We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Dr. Kelly Kimball. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Dr. Kelly below.
Alright, so we’re so thrilled to have Dr. Kelly with us today – welcome and maybe we can jump right into it with a question about one of your qualities that we most admire. How did you develop your work ethic? Where do you think you get it from?
I truly love what I do, and my work ethic stems from this joy! I am always striving to be the best doctor that I can be. It’s rewarding to know that every hour of effort into expanding my training directly improves my patients’ experiences. It’s also a lot of pressure! I work very hard on my business because I feel that I am filling a gap in our healthcare system. There is a strong desire and need for compassionate care that helps patients heal from within, and chiropractic fills this gap perfectly. I believe chiropractic offers something very unique in the healthcare space by helping improve the body’s natural ability to heal, and I am driven to bring this care to my community. My mission to serve my patients with this kind of compassionate care is what motivates me to be the best doctor I can be.
Thanks, so before we move on, could you tell our readers more about what you do and what you feel is most exciting or special about it?
I love chiropractic for how it helps the body heal from within. Chiropractic is all about improving the communication between the brain and the rest of the body. Spinal misalignments can disrupt this communication, which interferes with the brain’s ability to monitor what is happening and/or send appropriate messages to deal with problems that may arise. By realigning the spine, we improve the communication between the brain and the rest of the body, helping optimize the body’s natural healing process. Because we work with the nervous system, chiropractic can influence many different kinds of symptoms, such as headaches, migraines, digestive complaints, sleep disturbances, pain, and more. Not every problem is a chiropractic problem, but a chiropractic problem can lead to many different kinds of symptoms since it affects the nervous system, which controls the entire body. Chiropractic is especially helpful at balancing the “fight or flight” response, and we are just starting to get more research into how chiropractic can help individuals with anxiety, depression, and panic attacks. We are also starting to explore how chiropractic can help the immune system function at its best, and I had the privilege of being part of a research team that has published on this topic. (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9023133/)
My practice focuses on family chiropractic, meaning that I see both adults and children. I especially love working with pregnant women and babies, and I have pursued additional certifications to provide both populations with the best possible chiropractic care. Chiropractic is especially important during pregnancy, as staying in alignment helps give the baby the most space to move, grow, and get into the best position for birth. Chiropractic adjustments can also help the mother with pregnancy-related symptoms, such as sciatica, carpal tunnel syndrome, or low back pain. Gentle adjustments for babies can help promote proper growth and development, as well as help with symptoms like colic, reflux, feeding difficulties, torticollis (head tilt), plagiocephaly (head flattening), and more.
I opened my business in the Georgetown neighborhood of DC in June of 2020, right when the pandemic was in full swing. Even through the challenges of the pandemic, my business has grown and thrived, and Agape Family Chiropractic was voted “Best Chiropractor” in the Washington City Paper Reader’s Poll in 2021, 2022, and 2023.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
What a great question! I think the first and most important discipline would be taking time to reflect and really know yourself. Just before I started my business, I was offered an amazing job with another practice. It had everything I was looking for, except for one thing: the ability to someday buy out the owner and make it my own. I knew that I wanted to own my own practice, and without that key component, I came to realize that the job offer wasn’t really my “dream job” – it was just 99% of the way there! Once I realized how much I wanted to own a practice, I knew I had to turn the job offer down. It felt like an incredibly risky move at the time, especially since this was all happening in the early months of the pandemic! However, by making choices that were true to myself and consistent with what I really wanted, I have always had peace of mind and true joy in my work. Self-reflection is key to developing this self-understanding, and it is worth prioritizing. When you are really in touch with yourself, including your strengths, weaknesses, and desires, decision-making becomes a lot easier!
The second skill is related to the first – it’s the ability to express your dreams well while networking. One of the best networking tips I’ve ever received is to include a line about what you are looking for when you introduce yourself. Instead of introducing myself with just a statement about what I do, which can sometimes have the effect of stopping the conversation, I find it helpful to include something about what I’m looking to do, or how I’m looking to grow. For example, instead of saying “Hi, my name is Dr. Kelly Kimball, and I’m a chiropractor and the owner of Agape Family Chiropractic,” I add a little bit more by adding “…and I’m looking to get more involved in education,” or “…and I’m looking for new ways to connect with local OB/GYNs.” Ultimately, people can’t help you if they don’t know how, and adding a line like this helps connect the dots on how the other networker might be able to help. It also becomes a conversation opener; it leads the conversation towards your dreams. Doing this is also helpful for my mindset – it helps keep my goals at the top of my mind. I have never failed to be surprised by how a seemingly unrelated interaction has turned into something very fruitful for my business. You truly never know what connections might come up!
The third discipline is to celebrate your wins along the way. As someone who is self-employed, I try to think of myself as my own employee. If I were to work really hard as an employee and be promised by my boss that there would be a celebration when the achievement was completed, I would become extremely discouraged if the celebration never happened. And yet, it is very common for entrepreneurs to do this! I believe that this is one of the main reasons entrepreneurs become burned out. Setting step-wise goals and defining how I will celebrate achieving each one is very motivating. I try to think about and remember the celebrations often, which motivates me to continue achieving my goals. And, it has the added benefit of making life fun!
Okay, so before we go we always love to ask if you are looking for folks to partner or collaborate with?
Yes! I love working with other professionals such as pediatric physical therapists, pelvic floor physical therapists, prenatal massage therapists, doulas, lactation consultants, midwives, OB/GYNs, acupuncturists, and personal trainers.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.agapefamilychiropractic.com/
- Instagram: @agapefamilychiro
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/agapefamilychiropractic
Image Credits
Photo credit for headshot: Eli Turner
