Ep. 2 Full Circle

This episode is a continuation of the conversation we had in episode 1: "Meet Your Hosts" so be sure to listen to that one first!

In this episode we go deeper into the "why" behind Dr. Shannon's work and how she is changing lives everyday through her work as a prenatal chiropractor.

We talk about the benefits of chiropractic care, community support for birthing people, and how even if you are feeling great, seeing a chiropractor can help you have an easier, shorter, and smoother labor and birth. 

This podcast was created from a desire to share conversations and interviews about topics from pregnancy and birth to motherhood and the importance of a healthy body and mind through it all.  Our goal is to bring you fun, interesting, and helpful conversations that excite you and make you want to learn more.

We hope what we share will make an impact and help someone else along their journey.

We believe that when you are aligned in body, mind, and your intuition, you can conquer anything!

If you like what you are hearing and you don’t want to miss our newest episodes, be sure and tap subscribe. Your support is greatly appreciated.

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Aligned Birth
www.instagram.com/aligned_birth

Dr. Shannon
www.instagram.com/sunrise_chiropractic_wellness

Doula Rachael
www.instagram.com/northatlantabirth

Check out our individual websites:
Sunrise Chiropractic and Wellness - www.sunrisechiropracticandwellness.com
North Atlanta Birth Services - www.northatlantabirth.com

Disclaimer
The information shared, obtained, and discussed in this podcast is not intended as medical advice and should not be relied upon as a substitute for professional consultation with a qualified healthcare provider familiar with your individual medical needs. By listening to this podcast you agree not to use this podcast as medical advice to treat any medical conditi

Transcript

0:03

Hello and welcome to the aligned birth podcast today, we are following up on our conversation from last time, Dr. Shannon and I just enjoyed sharing so much about the origin story of how this came to be how we started our careers how we became Mama's that we wanted to have a full circle conversation and sort of focus this conversation today on what we're doing now, why we're doing it and what we see for the future for ourselves professionally and with the podcast so thank you for being here and I'm excited to have Dr. Shannon, with me, and if you're ready, Dr. Shannon we'll get started.

0:44

Yeah, sounds good.

0:45

I know our stories are kind of long, so I think we realized that last time that, as we were going through things were like, Oh my God, this has many layers, So,

0:53

you should have

0:54

more conversations about it.

0:56

Yes, I agree. Well, there's just so much to share to sort of understand everything and I think so many people have these types of stories that I think it's cool to highlight the different paths and how we are where we are now and then the sort of moving forward component. So, yeah, I think we'll probably end up finding ourselves doing this throughout this podcast of like oh now I have more to say.

1:22

Yes exactly,

1:22

let me let me continue.

1:24

Right. So, Dr. Shannon last episode you shared with us your amazing story of going from bio chemist at the CDC to chiropractor for families. Can you tell us what you're doing now, day to day with your chiropractic work.

1:46

Oh goodness,

1:47

I'm day today it's, it's fun talking about, and even thinking about where

1:55

wasn't that

1:56

mindset, back before even going to chiropractic school, then actually going to school and being in the midst of that to now, really getting to feel the energy of the office, and to work with the families because that was the big thing last time I was helping people, you know in that bio chemistry world and doing molecular biology and genetic work, But it wasn't that direct connection so now. Full Circle what that looks like in the office is just people coming in and having those conversations and directly talking to them face to face and getting a sense of who they are as a mom who they are as a dad who they are as a family unit who they are as a little baby, they even come out with their own, you know, real personalities as well, too so you know that,

2:48

but it's come. It's, that's kind of

2:52

where I'm at now and in those beginning stages of really being, I think and I love being a, you know, integral part of that family unit when we kind of work from that pre conceptive into the concept of into the postpartum into like actually watching the families form, which is, I don't know it's beyond words. So,

3:14

that is so incredible to have that opportunity to be part of someone's journey from, like you said, even before they're pregnant to pregnancy and then beyond once they have a family and how that that relationship is bigger than just like, Oh, I'm going to go see a chiropractor one or two times like you it sounds like you care a lot about being part of their journey for a long time. Is

3:38

that right, it is and I even, you know, if I don't hear from patients for a little bit. I don't like, you know to be pushy or anything but I like to call because I always tell them like I you know I care about my people, like that's what I that's what I call them.

3:53

They're the only people

3:54

yeah I'm like I just you know just wanted to check in, what you know and just to get a feel for where they're at in that journey as well too, but I'm so invested in this, and the work that I do and I'm so invested in my people too, so I just want them to know that I care.

