Inner Brilliance Chiropractic

Inner Brilliance for injuries?

Fri, 13 Feb 2009 00:38:00 +0000

In chiropractic, we like to say that healing only happens one way.... from the inside-out! Meaning that your body does the healing. No one can heal you, it's something that your body does for you. Certainly medical intervention sometimes takes a role in assisting the body, but how does chiropractic care fit into the picture?

Chiropractic care can play an essential role for anyone healing from an injury. Whether you had a fall, a car accident, a sports injury, or a repetitive strain at work...chiropractic care facilitates and supports your healing process! As your body works on repairing tissues after any type of injury, there is a lot of internal communication happening. Chiropractic helps your body and your nerve system to have the best possible communication with that wisdom inside of you. This inner wisdom is truly the source of our bodies' capacity for healing. Supporting full and clear communication with it, through chiropractic, greatly facilitates your speedy healing and your best possible outcome.

Many of our clients at Inner Brilliance Chiropractic have experienced the benefits of chiropractic care in how well they were able to handle (and recover from) all sorts of life challenges. We believe that those who have had an injury also deserve the same exceptional level of quality chiropractic care. Our sole focus is supporting you in your recovery. Optimize your recovery with chiropractic care!

FYI:

-Doctors of Chiropractic are able to make referrals (when appropriate) for additonal types of care to assist you in your healing. These may include: massage therapy, acupuncture, physical therapy, podiatrists, diagnostic x-rays, primary care physicians, etc.

-At Inner Brilliance Chiropractic, if you've been injured in an auto accident, we bill your insurance company for you.

Happy healing!

For more information, see Inner Brilliance Chiropractic, the office of Dr. Holly Hochstadt, a chiropractor in Seattle.

"Is there anything I shouldn't do after my adjustment?"

Thu, 22 Jan 2009 23:35:00 +0000

It's a question I am frequently asked, and if you are familiar with my practice or my blog, you likely already know my answer!

No, there really isn't anything that you should inherently avoid after getting adjusted!

However, if you listen for it, your own inner brilliance will guide you to what would (and what would not) serve you best. You are unique, and so is your healing process! It just might be that breakdancing after getting adjusted could be the perfect thing to support one person's process, and could cause total overload for another. But the same thing is true of a nap, or a glass of wine, or a walk, or a yoga class, or going to a movie, etc! There isn't a script for health; we don't come with a road map or an owner's manual.

By now, most of us have figured out some of the things that help us to process and integrate the stuff of life, and also how to get re-centered within ourselves. And yet, in any moment, what we need could be different. The way to know what's right for you is to listen to that voice inside, your "intuition", or as I like to call it, your "inner brilliance".

If you can't hear it, try doing one of the things that have worked in the past to help you get reconnected. If that doesn't do it, or the voice is faint, that is a great time to come in for an adjustment. By optimizing your system, getting reconnected to your self, and clearing your connection with your inner brilliance, you will be able to take the best possible care of yourself.

Your frequency of care is always up to you, and always based on your goals. Whether you choose to come in quarterly, monthly, or weekly is often based on how much you've got "on your plate". But, it's always up to you to decide how often to optimize your system and your connection with your inner brilliance! I look forward to seeing you when the time is right!

For more information, see Inner Brilliance Chiropractic, the office of Dr. Holly Hochstadt, a chiropractor in Seattle.

ASK THE DOCTOR!

Sat, 20 Sep 2008 19:44:00 +0000

Okay, I'll confess now; the title and image above were intended to be a bit misleading!

Based on the concept of inner brilliance that I embrace, one of my biggest tenets is this:

"The best doctor we could ever listen to is the one within."

I remind clients of this frequently. The wisdom inside of us can guide us about what we need in every moment. We've all experienced hunger and known that we needed to refuel with a meal or a snack. We've felt thirst and known that we needed more water to rehydrate. Our bodies feel really hot and we look for ways to cool down. When consumed with fatigue, we feel the desire to take a nap. Obvious and very evident to us all, right?

What about if we have a cold and we notice a strong craving for soups with clear broth, while feeling no appetite for anything heavy or rich? Or, if we feel irritable and then notice that it's been too long since we've had quality time with our significant other? Or how about if we have a stiff low back and we feel the urge to crawl around on the floor and do some "stretching" that's so original, that these moves won't be found in any stretching book? These might be a little less obvious, but it's the same thing!

In so many ways, the innate intelligence that is constantly working for us, is constantly giving us messages about what we can do for ourselves, when, how much, how often, AND in this present moment! From what we eat for lunch today, to the posture we assume when sitting down (without thinking about it!), to who we may need to have a conversation with, this inner brilliance is constantly guiding us in all of our decisions and actions; both concious, subconcious, and unconcious.

