Meet Dr. Karis!

Get to know Dr. Karis a little better! Dr. Karis shared her journey to chiropractic with us!

I was not raised with chiropractic. I had multiple sports injuries and surgeries and went to physical therapy. Then when I was recruited to the University of Oregon as a javelin thrower, I was still dealing with injuries. Mainly shoulder pain, but we did a lot of training—we lifted weights and we trained 6 days a week  10 months out of the year.

In the middle of my sophomore season at the University of Oregon, I was basically in the training room daily dealing with chronic shoulder pain. At that point, I had had two cortisone injections and was on daily anti-inflammatory medication.

Through the biology program at the University of Oregon, they had a mentor class where you could shadow different professionals in the community. One of the professionals I chose to shadow was a chiropractor. I was curious, I really didn’t know much about it. After shadowing him, he asked if I wanted to be treated. I said yes, and I literally got off the table and I told him, I feel incredible and I have a track meet next weekend, I’ll let you know how it goes.

I threw the best series of my life at that track meet and I won Pac-10. It was the best series of throws in my collegiate career. So I just felt like, wow, how did this happen? The chiropractor basically took this body that felt semi-broken and disconnected as an athlete and helped me plug back in again.

He didn’t cure my arm pain, but he made my body feel like it could work together again. As an athlete, to be able to mentally connect and feel my body move the way I needed to move, gave me the confidence I needed.

That same season, I went on to Nationals, All American, and then qualified for the Olympic trials. It helped me with the confidence I needed to get to that level.

I did end up having two shoulder surgeries. At that point, I had to have surgery to repair the damage I had done to that shoulder.

I then started shadowing a chiropractor in Battleground, WA when I would come home from college for the summer. I decided that this was what I wanted to do!

At that point, that was my plan. I finished all of my prerequisites and graduated from the University of Oregon. After taking a year off to be a personal trainer, I came back up to the northwest to go to chiropractic school in Portland.

I was part of the sports med team and focused a lot on sports injuries. After graduating, we decided to stay in Vancouver. We worked in another clinic and rented space.

As I started to think about getting pregnant and having kids, I started taking pregnancy and pediatric courses. That’s what started me down the path of craniosacral work, pregnancy work, and that more specialized path. I added to the depth of what I was able to treat and offer a variety of treatment options from manual adjustments to craniosacral, to muscle work, and pregnancy-specific care.

I’ve always grown up as an athlete and so now, having the business is kind of like my sports team. I have different players needed in different places, and we’re the coaches. We’re all part of the same team and different players are needed at different points for different strengths and sometimes we have to change our game plan, but it’s creating that culture in which everyone feels respected, supported, and has a voice. Ultimately, we are all here for the same reason—to take care of our patients.

Think Chiropractic First! 

If you’re in a motor vehicle accident, we can help!

After a motor vehicle accident, it’s so hard to know where to go or how to heal. Did you know that our chiropractors are trained to identify these types of injuries and can treat most injuries following an accident? Our team is trained in addressing the root issues so that your body heals quicker, without medication. 

It’s something you hope never happens, but if you are ever in a car accident, please know that our team is here to help. We are dedicated to making this process a little easier–from addressing your injuries to creating a path to recovery. No referral is needed and in most cases, treatment is 100% covered by insurance.

Questions? Reach out to us! 

Meet Dr. Cooper!

Why did you decide to become a chiropractor?

From the time I was sophomore in high school, I had wanted to be a cardiothoracic surgeon. I’ve always been interested in the body and how things worked. I liked that you go into the area that’s causing a problem and you fix it. My grandfather had congestive heart failure, which was in part why I was interested in this field.

I was in undergrad at the U of O and was on track to go to medical school. I was in the middle of an MCAT prep course and I knew that Karis and I would get married and I just realized that this wasn’t the life I wanted. I grew up with parents who were around. I wanted to be around for my family, too. I knew that the timeline of my professional life and the timeline of my personal life just didn’t line up.

I started looking into other things. I knew I wanted to look into hands-on care. Chiropractic appealed to me because like surgery, you’re able to directly address the problem. There is also a huge sports injury side, which as a former athlete appealed to me as well.

What are people most surprised to learn about chiropractic?

Some people are surprised to learn that they don’t have to have their neck adjusted. You definitely don’t! Especially if it’s something you’re not comfortable with.

Patients are also often surprised to hear that the popping sound they hear during an adjustment is gas being released.

