Adjusting Inmates

I joined a group of Chiropractors on April 28 for a health fair at San Quentin Prison. When I was asked to attend this event, I was MORE than overjoyed to participate. For me, getting my hands on people, ALL people, regardless of WHO they are, WHERE they are, or WHAT they have been through in their lives is my PURPOSE.

I have had mixed reactions, however, to me joining this event. Some people responded with, “Oh my God! Be careful! Are their gonna be guards?” or “You are gonna get eaten alive!” or “Why are you adjusting people who are evil and who have done horrible things? They should be SUFFERING for the crimes they committed, not rewarded!” and a few “Wow! What a great thing you are doing! That is going to be an amazing experience.” (Most of those comments were from clients, other Chiropractors and family… those who know the work that I do intimately).

I understand the negative feedback. This is a high security prison with people who have committed unspeakable acts of crime and violence. And I do agree that rehabilitation in a prison system is necessary to prevent them from committing more crimes and to teach them that what they did to get there is NOT acceptable.

However, what IS rehabilitation? Is it treating a prisoner like an animal and punishing them in violent ways to show them the error of their way? Perhaps an eye for an eye; do to them what they did unto others? Maybe lock them in a dark cell so they can never see the light of day and perish with no human contact for the rest of their meaningless life? Perhaps. But I do not feel that way AT ALL.

This is my opinion, and SOLEY my opinion, and I have stronger conviction now to support my opinion after my experience at San Quentin. Let me tell you about the day and what it was like ‘on the inside’…

The prison is HUGE. It is quite beautiful from the outside. Actually, it sits on some of the most expensive land in North America, overlooking our Beautiful SF Bay. Security measures are extensive (as they should be). We had a strict dress code; no blue, orange or green (colors that distinguish the different classes of inmates) and had to dress professional (obviously) with no bling

It took at least an hour and a half (or more) to actually get inside, as we had to go through security checks in groups, and get stamped with ink that only shows up under black light. (The guard who was stamping told me to be careful not to get my hands wet as the stamp may come off and I would be forced to stay in the prison for 24 hours… he saw the blood drain from my face and nudged me… “HAHA… Just kiddin’. I get ‘em every time with that one!”) …yeah, funny dude.

Once we were in, we were escorted right into the center of the prison (the yard). The scene was straight out of Shawshank Redemption. Hundreds of inmates in their jeans and blue shirts and knit hats doing pushups, pull-ups, playing baseball (yup, they have a field), playing guitar and singing, meditating, playing dominoes and cards. Meanwhile, a flock of geese just hanging out in the grass while an inmate that looked like he had been there for 30 years was speaking goose to them and feeding them his sandwich. It was unbelievably surreal.

It is important to note that these guys in the yard, and the ones that were able to participate in the health fair are on good standing. They have done the “work” to have the privilege to be outside and able to have some “normalcy” in their day. We did not serve the guys that were on death row, or those who had not gone through the system to be given privileged rights.

As we were walking through the yard, headed to our room where we would be adjusting, all eyes were on us. For a moment, a feeling of “oh, my, God, are we gonna be ok?” set in. We are on THEIR turf, THEIR rules. Are they gonna even want what we have to offer?

As we got closer, the eyes all turned to smiles and, ”hey! Are you guys the Chiropractors?” “Thank you SO much for coming!” The feeling of US vs. THEM became: WE are all here, to have an experience. These are HUMAN BEINGS in this prison. Not that I ever doubted that, but when faced with it (literally), you realize that yes…these guys did something to get in here. And yes… most likely something bad. However, not one person I met that day would I ever describe as being a “Monster”.

This brings up a lot of emotions and controversy in people to make a statement like that, I understand. But here is how I see it.

We are products of our environment. Our genes are a blueprint (just ask Dr. Bruce Lipton, PhD.), and where and how we grow up greatly determines whether or not we learn how to have respect for ourselves, for others, for society. Most people who commit crime (now hear me… I said MOST… not ALL) grew up in an environment which was not supportive of growth, well being, and did not nurture a sense of self worth. Most likely, many of the guys in San Quentin had pretty non-supported lives growing up. And again, do not get me wrong…it does not excuse what they did… but it is a FACT.