Our connection with this inner guidance is one of our best sources for advice. Some folks call this their "intuition" or what "my gut tells me". Whatever the words to describe it, this wisdom is absolutely and constantly present in every living person! The next time you find yourself wondering on any level about what you should do for yourself, try asking your own inner brilliance as your first step! Listen to your gut, you intuition, your inner wisdom, and do the best you can to follow this guidance. You can cultivate your awareness of this connection by paying attention and also by honoring what your body/being asks for.

Of course, sometimes your intuition may tell you is that it's time for a consultation with an expert, or a trip to the Emergency Room, or to ask someone for help. There is a place and time for every type of care. However, cultivating your connection with this "doctor within" is still the best way to know what's right for you. You may have your own practices that help you stay connected to this, and you may also consult health care providers that support you in having the clearest possible expression of this wisdom, to facilitate the expression of your maximum health potential on every level.

Your inner brilliance is truly the best doctor I can imagine ever consulting! Ask away!

For more information, see Inner Brilliance Chiropractic, the office of Dr. Holly Hochstadt, a chiropractor in Seattle.

Dark vs. Light? Taking on other people's "stuff"?

Thu, 03 Jul 2008 17:45:00 +0000

I am often asked by people (even other health care providers) about "taking on" other people's "stuff" through my work. It has almost never been an issue for me in my own practice. I'm not sure how to account for this exactly, but here are my impressions so far*:

1- I'm simultaneously completely open to knowing each client's absolute perfection in every moment and holding them in a place of unconditional love, AND my boundaries are clear. I am present, I listen, I sympathize, empathize, and then work to support their innate potential in being fully expressed. It's your experience, your life, your perfection, not mine. Your inner brilliance only comes from the inside out, as you know.

2- I also believe that every experience we encounter provides an opportunity to integrate a new bit of life experience into the wholeness and richness of who we are as individuals. For those in a role such as mine (health care providers), we have the opportunity to integrate not only our life experiences, but by the act of genuine witnessing, we also may receive the gift of being able to additionally integrate experiences shared with us. For me, the only way we can "take on" their "stuff" in a negative way would be if we are unable to integrate it. This could then cause an overload to our own system, and we might experience it in an unpleasant way until we are able to process the information/experience. Otherwise, once processed, we simply benefit from it.

I'm sure some of you can relate to that from your own work. So, while beneficial and useful for everyone, I think it is of ultimate importance for health care providers to practice the things (meditiation, t'ai chi, journalling, time in nature, etc), or receive the types of care (chiropractic, acupuncture, other talk or body work therapies, etc), that help them "keep their channel open". By avoiding a backlog of unprocessed life experiences of any kind (physical, emotional, chemical, mental, spiritual) in our beings and systems, we are all much less likely to become overloaded in the moment. That's exactly what we help people do here at Inner Brilliance Chiropractic! The results can impact every aspect of our personal and professional lives, including our interactions with our clients, colleagues, and loved ones.

For more information, see Inner Brilliance Chiropractic, the office of Dr. Holly Hochstadt, a Seattle chiropractor.

*With thanks to Dr. Sue Brown for her influence, ideas and her thesis: "Subluxation and Human Evolution: A Philosophical Model of Subluxation" published by Palmer College of Chiropractic.

Perfect posture for you?

Tue, 17 Jun 2008 17:31:00 +0000

We've all seen diagrams like this before. We read articles on good posture and we've been assessed by various health care providers. Some other approaches in chiropractic even have very specific postural goals, which also serve the chiropractor as a reference point for progress made in that model of care.

Here's an idea that might seem a little radical:

YOUR POSTURE IS ABSOLUTELY PERFECT RIGHT NOW.

The way I look at it is that through your entire life, your body is constantly adapting to and dealing with all the forces that you encounter, including all those overloads stored by your body. These stored forces come from all the activities (and overload they may bring) of everyday life: sports & exercise, work station set-up, diet & hydration, physical injuries & illness, mental or emotional stress, position during sleep + quality & quantity of it, meaningful social connections, heavy physical work at home & work, and so on...

So, if you've been reading this blog for awhile, you are well aware that your inner brilliance is constantly at work, doing everything possible for you to express your highest wisdom and fullest health potential. In the case of your posture, your inner brilliance is also expressing beautifully. Your current posture is the perfect one for you right now, given the sum total of all that your body/being is dealing with. The goal for me is never to make your posture change.

