With our practice rapidly growing, we felt it was about time to welcome our new patients, share our story, our ‘why’ and what’s next!

Back in early 2021, during a late night session ‘window shopping’ on trade-me, we found a run down but perfectly located house on Hamilton Road. Still battling the Auckland rat race at the time, we drove down and realised what a little gem it was.

Auction day came and with huge family support our dream was realised!

Next, came months planning, working through council rules, traffic reports and all that stressful grown up stuff. Finally, we got the big tick from Waipa Council and we celebrated, woooohooooo! the first steps towards our very own clinic!!!!! …… 3 days later we went into the 9 week delta lockdown in Auckland. Our excitement rapidly fizzled. Allied health took a real hit. Clinics started closing left and right, practitioners quitting. People running out of money before the rule-makers said doors could re-open. Talk about the wind leaving our sails. What we thought was awesome idea and our future, suddenly looked like 50yr old carpet, peeling old wallpaper and overgrown gardens.

Long story short. Reprieve was finally felt in 2022 and we reignited our dream. A less ambitious plan was put in place incase the dreaded pandemic lingered.

With nothing less than blood, sweat and tears (yes, real ones) we opened my room (Dr Shelley) in late August ‘22 and Dr Sam’s room in February ‘23.

Why Chiropractic? Our personal stories

Dr Sam Wilkinson

As a young athlete on the big slopes living in Park City Utah, Sam had a dream to go pro. One massive jump with a dodgy landing, resulted in a painful sacroiliac injury. Surrounded by snow-sport physio’s, PT’s and the best sports doctors, for the next 4yrs he worked on healing and strengthening, but every time he challenged himself, the injury would blow out.

While training in Wanaka, fed up with pain and limitations, he drove past a chiropractor sign each day, on his way up the mountain and felt he had nothing to lose. What he didn’t know, he had stumbled on Dr Stefan Billing (one of the best) a Sacral Occipital Technique (SOT) Chiropractor and Functional Neurologist. In a few visits, Sam’s life was changed. Not only was he out of pain and doing big jumps again, he also learnt about the nervous system and the power of chiropractic care. He also started to consider chiropractic as a profession after snowboarding life.

Dr Shelley Parker

My story is a little different. As a competitive equestrian, I had my fair share of falls and injuries. I started seeing a ‘traditional chiropractor’ (the 5min appointment style) at 18yrs old for lower back pain. After no substantial results, I tried another chiropractor, then osteo, physio, acupuncture, massage…. I found it would all help for a few days, but the pain would return. Years of enduring chronic pain, in my late 20’s I couldn’t even manage putting socks on. Everything was a battle. Many X-rays, MRIs, CTs, steroids, pain meds later, I was told I required surgical lumbar fusion and no more riding.

A new GP referred me to the highly esteemed Dr Burling, a Rheumatologist. As I walked into his clinic room he says "And do you know you have Ehlers Danlos Syndrome?” (a form of hyper-mobility)…. WOW. Noooo? My hyper-mobility had been missed by all the health providers and I had been repetitively injured by

over-manipulation of my unstable joints.

Dr Burling taught me how to manage my ‘stretchy ligaments’ and I was pointed towards Sacral Occipital Technique (SOT). I started Chiropractic care with Dr Sam Haitsma and left the initial patient appointment crying, grateful and hopeful. I felt motivated to challenge myself. I left my well paid, secure job, sold my house and went to university as an adult student, single, with a young daughter. A big commitment for someone who left school in 6th form with no interest in academia.

Getting through (with straight A’s) the 5yr Chiropractic degree, plus postgraduate SOT training and postgraduate Functional and Integrative Medicine Certification has certainly the biggest accomplishment of my life so far. Meeting Sam on this journey is the best highlight.

Together we thoughtfully created our clinic to be what we wanted as patients. This meant longer, more thorough appointments, genuine care and education. It meant incorporating nutrition, lifestyle changes, exercises and a robust referral network.

And most importantly taking the time to learn about each person and their goals.