4:13

And you do and that's one thing I just admire and respect so much about you is how much you care about them on an individual level. And also I just that reminded me of a question I did want to ask as we are kind of talking about the journey from preconception all the way through to raising their children. What do you say about someone who is 32 weeks 36 weeks pregnant and just wanting to start chiropractic care.

4:40

I say come on in. Because, yeah, that so here's the thing.

4:45

I and I've

4:46

done a couple videos on social media and stuff talking about like, when's the good time to start under chiropractic care and really looking at that prenatal aspect and even into the postpartum time and it's, um, I mean obviously I love to work with women in that pre conservative aspect and making sure that we have proper balance and alignment and nervous system function, all throughout this journey,

5:11

but I also hold

5:12

space for people because I too didn't get under chiropractic care until I was 36 weeks pregnant with my second so I get it, you know, I will meet people where they are at and do the best I can. But sometimes I do wish, we started under care, earlier you know instead of waiting for those aches and pains and things to come about maybe being slightly more proactive and this is just what I see in the office you know because yeah sometimes I'll have them come in and they're, you know 38 weeks and they're breech, or they're 38 weeks and it's like debilitating sciatic pain is just like back, so but we can work with it, it's just, it's just different care plans and different ways to look at things there.

5:54

So really bringing home the fact that it's never too late to start. But the sooner the better. So if you're hearing this and you haven't become pregnant yet like start seeing a chiropractor or if you're an early pregnancy and you're feeling great, and you don't feel that there's a need, it's still a good idea to find your chiropractor who's Webster technique certified like you are, who is, you know, trained to work with, with pregnant people and get started right away, I think, I mean I can speak to my own experience as the same way I came late in my first pregnancy but I saw a chiropractor from before, I was pregnant with my second all the way through right and there was. Night, night and day differences, so it still was helpful in that first experience when I was 37 weeks pregnant. It was very helpful, but exactly, but the having the experience of going my whole pregnancy and I know you have that same experience. We can compare those and so yeah it's definitely recommended. Even if you're not feeling aches and pains, I think that's a common thing I hear even as a doula because I'm always saying, you know, start seeing a chiropractor, even before you're not even before you're having the aches and pains because it can help reduce those or avoid them altogether.

7:07

It's so true and I love that you, you know, educate your clients as well too because I often tell people you know I, I take care of kids as well so, pediatric, you know, training, but I'm not taking care of kids a lot of times because they're coming in with like aches and pains, it's you know, you don't have to wait for those things to happen. And I really take a look at the nervous system function, so yeah I want people to feel better but I also want the body to function better and you've got to think if we're looking at pelvis and sacrum and everything, lower back the nerves that are coming out of all of those areas are going to bow bladder reproductive organs, low spine low back, knees, feet, ankles, like everywhere that can be impacted through, you know pregnancy itself so

7:53

yeah Wow, that is so wonderful so cool yeah I'm, I'm always like, if you're, you know, if you're not feeling good, I'm always like, drink some water and go to the chiropractor, that's like always my first line

8:05

of

8:06

like you're let's go there. But obviously yeah if you're feeling I see it as well care. Alright, my family goes under welfare like to a chiropractor, on a regular basis, no matter how we're feeling. And then we up it when we are having issues, so right

8:23

when there are some symptoms, yeah,

8:24

yeah, I feel it.

8:26

Okay, so tell me what, why don't you about this work that you're doing, um,

8:33

you know like I was saying earlier to just having that full circle aspect of things and seeing what I wanted to be able to do with a career in my life and then now actually getting to see it in the office, and it's, it's that connection with my people. I think what really does light me up is hearing the birth stories like from the moms like I reached out to them we talk about things and then when they bring baby in like just to their next postpartum appointment, so we can actually spend time and talk to mom and like check on mom, because everybody talks about baby you know, after, after the baby's born, but it's that that kind of really lights me up, as far as hearing the story the thoughts, the feelings, the emotions, it doesn't mean that everything went 100% either, like, I mean there's always things but it's that space to really process it because then I get to hear it and say okay. Maybe we need a little bit more resources here, you know, maybe we do need to look at lactation consultants, maybe we do need to sit down and talk to someone, maybe we do need to make sure we're getting enough nutrition or looking at the sleep like some sometimes there's little things that I'll hear in those stories but that really lights me up just hearing the experience that Bond had because every single birth is different, even with for mom, you know, mom with two kids, it's, it's so fun to hear those stories and to, especially when I've worked with them full circle to really like experience it all, because it's not like you like, I feel. I love following doulas and midwives on social media because they have such beautiful stories to share of that like the birth itself, and it's very rare that I am at the birth

10:22

itself, you know,

10:23

so I'm always like, come tell me come tell me I want to know like I want to hear it and I want to feel it and like you know I just so that really really lights me up.

