

And while all that sounds very thought out, when it comes down to it… it was a gut decision. I know that (for me) I went to the best school in the country. The teachers are fantastic, the technique variety is exemplary and the student involvement in chiropractic clubs and organizations is HUGE.

Most importantly I have noticed that the majority of students coming out of Life West own a lasting purpose of delivering excellent chiropractic care, nothing more, nothing less. Ultimately however the experience is what you make of it. You get out of something exactly what you put into it.”

Dr. Brandon Harshe: How did you get into Upper Cervical Chiropractic, and more specifically Blair?

Dr. Mychal Beebe: “I gravitated toward Upper Cervical Chiropractic because of Shawn Dill, D.C. as my philosophy 1 instructor. The specificity and and clarity of upper cervical work appeals to my nature. I then began looking for an UC doc for personal care through out school. I was fortunate to have Dr. Tom Forest as my chiropractor.

While in school I attended seminars of ALL techniques (BGI, Full Spine, Gonstead, Knee Chest… ) because it is imperative that as professionals we have an understanding of other techniques. But again, gut check, I knew I would practice Blair because I love the articular approach and the elegance of the Protracto view. Through out my journey I have been blessed with amazing teachers and mentors and I am grateful to ALL of them for helping me develop as a chiropractor.”

Dr. Brandon Harshe: How has practice been? Where are you practicing?

Dr. Mychal Beebe: “I currently practice in Sedro-Woolley with Dr. Michael Lenarz and the AMAZING team of doctors with The Chiropractic Way. Practice has been a huge learning curve. Working with Dr. Lenarz for the past three months I am in a process that develops my clinical, interpersonal, and business skills. With each new level of responsibility I have 1,000 more questions and I am thankful to be able to draw on the support of such a knowledgeable team.”

Dr. Brandon Harshe: What is the single most important thing you have learned in practice so far?

Dr. Mychal Beebe: “To be a chiropractor. Seriously. In school we have hour after hour of classroom time that is full of valuable knowledge that is necessary to learn, BUT it makes us strive to have an answer/explanation for every slight problem that a patient walks in the door with. Honestly for the past 4 years we were trained that question A has solution B, and if we didn’t know the answer we don’t pass GO and collect $200. Yet in practice a D.C. does not and indeed should not have the answer for every ache and pain.

My purpose is to intelligently and compassionately provide specific chiropractic services and then get out of the way! I have learned that by doing exactly that, I provide the greatest service to my patients. I am humbled by this lesson each day in practice.”

Dr. Brandon Harshe: Based on your own experience, what advice can you offer current or beginning Chiropractic students?

Dr. Mychal Beebe: “Begin with the end in mind. Know that school is not the end, it is the beginning. While in school be as open as possible and experience as much as possible but hold the vision of where you will be when the protective bubble of school bursts with graduation.

And when you do start into practice many new graduates are overwhelmed by the nuts and bolts of being a chiropractor; Financing a practice, equipment, student loan payments, marketing ECT… and the chiropractic ART is compromised. That compromise is not fair to ourselves but more importantly it is not fair to our patients.

Find a mentor, a coach, that is the right fit for you and stick with them long enough to learn, give yourself to the process, it takes time. By working closely with that mentor it will free you from what can seem like a crushing compromise. I found my freedom from compromise with The Chiropractic Way team.”

Dr. Brandon Harshe: What do you see happening in the future for the Chiropractic profession?

Dr. Mychal Beebe: “Chiropractic has had a history of internal turmoil and struggle. Yet, now and in the future I see a movement across the board that can be summed up by one word. COLLABORATION. Chiropractic organization and chiropractors are coming together to present a more unified voice each year: On a national level with the Chiropractic Summits, on a marketing Level with the Foundation for Chiropractic Progress, and on the student level with organizations like The World Congress of Chiropractic Students. This collaborative effort accompanied with an increased public awareness of preventative health measures lends chiropractic a pregnant moment in our history.

Now the key to success is that chiropractors must show up and support these collaborative efforts and organizations that are working toward our unified goals. In short, I am excited for the future of chiropractic.

I want to thank The Atlas of Life and Dr. Harshe for showing up, and contributing with his unique expertise to the common vision and mission that we all have of expanding chiropractic awareness. It has been fun to write this interview and share my story!”

Raising 5 Children with Chiropractic: An Interview with Karen McMinn

Brandon Harshe, DC — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 11:00:21 +0000

Karen McMinn has been a regular on The Atlas of Life, often commenting throughout the week on various blog posts. She is married to Dr. Richard McMinn, who practices in Hove in East Sussex in the UK. They have 5 kids, all who were born at home and raised with chiropractic care their entire lives.

I thought that as the wife of a chiropractor and mother of 5 kids, Karen could offer some great perspective for readers of The Atlas of Life. I appreciate the time Karen took to answer these questions.

Dr. Brandon Harshe: What has it been like having a chiropractor as a husband?

Karen McMinn: “Richard and I were married in October 1978 and it has been a very special privilege being a “Chiropractic wife and mother.” I have often heard Richard say that if all he ever did was learn Chiropractic to be able to adjust his family to keep them well - it would have been enough! I’m glad there has been so much more, but having our own Chiropractic Family has been and is a great source of inspiration for us both. Richard’s Uncle David, who inspired Richard to enter the profession, was one of the first Chiropractors in New Zealand and we can count thirty five chiropractors within Richard’s extended family since that time.”

Dr. Brandon Harshe: You have five kids, all born naturally. As someone who watched my wife run the gamut of birth experiences, from c-section to unassisted at home, can you tell us how those experiences were for you and your husband?

Karen McMinn: “Richard and I both spent our childhood on farms in the Southern Hemisphere and although I had not been exposed to the idea of chiropractic at that stage I was very interested in the way the natural world worked, having seen many animals being born simply and beautifully. I became pregnant with our first child soon after we were married and thought I had best visit a doctor as that was what most people did. The doctor declared that because I was a very small person I would require a C section to deliver the baby when the time was due. We left the surgery in disgust, determined to find a doctor who would be interested in supporting us in our quest for a homebirth. At this time, homebirth in Western Australia was really in its infancy, however we were very lucky to meet a Dutch lady called Henny Ligtermoet (who was by then in her seventies). She encouraged and inspired us to fight for the opportunity to give birth the way nature intended. We went on to have all five children at home, naturally and beautifully and each child was brought into the world surrounded by those that all ready loved them. It was always a family affair when a new child was being born. We first had four sons and then our daughter was born into the world in front of the open fire in the lounge room (I was using a birthing stool) and into the arms of her waiting family. These moments are so precious and special as I recall them, that it is impossible for me to find words to use.

During that first pregnancy I was determined to read everything I could to prepare myself for this event and during that time I read a book called Childbirth Without Fear, by Dr Grantly Dick-Read, which I found invaluable. Knowing I was also preparing my body by having regular Chiropractic adjustments (weekly) and Eating Well, Moving Well and Thinking Well it gave me confidence to trust the process. It never ceased to amaze me the number of people who found it important to tell you all sorts of gruesome stories about childbirth! My mother was shocked when I told her what we planned to do and she said I had been brainwashed! and recounting her less than optimal experiences and all the propaganda she had been fed, I could understand why she and many others thought the way they did. I thought it was a good thing that all the nonsense I had heard and inherited about childbirth was actually washed from my brain and I had the opportunity to fill it with positive, satisfying thoughts and images to promote a successful outcome.”