Postural changes come easily, naturally, and organically when you shift the sum total of what your system is dealing with. By working with a chiropractor or other practitioner who supports you to process and integrate those stored forces, the big picture in your system changes and (quite often) your posture shifts too. As your system gets healthier, you may notice that you are naturally sitting in a more erect position. You may also be guided by the connection with your own inner guidance to stretch or exercise in certain ways that allow your postural changes to unfold. Or, perhaps you modify the set-up of your work station in some way that just feels better to you. These are just a few examples of how, as your expression of inner brilliance increases, your postural shift can start to snowball in many positive ways.

If you have some postural concerns, consider how you might start to shift all that your body has to deal with, including the stored forces it may be carrying. Your inner brilliance is your source for perfect posture, and you've got that right now.

For more information, see Inner Brilliance Chiropractic, the office of Dr. Holly Hochstadt, a chiropractor in Seattle.

Spring Break!

Wed, 11 Jun 2008 17:28:00 +0000

It's so nice to take a break from things every once in awhile. It really can refresh our outlook and allow us to gain more perspective on both the little details and the big picture of our lives. I spent 10 days in Alberta at the end of May. As you can see, the Balsam Root flowers were in all their (albeit late) spring glory! The trip was a great opportunity to rest, recharge, be with beloved family members, and explore the beauty of nature in the Canadian Rockies & prairies. And, decidedly, all of this helped me to get more strongly connected with my own inner brilliance.

Whether it's a trip out of town, a change from your usual routine, stepping back from some of your responsibilities, or simply taking a moment to pause... consider how you provide yourself with the opportunity to reconnect. That amazing wisdom is present inside of you in every moment, it's always right there at your center.

Give yourself a break that serves you in shining your inner brilliance more brightly! Shine on.

For more information, see Inner Brilliance Chiropractic, the office of Dr. Holly Hochstadt, a chiropractor in Seattle.

What does inner brilliance look like?

Wed, 14 May 2008 20:53:00 +0000

If we've all got this inner brilliance, how do we recognize it? What does it look like when it is expressing in ourselves or others? Of course, the possible responses to this question are infinite!

The most common thing that people experience that lets them know their inner brilliance is expressing loud and clear.... is a sense of clear connection with their own wisdom. Some would call this "hearing their intuition", or "feeling their gut", or in chiropractic it's what we would call the "innate intelligence". When you feel more connected to this "doctor within", you are able to make the best choices for yourself, on every level, in each moment. This is the best way for each individual to move forward on their personal path to expressing more of their health on every level, as well as more of their gifts in the world; which all adds up to more of their inner brilliance!

Here are just a few examples of what inner brilliance looked like for some of my clients, after they got adjusted at IBC, in the last few weeks:

-the ability to sleep well through the night, after years of major sleep disorder

-resolution of pain, which had been severe for over a month

-full hearing in one ear, which had been considered "deaf" by doctors

-sense of new direction and timing (with clear communication & action) for a new career pursuit

-decrease in pain which resulted from an injury that had only been worsening with time

-clarity, "centered-ness", and increased efficiency while going through a stressful job change

When the subluxations in your system have been addressed by your chiropractor, the whole body/being functions better. That is why inner brilliance can appear in so many different ways!

For more information, see Inner Brilliance Chiropractic, the office of Dr. Holly Hochstadt, a chiropractor in Seattle.

Cookin' with love!

Fri, 02 May 2008 17:35:00 +0000

My friend, Tom, is a fantastic chiropractor. And, when travelling with him to any city or town in the country to attend a seminar, it was always a joy to share a meal with him. He taught me something important about food and how it connects us all.

Walking on city streets, or through a food festival, or even the food court in an airport, Tom would look at each establishment he passed. He seemed to check out the look, the smells, and the sounds of every offering. He tried to see the chefs or the cooks at work. He would size it up. I thought maybe he had some kitchen cleanliness phobia, or else some skill or intuition about choosing the best food, and I asked him about it once when we were here in Seattle, at the Folklife Music Festival, looking for lunch on a Friday afternoon. He explained to me that what he was always looking for, was... the people who were "cooking with love"!

I've thought a lot about that since then. It made a lot of sense to me. The people who loved what they were doing, who were happy to be doing it, and were joyous to share it--- it was their cooking I most longed to sample! Have you ever walked into a restaurant or some small place, like a sandwich shop, where someone makes a grudging effort to come serve you, and you quickly get the feeling they'd really rather be doing something else, or it's an imposition, or that they simply aren't happy to be doing this job?

