What's my Story? Getting to know Dr. Jess...
For those of you who don't know, or want to know more about me. I grew up in the Bay Area of California with a love for all things animals, especially horses. I spent the majority of my childhood and teenage years working with horses and learned a lot about life and even healing through these majestic creatures. My journey as a healer began with horses for sure, but professionally speaking it was when I went to massage school after high school. I then lived in Carlsbad just north of San Diego California and focused on injury and pain management massage work. Through a series of life challenges with my parents health and feeling the pressure to be able to help my clients more, I did some soul searching for my next path.
In 2008 while living in Bear Valley...somewhat near Lake Tahoe area, I decided I wanted to go back to school for more healing arts. I was considering becoming a Naturopathic Medical Doctor because I love all things healing, especially traditional medicine through nutrition and herbs, but it wasn't a very well known field in California and I was concerned that I would be going from paycheck to paycheck as I already was as a massage therapist. So I decided to add Chiropractic to my skills. I decided to attend Palmer College of Chiropractic West in San Jose California, and moved back to my hometown. It was hard, but so rewarding. I first had a passion for sports medicine and was an active member of the Sports Council at our school, working in our Palmer medical tent as many events as I could including sidelines of the San Jose State Rugby Team, Escape from Alcatraz Triathalon, Sea Otter Classic, and many more over my years at Palmer. Then one day, in my final year I took a class on pregnancy and pediatric Chiropractic. I was hooked. My passion ignited. I knew I was meant to work with women and families. Not that I wouldn't do any sports chiropractic, I just found my niche. So, I started working on a post-graduate level diplomate in Pediatric and Pregnancy Chiropractic from the ICPA (International Chiropractic Pediatric Association). At the same time, my passion for horses and animals had not waivered, and having my horses (when I still owned horses) treated it was a no-brainer that I needed to be trained in animal chiropractic. So, I found the best (in my opinion) accredited school for animal chiropractic. Options College of Animal Chiropractic in Kansas. You either have to be a Veterinarian or Chiropractor to attend, and if I was within 30 days of graduating from Palmer they would let me start while I was still in school! Obviously, as someone who loves learning and doesn't have much patience I did just that. After flying to Kansas once per month for 5 months and passing the IVCA (international Veterinary Chiropractic Association) board certification, I graduated from Options one month before I graduated from Palmer West. Perfect. Ready to help my two legged and four legged friends right out the door! Fast forward a year, I had moved down to sunny San Diego and started my family wellness/peds and pregnancy practice renting a great little room in an office with fun co-workers and business was growing. I remember trading with a friend who is an acupuncturist and we were talking about alternative medicine and how I wanted to learn acupuncture and herbal medicine and how I had originally wanted to go to Bastyr in Kenmore Washington for my ND degree but decided that Chiropractic was a safer jump from Massage Therapy. She then informed me that Bastyr had opened a San Diego Campus. Stunned. I said, "they did what?". Ok, I'll just check it out. Maybe I can take a class or two. I attended an open house where they talked about both the Masters in Holistic Nutrition and the Naturopathic Doctorate program and I could feel myself falling. I have a problem. I LOVE learning. haha. So, I thought to myself, ok I could get my Masters in Holistic Nutrition. That's where I felt like I was missing the most information...but it was 2 years for a Masters and only 3 to get my ND since I already had my doctorate in Chiropractic I wouldn't have to take all the anatomy and other "-ology's" over. Long story short, I did just that. So in Fall of 2014 I began my Bastyr University California journey. It was not an easy path. It started as only a few classes per quarter, since I was playing catch-up to my second year colleagues that I would end up graduating with but then I caught up. I was taking 20-33 units per quarter while working in my Chiropractic practice and providing small animal chiropractic care at Animal Healing Center. It just kept getting more amazing but more time consuming from there. Honestly looking back, I am not sure how I did it, but I just put my head down and did my best. The time I spent there and the tribe of amazing colleagues and friends is irreplaceable and I cannot express my gratitude enough. Life changing experience. Fast forward to now, I expanded my current Chiropractic practice, rebranded from People and Paws Chiropractic to RÄ“balance, a Naturopathic & Chiropractic Clinic. Still specializing in peds/pregnancy/women's health but also able to fully support my Chiropractic patients and others with gastrointestinal health, pain management and so much more! It is an exciting time. I am grateful for all of my patients who stuck it out with me for those rough and busy 3 years I went to Bastyr. I think it was all worth it and am so excited to share all of my new knowledge and expertise with you all! Stay tuned for more updates and please let me know what you would like to know more about!