Dr. Brandon Harshe: How have you seen chiropractic affect your family over the years?

Karen McMinn: “Our children:

Trent – 30
Damon – 28
Jeremy – 26
Sherman – 24
Elise – 22

I can’t imagine what our experience would have been like without the benefit of living a Chiropractic and Natural First Lifestyle. We only ever (like most parents) wanted the best for our children and our motto was ” Chiropractic first, drugs second, surgery last”. We only ever got as far as the Chiropractic first bit because the children have never been to a medical doctor for anything, so there were never any drugs, and even to this day our children always make finding a Chiropractor, (wherever they are living in the world), top priority. They have also learned (through experience) that they are ultimately responsible for their health by the choices they make which is extremely empowering. There was an interesting incident when our daughter was about five years old and she came home from kindergarten and asked me what doctors and nurses were! I was really taken aback and responded that she should know, and as the words came out of my mouth I realised she would have no reason to know, because it was never a topic of conversation in our home. Not deliberately – it was just that we always discussed self responsibility and accountability in regard to everything and health was a part of that. Our eldest son was thirteen at that time and I was “gobsmacked” when it registered that indeed none of the children had actually ever been to a doctor.

There was a time when we had all five children at home as teenagers and people would often ask us how we coped with a house full of hormones but you may be surprised to learn that our children did not seem to have the mood swings often attributed to teenagers. That is no surprise to us as we know that the nervous system controls and co-ordinates every other cell, tissue, muscle, gland and organ in the entire body and therefore the manufacture of hormones in the body will be influenced by a fully functioning nervous system.”

Dr. Brandon Harshe: What do your kids think of chiropractic?

Karen McMinn: “Although none of the boys have followed in Richard’s footsteps, our daughter, Elise has recently begun her Chiropractic studies at the New Zealand College of Chiropractic in Auckland after completing a degree in Anthropology and Cultural Studies at Sussex University here in Brighton, UK. Our children all recognise they have had a privileged upbringing in regard to health after living and working with many who don’t have it nor have any interest in preserving what they do have!”

Dr. Brandon Harshe: How long have you and your husband been in England? Where did your husband practice before that?

Karen McMinn: Richard and I have been in Brighton, UK since 2001. It was during 2001 that a registration board was set up here in the UK to regulate the profession. We were shocked at the lack of public awareness of Chiropractic here in this country when we arrived – due in part to the profession not being regulated. Confusion still abounds as the Chiropractic Colleges in this country are devoid of philosophy, so the prevailing understanding about chiropractic is as a mechanistic model – this was the reason we set up chiropracticlifeblog.com so that we could begin to educate the local public about the benefits of “true Chiropractic.”

Prior to coming to the UK we were living in New Zealand for five years and prior to that we were in Western Australia. Our international moves were prompted by family.

Dr. Brandon Harshe: Recently, the General Chiropractic Council (GCC) in England ruled that the vertebral subluxation was historical and not factual, essentially prohibiting chiropractors from using the term in public. How has this affected your practice?

Karen McMinn: “The recent GCC ruling has had no effect on our practice at all – certainly none that we are aware of. Unfortunately many feel the GCC are not fit to govern the profession and there is a growing movement (among the enlightened Chiropractic community) which is gathering momentum to fight back. Nothing is ever quite as it seems, people have hidden agendas which are mostly not in the best interests of the rest of the population. Truth eventually wins. It has been said that All truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being self-evident! We are “somewhere” along this timeline of events!.”

Dr. Brandon Harshe: What are some of the changes patients in your clinic have experienced during the course of their chiropractic care?

Karen McMinn: “Over the years I have been touched by the many chiropractic miracles we have seen – every patient who has their nervous system restored to health is a miracle in itself. We specialise by serving small miracles every day in our clinic. Probably the greatest miracle to me is to see people begin to understand that they have within themselves the capacity to attain health by taking responsibility for it. It is such a pleasure to help coach people who have had “the light switched on”. Although I could write about many different Chiropractic miracles over the years I prefer to refer to the hundreds of testimonials which recently helped us to be voted Most Loved Chiropractic Clinic In The Whole Of The United Kingdom by BestOf.”

Dr. Brandon Harshe: With the GCC doing away with vertebral subluxation and the British Chiropractic Association (BCA) now wanting prescription rights, where do you see the future of the chiropractic profession heading in England?

Karen McMinn: “Maybe it would help to use a crystal ball to see where the Chiropractic profession is heading here in the UK! Maybe not! Irregardless of circumstances there will always be those prepared to follow B.J. Palmer when he said “I will sell Chiropractic, serve Chiropractic, and save Chiropractic if it will take me twenty lifetimes to do it. I will promote it within the law, without the law, in keeping with the law or against the law in order to get sick people well and keep the well from getting sick.”

A Chiropractic Legend’s Simple Wisdom: An Interview With Dr. James Sigafoose

Brandon Harshe, DC — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 11:00:13 +0000

For those of you who have kept up with The Atlas of Life for the previous 18 months of its existence will know that I’ve done a number of interviews. I think the number is around 55 at this point. In all instances, I make it a point to come up with good quality questions that will elicit good quality answers. Today’s interview is quite different. In fact, today’s interview made me realize that most of us overthink everything, when in fact, the answer is the old KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid) method. That definitely includes me.

Dr. James Sigafoose is a legend in the chiropractic profession. For years he has been teaching chiropractors about the philosophy behind chiropractic and why it is so vital to a successful practice. During that time, he has changed the thought process of so many chiropractors into the principled ChiropracTORs that this profession needs.

I was very honored by Dr. Sigafoose’s willingness to do an interview. I was surprised by the shortness of the answers at first. But as I said above, I think this interview is a good lesson for all of us to just keep it simple. And Chiropractic is simple. No need to get complicated or overthink it. As you can see by the interview, it looks like I was getting complicated and overthinking it by the questions I asked of this legend.

Thanks again to Dr. Sigafoose for his time. Enjoy!

Dr. Harshe: How were you introduced to chiropractic?

Dr. Sigafoose: Father.

Dr. Harshe: What chiropractic college did you attend?

Dr. Sigafoose: National.

Dr. Harshe: I’ve heard you mention how you struggled in practice at the beginning of your career. How did that change?

Dr. Sigafoose: Philosophy.

Dr. Harshe: What is it that separates the chiropractors who see hundreds each week, maybe even a thousand or two, and the ones that struggle and/or fail in practice?

Dr. Sigafoose: Passion, philosophy.

Dr. Harshe: What is the most memorable experience you can remember in practice?

Dr. Sigafoose: All of them.

Dr. Harshe: You’ve held numerous seminars called The Gathering over the years. How did that start? When is the next one? What can people expect when they go?

Dr. Sigafoose: Desire. September. Change.

(Editor’s note: The next Gathering will be September 23-25 in Palm Beach, FL. Click here for more information.)

Dr. Harshe: What is the most important piece of advice you can offer students and recently graduated chiropractors?

Dr. Sigafoose: Forget what they learned in school, and learn chiropractic.

Dr. Harshe: Where do you see the chiropractic profession going in the future?

Dr. Sigafoose: Unless chiropractic is revived, it will be osteopathy.

