Today we’d like to introduce you to Ricci Swiderek.
Ricci , we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I was born and raised in Cheboygan. I had a wonderful chiropractor by the name of Roger Benter growing up. I played lots of sports growing up and always enjoyed getting adjusted. When it came time for me to pursue my degree, I went to Palmer College of Chiropractic in Davenport, Iowa, because that is where he went. After graduation, I worked for another Palmer graduate, Dr. Emily Brown, at Bear River Chiropractic for 6 years. I learned a ton about adjusting and patient care under Dr. Emily. She was a wonderful mentor to me and I learned so much from her while building my own patient base for those six years. In June of 2025, Dr. Emily made the decision to close Bear River Chiropractic, which lead to me opening my very own practice, Align Chiropractic! It was an unexpected career transition, but it has proven to be a huge blessing in my life. Many of my patients and Dr. Emily’s patients remain under my care. I owe a huge amount of my success to Dr. Emily for being a wonderful mentor and for helping me to open this practice as hers was winding down.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I have struggled a great deal with performance anxiety and imposter syndrome throughout my education and early career, which I know many other young women in the sciences struggle with. Chiropractic is a very challenging career because you are adjusting someone and getting feedback on your performance in real time- “that hurts!” or ” you didn’t get anything to move” are daily comments that I get on my work. Also, every patient is different. I may have great success with one patient doing a technique and do that exact same thing on the next patient with little success. It is very humbling. It is not like math, where 2 +2 always equals 4. I had to work on accepting that I can never force a patient’s body to do what I want it to do. I just think its unique to get such instant feedback on your work. For me, I have had to work on building my confidence through clinical skills. I have gained so much skill through adjusting thousands of patients, and through focusing on the patient and what they need rather than my performance.
I also NEVER wanted to be business owner, so it was tough when Dr. Emily closed her practice, because I had to make the decision to work for another doctor again, or to bet on myself and believe that I could handle being a doctor and a business owner.
As you know, we’re big fans of Align Chiropractic Company, PLLC. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
I own and operate Align Chiropractic in Petoskey, Michigan. Align is a family practice, and I adjust people all throughout the lifespan. I have adjusted babies that are only days old, and patients in their 90s. .What I hear repeatedly from my patients that sets me apart from other chiropractors is how thorough I am, and the time and effort that I spend on my patients. I make my appointments 20 minutes with patients, where a lot of other offices spend only 5-10 minutes. I truly care for my patients and enjoy getting to know them and making them laugh, all while seeing them progress towards their goals. I also add in a lot of muscle work like trigger point therapies, muscle rolling, and stretching. I even adjust extremities like knees, elbows, wrists, ankles, and shoulders. In addition, I have 2 massage therapists in the building with me that I refer to for adjunctive therapy.
Here is what I want I am most proud of- I know a lot of people may be in pain but are afraid or hesitant to try chiropractic for the first time. I want my patients to know that they are in control of what happens, and my biggest goal is for patients to be comfortable in my office. I think a lot of patients have had an old school doctor come in and adjust them without explaining what they are doing and why. Often times patients are not even aware of their own autonomy and think they have to do whatever the doctor says. I always strive to meet the patient where they are at, to listen to them, and to show/ explain to the patient a variety of techniques before I adjust them and let them choose what they are comfortable with.
My hope is that at Align Chiropractic, you’re getting a more personal experience where I get to know you, adjust you in a way that you are comfortable with, and spend the time it takes to go the extra mile to get the results you want.
Are there any apps, books, podcasts, blogs or other resources you think our readers should check out?
I am a huge fantasy reader. I have read all the Harry Potter books, ACOTAR, Fourth Wing, etc. I enjoy the escapism of fantasy. I also really enjoy the Mel Robbins Podcast for getting me motivated, or Good Hang or Office Ladies for when I want something fun to listen to. I think its important to have interests and an identity outside of your career. Oh and I love Glennon Doyle’s We Can Do Hard Things Podcast!
Pricing:
- $50 for an adjustment ( 20 minute appointment)
- $100 for a new patient exam ( one time exam on your first visit so I can take a thorough medical history, conduct orthopedic tests, test ranges of motion and rule out any safety issues before getting adjusted. This exam takes one hour. I do adjust on the first visit as well if there are no safety issues.)
Contact Info:
- Website: https://alignchiroco.janeapp.com/#staff_member/1
- Phone: 231-818-8070
- You can text my business line directly, or my website offers online booking!