10:32

That's beautiful Shannon and I think also what I hear you say and that is that this is an opportunity for a new mom, to have another point of contact with a care provider who's looking at her whole her wholeness, like the whole integrated body the whole situation, considering the prenatal situation with the birth how it went, what happened, good, bad, and then how she's feeling on the postpartum. And I don't know of another care provider, besides their doctor or midwife and I just don't even think because you don't go see your doctor midwife until your six weeks and I always tell mamas, to go to the chiropractor as soon as they feel like they can get out of the house,

11:13

because that.

11:15

So that adjustment or that visit, you might see before you even see your care provider so I just think that's a super important thing to talk about because it's another touch point for these mamas to have someone looking after them and looking at the whole body, right, and I don't even think most doctors take that approach as you did as like listening like Kim, is there a lactation resource that can provide as their pelvic floor therapist I can think about sharing with is there some nutrition I can help with, you know, what else, like you're looking at the whole whole story and I think that's really incredible I think women birthing families need that kind of support and I just think that's wonderful that that's what lights you up that kind of experience.

11:59

Yes, ma'am. I

11:59

know I just, there was a new family in yesterday, and I always tell them and they're doing great, you know why because they're like always on time to their appointments, I'm like you guys are rockstars because those are like trying to get out of the house

12:12

with me but like

12:13

little things like that that I'll notice too, so I always like to tell my fans are doing great, right, Like,

12:17

yeah, cheering them on. Not just cheering him on. No, it's, yeah, yeah I need that. And can you touch on, this is something else that just popped up, touch on newborn adjustments.

12:33

Oh yeah.

12:33

Um,

12:34

can you highlight the importance of that. Well, yeah,

12:37

so, um, you know, I say, I'm careful with the word, trauma, because not every birth is traumatic so but birth is a very stressful and stressful process, so there's a lot going on with mom. And then there's a lot that happens with baby, and there, there's just, there's just so many things that can happen I mean just depending on baby position how long the baby is in the canal how long mom pushed was it C section VBAC like there's so many layers to it Shoulder Dystocia breech you know all of those things. But all of that can impact the nervous system of the baby. And so really looking at brain body function, and that sort of thing. And so, I do believe and have seen the importance of that first adjustment for the baby to really make sure that we do have that proper alignment, and that proper function. And so that's one of the things I like to add in with like that postpartum care too is yes to taking care of mom and making sure we've got bouncing on line that there but

13:46

really looking at

13:49

that newborn function as well too and there's a myriad of things we look at you know as far as nursing issues or colic or reflux and those types of things because those can all be symptoms of nervous system irritation and so I'm always looking at, you know, those types of things from a nervous system function and really assessing the newborn for

14:10

those type of things, and I love this and I will can I add something to a couple of things you said that stood out to me and I love this conversation because I think it's so important and again it's not talked about this isn't the type of information I think people get from their even their pediatrician, but one is you can have an uneventful seemingly uneventful vaginal or even an uneventful Syrian birth, meaning nothing major, maybe even no outward trauma but your baby like you said still goes through a stressful. Nervous System experience right so that they, they, even if it's a smooth delivery or birth, they can still have those subluxations that can can cause even just one little one little subluxation can cause issues with with our discomfort maybe with nursing or breastfeeding or make them more prone to colic or even upset tummy right.

15:06

It's so true because I mean even to you've got to look at. I always like to ask what was the baby breech at all during pregnancy where we transverse because even how the babies in

15:15

is positioned in the womb,

15:16

especially twins, you know, can always kind of kickstart some of those issues and yeah I've worked with newborns who had unmedicated vaginal birth. Just beautiful Apgar scores, wonderful, it just everything looks really great on the outside exam, we've got some major latching issues and so yeah sometimes we'll look at you know, send referred to lactation consultants and then they can really like let's assess for tongue tie and lip tie and get that taken care of through one see if that needs to be addressed but then really looking at those subluxations that nervousness, irritation, maybe the top bone in the neck is out that's really impacting all of the jaw muscles, you know everything there so it is really really connected and it doesn't have to be so a traumatic thing for there to be slight misalignment slight issues that can really impact,

16:10

you know, it's

16:12

expected like for what they go through and if you watch videos of the baby's body, like, kind of like three dimensional of the baby passing through the pelvic bone, and through the birth canal and out. And, gosh, we might end up on a lot of different tangents here but the other thing is, I know I was like my brains been in one or two stage delivery so how much, how much is the doctor or midwife tractioning on the baby's head. So,

16:43

there's so many layers to that I

16:44

mean we, I

16:45

learned all of that in that, in our pediatric training and just things to look for. Yes, that's

16:49

a thing.

