Dr. Holly Hochstadt, DC
Chiropractic Doctor
Bio
Dr. Holly Hochstadt is a passionate and skilled chiropractor with 29 years of experience. She has a diverse chiropractic skill set, ranging from gentle tonal work (to help the nervous system unwind and process stored tension) to more classic chiropractic adjustments and soft tissue work. She is comfortable supporting a diverse set of patients, from very sensitive people to those who benefit most from stronger physical intervention. She recognizes that healing takes place on many levels of mind, body, and spirit, and has the varied repertoire of skills to be able to effectively work with patients across this spectrum. She is skilled in creating safe space, and places a high value on informed consent and trauma-informed care, understanding this is specifically important in chiropractic work.
Dr. Holly cares for people of all ages and stages of life, from newborn to children and teens to elders. Her patients range from labourers, desk workers, gardeners, athletes, and people recovering from health challenges, illness, injury, or life transition. She also provides chiropractic care to women throughout the perinatal period, supporting pregnant women in optimising pelvic mobility and comfort before, during, and after pregnancy.
Dr. Holly is a firm believer in empowering her clients through education and in taking an active role in their own health. She provides educational resources and support to help her clients on this path, including recommendations for nutrition, supplements, specific exercises for the physical body, or methods to support the parasympathetic nervous system in grounding and healing, as indicated.
Education
Doctor of Chiropractic (Western States Chiropractic College)
Bachelor of Arts in French & Biology (Wells College)
Member in good standing
College of Chiropractors of British Columbia (CCBC)
Canadian National Alliance for Chiropractic (CNAC)
International Chiropractic Pediatric Association (ICPA)
Certifications
Webster Technique (Refresher in December 2024)
Additional trainings
Bio-Geometric Integration (BGI 1-4M, Osseous, Internal Geometry, and Past Teaching Staff for BGI)
Coursework for 200 hour ICPA Pediatric Diplomate Program 2011
Drawing on her diverse skill set, her goal is always to find the best method for each patient to assist their healing and expression of their full potential in life. Dr. Holly offers a wide range of chiropractic adjusting approaches, including traditional manual chiropractic, drop table, and instrument-assisted adjusting, all of which work with injuries and improve function of the nervous system, spine, joints, and muscles. She also practises Bio-Geometric Integration (BGI), a tonal style of chiropractic that assesses how the body is storing tension from past overloads, where the body is ready to process tension, and then uses gentle fingertip pressure to facilitate the body in accessing, unwinding, and integrating it. This can be powerful healing work.
Dr. Holly is a vitalistic chiropractor, meaning she recognizes that the human body has an innate ability to heal itself, and that chiropractic care helps remove interference to our inborn healing capacity, allowing for a fuller expression of health and vitality. She believes that health includes our physical, emotional, social, mental, and spiritual well being. Her philosophy of care is to address the root cause of your health concerns, rather than just treating symptoms.
Dr Holly works with discomfort or injury of the spine or any muscle or joint of the body:
Pain in the neck, back, ribs, pelvis
Spasm of low back, neck or other area
Sciatica
Pain or injury of the upper or lower extremities
Numbness or tingling
Headaches or migraines
TMJ discomfort
Injuries due to car accidents, sports, slip/fall, sprains/strains
Poor sleep due to either physical discomfort or nervous system “overdrive”
Reflux, heartburn, upper abdominal pain
Issues with coordination, mental focus, mood, low immune system
Nervous system dysregulation
While Chiropractic is often understood to help with the issues of the physical body, the benefits of a better functioning spine and nervous system often go beyond this. Dr Holly recognizes that the body has an innate wisdom and healing potential, and her intention is to help by restoring communication between the brain and the body, via the nervous system. Her approach may involve combining traditional chiropractic techniques, tonal work, and other gentle modalities to promote healing and restore balance. She is committed to providing personalized and compassionate care to every client, and works to create a treatment plan that fits each person’s specific needs and goals.
Dr. Holly values integrity, compassion, connection, and caring for each patient like a beloved family member. After graduating from Western States Chiropractic College in Portland, Oregon in 1995, she practised in Seattle for 24 years, and then in an agricultural community in Southern Alberta for 4 years. She joyfully returned to the West Coast in 2023, and is enjoying exploring our region with her partner and her hiking groups. She loves gardening, cooking, reading, kirtan, hiking, and building community. She is grateful to be of service to the Salt Spring Island community on the path of expressing health and human potential.
