Italy Continued from Page 22 THE PROFESSION IN ITALY Certain aspects of the chiropractic envi- ronment, here, are really quite appealing. Imagine having a population of people who don’t have any preconceived notions as to what chiropractic is! Of course, one is faced with the chal- lenge of actually getting patients to one’s offi ce but, having been educated in the “static clinic” was helpful in this area. As in most European countries, there is still a fairly high level of “respect” for any doc- tor, and even more so if that doctor is a “straniero”, or foreign doctor, because Ital- ians complain often about the “quality” of health care available to them in their coun- try. (Different countries are not so different after all!). It’s really the “wild, wild west” of chi- ropractic here. But, we were “outlaws” in this wild west – with no offi cial law for the profession – until recently and, unfortu- nately, sometimes the “sheriff would came a-knocking” This was the NAS – in simple terms, the “health-care police.” Many chi- ropractors had their offi ces closed down, by these agents, for “practicing medicine without a licence.” These offi cials were often “sent” by someone – in the health-care fi eld – who had issues with our positive outcomes. The NAS agents knew they had to find something “wrong” to justify shutting the chiropractor down. Some chiropractors had to stay closed for many long weeks, before they could plead their case in court. Throughout all of this, I would try to “plug ahead” and not worry about that too much. I would just continue doing a good job, and rely on the one thing the Italians are really good at – word-of-mouth adver- tising. In fact, I would say over 95 per cent of my patients have come from that route. A law recognizing the profession was fi nally passed in December of 2007. None of us actually feel different yet – although maybe a little less paranoid. As fate would have it, things often come full circle and the power of love is actually bringing me back to Toronto again! So, I will have to start a new chapter in my chiropractic career. I hope I can bring back the same life-changing and influential pas- sion that I have had the opportunity to express here, in Italy, over the past several years. • 26 • CANADIAN CHIROPRACTOR | JULY/AUGUST 2008 Stretch and Skate is the newest addition to the popular series of public educa- tion tools issued by the Canadian Chiropractic Association, in collaboration with the College of Chiropractic Sport Sciences. The brochure features colour- ful photos of stretch exercises that focus on pre- and post-game stretches for core muscle groups used when playing hockey. With easily understood descriptions and photos of each exercise, Stretch and Skate is a helpful tool in the offi ce, at community centres, with local hockey clubs or when presenting on health matters in your area. Stretch and Skate will be available this summer – well in time for the hockey season! Order your brochures through the Canadian Memorial Chiropractic Col- lege’s bookstore. Call 416-482-1532 quoting the Stretch and Skate item number L0131. NEW – HOCKEY STRETCHES BROCHURE Back to Basics Continued from Page 20 Solution: You must know which tasks make you the most net profi t and which require the least time for the most money. Please just know that busy-ness has never and will never equal business. Business is about being profi table with every action, adjustment, and service. Are you feeling less alone? It’s time to take our global similarities and to adjust one another to enjoy healing which always happens from the inside-out and from above-down. Practice is a direct refl ection of who we are. You are worthy of op- timum living! Life CAN be struggle-free and overflowing in all areas!!! Let’s work together to make our similarities ones of abundance and satisfaction. We’re in this game called life and we’re in it to WIN it!!! If you have a challenge that makes you feel all alone – or if you have a solution that you’d like to share with your colleagues – and you don’t see it identifi ed in this article, please submit it to us at [email protected] and we’ll respond – we might even print it in our Back To Basics section in our next issue. • www.canadianchiropractor.ca news
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