Usually doctors take all of your personal info, and yet, you learn little about who they are and why the do what they do.
Let’s change that!
Please call me Ben – I may legally be a “Benjamin” but that’s not really “me”
I was born in Melbourne CBD, and I lived in Victoria until moving to Queensland in 2011.
While in Queensland, I’ve spent time in the Far North (Innisfail), Brisbane, Mackay, and the Sunshine Coast.
What makes me tick?
- I love new experiences and learning…
- I love to read and listen to audio books
- I love movies
- I’ve spent a fair bit of time and energy exploring ‘personal development’ and ‘personal growth’ courses,
- I love to cook – I own a Thermomix, and tend to approach food along a paleo keto model
- I love what might be called ‘primal’ principles – as they apply to food, movement and lifestyle – I have moments of being right into yoga and I’ve dabbled with a type of movement training called MovNat, which is really about functional and bodyweight-driven exercise.
- I love bushwalking
- I enjoy swimming, and walks at the beach
- For a period of time I was into CrossFit. I’ve begun to learn the Piano and also have begun to learn French.
I don’t mind the odd bit of crazy…white-water rafting, scuba and jumping out of planes!
For Dr Ben, Chiropractic was a ‘natural fit’:
It’s not surprising that I’m a chiropractor. I’ve been under chiropractic care since the age of three and at ten, I decided I wanted to be one!
Over that time I’m learned to appreciate chiropractic for so much more than the common relief of back pain or headache! In fact as a child I never saw a chiropractor with any intention to ‘fix’ pain or a symptom.
I was introduced to chiropractic because my mum, who had suffered from back pain since my birth, but had been unable to get it fixed despite trying all of the common or mainstream approaches at the time was recommended that she go see her friend’s chiropractor. She got remarkable results after just a few adjustments, yet that chiropractor planted seeds straight away that chiropractic was more than just back pain management…
He pointed to me and said, “Chiropractic is about helping your spine and nervous system work better, with or without pain, and your son has a spine and has a nervous system – as grows the twig, so grows the tree…”
And so my experience with Chiropractic began – and I haven’t looked back. Through my childhood I we went on a 2-hours round-trip once a month for our chiropractic adjustments, as I got older I began to see my chiropractor fortnightly, and then weekly. I’ve seen my chiropractors at least weekly for the last 30 years now! This is not the ONLY way to use chiropractic, but it is ONE way.
I choose to incorporate Chiropractic as a primary part of my ‘healthstyle.’
And it can be that for you too (if you want it to be!).
I feel a greater sense of ‘connectedness’ with myself after an adjustment, I feel more aware, more calm, and more focused. I associate many health benefits with regular chiropractic care; one big one is better immune function – I just don’t tend to get sick very often! I also don’t worry about my health or my lack of health, because I’ve committed to regularly check-in with my chiropractor, who assesses the function of my spine and nervous system and corrects whatever they find.
I’m grateful for what chiropractic has done for me…it’s kept me healthy; functioning at my best, even in times where I haven’t cared for myself in the best possible ways.
In my mid-twenties after stints in hospitality and call centres, I started the 5-year Chiropractic program at RMIT University in Melbourne, consisting of a 3-Year Bachelor Degree and a 2-Year Masters by coursework. I graduated with Distinction in 2009.
Earlier in life, I also studied massage at night-school and while at university I taught both anatomy and physiology.
Dr Ben is inspired by proactive healthcare:
I look at the world around me and I see a mainstream model of ‘health’ which is not actually focused on being healthy or working toward optimum function; it’s about the treatment of disease or sickness.
The problems I see with this approach are many – some are that:
- people are trained out of self-belief and self-responsibility.
- people become disempowered as they give over control, knowledge and responsibility to ‘the expert in the white coat.’
- people come to believe that health is about cosmetic appearance or how they feel – and how they feel specifically becomes “am I in pain”?
- people see being healthy as not having pain or symptoms
- people become complacent because the whole system reinforces the idea of ‘if it ain’t broke…”
- people are lulled into a false confidence about how healthy they are and are then often overwhelmed when more serious dysfunction rears its ugly head
- people are led to believe that a ‘quick-fix’ is all that is required.
This model inspires me to work toward change becuase it is increasing the burden of unnecessary suffering, locking us in to just ‘survive’ in life and leading us on to an ever-downward spiral in our ‘health timeline’.
Medications of many sorts (and of course the doctors and specialists who prescribe them) have a critical role to play in our society, yet taking a drug to ‘get rid of’ a symptom is often a stop-gap or ‘band-aid,’ not a true resolution!
It excites me to help people out of the ‘autopilot’ mode where they feel powerless over their health and where they don’t think about striving for better! I know this is a much better way!
Fortunately, there is a growing desire for change: in how we look at health, our body, our involvement in the world, economics, politics, society, and how we live life. I believe we can all contribute to this!
Not my JOB – my passion, my vocation, my inspiration…
What makes me unique is my commitment to fun, laughter, families, professionalism, integrity, empowerment and honesty.
Check out my Purpose, Mission, Vision and Goal right here!
Chiropractic is more than just a “job” for me – it has become a passion. I love what I offer, yet I’m always striving to improve how I do what I do. Do you want your health professional to be someone who is inspired and passionate about what they do?
I get so much from helping other people learn healthier strategies and quest for better quality of life.
It has allowed me to be part of people living better, longer lives! I hold excitement for the possibilities with every new person I see. It is fascinating to see what improves because it is often different for different people…
I love creating a community around me, a ‘tribe’ of people with similar goals, and a desire and commitment to achieve them.
Sickness, dysfunction or dis-ease is not NORMAL. It is COMMON, but not normal.
Our body’s “set point” or “normal state” is awesome and extraordinary health – as long as its’ needs (requirements) are being met AND we are identifying, reducing or removing the beliefs, behaviours and environmental or lifestyle exposures (toxic or stressful loads) that interfere with those requirements.
I know I provide a great service for a fair fee and I ask for your help so I can help more people. Please recommend me and refer your friends, family, and colleagues, because I’ve seen the potential become reality when people ‘get it’ and begin to live with better communication between their brain and body! The possibilities are endless!
A vibrant, extraordinary life of fun, passion, connection and contribution is much more possible when chiropractic is doing its thing!
Who doesn’t want that? It’s all about making quality conscious choices in our lives!
I know the inborn (innate) intelligence of your body can (and does) heal the body, as long as it can do its job without interference. I look forward to working with you, to help you get well and/or stay well, for life!