16:50

That's definitely as a pregnant person or if you haven't had a baby and you hope to have a baby understanding that the, the doctor tugging and pulling on the baby is there trying to speed it up or rush it along, when really the usually the baby and body just need time, so usually when the baby's head comes out, there's a period of rest and a really strong, a long break before the next contraction comes. Yeah, cuz baby is actually kind of wiggling further, you know, making this last final rotation Yes, their shoulders through they're not stuck, it just time and so a patient provider who is not tractioning or polling can actually facilitate a smoother birth that also creates less trauma and stress on the baby's neck. So if you know that happened during your birth, that's another indicator of like okay I need to probably have my baby adjusted. I think you should have your baby adjusted regardless, or looked at but that can cause those subluxations and that stress.

17:50

Yes, everything you just said, Yes I mean so that's so perfect and that's one of my I look at primitive reflexes in babies and, and, you know, up into even older kids to to really assess brain function, and that's my favorite primitive reflex what you talked about, it's called galana and it helps like baby actually helps shimmy out of the birth canal, I just, that's why I love it I'm so the baby's trying to help. I always laugh with moms and like that was sweet of you.

18:16

Yeah, that'll help

18:18

thanks for the help, but I just think it's so beautiful and that's what it is, the contractions that uterine contractions stimulates all the nerve endings on that back and baby starts to shimmy I mean it's just,

18:30

it's time to show me right you want to Yeah, yeah, and being aware of that process. In my classes on the physiological processes are coming down and out and and how that is a major event and there's there's lots of changes that the baby makes like movements and positions and wiggling and shimmying and, you know, it's not like a straight line out and that usually needs time. I mean obviously there's Fast, Fast bursts, but usually that process takes time and ensuring that your provider is supportive of the to stage delivery, which gets the baby time to do the shimmy and make its way out and it just reduces it doesn't mean that your baby's nervous system didn't experience some degree of stress it just reduces the stress on this on the nervous system and so there's that holding process. And the other thing I wanted to mention about newborns and I'm sorry if we've gotten off on like, totally fine, we will circle back but the other thing I want to just say because I just think this is the stuff that a lot of parents don't hear about either before they're pregnant or during pregnancy. But, or even postpartum right so let's say your baby has been born. Maybe you've had a pretty uneventful non traumatic birth experience where you're not aware of any sort of stress to the baby's neck or nervous system but the baby's maybe having a hard time breastfeeding or struggling with acid reflux or, you know, spitting up a lot, or colloquy right or fussing, more than usual, is that if you go to the pediatrician depending on your pediatrician, they're going to try and fix the symptoms, maybe change the formula, maybe, maybe do obviously, if the tongue is tied or something to do with latch and that's a physical thing that you could fix but, but they're going to maybe prescribe something or to you or tell you to stop eating certain foods or, you know, and all that's helpful, maybe, but I don't think you need to immediately switch to formula, I don't know it's just like this. They want to fix. Fix the symptom instead of fix the system that's inside, and I just wish that it was like always standard protocol like well have you been to your chiropractor for that for that adjustment to ensure everything's in alignment and then if we keep having issues, let's, let's go from there but kind of looking at the whole body.

20:47

I know and it's all connected and so you know we're processing everything through our nervous system as well so adults are and, you know, baby is as well and so we talk about these things in the office to, because it is important to assess that nervous system function, and we do have some good pediatricians in the area too that I love to work with. And I've got some great physical therapists that I'll work with on certain you know really intense, head molding and head shape plagiocephaly cases, that sort of thing and it's wonderful to have that kind of support, because it is the whole system, the whole body kind of exactly what you said. I'm really looking at that nervous system function so yes those symptoms tell me clues that things are going on the body is having some issues it's having some problems but I'm never treating those things. I want those things to go away. Yes, but what I want is we have that proper Brain Body Body brain connection removing those subluxations then I usually see those symptoms lesson. Go away, and that type of thing so and but I talked about to moms too I'm like you know what maybe we need to look at reducing a little bit of dairy are we eating a lot of dairy are we eating a lot of different vegetables like there's those little things that we can talk about let's see if that makes a difference as well sure, but yeah it's also worth really making sure that we do assess you know the nervous system and the spine.

