Over the next few months, my intention is to share some things I have learned. My work has afforded me some interesting insights and some amazing experiences with people. I hope some of you get something of value from these lessons.
Fundamental Edict:
"Everyone needs chiropractic care. Not everyone needs YOUR chiropractic care."
Background
Early in practice, I had the opportunity to work with some children with special needs in the Philippines. Like I said, I was early in my practice so I hadn't really gotten past just surviving and figuring out how to build a practice.
This opportunity changed all that.
At the time, I guess I didn't really "believe" in the power of chiropractic. I had success stories, sure, but not a deep rooted "faith" (for lack of a better word).
While I was there I was taken care of by our host family. They are the most amazing people. To open their home to a stranger and take care of me for 6 weeks is something I still struggle to comprehend but am forever grateful. We spent our days treating children, evenings treating some adults and still had time to enjoy the wonders of the Philippines.
I remember a young boy about 7 years old who had severe autism. If you've ever seen the movie Rain Man with Dustin Hoffman and Tom Cruise, you will have an understanding of how a child with severe autism responds to unfamiliar stimuli.
He was essentially dragged into the treatment area and held down by four grown adults. He kicked, screamed, spit and tried to bite us.
I remember sweating.
Not just because of the heat but because I was nervous.
In my head, I was thinking, "what do I do with this kid?"
"I've never treated anyone like this before?"
Somehow, I just knew I had to adjust his upper neck area and release his diaphragm. Why? No idea. Intuition, I guess?
So while four adults held this kid down, I adjusted him.
A loud "pop" followed and he immediately calmed down and relaxed.
Miraculous right? No. That was not the miracle.
The miracle happened the following day when this same kid came walking into the treatment area, smiled, and laid down on the table- all by himself.
His parents would later tell me that something had changed in him. That he was calmer, more attentive and just easier to handle.
One adjustment.
Crazy.
All because of my magic abilities, right?! I wish. I have a big ego but not that big.
I realized that there was something powerful that was not necessarily associated with me.
It was our unique ability to heal.
Our bodies are constant healing machines. All we have to do is provide it with the right support and help remove some of the things that are getting in the way (goodbye junk food and negativity) and miracles happen.
My time with the people in the Philippines helped clarify who I wanted to be, how I wanted to practice, and what sort of impact I wanted to make. It was instrumental in plotting out a course and trajectory into self improvement and a life of service. Who knew?
Lesson 1- you cannot be all things to all people
So, now I have this idealistic perspective on chiropractic and it's value to the world.
My new objective?
Provide chiropractic care to as many people as possible and make sure I am all things to all people.
You need someone to treat your headaches? I am your man.
Pregnancy? Yup.
Digestion? Yes sir.
Oh and of course aches and pains in your back and neck.
If you called my office, I was going to be the person you needed to make things right. No matter what.
Because.... you know? 'Everyone needs chiropractic care."
My practice takes a strange turn
When you are willing to treat everyone and every thing, eventually you lose sight of what your unique vision and gifts are.
So, I got lost in the world of car accidents.
Funny thing car accidents. They never stop happening... and they take up a lot of appointments.
A lot of appointments.
In fact, they took up so many that I didn't have much available for my regular patients.
No matter.
I was doing well, making lots of money and becoming an "expert" at motor vehicle accidents. Heck, I even went to court to give "expert" testimony.
In a few years, my practice went from 90% regular patients and 10% car accidents to 90% car accidents.
So what was the problem?
Sometime during the insanity of trying to deliver chiropractic to everyone, I lost sight of what MY chiropractic was all about. Although my objective was the provide chiropractic to all I realized that was not my vision.
My vision of chiropractic was to help people tap into their natural healing abilities, change their lifestyle and create a model of health to take them into their geriatric superhero lives!
But people in car accidents don't want that.
They just want to be out of pain and rehabilitated so they can get back to living the lives they lived before the accident. My care and the time they spent in our office was an inconvenience.
And that lead to something I had not experienced in my entire career. I was unhappy.
Shift
I started doing extensive research on what was at the root of all health issues.
Looking at the physiologic changes that happen in our bodies and how our lifestyle choices interact or facilitate these changes. Then I tracked those pathways backward. And what did I find?
They all led back to stress.
The various forms of stress (physical, chemical, emotional) in our lives created a cascade of events that could explain most of the "issues" or symptoms we experienced.
So I started the process of creating a model of care that put stress as the primary focus.
This model would help people understand the stress pathways and be able to support the reversal process and facilitate proper healing.
Simple right?
It took five years. And the help of multiple interns, doctors, and support people.
Now all I had to do was change everything about what I was doing before and start all over with a new model. Piece of cake!
I was terrified.
Fundamental Edict:
"Everyone needs chiropractic care. Not everyone needs YOUR chiropractic care."
With the help and support of my family, friends and some incredible coaches, I pulled the trigger.
I stopped taking all car accidents cases.
I would not take any "regular" chiropractic cases of simple low back pain, etc.
I was clear about my chiropractic care and I was clear that not everyone needed or wanted it. And that was okay.
My voice is one of thousands.
But an important one for the people I am supposed to help and who are supposed to help me grow.
That was the start of the O Institute. And my return to happiness.
To be continued....