No Irish Goodbye
Hello and welcome to our blog!
This is Dr. Flaim writing a blog post one last time, and I want to share how much I loved working in Sinking Spring and treating my patients in this community. At the end of September, I will be leaving to begin a new adventure in Ireland! Instead of doing an Irish goodbye, I wanted to put into words my thoughts and feelings about my job, my patients, and how much working at DSHOH has meant to me.
It’s important for me to note that Dr. Super and I met playing rugby 11 years ago and have been friends ever since. She has been my mentor for years, and if I hadn’t gone out to Iowa to visit her one summer, I may never have discovered my calling as a chiropractor. Working with (and for) her was something I always hoped would happen in my future, and it came at a time when I needed it most.
That being said, starting my time at DSHOH was difficult, to say the least. I was burnt out from my previous job, settling back into living at home, digging deep to rediscover my passion for chiropractic, and putting pressure on myself to succeed quickly so that the office could succeed as well. I struggled a lot during the first three months and honestly don’t remember much from that time. Thankfully, I had a boss who was understanding and gave me the time and space to grow.
We had countless conversations—about things she had learned, things I had learned, different approaches to patient cases, and our philosophy of care. It would be a lie to say those conversations stopped once I found my footing. To this day, we still discuss those same topics at length, and they remain an important part of our working relationship. In the beginning, I felt like I was floundering, constantly grasping for stability just out of reach. Slowly but surely, though, I began hitting milestones.
Every few months, Dr. Super and Jay would tell me I had hit my highest patient count or seen the most new patients that week. Each time, it felt like a small beacon of hope—a reassurance that I do know what I’m doing, I am on the right career path, and I am good at my job (imposter syndrome, am I right?). The patients I’ve met and continue to treat can attest to the growth I’ve gone through since their first visit with me.
It wasn’t until around the eight-month to one-year mark that I truly began to feel my passion for chiropractic again. I doubted my skills less, and instead of being hard on myself for not being as knowledgeable or talented as Dr. Super, I accepted our differences. I set aside my ego and imposter syndrome, allowing my own talents and knowledge to shine through while still absorbing everything she was teaching me.
It’s fascinating how the brain only accepts information when it’s ready. Lessons Dr. Super had been teaching me since day one didn’t start to click until almost a year in. Even today, I still have moments where something finally makes sense as we discuss a particular case.
When I shadowed some of her patient visits, I marveled at how she could recall so much knowledge and present it in such a digestible, relevant way. I often told myself, I’ll never be able to do that—until one day, I realized I was. I noticed a change in myself: how I carried myself, how I approached cases, how I practiced, and how I shared knowledge with patients. I began to see more than just a body on the table. I imagined the skeleton, musculature, fascia lines, and how they all connected to create the dysfunction my patient was experiencing.
I am the doctor I am today because I worked for someone who didn’t give up on me when I wanted to give up on myself—someone who encouraged me when I was at my lowest. Having a boss who gave me room to grow, even when I felt like I was drowning, turned out to be the best way I could have learned to become the doctor I always envisioned. Not to mention Jay, Bre, Ann, and Alex, who were all so welcoming, helpful, and understanding. Co-managing patients with the massage therapists was an unexpected bonus—their knowledge of the human body is incredible, and I learned so much from them as well. They helped me see the body more holistically rather than in isolated sections.
I can’t say enough about how appreciative I am of Dr. Super—for being patient with me, for believing in me when I didn’t believe in myself, and for reminding me that what I do matters. And how could it not matter? The patients I’ve met, the relationships I’ve built with my coworkers, and the support I’ve received from Bre, Ann, Alex, and Mecanzie during my ups and downs—all of it is unforgettable. The love I have for my patients is immeasurable. On my worst days, treating them and getting lost in our conversations always made everything better.
This move will not be easy. As exciting as it will (hopefully) be, I will never forget this office, my coworkers, and the patients who helped me grow as both a doctor and a person, and who reignited my passion for the best career there is. I hope to carry the same level of passion and excitement into my new job in Ireland, while always thinking fondly of my time at Dr. Super’s House of Health.
Thank you all for the opportunity to be your doctor, chiropractor, friend, and in some cases, therapist (at no extra cost). You have all helped shape the person and doctor I am today, and I am eternally grateful.
Live Well and Do Good,
Dr. Natalie Flaim, D.C.