The other big thing I hear is that once someone sees a chiropractor, they have to see them for the rest of their life. The biggest problem I have with that statement is “have to.” You go see your medical doctor or your dentist when you’re sick or for a cleaning—for your whole life, and chiropractic is no different. We have acute treatments where after your treatment plan is complete, further care isn’t necessary, and we also have supportive care where we aren’t trying to “cure” your condition, but we are trying to help patients manage a condition, and then we also have wellness care that is more maintenance.

Why did you decide to start Cooper Chiropractic?

Statistically, chiropractors are the most likely of the medical professional to go into private practice. Dr. Karis and I planned together that this was something that we wanted to do. After a year of working as associates for another chiropractor, we then rented space in the same building and began to build up our patient base as BC Chiropractic in 2006. As we grew, there just wasn’t enough space and we realized that we needed our own space. We moved to our current location in 2014 and changed our name to Cooper Chiropractic Center for Health and Wellness.

What do you love about what you do?

I just love being able to help people.  There are times when it feels like a patient is taking longer than I would expect for them to get better, and just when I start to question the process, there is that “aha” moment and the patient starts to feel better which is incredible.

What do you enjoy doing in your free time?

I love cross fit. I’m absolutely addicted to it. I do cross fit at 5 or 6 am Monday through Friday and then I do a few competitions throughout the year. In the summer, we love going out on the boat with the kids—tubing, wakeboarding, wake surfing. In the winter we love going to the mountain to ski and snowboard. During the week, I love taking the kids to their different after-school activities. Both of my girls do tae kwon do, which is so fun. But I just love hanging out as a family.

How do you find a healthy balance in your own life?

If I were a child today, I would have been diagnosed with attention deficit disorder.  I’ve found that in order to control that extra energy, I need to be active. It’s like making time to eat; it’s just something I have to do for myself. I work out every day first thing in the morning and then I’m set up for a great day. Everyone needs to find that balance for themselves. One of the harder parts of our job is helping people find that balance and identifying what they need to do to feel their best. I find that the best way for me to help patients is to model that. We 100% practice what we preach.  Once you’ve shown a patient how good they can feel the rest is easy. It’s all about empowering them and helping them feel their best.

Athlete Of The Week!

Meet Jeremy, our Athlete Of The Week!

Jeremy shared a bit with us about his three favorite ways to stay active!

Sports injury? Chiropractic can help!

As the seasons change, so do our activities! If you’re dusting off your running shoes after a winter hiatus, getting back into tennis, or your child is gearing up for track or softball, you are often more at risk of a sports injury.

Chiropractic can help prevent sports injuries from occurring in the first place, and can often help provide treatment if an injury does occur. Our physicians are trained to provide a thorough examination to determine if the injury requires surgery or can be treated through chiropractic care or in combination with other providers.

Most injuries heal at a more accelerated rate with a combination of chiropractic care, physical therapy, massage therapy, and acupuncture. The next time you’re injured in a sport or physical activity, give chiropractic a try!

Questions? Reach out to us!

Meet Len!

Why did you decide to become a massage therapist?

I decided to leave corporate America in the mid-nineties. I’d always been interested in working with horses and I discovered that there was a massage therapy program for horses. Long story short, I ended up taking a training class and I spent about 8 years working on racehorses. At around the same time, I was in school in Chicago studying to be a massage therapist for people.

I took classes at night and worked during the day so it took me about two years to finish the program. I then went on to work on both four-legged animals and two-legged animals!

I took a break from massage to pursue real estate in ’04 and then came back to full-time massage in ’08.

Outside of massage I also enjoy acting. I began pursuing acting in the 80s and find it to be a great outlet.

What do you enjoy about massage?

Getting people back to being able to function and recommending things that they can do to improve their daily living—whether it’s moving more, exercising more, sitting at their desk properly—and for them to come back to me and tell me that it has worked for them. I really enjoy those results when they occur and they occur quite frequently.

What do you enjoy outside of work?

Since I moved to the pacific northwest from the Chicago area, I’ve really enjoyed getting out and walking basic trails. I love to go fishing when I get a chance. Every now and then I like doing yard work as well.

What do you look forward to each day?

I look forward to going to work. I enjoy being able to do my job and sometimes I’m able to influence other seniors that they shouldn’t be sitting in the La-Z-Boy 12 hours a day. You need to get up and move! And I think I have been able to influence others because I am active and I don’t act my age.