The good news is that environment can change. And, we are ADAPTABLE to that change. If we do not properly rehabilitate and allow people to learn skills that they never had the chance to learn, then what would ever stop them from committing crimes again?

If we put inmates in a hole for the rest of their lives, OR put them in prison and make them SUFFER for what they did while they are in there, do you think they will feel better? Do you think when they get out after their sentence is up they will be like, “Whew! I learned a lot! I wont ever commit my crime again!” Perhaps. Perhaps they WILL learn a lesson. However, I don’t think this would be a very common outcome. In fact, I think if you treat a man like an animal, he will act like an animal.

San Quentin has a very structured system to rehabilitate people in to becoming PART of society, in order to help them understand the error of their crimes. They are exposed to a new environment and have to work for privileges and the right to interact in a constructive and supportive way. They learn tools, which teach them that even though they did bad things in the past, they can change the way they deal with their future. They learn greater self worth as a HUMAN that can be a contribution, not a hindrance to society.

Why not support change in people, rather than write them off as evil scum that should be wiped clean from the earth? What message is this giving? That it is wrong to treat people like scum, disrespect human life and society, etc., yet its ok to treat people like scum and disrespect THEIR life in prison? That idea really bothers me.

In San Quentin, there are posters, wall hangings and artwork expressing positive affirmations ALL OVER THE PRISON. I was impressed to say the least. There are quotes about remembering your inner strength, learning to forgive ourselves and our actions, and that we have the power to change and evolve within our life and consciousness. I bet this is a huge change in environment for MANY of the inmates.

So how does Chiropractic fit in?

Chiropractic adjustments clear out interference that inhibits Nervous System function. The Nervous System is what receives and integrates information from our environment. If the lights are dimmed down on the power of the Nervous System, it can be challenging to learn new skills from a new environment. Getting adjusted allows us to better adapt to our environment. So I know in the core of my being, getting inmates adjusted helps them with their rehabilitation process.

And THAT is why I enthusiastically said yes to this event.

Yup, I said it…GETTING INMATES ADJUSTED CAN HELP WITH THEIR REHABILITATION. A fully open and expressing Nervous System will be able to receive and process rehabilitation experiences in prison.

Having a Nervous System that is free and open is better than one stuck in old destructive patterns. Wouldn’t you say?

Each guy I adjusted was receptive and SO thankful. Some had never seen a Chiropractor, but were open to receiving whatever we were offering. To see the glimmer of light in their eyes and a shift in the presence of their being after the adjustment was magical. The energy in the room was palpable. We must have adjusted least a thousand guys or more.

This event is held once a year. We feel it is not enough. We want San Quentin to allow us to come in every MONTH to get these guys adjusted. If we can contribute, from a fundamental level, in reconnecting inmates to their higher power (run through and over the Nervous System) and help them to KNOW THEMSELVES from a higher place, we have served our mission.

I believe in the power of the human potential. I have been in its presence, I have touched it, and looked it straight in the eyes.

I understand that humans have the capability to do bad things. I understand that sometimes people cannot change. But sometimes they CAN…

That being said, I have and always will be, in favor of the magic that is the HUMAN SPIRIT.

Sustainable Health Care

I have been pondering over the new health care reform bill, and am thinking: how does Chiropractic fit into the equation?

I go back and forth with the idea of billing insurance. I am currently offering itemized receipts so clients can get reimbursed. However, sometimes this can be a challenge, and they end up going through the run around to get even part of their money back. It is challenging, because I do not want to deny anyone care.

The issue with the current model is that we as Chiropractors are limited in how much care we can provide under most insurance plans. What this means is only a certain number of visits is covered. If clients want to see a Chiropractor as a preventative and supportive health care option, it is not covered. Coverage usually allows for a small “treatment” plan, and care is not covered once they are used up. And, in recent years, a greater and greater number of insurance companies deny claims for Chiropractic unless there is a “crisis”. Many people choose Chiropractic care to keep their bodies and minds functioning at optimal levels, for primary health care and true prevention, and therefore, are not covered.

