Preparing for your first visit
The first visit is a special session where we get to know each other, discuss your wants and needs for care, and much more. As a result, it’s longer than the average session, usually lasting between 60-90 minutes. This page is to help you best understand what to expect before we meet, to provide you with the best opportunity for an amazing first session. If you have any questions this page doesn’t answer, please feel free to contact me directly at amanda@boulderwomenschiro.com. I look forward to connecting soon.
Completing your Intake Forms in advance
Please be sure to complete your intake forms before arriving your your first session. The paperwork provides me with general information about yourself and your condition, or the condition of your child. Please review the provided HIPAA forms and complete them as thoroughly as possible. Your information is never shared with anyone and is only used to provide the most complete care plan possible for your individual needs. If you have not already done so, please click the button below to be directed to my Intake Forms page. You can complete them 100% online, including adding your digital signature. If you have any questions or difficulty, please feel free to reach out to my directly at amanda@boulderwomenschiro.com. I’m happy to help! Intake FormsLocating the office
The office is located on the 2nd floor of the Historic Treehouse building, just behind the Shell station on the corner of 29th Street and Baseline Road. Please arrive a little early as parking can be a challenge so close to CU. Feel free to park anywhere in the lot adjacent to the building, on 29th street, or at the gas station next door. Once inside the building, please go up the stairs and turn left into the waiting room. Feel free to have a seat on the couches, or if you’d like to you can peek down the hallway to see if my door is open. My entire office is one room, so if the door is closed I’m in session. If it’s open, come on in! *Please note* my office is a shoe-less room, so I’ll ask that you leave your shoes in the tray just outside the door. This keeps things clean, as well as allows me to adjust your ankles/feet easily during your session. Thank you for doing your part! Get directions
Beginning your initial session
You made it! Congratulations. You’re here, at the office, we’ve both introduced ourselves and chatted a bit. Now what? First we go over your intake form- I’ll have read it at least once before we meet, but I’ll likely ask questions about your symptoms, your history of Chiropractic care, other providers you’ve seen and more. As our habits play such a large role in how we feel, I’ll review several areas from sleep to water intake, sitting posture, stress relief, you name it. Depending on how many challenges your experiencing, this portion of your session can take anywhere from 20-45 minutes. Please be as detailed as you can on your intake form, so we can be efficient in your session. I want to provide you with helpful suggestions, learn about your needs, but also respect your time. The more I can read on the intake form, the less time this portion takes 🙂
Examination and learning about the table
At this point we’ve both discussed what’s troubling you, what’s worked in the past and what hasn’t. We’ve been chatting for a while and now it’s time to stand up and do some testing. Depending on your needs, I’ll check your range of motion (how far you can bend), how well your joints and nerves are doing (via orthopedic tests) and test various muscles as well. This is where I’m able to corroborate my working diagnosis of what’s incorrect in your spinal system, evaluate your body’s biomechanics and see what I need to do to help you. On every first visit I also explain how my adjusting table works, as well as my Activator instrument. Even if you’ve been to Chiropractors all your life, I’ve learned that every table is different, and I want you to be familiar with the sounds it makes, and the way it moves. The majority of your time on the table is spent face down, so I want you to see it in action with your own eyes before we start. I’m a firm believer in full transparency, and I want you to feel 100% comfortable each step of the way.
Receiving your first Adjustment
It’s time for the finale! After chatting, understanding your needs and performing your exam, it’s time to help you start to feel better. Whether you’ve been adjusted hundreds of times or today is your first session ever, I’ll explain everything I do before it happens. My adjustments begin with you face down on the table, lying on a soft microfleece facecloth and often covered by a soft blanket. Many clients opt for the massage therapy addon during their first session, and will be asked to remove their shirt (but leave bra on) to allow for a brief massage. I’ll be looking for imbalances in your feet, ankles, knees and pelvis and I’ll be sure to communicate with you what I’ve found and what I’m doing at each step. After your lower body is balanced, I’ll move on to your mid-back area, both with massage and adjustment, paying particular attention to your tightest areas. By massaging away tight knots before adjusting, your muscles are able to relax for the adjustment itself. This is significantly more enjoyable than the traditional methods used in my profession. (Learn more about “What makes us different“) After your mid-back is feeling better, I’ll ask you to turn over onto your back (face up) and get comfy under the blanket again. Next I’ll continue to relax you by massaging your neck muscles, gently stretch your head back and forth slowly and see what areas of your neck need to be adjusted. Once you’re ready, I’ll tilt your head one way and then the next, gently re-aligning your vertebrae to their proper position, as long as you are fully relaxed and comfortable.
Your comfort is always my first priority
When it comes to neck adjustments, I refer to it as, “knocking on the door.” I’m not here as the SWAT team to break down barriers- if I feel too much resistance in your muscles, I’ll often decide it’s not the right time for a manual adjustment, and choose to adjust a different way. In other words, if you’re not ready, I’m not going to push it!
Some client’s necks are not relaxed enough for a manual adjustment by hand, and so I’m happy to oblige using other methods (including the drop-table and Activator techniques). Your comfort is my main priority, NOT the noise your joints make during the session. As long as you leave feeling better than when you arrived, I consider the session a success!
As your body relaxes, your pain levels decrease and your muscles unwind, allowing for more in-depth work. Many clients who are unable/uncomfortable with a manual adjustment in the beginning are able to receive one after a few sessions. Other clients prefer the other methods and I’m happy to accommodate. I’m a BIG fan of open communication and always interested in my client and her needs above all else.
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