POULSBO — Sometimes the smallest things can cause the largest problems.
Charlie DeWilde knows from personal experience.
As a child, a trip to a chiropractor taught him that his digestive problems were caused by the lower back pain he also suffered from. The experience also taught him about the kind of chiropractor he’d someday strive to be — one that uses a holistic approach to helping people heal.
“I like to say that chiropractors don’t really heal people, we just help the body heal itself by putting it into balance,” he commented.
Charlie and his wife Kahti recently opened Liberty Bay Chiropractic in the Plaza 305 complex off State Highway 305. Charlie brings with him 10 years experience in corrective chiropractic care, a small sub-speciality of traditional chiropractic.
Prior to coming to Poulsbo, the DeWildes and their two young sons had lived in Bakersfield, Calif. and decided to drop everything and move after visiting the Kitsap Peninsula on a family vacation.
“Basically, we put our business and house up for sale and we just put it in God’s hands,” Charlie recalled.
Within months, both had sold and the DeWildes moved to Poulsbo in June 2003. Since then, Charlie said, their lives have revolved around finding just the right place for a new practice and they finally found it in a two-suite pairing at Plaza 305, just two doors away from Azteca.
“Everybody knows where Azteca is when I tell them where we are,” Charlie said with a chuckle.
Corrective chiropractic focuses on diagnosing the cause of a number of ailments through X-rays of the spine. Charlie explained that most people know back pain and headaches are caused by spinal misalignment, however, he also treats people for things like carpal tunnel, fibromyalgia and a number of chronic health conditions. He deals with all ages of people, from children to the elderly.
Care programs through the office typically take four to eight weeks and include X-ray and adjustment sessions, at-home exercises and nutritional counseling from Kahti, a registered dietitian and nutritionist. Even things like improper nutrition and too much weight gain can cause strain on the spine, Charlie explained.
“We feel the five essentials of good health are diet, exercise, sleep, positive mental attitude and a properly functioning nervous system,” Charlie explained of Liberty Bay Chiropractic’s methods. “The more those things are in balance, the better you will feel.”
In the near future, they also hope to add massage therapy to the lineup of offerings. With less than a month under their belts at their Poulsbo location, the DeWildes said they’ve already received a number of new clients just by word of mouth. They’re also hoping that their location off Hwy. 305 will prove advantageous in getting commuters to stop in for a quick adjustment. A typical session only lasts 15-30 minutes and the practice offers 7 p.m. and Saturday appointments to cater to all those road warriors out there.
“We call it chiropractic for everyone, even commuters,” Charlie said.
And while the DeWildes have set out to improve the quality of life for Kitsap County residents one spine at a time, they also admit that Little Norway has been a breath of fresh air for them, too.
“We’re so excited to be here and take part in this community …” Charlie said. “We just plan on being around here for a long time.”
