Today we’d like to introduce you to Dr. Andrea Esau.
Dr. Esau, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
My journey started when I was in high school. When I was about 14 years old, I started having chronic back pain. This progressed over the next few years into unbearable pain, migraines, heart arrhythmia’s, decreased success in school and overall unhappiness and exhaustion. By the time I was 17 years old, my parents had dragged me to every specialist and doctor they could think of, and I had more or less given up hope. I remember sitting in a doctor’s office, and he said to me “We can’t find anything wrong with you – if you never feel better, can you live with this?” I told him no. At this point I pretty much gave up, however, my mother did not. Her persistence led us to a Chiropractor which in turn changed my whole life.
Under care, I experienced such profound relief after years of suffering. I remember sitting in her office one day, and it was if a 1000 pound boulder got lifted off of me. It was absolutely amazing, and I had hope again. Later that evening I remember laughing at a joke my mom told in our kitchen, and both my sister and my mom started crying. I asked what was wrong – it was funny, not sad. They told me that it was the first time in over three years they had heard me laugh. Sometimes you don’t realize what you’re missing out on until you have it back again.
As time went on, I continued to feel better and better and felt like I could take on life and really make a difference. In my early 20’s I decided to attend Chiropractic school, and I packed up and moved from my hometown of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada to Marietta, GA.
Before I left my Chiropractor asked me why I was going -what was my goal and my mission? I thought about it and answered that if I could help just one person as much as I had been helped, it would all be worth it. This is something I have hung on to throughout all of the 4 am’s studying and the late nights, the failed tests, the struggles, the heartaches, and homesickness. Knowing my mission has allowed me to persevere through all of the many obstacles that came my way and occasionally still do.
I met my husband shortly before graduation, however, I already had plans in the works to return to Canada. I spent about 2.5 years there honing my craft and exploring the artistry of adjusting and began to develop the unique approach that I utilize today.
I moved back to Atlanta to be with my husband, and we have been married for two years now. While I was waiting for my green card which has allowed me to open my own practice, I spent time nannying for a family here in Roswell. I fell in love with the community, and this is why I decided to open up my office in downtown Roswell, just a short distance from the beautiful Canton Street.
I absolutely love my work and keep my mission in mind, and I continue to serve my community and offer hope and help to others young and old, who like me, may have lost sight of their incredible internal wisdom and profound ability to heal. A few months after opening, I decided to specialize in working with sensitive children.
Being sensitive myself and having spent a lot of time and working with my nephew who is also very sensitive I discovered how powerful and profound Chiropractic, especially a gentle version of it can be. I now work with children of all ages and help them experience more joy and less stress and anxiety in their lives.
I was given such a gift of getting my life back and through that have found such great happiness and ambition. It is now my true honor to help other’s find the greatest joys in their life and be able to experience them fully without pain or anxiety holding them back.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
The road has definitely not always been smooth, however, I have gotten better at dealing with the bumps in the road. I have struggled along with way with self-doubt, exhaustion, health issues, loneliness, homesickness, financial strain, criticism and lack of support.
Gentle Hands Healing Centre – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
I am a Chiropractor, and I help family’s, especially moms and sensitive children discover health. I work with a lot of children from newborns all the way through high school as well as their family’s. I also work with a lot of pregnant mama’s. I am especially good at working with kids who are highly sensitive. This might look like sensory processing disorder, autism, separation anxiety or being worried, anxious or even depressed.
I have a very unique, full body approach to adjusting. It looks and feels different than what you typically experience with Chiropractic -there isn’t really any of the snap, crackle, pop. I also offer house calls which are somewhat unusual however it allows for such a comfortable and safe environment for the adjustment as the client doesn’t need to leave their own home.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
I think success is different for each person. For myself, success is about finding happiness and reaching goals across all aspects of life. I look for success in my relationships, in my work, in my bank account, in my body, and in my health.
I aim for mental, emotional, physical and spiritual success which is essentially happiness and satisfaction with these areas of life. I am a whole being and success must be measured across the whole person.
Contact Info:
- Address: 10886 Crabapple Road, Suite 400-A
Roswell, GA, 30075 - Website: www.gentlehandshealing.com
- Phone: 770-630-8057
- Email: dr.andreaesau@gmail.com
Image Credit:
Simeon Sjoberg, Carrie Klassen
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