22:11

Yeah, but looking at the whole again they're getting that information, I think they're more likely to get it from a very specific kind of pediatrician but more likely from a holistic practitioner. Why a chiropractor or or homeopathic doctor, unfortunately just because that's just not mainstream to say okay, you know, am I never going to my pediatrician, they never were like, you should probably reduce the amount of dairy you eat right, so I had to figure that out on my own. And then the other cool thing there is that that integration of other care providers, I heard a story recently about mama who and she was never able to actually breastfeed her firstborn, due to latch issues, she pumped, so bottle fed for 10 months of her own breast milk. And then she had twins, and was struggling with the same issue, and someone recommended to her to go to a physical therapist, it was a specific type of physical therapist, but again it wasn't a laptop, she had tried a lactation consultant right she had gone that route, but then went and saw physical therapist and then within like three weeks she was breastfeeding from the breast both of her twins. And it was a healing experience because she thought she thought a something was wrong with her because she had had that same experience with her. Her first, and then with her second and then twins it's exponentially harder, but she had that good advice and so just the idea that like if you're looking, I just that, that whole body right like okay the nervous system is one thing you, and then the physical therapy that's like together those two things are really helping each other. And the to know that a physical therapist can help with the baby with breastfeeding is like, I don't think people are necessarily sharing that kind of information

23:54

right now and I think it's, you know,

23:58

I talk a lot in the office too about,

24:00

I mean, sometimes it is yes, one thing, you know like, oh we just need to fix this one thing. Oh, we'll do this and everything will be fine but sometimes there's layers to things, you know, it's like we're like onions, you know, yeah, it's just like, we're like onions there's layers now something, and so it just, it's really unmasking and looking at those layers and saying, Okay, what can we do to support all of this the whole you know, the best we

24:27

can with what we know,

24:28

and I love that person is so different, it's biochemical individuality so yes we are. We are so to me it's the title of the book I have in my office and I love it because it's so true. So, I have a lot of times people be like, well I'm this many weeks pregnant. How many times do I need to come in and like, I don't know, I haven't had an exam on you yet. Yeah, I don't know going on exact formula right here. Exactly. It's the same kind of thing as far as that we're all so different so just because one person had this exact same birth. Well, that's not going to be that you're not going to have colic and reflux as well, you know, with this, you could have the same type of birth and end up with latching issues or constipation, I don't know we don't know it's just how the body, deals with the traumas and the stressors

25:12

of life, for sure, and I think that whole body. And I think what's cool about that example is that it translates like to a pregnancy as you're preparing for your birth and I talk a lot about this with my Doula clients and my, my childbirth education students is that a lot of care they receive is, is kind of trying to treat the masses, and they have a one size fits all type of approach versus looking at your own individual needs, because I'm like I don't think there's one way to birth right, you have to vote the way you want to birth with the, the information about the process with respectful and trusted care, and then the biggest part of that is considering your own personal preferences and your own unique history, whether it be medical history or, or emotional history or, you know we all have our own unique story that we come to pregnancy and birth with, and that that impacts, sort of, oh yeah, your approach and so I'm always like, we have, you have to be willing to evaluate and understand that you're unique in your own ways and therefore, tapping into sort of your own needs and wants and then value, you know, supporting that with knowledge and good care, and then knowing that every birth that unfolds differently in every birth is unique and that when you can approach it in that sort of flexible way, with it's not flexible in that oh I'm just gonna

26:37

wing it

26:38

yeah wing it.

26:40

Yeah, It's flexible and knowing that birth is nonlinear, and that your bet you're more likely to feel good about the experience when you have the knowledge, the support and the consideration of your own needs and when you've sought care from a birth team including chiropractic care and your and your either your OB or your midwife that supports you and respects you and sees you as the decision maker, so that's like the formula that I think helps people have a positive birth experience that leads them into motherhood in the on the right foot with like health and confidence, and that just is like one thing we can do to help moms into into motherhood because we know that that journey is not easy, no matter how birth goes

27:22

exactly. And yet, like you said it's not it's nonlinear and there's, it's all different. We're all different, and so it's really taking that into account and being vocal and speaking up for yourself,

27:33

seeing it as a whole and not just like a one way. So I love that love that, and we took a couple couple rabbit holes right there but I actually think it was, it was perfect. It got to the heart of sort of what we do with our with our work. Yeah. So can I ask you another question.

27:49

Sure.

27:50

So, what is the number one tip for your patients prenatally or postpartum.

