I discovered Rolfing when I thought I had a stress fracture in my foot. Just 24 hours after my first Rolfing session, the pain was gone. I had been considering a career change, and my experience made me realize decided that this—Rolfing—was what I wanted to do.  In 1990, I attended the Rolf Institute in Boulder, Colorado, (www.rolf.org) and subsequently became certified. In 2003, I completed the training necessary for my advanced certification.

It was during my early years of Rolfing that I realized additional benefits could be achieved with chiropractic. For a time I referred my Rolfing clients to another practitioner, but then decided I wanted to be able to provide integrated therapy on my own. I received my doctor of chiropractic from Northwest College of Chiropractic, Minneapolis, MN, in 1999.

Frequently, the people who come to see me have seen a lot of health care professionals. Medical doctors have prescribed medications; orthopedists have referred them to physical therapists; physical therapists have suggested strengthening and stretching exercises, and chiropractors have recommended adjustments. Too often, a piece has been missing. Often, the synergy of Rolfing and chiropractic are a good fit.

You know you like what you are doing when you are willing to pay out of pocket to do it. That’s what I do about three times a year when I volunteer at La Clinica de la Mariposa in Costa Rica. In my role as faculty member for the community-based internship program of the Northwestern Health Sciences University, I lead and participate in a program to offer chiropractic, Rolfing, and other health care services to the underprivileged residents of Costa Rica. La Clinica is affiliated with the Christian Foundation for Children and Aging (CFCA), an organization that provides invaluable neighborhood (barrios) community workers called las promotoras.

I am a better clinician because of my experience with La Clinica de La Mariposa. It makes me feel good about what I’m doing when someone who has been hurting for years walks away feeling “bastente mejore”--much better.

An aerobic junkie, I swim, bike, run, and/or cross-country ski daily. Throughout the past 25 years I have competed in 7 Iron Man competitions and 11 Birkebeiners. In addition, I participate in an average of four to five triathlons a year.