Donald M. Petersen Jr., BS, HCD(hc), FICC(h), Publisher
My son David and daughter, Deborah, are approaching the end of their high-school years. David will be headed off to college in a year; Deborah in two. At this point, I can't help but realize that my time to directly influence their decisions (which already has been diminishing) is soon coming to an end.
Like all parents with children at this age, I'm wondering if I have effectively passed on the truths I have come to know. My prayers are that they will learn from my lessons, rather than make similar mistakes.
While I may have fallen short in some areas, health is probably not one of them. Having been raised with a strong chiropractic philosophy from my chiropractic father and grandfather, my wife and I have taught our children by how we live and the way we address health issues.
My children's chiropractic visits are consistent, while their MD visits are minimal. Drugs have almost never been an option and wellness is understood as something to maintain and strengthen. Fitness, nutrition and adjustments are our lifestyle, with an understanding that better health isn't "instantaneous."
As my children make their future health decisions, I am confident they have embraced the wellness philosophy we live. This will give them the fortitude to say "no" to peers and providers that are convinced drugs are always called for. It also will be the little voice inside them that keeps them eating the right food and spending time at the gym.
My assumption is that you also have passed on your chiropractic philosophy to your children; but what about your patients? What have you been doing to shape their philosophy?
While you may disagree, I believe sharing your wellness philosophy is part of your job as a doctor of chiropractic. Every day, your patients are bombarded by the drug philosophy in every media they access. The loud, persistent voice of the pharmaceutical industry is required in order to drown out what their bodies are quietly trying to tell them.
Your conversations with your patients will help them hear and respond to what their bodies are saying. They will easily identify with your personal health experiences and the anonymous patient anecdotes you share with them. It will resonate with what they are feeling and help them recognize what is really contributing to their health.
As you know, your patients are making multiple health decisions every day, many of which will have a major impact on their lives. A solid wellness philosophy will help them appreciate the self-healing power in their body and forgo consuming toxic chemicals (drugs) and even surgery unless absolutely medically necessary.
The philosophy you share also will be reflected in conversations they have with their family, friends and co-workers. A few minutes spent with the family health care decision-maker (usually the mom) can change the course of decisions over a lifetime.
I understand some DCs find sharing their chiropractic philosophy extremely natural, while others liken it to talking about religion or politics. To the second group, I say it's time to share who you are. Your understanding of health and your ability to facilitate healing are tremendous gifts. Don't be shy sharing them.
Think about this each time a patient leaves your office: Is their health philosophy strong enough to help them live an optimal wellness lifestyle? If you're not sure, maybe you need to spend a few more minutes with them next time.
Read more findings on my blog: http://blog.toyourhealth.com/wrblog/. You can also visit me on Facebook.