Knowledgeable Chiropractic Historian: An Interview With Dr. Steve Agocs Part 2

Brandon Harshe, DC — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 11:00:00 +0000

As expected, I am posting Part 2 of Dr. Steve Agoc’s interview today. Enjoy!

Dr. Brandon Harshe: You are very knowledgeable about the history of chiropractic. What is it about chiropractic history that interests you?

Dr. Steve Agocs: “My love for chiropractic history goes back to my research stage when I was an undergrad and learning what chiropractic is. I loved reading about the various techniques and how they began, and so that dovetails into history pretty nicely. Of course, Palmer College is loaded with history from above, down, inside, out so I was immersed in it there, although my history class when I was a student was not so great. I’ve always had a lot of respect for the people who’ve come before me, so I had a moderate interest in history as a student and as a practitioner, mainly from the technique side of things, again.

When I came to Cleveland Chiropractic College, the course was taught by someone who was stepping into more administrative roles. I begged for the class, even though I really didn’t want to spend more time in the classroom than I already was, because I knew I could teach the class well. It was a good choice, though, because I love teaching it and I have really gotten in touch with my history geek side! I have a modest, but nice, collection of old memorabilia, signs, cards, etc as well as a little table collection. I own a 1940’s pre-Thompson upper cervical side posture table, I’ve owned two 1970’s Zenith 420 Thompson tables (sold one to a protégé) and I have a great wooden Meric table from 1923 that is beautiful. I just obtained a “Thompson Adjusting Trainor” from the early 1950’s that I believe was handmade by Clay Thompson in his workshop, and I am hot on the trail of a 1920’s Palmer School diploma with all the greats’ signatures on it! My office and my home are known around the school as the Nerditorium and the Fortress of Nerditude, respectively!

I just love chiropractic’s rich and interesting history, the sometimes weird people involved, and really everything about it. I encourage everyone reading this to join the Association for the History of Chiropractic, which is a great organization and really affordable to be a member of. It’s well worth it.”

Dr. Brandon Harshe: As a clinic doctor at Cleveland Chiropractic College in Kansas City, what is it like being in charge of and guiding interns on their path toward graduation?

Dr. Steve Agocs: “It’s really rewarding to see students transition from classroom to internship to graduation. My job at Cleveland is nuts, though. I spend afternoons on Monday, Wednesday and Friday at Kansas City Free Health Clinic, seeing my own patients in one of the country’s largest free clinics with one intern in tow.

To be a clinician at Cleveland, you have to really, REALLY be on your toes. On a Thursday, for example (when I’m writing this), I start the morning off with an hour of Case Management Review (CMR). This is when one of my assigned interns brings me one of their case files for a new patient and we go through every page of paperwork making sure nothing was overlooked or missed, then I work with the student to diagnose the patient and come up with a treatment plan. It’s really tough because, chances are, I have never met, seen, or certainly examined this patient, as our interns do not schedule appointments only when their assigned clinician is on the floor. It’s mentally very challenging. After an hour of that, where I do 2 CMR’s, usually, I then spend an hour managing the clinic floor, which involves signing SOAP’s, assessing adjustments, answering questions, putting out fires, etc. Whatever needs to be done. Then I teach my history class up in a classroom for an hour, then I’m back on the clinic floor for an hour. Then it’s an hour off for lunch, followed by two more hours on the clinic floor and finishing up the day with an hour of Thompson Technique in the classroom. So, every hour I tend to be doing something completely different, and then every second on the clinic floor requires you to switch gears from meeting a new patient to helping out with an adjustment to having an intern ask about a shoulder x-ray, for example.

In private practice, you tend to block large amounts of time off, for example, you may reserve one afternoon a week for paperwork, planning, etc, you usually lump new patients into a couple hours of the day, and then you see your established patients in blocks of time during other parts of the day. The nice thing about that is you give yourself a chance to get into a “groove,” but we never get that chance in the clinic here, so it is very hard work, really.”

Dr. Brandon Harshe: What are the benefits of teaching interns? What are the challenges?

Dr. Steve Agocs: “Teaching requires me to really know my stuff. Students ask good questions, often challenging questions, sometimes just to see if you can walk the walk or if you’re just full of hot air! So, I’ve had to re-learn a lot of stuff I was hoping I could forget way back when I passed all my boards! It’s super rewarding to work with a student and help them develop. The hardest challenge is that we are transitioning from a relatively hands-off clinic system to a more clinician-based system, and so the chaos I mentioned in the last question drains a lot of energy that I could be using to work with interns. I’m looking forward to a truly clinician-based system where I am in charge of a dozen interns, maybe, and I am not running around with my hair on fire all the time, so I can really teach and work with my interns rather than just signing their files and moving them through the system.

Another big challenge in clinical education is letting a student take the reins, and knowing when and how to resume control in a way that the student saves face and also doesn’t get their ego beat up too badly. This requires a lot of delicate maneuvering with the patients and interns, and it’s really tough to do.”

Dr. Brandon Harshe: Where do you see the chiropractic profession going in the future?

Dr. Steve Agocs: “The chiropractic profession is really at an important crossroads. I think that in an effort to be more “evidence-based” there has been a lot of shedding of the identity that makes us chiropractors, so while the colleges think they are giving the students the research tools to succeed in an “evidence-based” environment, they’re really creating a very confused graduate who doesn’t have a principle to guide his procedures.

I would like to see chiropractic get back to a defining principle (philosophy) and then build from that principle to teach the students the ever-emerging science and art of what we do. Chiropractic isn’t changing… The application may be, and the science that explains what we do is always changing, but chiropractic’s principle should be stronger than ever, and it isn’t being taught that way. So, education has a long way to go, in my opinion. I think a big focus of chiropractic as a profession needs to be on opening up more markets for DC’s. The profession is really stagnant here in the USA, and I think it’s because we’re still practicing in a mode that was common 100+ years ago. The MD’s have been doing group practice for decades, with great success, so I think the future of chiropractic is in group practice situations modeled after other professionals (MD’s, attorneys). The benefits are huge.

Continuing to make inroads in the VA and military systems are important. There is also the entire hospital, clinic and public health community that is largely untapped for chiropractors. Our doctors in the VA, at free clinics like where I practice, and in other non-traditional locations are paving the way for a future generation of DC’s who will be able to seek meaningful, gainful employment in these systems, working alongside other health care providers for the betterment of the patient. It’s coming, but we need more DC’s pushing into these systems.

There is also a trend toward large companies having on-site interdisciplinary clinics, and I am very interested in the potential of that market. Finally, there are now more chiropractic colleges outside of the USA than there are in the country, and the international healthcare market is wide open. I’ve lived overseas and it isn’t easy to go from a little town in the midwest, for example, to Rome, Italy to practice, but chiropractors are alive and well all over the world and there are thousands of places just waiting for a DC to take care of people. Who wouldn’t want to practice on some little island in the Caribbean, or in a modern Asian city, or walking distance from the Forum in Rome, etc? Chiropractors need to start thinking outside the box, and it has been a long time coming. So, in summary, I see the next ten years of the profession about opening up types of practice that have never really been open to DC’s in all sorts of markets both domestically and internationally. It’s pretty exciting!”

