You probably do what I do when I’m in a new place and find myself walking past a chiropractic office. You peer through the window to see what it’s like. For me, the outside of an office and the waiting room offer so many clues as to the philosophy of the Chiropractor inside. A thirty second glance is all it takes.
So, what are the clues that this office probably belongs to a bio-mechanical doc?
- The plaque outside the door may mention other degrees.
- The clinic name will usually be the name of the Chiropractor or the local area unless this is part of a chain.
- The name will be written in a serious, business-like font.
- The waiting room will be indistinguishable from the waiting room of a medical doctor or dentist.
- The wall paint will probably be a bland colour.
- Any visible posters will be focused on pain.
But, what are the clues that this office probably belongs to a vitalistic doc?
- The plaque outside the door will be less formal.
- The clinic name may reference something positive or natural. Words like vitality, family, optimum, natural, vibrant, gentle, and innate. Willow Chiropractic for example, brings to mind the freshness of cascading green branches.
- The name will be written in a more natural, inviting style.
- The waiting room will probably include large potted plants.
- The walls might be painted in vibrant colours, or include large hand painted scripts with inspiring phrases. "Health comes from within", for example, or "Good health is our birthright."
- Posters will emphasise positive messages about health not pain.
What is the difference between a bio-mechanical Chiropractor and vitalistic Chiropractor?
Bio-mechanical Chiropractors put great emphasis on relieving pain. Their philosophy leads them to the belief that the body is much like a machine that can get broken and then fixed again. Pain is the measure of just how broken the body is. The DC’s care ends when pain has been eliminated. Of course, there’s nothing wrong with alleviating pain. That is a noble endeavour.
Vitalistic Chiropractors also deal with pain, but their philosophy takes them much further in the care of their patients. Vitalistic chiropractors recognise that human beings have an innate intelligence that always seeks to restore and maintain health and can always do so when there is no overt interference.
The philosophy of vitalistic Chiropractors
Interference can take many forms, but the specific type that vitalistic chiropractors focus on is that which occurs in the nervous system. Chiropractors clear out interference so that the brain can freely communicate with the body and the body with the brain. In this way innate intelligence is then free to ensure the very best health possible for the patient.
This philosophy is different from the bio-mechanical philosophy, and it attracts a different type of Chiropractor. It attracts the humanists, the visionaries, those who are awed by the beauty of nature, by the mystery of life, and by the deep potential hidden in each human being.
Is it any wonder then, that it is so easy to know the philosophy of a Chiropractor just by looking at their practice from the outside?
- Lynn McAvenia