27:57

Um, so prenatally,

28:00

and we actually touched on this earlier. I would say, to get started under care early, that's my, that's my number one tip. Yeah, there's other things you can go into I want you know there's certain exercises I want you to do I want you to spend time on all fours and cat cow, reduce how much you're sitting and leaning back because then that's non optimal fetal position, you know, those type of things, to all of those tips but my first one because then if you come in the office early, we can go over all of those things and I make sure that we're talking about a doula and where are you going to birth and how are you feeling about it and all of those things. So my number one thing is, yes. To get started early, that would be my big thing for my prenatal mamas,

28:44

I love it and it's so true and I love how you touched on the fact of those conversations you have like you end up. The earlier you get in the more time you have to sprinkle in your wisdom, as far as preparing for a great word. Like, you don't want to just adjust them, you want to help them on like the whole journey and so that actually leads me into my next question as far as I can you describe that client experience with in your office with your patients like what that looks and feels like and how it might be different than what they might experience somewhere else.

29:18

Yeah, I,

29:20

my approach is my big thing is support. My I always say, my office is no judgment zone. And what happens in office stays in the office to, you know, because there is that I want people to feel comfortable, I want them to feel that they're in a safe space to share everything that they want to share that's important to them, you know, we touched on it earlier too. Even your thoughts and feelings and emotions are part of you and make you the individual person as well. And so I like to go over that in a non judgmental way, you know, because I don't know birth can be a judgy the birth world can be just, you know, and so I dealt with it you know I had my emergency C section I remember going back to work. And one particular woman was like, Oh, I heard you to C section, and it was just like that tone and made me feel less than and I was like, oh my god so

30:17

I get it,

30:18

You know and I never want to come across as that and I'm never telling I watched this word because I don't I don't shit on people and I don't want to be added on either and so there's no shoulds. In my office, there's babies and maybe we should look at this, or could look at this, but there's, there's none of that and so I never want to be like,

30:38

Oh well,

30:39

I have a C section and the V back and you're coming in with your pre prior C section so we're going to try for this feedback and we're going to do this and then and then and it's, what do you want, because I'm here to support what you want, it's, I mean it really just comes down to that support aspect of things. I mean, and taking the time to listen everybody just wants to be heard, you know, there's just a lot of talk lately, and nobody's listening, and so I don't know I try to create that space to where I can actually listen, get to the heart of matter, and then just help support.

31:15

I love it I love it that's so beautiful, it sounds like, I mean I think you want to help people on a whole level and then like address sort of all those external like the emotional previous experiences where they're at, be a listening ear and then be able to kind of curate a care plan based on all of that information not just, oh my hip hurts fix me, right, it's right, you're considering the whole picture and to get to the whole picture takes that conversation so it's like a safe place for people to talk about where they're at and I think that's rare these days and I think that kind of care is needed and I just love that that's at the forefront of your patient experience. Yeah, and

31:55

I had someone recently say they're like, like therapy for my body,

32:01

and like, yes,

32:03

that is pretty good.

32:04

So yeah, that's kind of on a therapy so.

32:07

Exactly.

32:10

Yeah, you got to look at the whole and give therapy to the body and that's, that's wonderful that safe space and community and tell us about your mom hikes. Yeah,

32:21

I know you touched on community so I, that's another. I guess passion that I have in the office is really wanting women to, I guess form their tribe or find those people that just like the friends that you know, can support them, Not necessarily someone in a professional manner to it's nice to have, just people in your world that you can go and talk to and so sometimes motherhood can feel lonely. I'm always seeing on, you know, my Facebook mommy groups of moms just wanting to reach out and like make friends and not knowing, like,

32:58

how do we do that,

32:59

You know, type of thing.

33:00

So

33:02

I That's why I do my mom hikes I tried to schedule one a month at a lot of different local parks, because a I mean we should be outside. Okay, sorry, should we could be outside, and we could be more active. No, you should be as I know, um, well we know it may be more active, I feel better

33:18

right it does man better

33:20

yes and so I wanted to highlight that get people out active and hiking, and the other thing too is, I know, if you're a mom, new to an area and like you don't know the trails, what's safe what's not Do you want to go through it you know those types of things I wanted to give moms, a chance to like explore some trails, learn it, and then be able to go back out themselves like I've had families do that and that brings me such joy they were like, Oh, we went back out to red top mountain, and we took a picnic and I'm like, yeah, they discovered this, because they felt comfortable and safe in a manner to go and explore with their kids and we talk about all kinds of fun things,

