Dr. Jackie Barz stands inside her new office, Waukon Family Chiropractic. (Driftless Multimedia photo by Jennifer Bissell)
Everything fell into place for Dr. Jackie Barz. The recent chiropractic school graduate moved to Waukon last fall and now she’s has opened her own practice, Waukon Family Chiropractic this month.
The clinic is located at 504 W. Main Street, Waukon.
Finding her passion
Barz grew up in La Porte City, Iowa. After high school, she attended Point Loma Nazarene University in San Diego, Calif., majoring in applied health science. It was during college she began working as a receptionist and therapy assistant at a chiropractic office owned by two females.
“Seeing two strong female business owners who were chiropractors was really inspiring. I noticed they were helping so many patients not only feel better but gain new skills and reach their wellness goals, either in fitness or to do activities like play with their grandchildren,” she said. “It was a very patient-centered clinic. They kind of encouraged me that if I liked what I was doing there, I should look into going into chiropractic care.”
Barz moved from sunny California to the Twin Cities area to attend Northwestern Health Sciences University. During the 10-trimester program, Barz built upon her background of biochemistry, anatomy and physiology. One of the many things she enjoyed about the program was that she started doing adjusting labs from the beginning of her course work. She also appreciated the blend of chiropractic care with western medicine.
“Being at a very evidence-based school was very important to me. There’s a lot of history between chiropractic and western medicine. I truly believe there’s a place for both,” she said.
During her final two trimesters, Barz moved to the Waukon area and completed an internship with Dr. Mell in Caledonia, Minn. She said she fell in love with the area and hoped to find a place to practice after her graduation in April.
“The opportunity presented itself to move here and then this clinic space was up for rent. Everything just fell into place,” she said. “My eventual goal was to have my own clinic, and it ended up happening right after my graduation.”
Beliefs
As Barz explained, many people seek a chiropractor to help relieve pain. She hopes to help people who come in with a variety of problems from headaches to sinus pressure to aches and pains to sports injuries.
When patients come for a first visit, Barz said she first asks a full health history, including medications taken. She then does a physical exam, depending on where the patient is having problems in their body. She completes some orthopedic tests and other exams to determine that it’s safe to adjust the patient and that adjustment will help the patient and improve function.
“Adjustments can be done by hand or instrument. I tend to mostly do my adjustments by hand,” she said. “Any joint in the body can be adjusted. What I look for is to see if the joint moves in the full range of motion. The adjustment brings it to where it feels more comfortable and to improve the range of motion.
“I’m super passionate about chiropractic care and it being one more tool that can be used before more invasive procedures, whether that’s having surgery or medication due to cost or side effects that come with it. Chiropractic care isn’t the answer for everything, but it can be a really great tool for people to use.”
Barz explained she’s fully-trained to treat patients from 0-99 years old. However, she personally feels drawn to helping women.
“I have a passion for helping adult women who have been active in the past or are moms or have busy schedules and are wanting to prioritize themselves. I think women, as they get older, whether because of motherhood or just having a busy schedule, they want to give, give, give. Something I’m passionate about is having a space where women can come and be heard and receive some care.”
Open
Barz is currently accepting appointments. Patients can book their appointment online at www.waukonfamilychiro.com or by calling 563-217-2960. She is currently working through the legal process needed to accept health insurance such as Medicare, Medicaid and the major employee insurances accepted in the area.
“I’m just so excited to be in a place that feels like a long-term home and contribute to a community,” she said. “There already is such a great healthcare network here, I feel really blessed to be able to help serve the community.”
Waukon Family Chiropractic is open Monday through Thursday 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 3-7 p.m., and Friday from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m.
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Congratulations on your new practice! Welcome to Waukon!