Maybe a little like in the film Like Water For Chocolate, when all the same skill and talent is present, maybe our state of mind does effect what we produce or how we do it. So, I've thought about this in terms of many of the different jobs, services, and products we receive in our daily lives. The mechanic who worked on my car for years (until I sold it last fall!), LOVES working on cars. The purveyor of one of my neighborhood restaurants LOVES running his business. And, my barista LOVES making chai lattes! I know this makes sense to you too. Would you want a dentist to work on you who didn't like doing her job? Would you want to have a birthday cake made by someone who was bitter about having to do it? Here's the tie-in...

Every day when I show up at IBC, I am so grateful for the opportunity to witness people for who they truly are, and to support them in expressing more of their full potential, their health, their inner brilliance. The ways this shows up in people's lives are infinite. I plan to share some of these in my next entry. But the joy I experience in delivering honoring, exceptional, vitalistic chiropractic care is one of the biggest in my life. My heart is completely present, and in alignment with knowing each person's perfection and their potential. I feel so blessed to do what I do for a living. I am thrilled to have created "right livelihood" in my life. For me, when I'm serving at IBC, I'm always "cookin' with love"!

For more information, see Inner Brilliance Chiropractic, the office of Dr. Holly Hochstadt, a chiropractor in Seattle.

Who is the healer?

Thu, 01 May 2008 02:50:00 +0000

Every once in a while, (and certainly after my last blog entry) someone will make a comment about me being a "healer". I always strive to make it completely clear that in my world view, the only person I can heal is me.

I may be good at what I do, but I see my role as truly being that of a facilitator. I help bring awareness to your system, which allows it to connect with, unwind, process, and integrate stored tension (or subluxations). The wisdom inside of you knows how to do this! Subluxations in your system may be interfering with how well you are able to express your full potential, your inner brilliance. My role is simply assisting your body to allow it to address the subluxations, and express it's own potential.

Since the foundation of chiropractic is the recognition of the amazing wisdom that is inside of us, it's easy to follow the logic of healing coming from the inside out. To me, this means that you are the only person that can heal you! There is so much brilliance inside of you; set it free!

For more information, see Inner Brilliance Chiropractic, the office of Dr. Holly Hochstadt, a chiropractor in Seattle.

Amazing things happening at IBC

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 23:35:00 +0000

Whew! After having a fantastic visit with family who came to town for 10 days, I am raring to go on this blog. Lately I'm absolutely "percolating" with ideas, analogies, examples, and perspectives relating to Inner Brilliance! Look for frequent postings for the next little while!

I've had an incredible week of positive health changes for clients at IBC. Here is the latest...

Tonight I had a call from Lucy's mom. At age six, based on the results of a CT scan, Lucy was diagnosed with almost complete deafness in her left ear, due to no movement of the tiny bones in her inner ear. Her doctor believed that she had likely been deaf in that ear since birth. Her hearing had been checked again each year for the last two years with no improvement. Lucy was referred to my office in January of this year, and she and her mom were interested to see if working with Lucy's "inner brilliance" could help her at all with her hearing. I saw Lucy weekly for 8 visits. Then her family went on a long vacation, and upon returning they went to have Lucy's hearing re-checked. The call from Lucy's mom tonight? "Lucy's hearing tested COMPLETELY NORMAL!!!!!! And all the doctors at the hospital were asking about IBC." Lucy is taking it all in stride, as an 8 year old will. Her parents are absolutely thrilled. The family celebrated the good news tonight with donuts. (For the record, Lucy's mom has offered to speak with anyone who has questions about their experience with care here at IBC.)

For anyone familiar with the history of chiropractic, the story goes, that the very first adjustment, delivered by D.D. Palmer, cured a janitor of his deafness. The symmetry is an extra treat.

For more information, see Inner Brilliance Chiropractic, the office of Dr. Holly Hochstadt, a chiropractor in Seattle.

Welcome to the IBC blog

Wed, 09 Apr 2008 22:55:00 +0000

I'm very excited to share with you our mission here at Inner Brilliance Chiropractic.

Many people are unaware of the roots of the chiropractic profession. The fundamental premise of chiropractic is that there is an amazing amount of wisdom present in every living thing. This innate intelligence is what guides the hundreds of thousands of things that our bodies do for us every day, even without our conscious direction!

The wisdom inside of us is truly the source of health. Health, on every level (physical, emotional, chemical, mental, spiritual, etc), is something that comes from the inside-out. It's a state that your body/being is constantly striving to express to the highest level possible, given your genetics and your environment. Supporting the fullest expression of this wisdom, this beauty, this source of health, of your own inner brilliance, this is what Inner Brilliance Chiropractic is all about.

For more information, see Inner Brilliance Chiropractic, the office of Dr. Holly Hochstadt, a chiropractor in Seattle.