The Doctor
Dr. Christopher Twiford
Chiropractor
GROWING UP AND THE ‘FAMILY BUSINESS’
I was born in Louisville, Kentucky to Ann and Jim Twiford. When I was 4 my Dad got promoted to manage his own regional office with Liberty Mutual Insurance and we moved to Jackson, Mississippi, where I spent my childhood growing up. My Mom was an English teacher, and I always did really well in school- especially in the sciences.
Uncle Bill and Aunt Barbara
In 1986 when I was 13 years old, my life changed forever one day over summer vacation. I saw my Uncle Bill, a chiropractor, do some Chiropractic adjustments on my mom and some of our family members. I got “the call” right there! It was the most amazing thing I had ever seen in my life. I knew right then and there that was what I wanted to do with the rest of my life and I have never wanted to be anything else but a Chiropractor since that day.
With some guidance from Uncle Bill, I blazed straight through high school and then my undergraduate studies at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia. I entered Texas Chiropractic College in 1993 as the youngest member of my class and 4 (very quick) years later in April 1997 I graduated as a Chiropractor.
NORTH TO ALASKA!
After practicing in Houston, Texas for almost 9 years I found myself getting a bit burned-out. Some of the same things that make you want to move to the ‘big city’ when you’re in your 20’s are the very same things that make you want to run screaming out of the city when you’re in your 30’s! Like a lot of folks, I took a chance and came up to Alaska on a “2-year” contract- that was back in 2006! Alaska was one of the very best decisions I’ve ever made- I absolutely love living here and could never go back.
One of the best things about practicing Chiropractic in Alaska is that it has allowed me to go to amazing places and see and do things that most people never will. I’ve spent time visiting with an 85-year-old Yupik elder. I’ve seen the northern lights on the actual winter solstice 250 miles above the Arctic Circle in Prudhoe Bay. I lived out on Unalaska in the Aleutian Islands with the eagles and foxes and volcanos. I’ve been to Delta Junction, Bethel, Ketchikan, Kodiak, Dillingham, and Seward to name just a few. And I’ve gotten to do all that while helping people by practicing the profession I love.
AT HOME IN EAGLE RIVER
Early in 2022 Dr. Peter Lorentzen, a legendary local Chiropractor who had been practicing in Eagle River for over 28 years was considering retiring and selling his practice. Dr. Lorentzen approached a mutual friend of ours about possibly purchasing his practice and that friend felt I would be a great fit to step in and run the office if Peter retired.
Dr. Twiford and Dr. Lorentzen during the clinic's transition.
After spending just a few hours together with Dr. Lorentzen working on patients in his office, I knew this practice was for me. Dr. Lorentzen practiced Chiropractic just like I like to practice- just like Uncle Bill practiced. In fact, Dr. Lorentzen’s practice reminds me a lot of Uncle Bill. There’s no rush; we take our time with our patients. There’s no high-volume assembly line. That’s just the way I like it, so on June 01, 2022, I took over running Alaska Chiropractic & Therapy in Eagle River, Alaska.
MY PHILOSOPHY AND PRACTICE OF CHIROPRACTIC
The philosophy and practice of Chiropractic is so important to me. One thing that really concerns me of late is that I have seen Chiropractic become flooded with all sorts of new devices and techniques and ‘gimmicks’ that seem to have very little to do with what Chiropractic is really all about. There is always a new company coming along wanting to sell us the latest and greatest table or device or contraption that gets further and further away from true Chiropractic. The Chiropractic adjustment is what separates us from every other profession and makes us unique; it’s what makes us Chiropractors!
I practice old-fashioned, tried and true, simple, old-school Chiropractic done by hand. It’s the same way my Uncle Bill did it in the 60’s and 70’s, the same way Dr. Lorentzen did it for 28 years, and the same way Chiropractors have been getting people well for over 125 years now. It’s proven, it’s safe, and it works. Until someone can show me studies proving that something works better, this is the way I’m going to keep practicing. I’ve been getting patients great results practicing this way for over 25 years.
At Alaska Chiropractic & Therapy, we aren’t going to try to keep you ‘coming back and back’ and we aren’t going try to sell you a high-pressure, long-term pre-paid care package. I promise you we never make a BIG deal out of something small, but we also aren’t going to overlook or make a small deal out of something that’s potentially BIG either. I heard it put very well by a professor of mine back in Chiropractic college: “Tell your patient what they NEED, and then give them what they WANT.”
“We treat you the way we would want to be treated” is not just a catchy marketing slogan we made up- it’s literally the golden rule by which we run our clinic.
ON A PERSONAL NOTE…
When I’m not taking care of patients (or writing up their chart notes!) I enjoy spending time with my significant other, Anne, and our 4 dogs. I love reading and podcasts (historical nonfiction, biographies, military history, psychology, or human behavior). We often spend time out at Reflections Lake, Potters Marsh, Thunderbird Falls, Cheney Lake, and many of the local Eagle River trails.
Lola and Chloe waiting for their morning treats!
One of my favorite things to do is that most mornings I take 2 of our dogs out to go get coffee with me at our favorite nearby coffee stand. I get my morning coffee and my 2 dogs (one of whom is blind) get their cookie treats. Starting out my day with my 2 little friends getting our coffee and cookies and watching my fat little blind dog eat her treats always makes me smile and sets a great tone for the rest of my day.
HOW CAN WE HELP YOU?
That’s it for me, now how about you? How can I help you? I am always here for you and if you would like my help with any of your healthcare needs, please feel free to email me, call our office with any questions, or just stop by to speak with Cheyenne or me.
