I was born and raised in Elmira, NY. As a child I knew that someday I wanted to work in some way helping children. As I entered college that way was more defined as helping children within the healthcare arena. After completing Binghamton University (and having educated myself through CCC’s nursing program prior) I decided that medicine was my path.

At the same general time, I had a severe neck injury the had lasting effects (migraines, severely reduced range of motion that limited my sleep & driving). After one full year of pain, X-rays, MRI’s, and therapy, I still had little relief. Then a great neurologist suggested I get “adjusted” and see if that helps. It did. It was the first time in a year that I had no headache, slept through the night, and I could back into my driveway again! I had never heard of Chiropractic care until this point in my life.

This experience lead me down a different path of learning from medical school, to New York Chiropractic College. About 5,000 clinical, classroom, and lab hours later I became a board-certified Chiropractor. Although Chiropractors in the US are able to treat everyone from birth and onward, I realized that our education on pediatrics & pregnancy needed more clarity.

During the last year of clinical and during the first year post-graduation I began post-graduate specialty study and certification in Pediatric & Pregnancy care through the International Chiropractic & Pediatric Association. Personally, I made many technique and clinical discoveries that were not previously taught in school, such as the fact that Infants and Children are not just “little adults” and our care for them is drastically different. The care given to pregnant women is equally specialized and requires modifications to muscle and skeletal care. I am grateful for the post-graduate education!

As someone who thrives on learning, I also recognized that as a Chiropractor, we are tasked and scoped to provide nutritional care for our patients. The education, again, was not fulfilling enough for me, so I attended University of Bridgeport to gain more knowledge and acquired a Masters Degree in Human Nutrition with a focus on perinatal and pediatric nutrition. I am currently a Health Science Doctoral candidate (2021) at the University of Bridgeport in Clinical Nutrition and Health Education.

Since 2010, I have been developing strong relationships with local OBGYN's, Midwives, IBCLC's, Pediatricians, Nurses, and of course, families, to bring quality primary Chiropractic and co-managed care to women, infants, children, and their partners. 

I often get asked the questions, Why do you stay in Elmira? My answer is, the women and children in our area and surrounding counties are underserved and are often not heard. I’m here to serve, to listen, and to help in any way I can within my skill set, and to seek help elsewhere for the issues that are not within my skill set.

I established Healing Arts Chiropractic & Wellness in 2010. It started as just a small practice out of my car doing home visits. I then found a small affordable office space in the Mark Twain Building in Downtown Elmira. In the years that would follow, I realized as each one passed, that I needed other professionals to help co-manage my patients’ care. Often that meant sending women and children all over NY state for specialized pelvic rehabilitation, breastfeeding, and latching issues, mental health therapy, muscle therapies, acupuncture, etc. When patients have to coordinate and travel for health care needs in addition to caring for their families, work, and other stressors, they often put themselves last and that care may never be sought out and received. I knew I needed to create a space where as much of the needed care could be provided under one roof. Slowly that plan is coming to life.

In 2017, I was able to purchase a beautiful historic building in Downtown Elmira. As we renovated slowly, we have attracted some of the best practitioners to provide care with us. Currently, we have been so grateful to have highly skilled practitioners in Massage, Acupuncture, and Child and Family Psychology. Our goals for the future are to have pelvic floor rehab physical therapists, breastfeeding specialists (IBCLC), primary family care services, and much more in the years to come!

Our last great ambition is to help facilitate care to everyone in our community….. more to come on this topic in the future.