Knowledgeable Chiropractic Historian: An Interview With Dr. Steve Agocs Part 1

Brandon Harshe, DC — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 11:00:07 +0000

Dr. Steve Agocs and I have had the chance to interact quite a bit between Facebook and email and I have always been impressed with his knowledge of chiropractic history. The guy is like a walking chiropractic encyclopedia. His interview was just as interesting, in my humble opinion.

He also wrote one of my favorite guest posts here on The Atlas of Life, which I broke up into Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3.

I thought I would try something completely new on this site. I broke up Dr. Agoc’s interview into two parts. Today you can read the first part, and part two will go live next Wednesday.

I appreciate Dr. Agocs taking time out of his busy schedule to answers some questions for The Atlas of Life.

Dr. Brandon Harshe: What made you decide on chiropractic as a career choice?

Dr. Steve Agocs: “My choice to go into chiropractic as a career is probably a lot different from the stories your readers are used to reading about in your interviews. I never had a miracle story… My beginnings are a lot more humble! When I was a sophomore at the University of Northern Iowa, it was time to start getting pretty serious about career paths and choosing a major. I went to the counseling department and took this long test on a computer. The test took about an hour to complete and asked questions about personality, desired income, job duties, etc. At the end of the test, the computer was supposed to spit out a summary with a list of possible careers that would be a good fit, and my list had two careers: interior design and chiropractic. I was in a position to look more into the chiropractic profession, so that’s what I did. Previous to that, my only concept of chiropractic was that “it was something people in Hollywood do” but I couldn’t even have told you a single other thing about it.

I had a girlfriend at the time whose father was a chiropractor, in fact, he was a high-level administrator at Palmer College of Chiropractic. He had adjusted me a couple times here and there for various things, but I’d never had “real” chiropractic care beyond lying on the couch for a quick adjustment. I spoke to him about a career in chiropractic and he said it is a tough road if you’re not 100% dedicated, and that I should really think hard about it before jumping right in. So, I checked out every book on chiropractic that UNI’s library had (there were more than you would think at that time in 1994-1995), and bought a few that were available through bookstores. Remember, this is before the Internet as we know it today. I’ve never thought about if my choice would have been different had I been able to do my searching online instead of the old-fashioned way!

In any case, I fell in love with the philosophy and idea of chiropractic. It made perfect sense to me. The more I learned the more I thought it was a good match. Along the way I had a great experience in a chiropractor’s office in Cedar Falls, IA after injuring a sacroiliac joint while mountain biking and I was sold. On good advice from my girlfriend’s father, I finished up my teaching degree at UNI and then went straight into chiropractic college after my student teaching.”

Dr. Brandon Harshe: Where did you go to chiropractic school and why?

Dr. Steve Agocs: “I went to Palmer College of Chiropractic for a few reasons. First of all, my girlfriend’s dad, who was my first mentor in chiropractic, was assistant to the president of the college. That being said, he did not push me in any particular direction, although he was a Palmer graduate and he was obviously proud of the college he worked for. Because of a family connection on my girlfriend’s side and the fact that my own family was distributed in Iowa and Illinois, it made practical sense. Of course, Palmer is the Fountainhead and I was sold on the idea that “Palmer is to chiropractic what Sterling is to silver .” I was also lucky enough to get to attend the Centennial celebrations in 1995 and other homecoming celebrations while I was still an undergrad student. The energy, history, reputation and proximity to family added up to a pretty easy decision for me. I wrote (again, the old-fashioned way) to several other colleges, but it was clear Palmer was a good fit for me. On an almost daily basis my own students ask me about where I went to school and what I thought and I have honestly never had a single regret about Palmer or the excellent education I received from the school. We Palmer grads joke around that our blood runs purple, and that’s true for me! I was able to see Galen Price give his famous safety pin cycle lecture for the last time in public under the big tent. I heard Sid Williams go nuclear at an after-hours event. Fred Barge was one of my philosophy teachers… It was an incredible experience and I am honored to have been taught by true giants in the profession, most of whom are now gone.”

Dr. Brandon Harshe: How did you get into teaching Thompson technique? How is that going?

Dr. Steve Agocs: “My first experience with chiropractic in a real office was, in retrospect, on a Zenith 400-series Thompson table. That was for my low back or SIJ problem I got from mountain biking. My back had been killing me for a week and just getting worse, so I finally bit the bullet and actually paid for an adjustment! He didn’t even charge me for an exam, but $30 was a lot of money to a college kid! Anyway, he got me on the table and it was, “Wham! Clunk! Wham! Sproing! Boom!” from the table and he got me up and my back hurt even worse, so he put me back down, did a little more adjusting, and sent me home. I remember being really angry and thinking I was going to change my decision about being a chiropractor because “it didn’t work” and I still felt bad the rest of the day. I will never forget how I was cussing that doctor out and how I felt like I got ripped off, which is why I spend so much time educating patients about what to expect after their adjustments in my practice. Anyway, the next day I woke up 95% better and I felt pretty stupid, happy but stupid!

At the time I was in school, from 1997-2000, Palmer’s core technique instruction (not including upper cervical) was 80% Gonstead, 17% Diversified (with a Gonstead lean) and 3% Thompson Technique. The extent of our Thompson training was to learn what the knobs and levers on the table does, from a diagram, and we learned something about leg checks, but my pelvic technique teacher said, “Don’t do leg checks because cowboys step in horse$%&! all day long” (he was an east Colorado cowboy). Because our professors were “Gondroids” and it was a mark of passage to be a really good Gonstead adjuster, I drank the Gonstead Kool-Aid and relegated everything else to “things people do if they can’t give a real adjustment.” I took Activator as an elective just so I could have a low-force technique if I really needed it. I’m glad I was a bit closed-minded in school, actually, because I walked out of there with really good adjusting skills and with a clear idea of what to do, so when I started learning other techniques they all built off that Gonstead backbone. If you’re a good Gonstead adjuster, everything else will be pretty easy, in my opinion.

Dr. Rob Jackson taught Thompson Technique at my first Michigan Chiropractic Society convention when I was practicing, and I thought it was really cool and a nice addition to what I was already doing. I have been trained by Dr. Jackson, Dr. Wayne Zemelka, Dr. Terry Brady, Dr. Jim Thompson and Dr. John Minardi. I started to collect some videos and manuals of Thompson’s, and in practice it was just an easy and effective way of adjusting the pelvis (to this day I am still a Gonstead guy when it comes to necks!) and if the adjustment was easy on the patient, easy on me, and it worked, then it seemed like a good choice! One of my goals had been to become certified as a Thompson teacher and teach post-graduate seminars. When I sold my practice and went to teach at Cleveland Chiropractic College the current Thompson instructor saw how fired up I was about it and he gave me the class, which has proven to be the most popular elective on campus. In 2009 I achieved my dream of teaching post-grad, after I was recruited by Foot Levelers to be a member of their speakers’ bureau, and I teach Thompson Technique all over the country and even internationally for them, too. So, it’s going pretty good! This year I’ve taught (or am scheduled to teach) in Amsterdam, Puerto Rico, San Francisco, San Diego, Reno, Philadelphia, Wilmington, Austin, and more. I don’t get too many opportunities to get much local culture in, but it’s still a lot of fun and very rewarding.”

Dr. Brandon Harshe: How has teaching Thompson technique helped you in your own practice?

