About

Heather Perry, DC

Heather L. Perry, DC is the director and founder of Healing Hands Wellness Center, LLC. She has developed a reputation for generosity of time and spirit and thorough attention to each patient’s particular condition. She has a genuine interest in helping people identify the root cause of their health problems. She uses a variety of bodywork techniques, including drop table and traditional chiropractic, Activator, Cranial Sacral Therapy, a variety of muscular therapies and exercise recommendations. Dr. Perry also does nutritional counseling and lab work.

Listening to You.
Listening to Your Body.

Choosing a professional to support you with your health goals is an important decision. I recognize that there is more to finding the right fit than just someone’s credentials and experience. 

 

 I have practiced chiropractic since 1997, added cranial sacral in 1998 and nutrition specialties in 2010 to better serve my patients. All of that is important, but it is just as important for you to know why I am in practice. What makes me any different from any other practitioner you’ll find online? Why is your friend or neighbor referring you to me? How will you know if we’re a good fit?

I LISTEN.

It’s one of those things I didn’t really think was “a thing” until discussing this website with my designer. She pointed out that my passion for gardening and for how I work with patients both stem from my ability to pay attention to both plants and patients. I notice the subtle things, like perhaps the way you walk with one shoulder a little higher than the other and the way you try not to put too much weight on one foot. In my garden I notice the way a certain plant thrives with the right amount of light, but in THAT corner, not in the pot with the succulents.

 

I ASK.

 I’ll ask about more than your symptoms. We’ll talk about what’s going on in your life that may be contributing to your condition. I see you as a whole person and your life as a whole. I recognize that many of my patients are sensitive, have unusual conditions, and really just want to get their lives back so they can function at whatever level is optimal for them. We’ll create a plan to get you there.

 

The more I thought about it, the more a realized that many of the lessons I have learned from tending a garden apply to how I work with patients. Here are a few:

 

Things Take Time. When you plant something, say tomatoes, you expect that you will not wake up the next morning and see a full size tomato plant ripening in the sun. The same is true with healing in your body. It took you months, perhaps years, to see certain issues arise in physical form and become painful or diseased. It stands to reason that it will take some time to reduce or reverse the issue you are facing. 

 

Work with what is there, then make it better. I’m not wired to design a whole landscape project from scratch. What I do really well, however, is take something that already exists, pay attention to what is working and what isn’t, and then start making systematic improvements. I help a garden to become its best version of itself. I do the same for my patients. We start with where you are, right now, then take specific steps to get you to the best version of you. 

A little about my philosophy of care and how I work with patients.

My Story

 

My Own Health Challenges Led Me to This Work

 

When I was young, I remember going with my mother to the chiropractor. She was injured horseback riding and suffered from the pain caused by the injury.

 Later on, my active lifestyle brought me various injuries and health challenges. Each time, I would seek out a solution and keep looking until something worked for me. My patients have the benefit of that tenacity combined with curiosity.

My need for chiropractic began after I was in a car accident at age 17 and suffered a whiplash. This left me with unrelenting headaches and right neck pain. After a few years, I developed a painful right bunion that would burn and ache when my neck was flared up. I went to see a podiatrist who told me that my foot had nothing to do with my neck. What?! Even with no medical or structural training, I thought that was a seriously flawed opinion. Turns out it was.
 

I decided to go to chiropractic school because it was the only thing that helped me with my pain and mental fatigue from the headaches. After school, I found an amazing chiropractor who also did cranial sacral therapy. He offered me an apprenticeship, and I jumped at the chance. Part of learning is receiving treatment. His care resolved my headaches, the neck pain and the bunion pains. He taught me different ways of using the drop table and cranial sacral therapy. I learned so much! 

 Another health issue that has changed the course of my practice has to do with knee pain and digestive issues. It took me too many years to figure out that most of my chronic knee pain came from foods I was not digesting well. This was causing a “leaky gut” which lead to systemic inflammation which went to my weak spot: my knees. I had a long list of foods that caused flare ups. Again it took me much too long to heal my gut because I was figuring it out mostly on my own. 20 years of working on my own issues and getting education, I have a much better understanding of the digestive system, how it relates to our nervous system and ultimately how we feel.

 

“Words can’t express how much I appreciate the time you’ve spent in researching ways to help me out. How you’ve truly been there for me. You really are concerned about your patients, and I cant thank you enough. You have a great heart and a loving, caring soul.” — BN

__________________________

“You have been the only professional, medical or alternative (practitioner) who has relieved chronic pain related to degenerative joint disease of my jaw joint (TMJ) – Kudos to your expertise. Your concern and care for your patients is also very appreciated. Besides my respect for you as a chiropractor, I consider you a special friend. Thank you.” — MT