33:59

some cool so I mean you're not only introducing moms to each other but you're introducing them to local parks where they can go back with each other or with their family, and that combination of like here's a new place each time, not the same trail every time, and new moms, and I know there's always like new. Some moms keep going and then sometimes you have some new moms, it's just a great opportunity to connect I've been to one. I wish I could come to more they are so much fun,

34:26

they're hard I get it, the timing is hard, I know so I have some regulars that come and then things come up in life and it's totally fine but I just I,

34:33

your concern. Your concern and you truly, I will never forget the time you shared that it was on your vision board but two years ago. Yeah and you weren't quite sure why you were like, I've got this. This image of these moms and their strollers and they're pregnant and some, you know, and they're all together they're smiling and then now you have this recurring popular effective mom hike and I just

34:57

love it. It's so cool. It's pretty cool to see and seeing that unfold.

35:02

That's so wonderful. So tell me what do you, what does the future look like for you for your business now I feel like you've been going you've, you've gotten to a good stage, like, I know that it's like forever ending work right, not worrying in a bad way but like there's always something to do, like, two years ago, this would have been a dream to be where you're at now in my opinion but you probably still have this feeling of like okay there's more to come. So tell us about what's more to come.

6:01

Exactly that. Yeah, trying to like stay in the present and be happy now, but like, let's also you know, continue to dream and plan. Yeah, and be flexible in those dreams and plans right yeah things out and then we let it unfold, but I, um, you know, the office name is sunrise Chiropractic and Wellness and so I guess I could have just left it at chiropractic but I you went in, in creating the business. I wanted that aspect of the potential for there to be something more just not necessarily sure what it was at the time and so I almost do see it as like a wellness collective as far as having sort of space to do to host like childbirth education classes, and, you know, a small space something small enough to to have to have some local yoga instructors comes, do some infant CPR classes, let's talk about car seat safety check like little things that can happen there. Or Mom support groups, you know, let's look at perinatal health and mom, support groups or infant child play having other therapists come in and share their knowledge and those type of things, you know, having access to that and creating those type of events and that space for mom some sort of like collective unit so I'm not sure what it looks like, but there's that.

7:28

I don't know, there's that building on I think what you already have, it's just expanding it in to include other other topics I guess other of you know do to be more comprehensive or something like that but it's what you already have, you're just building on it. And also getting to a time and place where inviting people into small spaces is doable right

7:50

that's the thing so I'm like well I'm glad I didn't have anything you know that yet. And maybe it's you know, an open air outdoor venue that

8:01

is something okay i don't know

8:03

i want 100% Good, especially with some of those, like a car seat check or a mom group. Yeah, all that can happen, especially with this weather we're having outside, but I think we're moving towards my, I think, I hope you heard the optimism is I think we're getting towards where the air is like having because your space is so, so beautiful and so cozy and smells delicious, and it's just, it's a space that I would want to go write with, with any other moms or teach a class or learn about infant CPR like it's, you have the perfect space and the perfect vision and I just want to encourage you to take all those ideas you just listed and make them happen because each one of those I think makes a difference and we need it, we need that sort of community involvement and support,

8:49

and that's, yeah, like that's what you just said there was kind of the, I guess the point there is to, like, well I think we need this,

8:58

you know, You're identifying a need and, and it's something that stirs like excitement in you so putting those together is where I think you get work that you enjoy.

9:09

I love connecting people. So,

9:12

that's so good at that.

9:14

That's something I don't know why I've always done really well even at CDC.

9:17

I would,

9:18

I mean, we're gonna talk about smart people, I, I worked with so many smart people that I often felt like inferior and adequate, you know, there's just so many smart people there but, so you could come to me with a question I might be like I don't know that answer, But I know someone who does. And so that's where I started, I was like well, people would come to me and be like, oh, this person does this this person goes and go and ask them and it was great. I was like, I felt like I was helping them but I didn't have to like know the specific answer and so I still a little bit feel like that I feel this is fun, we're gonna get deep here because I feel like I'm connecting brain and body, and people, so I am working on connecting the whole of a person, but then I love, like I've said earlier to it I have lactation consultants and then doulas and midwives I've got PTS I work with my runners I get PTS for kids like, I love having these people in my wheelhouse to, to just say hey, check with this person and see if maybe you know, this can can help, so it's yet, I guess it's just another layer of that, you know, connecting people.