I believe that we were made to move and even just the act of standing, getting up from a seated position, can extend your life 3-5 years.

How do you stay healthy?

I’ve been a gym rat for the last 45 years and I never participated in organized sports which is part of the reason why I think I function so well. I often get youngsters on the table who are beat up, whether they play soccer, baseball, football, or track, and those injuries tend to creep up on you later in life. I think going to the gym has helped keep me functioning better than most in my age range. I’m also always doing something.

Anything else you’d like people to know about massage?

Try it; you’ll like it!

Schedule an appointment with Len here! 

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Benefits of Massage

There are so many incredible health benefits of massage!

Relaxation

Taking the time for a massage forces you to slow down, breathe deeply, and more fully relax. As hectic as our lives can be, taking this hour for yourself is an important part of self-care. A wellness massage is the perfect way to decrease muscle tension, improve state of mind, and decrease stress.

Healing

Sore, achy muscles from sports, overuse, or injury benefit greatly from the healing powers of massage. Massage can also help heal soft tissue strains or injuries and has even been shown to provide relief from digestive disorders.

Pain Relief

At Cooper Chiropractic, our physicians employ a multitude of techniques to facilitate healing. Our highly trained on-site massage therapists are experienced in deep tissue work for sports and auto injuries, headache/migraine sufferers, and everyday aches and pains. They specialize in Craniosacral therapy, Myofascial release, Cupping, Gua Sha, Reflexology, and Table Top Thai Stretching. Specialties include: Petrissage, Effleurage, Tapotement, NIMMO, Pin and Stretch, Muscle Release Technique, Muscle Energy Technique, Post-Isometric Relaxation, and more.

Calm the Mind

Massage is a powerful stress reliever. Regular massage has also been shown to help alleviate anxiety, provide relief from headaches, and ease stress-related insomnia.

Questions about how massage can benefit you? Reach out to us or schedule an appointment!

Meet Alena!

Meet Dr. Stockton!

 Why did you decide to become a chiropractor?

In high school during the summers, I worked for a friend’s family landscaping business. I spent a lot of time planting trees, digging trenches, and installing sprinkler systems and I started having some back pain.

My mom suggested that I go see a chiropractor. At the time, I didn’t feel like much was happening but after about three treatments I had no more low back pain. I was able to work for longer without any pain and I was impressed with that.

I ended up seeing another chiropractor for an injury I had in baseball and again, I was really surprised with the effects of spinal manipulation on the body and how your body moves.

After starting college, I was in the biology program at Washington State University. I initially thought I wanted to pursue physical therapy but I quickly realized that I was a lot more interested in the hands-on approach of chiropractic care.

I found out that there was chiropractic school in Portland, and I applied and got in!

Is there anything that surprised you about chiropractic care after earning your degree in chiropractic?

The immediate relief was surprising to me. The ability to have someone walk into your office—who can’t stand up straight or sit in one position and they are miserable—and then with just feeling the body, you’re able to tell where they are injured and after one adjustment there is that immediate relief. It’s almost like an ah-ha moment where they are able to stand or do things immediately that they previously weren’t able to do 15 minutes ago. It’s very satisfying to be able to help people in that way.

What do you enjoy most about your work each day?

Being able to interact with each patient and being able to see each patient as their own “puzzle.” Everyone is different and while they might have the same chief complaint, the cause and treatment vary.

I have an evidence-based approach so I’m never going to tell a patient I can fix something unless I truly believe I can. I’m not going to have a patient come see me three times a week for the rest of their lives. Once you’ve reached your pre-injury status I’m going to let you free! I’m not going to make a patient come in if I don’t think it’s necessary.

What do you think people would be surprised to learn about the benefits of chiropractic care?

We can help with all areas of the body—not just your neck or back. We can adjust the foot, the ankle, the knee—every joint in the body we know an adjustment for.

What do you enjoy doing outside of work?

I graduated from WSU, so I love to watch the Cougs play. I love sports—I love watching and playing sports whenever I’m able. I also have a jet ski and that is where you can find me every weekend of the summer—out on the lake or river with my fiancé (we are getting married in July 2018 in the Dominican Republic).

I love being outdoors year-round—elk hunting with a bow, taking my truck up into the mountains and the snow, I just love being active outside.

Dr. Stockton is now accepting new patients. Schedule an appointment here.