We live in a society where we tend to wait until a ‘crisis’ happens, and thus, medical costs in this country rise and rise every year. If people learn the tools about honest to goodness prevention and health, they will not have to pay for thousands and thousands of dollars once a serious issue arises. I feel that we as holistic health care providers, along with Naturopaths, Acupuncturists, and Nutritionists should be placed at the forefront of primary health care. And this is why:

The new reform bill is expected to reduce the federal deficit by $124 billion in the next 10 years, however; medical costs for procedures continue to rise at astronomical rates. Currently, medical doctors and providers are getting paid for volume of procedures they are administering, not on the health outcome of their patients.

The good news is that the health reform is going to experiment with this idea, and pay healthcare providers for how WELL patients get based on treatments. This in itself is a great shift in thinking within the current medical model. However, at the current moment, only medical providers are included within this experiment, and not “alternative” health care providers.

Modalities such as Chiropractic, Naturopathy, and Acupuncture base their entire protocol on how WELL people are in mind, body and spirit! These modalities have been working with this idea since the BEGINNING, and are working with more and more ways of tracking wellness through a combination of subjective and objective measures.

So what would it look like if we were included within the primary healthcare paradigm? Insurance would pay for these services, and guess what? People will start getting better and STAY better. And the cool thing is that insurance companies will still get paid because people will want to continue with and maintain their holistic healthcare plans, and use their coverage on a regular basis, not just for emergencies! This will greatly keep medical costs down, and people will start getting healthier. TRUELY healthier.

The problem? People will get better from a preventative and inside-out approach and may not need major medical treatments as much as they do with the current model. This may be a problem for the medical health care system…. not as much money coming in, and therefore not as much money still going out to medical providers and medical research.

Likewise, if medical doctors begin to be paid on the outcomes of treatments they are offering and not on volume like it has been, how are they going to measure this? Measuring if we are symptom free? The truth is, having no symptoms does not equal health. You can numb your pain with ibuprofen for years, but are you healing yourself with painkillers? The answer is, well, no.

Don’t get me wrong; there is a need for medicine, and a need for allopathic treatment options. These options are needed in CRISIS. Not as a means to towards getting people truly healthy.

So, is shifting “alternative” care to the forefront worth the potential loss of money that would normally be used for research in the testing of medicines and cutting edge surgical techniques? Perhaps… perhaps if we shift our paradigm of what we are researching.

In most cases, studying “alternative” health care models costs significantly less than traditional allopathic research. Why? Most of these modalities are case studies, use hands on approaches, and simple, natural methodology. No big machines, chemistry and pharmaceutical backing needed. Just more and more providers having the incentives to perform research in their given field.

This is potentially a win-win situation as far as I am concerned. Allow greater and primary coverage for holistic healthcare providers, get paid based primarily on measurable patient health and wellbeing outcomes, and increase the desire to dive into a different and more evolved realm of research.

The result? Astronomically reduced health costs, an increase in people being healthy and STAYING healthy, and an increase in knowledge and awareness into how holistic health care actually is SUSTAINABLE health care through progressive research. SWEET!

I am still considering billing insurance, even if it takes years before we are considered primary healthcare providers because I believe in the work that I do. I also believe that if someone comes to me in crisis and has insurance coverage, it is hard for me to turn them away because they cannot pay out of pocket. I am working towards my own research in this arena.

My goal will always be to work with the body to release Subluxations so healing can occur from the inside out. That just means I would have 10-12 visits (or whatever the insurance company allows) to start that process. And at least I have that time to start moving them towards true healing, education and health. Hopefully my clients begin to know the benefit in regular Chiropractic care and become a strong voices and advocates for a paradigm shift in our healthcare reform!