Dr. Steve Agocs: “Teaching technique makes you do things the right way, all the time. What I’ve always loved about Thompson Technique is that it fits easily into other techniques, so it is more of a backbone to build from that it is something I rigidly adhere to. I mean, I do it the right way, but it’s not all I do. Clay Thompson knew 100 ways to adjust everything in the body, and he used them all, so I take the same type of approach. I’ve had to learn a lot of biomechanics to explain why, not just how, in the technique, so that has been helpful, and I’m making connections between pelvic problems and, for example, the feet, that no one has ever talked about in that technique and that has helped me with some tough cases, so it has been great. The other side of this question is that it is important to note that I always have a student observing me in my practice, so I am never alone and I can never get lazy, which is good. The important thing about technique is to understand what you’re doing biomechanically so you can choose the right adjustment for that patient at that time and not simply be locked into a bunch of rules. In a given week I’ll use lots of Thompson, Gonstead and Diversified, a little instrument adjusting, a little Toggle Recoil upper cervical, some Graston Technique and a bit of other specific soft tissue techniques, some SOT and even a bit of AK when the time calls for it. Life is too short to be a one trick pony, but you also have to master everything you do and not just be a hobbyist when it comes to technique.

An Interview with ChiroHosting Marketing Director Rod Campbell

Brandon Harshe, DC — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 11:00:28 +0000

Recently, I was contacted by Rod Campbell, the marketing director for ChiroHosting, a company dedicated to helping chiropractors build websites and market themselves on the Internet.

As chiropractors, we face an uphill battle in getting our message out to the general public. Rod has taken on a mission of helping chiropractors change this.

As a fan of blogging and social media myself, I can appreciate what ChiroHosting is offering, and I would actually suggest them to someone looking into building up their website but have no idea where to start.

Rod was gracious enough to answer some questions for The Atlas of Life. Enjoy!

Dr. Brandon Harshe: How did you first learn about Chiropractic?

Rod Campbell: “In my spare time I’m an actor and a stunt-guy, believe it or not. A couple of years ago I was playing Charles the Wrestler in Shakespeare’s As You Like It. There was a big fight scene that involved a 15′ vertical fall that lead into a very complicated wrestling maneuver. During the final dress rehearsal, the move went wrong. I made the jump, started the move, and was given too much momentum by my stunt partner. It resulted in me headplanting, at a dead-run, into a wooden staircase. I spent the night in the hospital being stitched back together and recovering from a pretty serious concussion but had to recover enough to perform on opening night (and the following 15 shows). The injury screwed up my neck and made opening night an excruciating, so a friend recommended chiropractic. Within a few days of intensive treatment, I felt like a million bucks- it was incredible! Needless to say, I’m now a fan.”

Dr. Brandon Harshe: How did you get into marketing on the internet?

Rod Cambell: “My internet marketing career is a relatively new phenomenon. I started as a political consultant and eventually ended up managing a congressional campaign when I was 16 years old. That created a bit of a buzz and lead to all kinds of interesting gigs: lobbying congress, advising a governor, and developing a couple of non-profits. Then college interrupted my momentum. I majored in International Studies, which was pretty much an excuse to travel the world. All-in-all, I ended up studying in 27 countries and began to realize how amazingly similar we all are. No matter what language we speak, what country we’re raised in, or what religion we profess- people all need the same things and, at their core, have the same desires. Marketing is simple when you understand the hierarchy of human needs and wants.

Mike Melton, the owner of Chirohosting, contacted me while I was studying in Donegal, Ireland to let me know a position had just opened up in his company. We scheduled an interview when I returned home and the two of us hit it off really well. The environment at Chirohosting is amazing- the company fosters innovation, works efficiently, and has a spectacular view. Mike was looking for a bold, innovative, young marketing director who could lead the company in new directions. It’s any young entrepreneur’s dream job.”

Dr. Brandon Harshe: Where do you suggest a chiropractor begin when starting an online marketing campaign?

Rod Campbell: “First off, be very cautious about “online marketing services”. Unfortunately, there are hundreds of scam artists and snake oil sellers trying to take advantage of chiropractors. There are also dozens of well established companies that provide chiropractic marketing services for exorbitantly inflated prices. My best advice is this: avoid anyone who offers quick or guaranteed results, or claims to know a “secret” that nobody else does. Honestly, even if you’re not a “tech” person, you can still do 80% of your own chiropractic marketing, website design, and social media development. I’m developing a free chiropractic marketing library right now, through Chirohosting. I’ll be writing 3-4 articles per week and uploading 8 how-to videos per month. I’m encouraging chiropractors to contact me with their concerns or marketing questions, that way I can produce content specifically designed for their needs.

What makes this service unique is that there aren’t any gimmicks and I’m not selling anything. It’s just a free service. My philosophy is: if I go out of my way to support chiropractors by providing exceptional quality content for free, they’ll want to hire us. It’s a simple and amazingly successful strategy. It’s basically “spread good karma, receive good karma.”

Dr. Brandon Harshe: What is the best online marketing tool a chiropractor can use?

Rod Campbell: “Facebook and a well designed website. Those two resources can easily double your patients, if you know how to use them. Unfortunately, 80% of chiropractic websites a horribly designed. They’re crammed full of gizmos and links and look unprofessional. Here’s an example of a well designed website. It’s easy to navigate, simplified, personal, and the website design feels professional. It has some very powerful devices, like the How Chiropractic Works widget, but it doesn’t feel chaotic or overwhelming.

Your next best tool is Facebook, a social media site with over 450 million active users. Creating a Facebook profile is a free and easy way to promote your chiropractic practice. If used correctly, it can be your best resource. I usually tell chiropractors to think of Facebook like a giant dinner party. Nobody like the guy who runs around the party trying to sell something- in fact, most of us would throw him out. Don’t be that guy. Instead, become a valuable resource to the community by providing well-written educational material and offering it to people who are in pain. Become a valuable resource and a respected expert- not an annoying spammer.”

Dr. Brandon Harshe: Can you tell us about ChiroHosting? What is your role there?

Rod Campbell: “As Marketing Director, most of my job involves developing marketing content, fostering relationships with chiropractors and chiropractic professionals, and helping our clients develop successful marketing strategies. It’s a fun and fast-paced job that benefits a great cause. The company itself was founded in 1999 by Mike Melton, a published author and expert on whiplash injuries. Over the last year, the company has grown dramatically and is now branching into chiropractic marketing and social media services. It’s an exciting time to be their marketing director!”

Dr. Brandon Harshe: What is it like working with and teaching chiropractors about blogging and social media?

Rod Campbell: “It can be difficult because there are a lot of misconceptions about the internet, largely propagated by scam artists. My biggest challenge is undoing that damage and restoring the reputation of internet marketing experts. We’re not all shady con men! I often get a negative reaction from chiropractors when I’m first helping them out because they assume I’m trying to sell something. They’re usually a bit shocked when they realize I’m going out of my way to help them and not asking for anything in return. Our existing clients love us though and they’re a blast to work with. We have a few clients who are really new to the internet- in fact, we just taught one of them how to use email. Whether I’m helping someone turn on their computer or setting up a complex long-tail marketing campaign, it’s always fun.”

Dr. Brandon Harshe: Do you have future projects or ideas planned as they pertain to chiropractic and blogging/social media?