10:31

Well I think that's what makes your work, and how you approach it like your office, you individually so unique is that you have this true gift of identifying, like uniqueness about people and finding someone else that has a similar uniqueness and connecting them so that they have a new relationship. You're gifted that is beautiful and so every time you do that you grow your own network as far as like people who you know and trust because you are just so good at getting to know them and figuring out their gifts, so that then you can if you meet someone who like needs their gift you share them and you connect them and you're real good with that so that's like a huge benefit to connecting with you as a chiropractor like as your patient because I think, and as a birth professional, because I think you, you are able to then connect them with other people who they can benefit from. It's a true gift.

11:24

Yes, thank

11:25

you because I've had moms form friendships and then I've seen them go off and they didn't know each other outside of mom hikes, you know, cool, and then Yeah, same thing in like the birth world, I mean even my like yoga person, I've got people that I've sent to her because I know that they would mesh really well and then I like to watch those like friendships flourish, and I'm like, Ah,

11:44

it makes me happy, so awesome that is. That is I think something that, that makes you very unique so keep, keep doing that so I have one last fun question for you. So what outside of work is your passion, because we've talked a lot about work today.

11:59

We have, yeah I don't just work, um, actually I only work even part time hours, so, um, I, gosh, I run a lot, I mean that's the thing that comes to my mind first is another one of my passions is running so that I mean I guess it's in line with that. health and wellness thing I've been running for 32 years now,

12:21

so

12:23

I don't know I feel blessed that I found that sport, you know, early on, and it spoke to me in my soul but I'm. I guess my passion. If I'm looking at okay what am I doing day in and day out, Because obviously, there's a passion there so I, you know time with my family. That's definitely like a passion of mine. I work my hours around my husband's hours and, you know, I try to make time for the kids and all of their,

12:51

all of their, their needs,

12:52

all of their things. Yeah. But, so that family aspect there too but then that, I don't know that self care time myself, your time is my personal growth right my Yeah, and I love to do a lot of that work and lately it's, you know, even with the last year really diving deep and like okay you feel like this well why do you feel like this and let's analyze that not everybody finds that but but I'm just kind of looking at that inner growth and, you know, spending that time with my devotionals in the morning my faith is something very important to me as well. So those are the things that I make time for, you know, and just trying to connect with my friends as well to you know trying to, I've written an article before and about the work life balance for moms and I'm not really a fan. I mean the word balance is great but it doesn't mean that there's, it's like an even split right like 5050 It's like it could be at 20 and it can be 7030 And so, I like to call it that flow. And so that's, I think, you know I have a passion for that too is, I've got to take care of myself, I love to hear my family I love spending time with my friends, and then, you know, finding that flow

14:04

within it. That's beautiful. That's beautiful, and I do agree about the work life balance statement I'm, I'm an anti work life balance I don't believe that it exists in true balance I think if you can embrace the fact that it's always going to be sort of imbalance, right, it's kind of embracing the imperfect miss and then always striking to just have inner peace throughout at all. And I think that's where we can feel more peace with our wherever we're at in life because I just think there's always going to be something that's in the forefront, demanding your attention not always like oh I have perfect work life in a perfect home life and it's all in balance because when we say that I think it makes people feel like it has to be that way and it doesn't, right,

14:45

and that's the other thing too, I've said to my balance doesn't look like yours.

14:49

Yeah, oh yeah, exactly. That's why I don't give a formula for work life balance. It's more like the formula which I think you do well and I think that's you highlighted it here was like the focus on yourself, your personal growth your faith, your devotionals your you know your growth mindset like that is fueling your ability to be a good entrepreneur right to be a community participant to be a wife and a mama, and, and a good human, and I just think, your ability to do that is because you're pouring into yourself first, and I know it's not easy. And I know it's like Sounds easy, or you know like sounds fluffy but it's not and I've witnessed your, your dedication to your personal growth and that has an I've also witnessed your other things blossom so I think that's a testament to that, that practice. That's right,

15:40

that's right.

15:42

I love it. This has been so fun. I've enjoyed this conversation. I know it's been a conversation of tangents and this is what I look forward to us being able to do more often with our conversations and our individual interviews with other people just kind of seeing where it takes us and finding the nuggets of wisdom in there and I hope everyone listening, enjoyed sort of hearing more about what we're doing and Shannon's work and a little bit about what I'm doing as well. It's been fun sharing it with you, so thank you for listening to the linebreak podcast if you enjoyed this episode and you'd like to help support the podcast please share it with others screenshotted and tag us on Instagram at alligned underscore birth or leave a rating and review. If you don't want to miss our newest episodes, be sure to tap the subscribe button, your support is greatly appreciated. As always we strive to bring you lots of information because knowledge is power and applied knowledge is empowering. Thanks again for being here and see you next week.

Keywords: 

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