Your Innate Power

Since we were young, many of us were taught to believe that in order to be healthy, happy, vibrant and free of dis-ease and disfunction, that we need to add something from outside of ourselves. We have either forgotten or never learned that we have a power within us, that we are self-healing organisms!

When you cut yourself, your body innately knows how to heal that wound. It brings the right amount of blood, clotting factors and cells to close and heal. Sure, we can go to a medical Doctor and have the wound stitched, but the stitches and the Doctor don’t do the healing, your body does! That power is something that we can never artificially replicate….. We can sure try, (and lord knows, science is desperately trying) but we can never truly understand the miraculous power that takes place during the healing process.

We can observe this power, however, and take the time to notice with awe and wonder. We have MAGIC within us at every moment!

Right now, you are breathing, seeing these words, digesting, processing chemistry and your Nervous System is sending trillions of messages throughout your body to maintain homeostasis and balance. And all of this is happening without us even having to think one thought about it! Imagine if you HAD to think about every breath that you take, or if you HAD to think “come on, kidneys! flush out those toxins!” We wouldn’t accomplish much during our work week if that was the case.

So who or WHAT is this power? Where does it come from?

This power is conducted and orchestrated through and over your Nervous System. The Nervous System is the Maestro in the body that conducts the processes of every other system in your body. It is comprised of your brain, spinal cord and all the nerves that run to each and every organ ,tissue, and cell in your body. When the Nervous System is able to function without the interference of a Subluxation (the thing which we as Chiropractors address), your body is able to receive all of the trillions of messages that your Nervous System is conducting! The result? an open, freely flowing, nothing-but-potential, healthy, happy, adaptable and evolving being!

So what conducts the Nervous System? Hmmm…. Without trying to sound macabre, What is the difference between someone who is living and someone who is dead? People who are no longer living still have a Nervous System, yes? What is that one (very important) thing that is the difference??? LIFE!!!

Yup. LIFE! …Can you see the source of life? can you touch it? can you smell it? eat it? hear it? Perhaps not, but you KNOW it is there, Yes? Hmmm. There is a BIG difference when something is expressing life, and when something is not, wouldn’t you say? LIFE is the POWER that is within us.

LIFE is the force, the INNATE INTELLIGENCE that takes up shop not only in us, but in the animals, the trees, the butterflies, the fishies. If this Life force in human beings works its magic over our Nervous System, wouldn’t you say that the Nervous System is a pretty important medium for Life to use as its canvas to create? Wouldn’t you say that it is important that the Nervous System has no interference in its ability to do its job? I think the answer is yes

This is the stage for why it is important to receive regular Chiropractic Care. We as Chiropractors are not here to heal you, to take away your pain, to mask your symptoms, or to fix you…. That is the Job of your INNATE INTELLIGENCE, your own healing power within!

We are facilitators, here to work WITH the natural processes in your body, not against it. We simply remove that which interferes with being able to express 100% Life! That is all. We let your body to heal ITSELF.

In this time of Health Care Chaos, it is time for use to acknowledge and observe this power that is within and to RECLAIM it. Take it back from the overabundance of messages we receive from the media and the pharmaceutical companies who tell us that we need to oversanitize, overmedicate, under trust and overdose on fear. We lived for thousands of years without ibuprofen, without pain killers, without treatments that chase to get rid of the messages in our bodies known as symptoms (which are the body’s natural way of telling us that there is dysfunction).

It is time to change health care into a HEALTHY CARING system.

It is my purpose and mission to help people realize that THEY HAVE THE POWER WITHIN THEM to heal. Because the TRUTH is that healing occurs from the INSIDE OUT.. not the other way around. And the even cooler thing? We have the ability to not just go back to the ‘way we were’ before disfunction and dis-ease occured, but we can reach higher and HIGHER states of health, vitality, well being and happiness in our lives. LIFE wants to express itself 100% We are nothing but pure power and potential.. how cool is that!?!

I am here, to give, to serve, and to love out of abundance. YOU have the power within you to be and do anything you want in this life and beyond…. I believe in the power in YOU!

With Gratitude,

Dr. Kacie