Rod Campbell: “Loads of them! In fact, we’re designing some social media applications that will revolutionize chiropractic marketing. I know that everybody uses the word “revolutionary” but our projects really are amazing. Right now they’re being beta-tested and cleaned up for official release in mid-August. We’re also working on a new website called TalkChiro, which will link chiropractors to new patients. Think of it as a social media website for chiropractic. On top of all that, we’re developing dozens of new widgets for our client’s websites- which will give chiropractors access to huge libraries of customizable chiropractic content. Obviously, we never sleep.”

Setting The Upper Cervical Record Straight: A 2nd Interview With Dr. Ray Drury

Brandon Harshe, DC — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 11:00:40 +0000

Dr. Ray Drury gets the distinction of being the first person to be interviewed twice on The Atlas of Life.

I first interviewed him in February of 2009, just a few weeks after I started this blog.

A lot has been going on in the Upper Cervical Chiropractic community since then, and a lot of it has to do with Dr. Drury.

I thought it would be interesting to do a follow up interview with him, and I must say I was not disappointed.

I’m grateful Dr. Drury could spare some time to answer some more questions for The Atlas of Life.

Dr. Brandon Harshe: A lot of progress has happened in Italy since the last time I interviewed you. Could you tell us a little bit about what has been happening?

Dr. Ray Drury: “Well we have had three Grand Openings there in the last few months for each office over there (Rome, Sicily and San Marino). Between the three offices we had over 750 people attend and scheduled 248 new patients. We had several medical doctors who have become patients that stood up and gave their testimonials and testimonials of patients that they had referred to our Upper Cervical docs.

One doctor in Sicily was the president of the Italian Medical Association for all of Sicily. He is a patient and has sent several people to the Upper Cervical Health Center in Trapani. He stood up and told 200+ people they need to quit taking drugs and go see Dr. Hollowell (the Upper Cervical doc in Trapani.) That is something you wouldn’t see happing in very many places.

James Tomasi was the guest speaker for the Rome Grand Opening and Greg Buchanan came all the way from Australia to be the guest speaker for the San Marino and Sicily Grand Openings. We will be opening our 4th office in Treviso, Italy in September in a beautiful hospital near Venice.

We are now starting Upper Cervical Health Centers of Europe which will be a subsidiary company of Upper Cervical Health Centers, Inc. We have already had several people interested in investing in this company to spread Upper Cervical all over Europe. We expect to raise a couple million dollars by the end of the year and use that to open 200-220 UCHC franchises all over Europe. So, if you know anyone interested in practicing in Europe please contact me and get on the waiting list soon. This money will also be used to fund the multiple research projects we are working on in our European offices.

So, there is some incredible stuff going on overseas!

Now let me tell you what has NOT been going on in Italy.

Although there are those that like to start false rumors, I want everyone to know that I have NOT been training medical doctors to do Upper Cervical. I am NOT starting a school in which we will be teaching medical doctors Upper Cervical. I am NOT selling out the chiropractic profession to the medical doctors. I have NOT turned Specific Upper Cervical Chiropractic into a therapy to get into the hospitals. And I would certainly NEVER EVER turn our Upper Cervical Chiropractic offices into chelation, intravenous vitamin therapy, hyperbaric chamber clinics.

As most chiropractors know, our worst enemy is ourselves. Unfortunately, even in Upper Cervical there are those that are envious that turn their own guilty conscious into lies to try to elevate themselves by pulling others down. This is the same old “crabs in a bucket” story that I spoke on at the Upper Cervical Evolution.

I wish everyone would just start worrying about what they are doing and quit worrying so much about what I am doing. Or at least, if you are so worried about what I am doing, just ask me and I will be happy to tell you. This way you don’t have to just assume and start making stuff up.

Thanks Brandon for letting me get that off my chest!”

Dr. Brandon Harshe: There seems to be a lot of interest in creating Upper Cervical Chiropractic offices around the world. What are some of the hot spots that you have been looking at and how do you think they will be received?

Dr. Ray Drury: “Right now we are focusing on Italy and maybe a few places close to Italy. We are creating a business model that can be duplicated anywhere in the world. UCHC of Europe is going to hire a fulltime CEO and country manager just to open new offices and build the existing offices in Italy. Once that model is very sound we are going to take it to other countries one-by-one and work our way through all of Europe. So, right now the “hot spot” is still Italy.

The reason we are focusing so much attention on Europe is because it is SO WELL received. We have MD’s promoting what we do and sending their patients. All of our offices are in hospitals (as independent contractors, not employees) where most of our patients come from.

The reason we are in hospitals is because, in Italy, chiropractors cannot take x-rays. So, we have set up relationships with hospitals in which we lease the space and we send our patients to their x-ray department to get their x-rays taken. Obviously we have to spend some time training their tech to take UC films but, so far, they have been eager to learn. We usually have to supplement their system with positioning chairs, head clamps and tilting buckeys. Occasionally they have to import an entire system so we can get the films we need.

We have medical doctors and business people in Europe wanting to invest in Upper Cervical Health Centers because they know that this is the future of healthcare! I am telling you it is a different world on the other side of the pond.

Oh, and did I mention there is no insurance and no Medicare so everyone pays cash without even questioning it?”

Dr. Brandon Harshe: Currently, there is a study being conducted in Italy on the effects a specific Upper Cervical adjustment has on patients with multiple sclerosis. I know it won’t be finished for a couple of years yet, but what have you heard about the preliminary results?

Dr. Ray Drury: “Actually, I am heading to Italy tomorrow (July 3rd) and I am supposed to be receiving the actual official preliminary study results from Dr. Mondolesi. As soon as I receive them we will get them out to everyone.”

Dr. Brandon Harshe: Recently, you created the International Upper Cervical Institute. Could you tell us about that?

Dr. Ray Drury: “The International Upper Cervical Institute was created out of necessity. UCHC has doctors from all of the major UC techniques. I felt that all of those techniques had a good program behind them that gave them consistent training at a fair price. I didn’t feel that was the case for the Knee-Chest work. I worked with several of our Knee-Chest docs that were really struggling with getting the kind of results that UC can get. After working with several of them I found that they had either been taught incorrectly or after completing an entire certification program never learned some of the key elements necessary to get the results they were looking for.

So I felt that if doctors where going to have the UCHC name on their door then I want to make sure they know what they are doing and they can deliver the goods. Although I am very busy, I felt it necessary to start teaching it correctly at a price everyone can afford.”

Dr. Brandon Harshe: How have you enjoyed teaching Knee-Chest? What has been the response?

Dr. Ray Drury: “I love teaching docs to be better docs. I love helping those that really want to serve be able to serve to their maximum potential. Since I gave up my practice 3 years ago to dedicate my life to helping more people through these doctors, I now live through them. I love getting the emails and phone calls about the cancer patients, AIDS patients, terminally ill or suicidal patients getting well. Now I not only get to help them serve more people through UCHC but I can how help them get better results with the ones they are serving.

My first seminar was just word of mouth and was just going to be a few UCHC guys that wanted to learn how to read x-rays correctly. Well the word of mouth spread quickly and we wound up with over 40 people at the first seminar. Within a couple years we expect to have 200+ people at every seminar.”

Dr. Brandon Harshe: The Upper Cervical Academy was created through Sherman College. Can you tell us about that and what your involvement has been with it?

Dr. Ray Drury: “Dr. Jon Shwartzbauer, the President of Sherman College and I have been talking about a way we could offer a real Upper Cervical certification program through a chiropractic college. The Upper Cervical Diplomat is a 3 year program that is very academic by design and most practicing doctors don’t have that kind of time to dedicate to a program that really isn’t going to change their practice much.

So Dr. Shwartzbauer and I developed a program designed for the practicing doctor. This program is set up to help doctors communicate better with their patients, potential patients and other healthcare professionals.

It is specifically designed to teach you what you need to know about the neurology, anatomy, philosophy, history and business protocols to be an Upper Cervical Specialist. This course will also help unite the Upper Cervical profession by teaching us what each technique has in common and what makes us different and how that might help us in our own practices.

This is a one hundred hour course. It is broken up into six core Upper Cervical courses that make up 64 hours plus at least 36 hours of technique that will be taught by the individual technique instructors for each technique. Each graduation will be held at the Upper Cervical Evolution with the Inaugural Class graduating in Orlando April 29th.

You can learn more about the Upper Cervical Academy and register for the upcoming seminars by going to www.UpperCervicalAcademy.com“

Dr. Brandon Harshe: How would you rate the progress of the Upper Cervical message spreading throughout the schools, country and the world?

Dr. Ray Drury: “I would say the message is spreading very well in some schools and not at all in others. As Upper Cervical docs we should consider it an honor and a duty to go back to these schools and tell the students the truth. Most of them know nothing about what we do. Very very soon the demand for Upper Cervical in the world is going to be so enormous we will never be able to have enough doctors to fill the need. We really need more Upper Cervical docs and it is up to us to go back into the schools and share what we do. If you want to do this please call me and I will help you get in to speak to these schools.

As for the country and the world, I have seen a lot of change in the last 5 years. More than the previous 15 years combined. But, it is like a drop in the ocean. Still 99.9% of the people on this planet have never even heard of Upper Cervical. We have a lot of work to do!

Quit worrying about what everyone else is doing. WHAT ARE YOU DOING?”

Helping Chiropractic Regain Its Identity: An Interview With Dr. Shawn Dill

Brandon Harshe, DC — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 11:00:47 +0000

I have been looking forward to getting this interview up on The Atlas of Life for sometime. And I do mean “some” time.

Dr. Shawn Dill has been very active in helping put together the curriculum for the upcoming Upper Cervical Diplomate program. He is also very active at Life Chiropractic College West, where he teaches first quarter philosophy and heads up the Institute for Advanced Care in Chiropractic. He is also co-founder of The Specific Chiropractic Centers and That Something Coaching, where he teaches students and new doctors the philosophy, science, and art of Upper Cervical Specific Chiropractic. He was also very instrumental in the creation of chiropractic laws in Costa rica while practicing there.

With all that being said, I have to give Dr. Dill a little bit of a hard time. See, I emailed him these interview questions in March of 2009… when I was still in Tri 8 at Parker College! LOL! Oh well… better late than never, right?

I am grateful Dr. Dill answered these questions for The Atlas of Life.

Dr. Brandon Harshe: What made you decide to become a chiropractor?

Dr. Shawn Dill: “I was motivated to become a chiropractor through my cousin, Dr. Steven Hernandez, who practiced in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. I was able to spend time with him at an early age and was always in awe of not only his business success, but also the amount of joy and passion in his life that he had for his work. Later he was able to explain to me about the philosophy of chiropractic and then I had a better understanding of where his passion came from.

His influence in my life became more visible after my first two years of college. I was having so much fun at Indiana University that I had decided to abandon my dreams of becoming a chiropractor and continue with my “Pre-Med” studies. As soon as my cousin heard this he was on a plane to Bloomington (his private plane – wow, that was impressive), picked me up and then we flew to Davenport, Iowa. There we toured the campus, had lunch and then flew back to his office in Milwaukee. We had a “sit down.” The rest is history.”

Dr. Brandon Harshe: How did you find out about Upper Cervical Specific Chiropractic?

Dr. Shawn Dill: “I found upper cervical specific the hard way. The Specific was something that was never taught nor talked about on campus at Logan College of Chiropractic. (I ended up there because I couldn’t see myself hanging out in Davenport… my cousin told me there were many chiropractic colleges, to get my butt in one of them!) Therefore, I had to learn most of my chiropractic on my own.

My journey to learn chiropractic began with a trip to Dynamic Essentials in my second trimester. From that point on I never missed another DE meeting until I moved to Costa Rica. I began to learn about chiropractic and chiropractic philosophy. I began to read the green books. Then I met Dr. Michael Kale. When I saw the work he was doing I felt that I finally had a match. I had finally found a way to practice the work I had been reading about in BJ’s green books. I went through the certification process with the Kale Network and began to practice everyday.”

Dr. Brandon Harshe: You practiced in Costa Rica for a number of years, and you were instrumental in getting pro-chiropractic laws passed there. Can you tell us about that experience?

Dr. Shawn Dill: “I practiced in Costa Rica from 1996 to 2003. When I first arrived in Costa Rica there were about 4 chiropractors practicing there, none really full time. I recognized early that if we were going to grow the business model and be able to open up more clinics we would have to secure legal protection in order to allow the practice of chiropractic in the country.

I approached a law firm and solicited help in writing, proposing and lobbying a law to regulate the practice of chiropractic. I received a lot of help from the doctors at my company, Quiropractica Mundial, as well as from many outside agencies such as the Washington State Chiropractic Association and the World Federation of Chiropractors.

With the grace of God, the law passed in just one year’s time. This was remarkable and caused many to accuse me of “buying off” the government officials. Let me go on record letting everyone know that this was not the case. It was simply a case of the truth prevailing at the right time. We received little or no resistance from the medical community or any of the legislators. Every single vote in reference to the law was always unanimous in our favor!

Interestingly, the only resistance we encountered was from the chiropractors themselves in Costa Rica. They were fearful that I was going to write the law to make chiropractic upper cervical specific only. What is really funny is that once the law was passed, the chiropractic community could not come together to actually enact the law and regulate our own profession. To this day they operate in total chaos and distrust for each other. It saddens me to see that as always, we are our own worst enemy.”

Dr. Brandon Harshe: What is the biggest difference between practicing in a foreign country as opposed to the United States?

Dr. Shawn Dill: “Well, my opinion on this has changed drastically the more I am immersed into the business of chiropractic here in the United States. I used to think that Costa Rica was a chiropractic utopia. I say that because over there chiropractic was whatever I told people it was. They paid cash and they appreciated the service we provided. As such they referred their families and friends to the clinic. We averaged 200 patient visits per day for five and a half days a week for the last six years I was there.

Our business model here in the United States is very different than the model we used in Costa Rica. The model began first with me teaching at Life Chiropractic College West, helping to introduce upper cervical specific into the core curriculum. We also opened The Institute for Advanced Care in Chiropractic. This provides a very unique learning environment where the student can truly gain clinical experience under my direct supervision and really begin to develop their skills.

The second part of the business model involves my partnership with Dr. Paige Van Slooten. I met Dr. Paige while she was a student at LCCW and was very impressed with her work ethic. She was the very first intern to work by my side at The Institute for Advanced Care in Chiropractic. Together we opened The Specific Chiropractic Center and started the “That Something” Coaching Program. The coaching program provides a training ground for those individuals looking to achieve true “mastery” of the Knee Chest Solid Headpiece Upper Cervical Specific Technique. The Specific Chiropractic Center is merely the epitome of our efforts. The application of the art.”

Dr. Brandon Harshe: You currently teach first quarter chiropractic students at Life Chiropractic College West in Hayward, CA. What are the most rewarding and most challenging aspects of teaching new students?

Dr. Shawn Dill: “I love teaching the first quarter students! In fact, I have them for their first class EVER at the college. What a great responsibility. I teach Philosophy I straight from The Chiropractic Textbook by Stephenson.

The most rewarding aspect is to be able to set the course for many students as they begin their journey towards gaining their Doctor of Chiropractic degree. We discuss what chiropractic is and what it is not. We memorize and discuss the Normal Complete Cycle. We memorize all thirty-three chiropractic principles. For many this is a very eye-opening experience. An awakening to a whole new world that they never even knew existed in chiropractic. Many are there on day one just to help people get out of pain. You can imagine what their eyes look like when they discover the true wonders of chiropractic.

At the same time, there are those students in class who really already have their minds made up from day one. This is the most frustrating part of teaching the first quarter class. We do not discuss technique in the class, but many students are already on the defensive from the beginning. It saddens me to see such closed mindedness from the younger generation of chiropractors. That just tells me that we will continue to struggle as we attempt to take our rightful place in the healthcare world.”

Dr. Brandon Harshe: You co-founded The Specific Chiropractic Center, a company which has four offices currently operating in California, with two more opening up soon. How has the current venture allowed you to spread the message of Upper Cervical Specific Chiropractic?

Dr. Shawn Dill: “The Specific Chiropractic Center is my baby. I have been privileged to have partnered with a tremendous partner who has given me the flexibility and trust to take the company on this wild ride. We started with a clinic in Dublin, CA where we opened our first clinic. People really thought we were a little crazy. We do Knee Chest Upper Cervical Specific chiropractic ONLY. No pressure points, no massage, no therapies, no traction, nothing more, nothing less. Furthermore, we only take cash. Lastly we do not offer a pay-by-visit option. We only accept committed patients who are willing to fully commit to a care program.

Dr. Paige bought into this crazy paradigm and has worked very hard to make the clinic a success. I am very proud of the way she has been able to translate some of my concepts into a working business model. We did not know for sure that it would work, but I thank God that Upper Cervical Specific is alive and well and can be practiced in a pure and unsullied way.

The next logical step was to begin to partner with strategic alliances to begin to amplify our penetration. Our business model is to focus our efforts in the Bay Area of Northern California. Therefore we partnered with Dr. Lauren Clum, Dr. Jane Simbre and Dr. Shane Smith, all graduates of the first “That Something” Coaching Program class, to provide support and coaching to their clinics in Oakland, Daly City and Chico, California, respectively.

Subsequently we have partnered with Dr. Bryan Wright in the Sacramento, California area as well as with Dr. Eric McEntire and Dr. John Cheney who opened our first clinic outside of California in Salt Lake City, Utah. Most recently we converted Dr. Mike Hurley’s office in Scarborough, Maine over to a Specific Chiropractic Center.

We are very excited to be branching out across the country and have plans to open in Washington, D.C., Marin and San Jose, California and Scottsdale, Arizona in the next year.”

Dr. Brandon Harshe: Social Networking sites like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn are growing in popularity by the day. Slowly but surely, chiropractors are beginning to get involved in this method of online communication and marketing, including you. How do you see this new trend affecting Upper Cervical Chiropractic?

Dr. Shawn Dill: “Wow! This is a heavy-duty question. I am so happy to see so many chiropractors, and especially upper cervical specific chiropractors utilizing social media more and more. It is a fact that today most Americans receive their information from the Internet. This is a double-edged sword. This means that we can now have some say and control over what our potential patients are reading about chiropractic. But, this also means that if we are not active in creating content on the Internet, that OTHERS will control what our patients are reading.

I see this new trend affecting Upper Cervical Chiropractic in a very meaningful way. I see so many doctors who want to be on the television, or host their own program. Yet these same “personalities” cannot even create regular content to post on the Internet. Our next leaders will be those who control the World Wide Web. Pretty soon health talks will be done via webinar, seminars will be taught over the computer. Fortunately, we will never be able to give an adjustment over the internet, but I would not rule out an app that could check a patient for subluxation!

I encourage all of my first quarter students to get active in Social Media from Day One. The days of “hustling” for patients at spinal screenings and old marketing methods are quickly being replaced by text messaging, blogging, social media and webinars. If you are not on these platforms now, you are already behind!

You have to constantly be on the look out for the next big thing. Facebook is already super saturated with chiropractors, clinics and fan pages. So what do I think is next? Follow me on Facebook if you want to see the launch of what I believe will be the next evolution of Social Media!”

Dr. Brandon Harshe: What is your vision for the future of Upper Cervical Chiropractic?

Dr. Shawn Dill: “Again! Two mega questions to end the interview. Honestly, that is why it has taken me so long to respond to you. This is a very big question. I guess I should say, “world domination”, or “upper cervical as a household term”. But I just don’t see that happening to tell you the truth.

I see Upper Cervical Chiropractic and Chiropractic in general having to face some very difficult decisions in the future. We are becoming more and more mainstream. We are becoming more and more accepted. We are going to have to make some tough choices about our identity very soon. Are we willing to sacrifice some aspects of our identity in order to be “accepted”? We have been doing this for some time and we continue to water down our message at every turn.

The other giant issue here is UNITY. I always seem to find myself in the eye of this UNITY storm. What I believe is that there are many out there who have confused the term UNITY with UNIFORMITY. We can have unity without uniformity. Franchise models promote uniformity. That is exactly what The Specific Chiropractic Center is all about, UNIFORMITY. All franchise models are about uniformity, and not unity.

However, we must be clear that in order to survive, we need UNITY. I believe that the Council on Upper Cervical Care of the International Chiropractors Association will provide that bridge to give us a UNITY platform. The Council embraces all aspects and techniques of Upper Cervical Care. We are developing the profession’s first Diplomate Program that will be oriented at a technique system, Upper Cervical Care. This program will develop the practitioner on the basic elements of five different technique approaches, with a proficiency in one.

For the first time ever, we have assembled the leaders of the five technique groups under one roof to provide real nuts and bolts technique instruction at our first ever seminar called Upper Cervical Fusion: A Synthesis of Upper Cervical Perspectives. This seminar will take place on September 23rd to 25th in San Jose, California. If you would like more information or would like to register, I would invite you to visit our website at www.uppercervicalfusion.com.

So, to finalize your question, I would say that I see us UNIFYING around the idea that the upper cervical spine is central to the maintenance of health in the human being. I see us finally understanding that we are all looking at the same fundamental truths and that if we could set aside our egos and agendas we can ultimately help more people.

Now for the controversy… I see this happening across all lines of chiropractors. I see chiropractors unifying around this concept regardless of technique approach. I have been approached by many full spine chiropractors to work with them in developing this understanding. I am not about to speak about a concept of separation or exclusion. I see us getting back to basics and chiropractic regaining its identity once and for all!”

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