Dr. Dodie Elkins

I Knew My Path

I wanted to be a chiropractor since I was in grade seven. My mom worked as a chiropractic assistant, and I shadowed our chiropractor for a day. By the time I left the office, I knew exactly what I wanted to do. Young and full of determination, nothing and nobody was going to get in my way.

I graduated from National University of Health Sciences in 2000, married my grade-school sweetheart and began practicing as an associate in Gananoque. Four years later, we had a daughter, and I purchased two satellite practices. After another two years, we welcomed a son, and I sold one of my practices to gain a greater work/life balance. Everything was great – until it wasn’t.

In 2010, my father died in a battle with cancer. It turned my life upside down and had me second-guessing everything. I remember standing in my office and asking myself, “Do I really want to be a chiropractor anymore?” I’d lost my passion and drive for work and life.

How I Changed My Life

My children were young, and I was exhausted trying to find that balance as a mom and chiropractor. I thought maybe I could push through and something would change. When that didn’t help, I reached out to some colleagues to ask about coaching. I couldn’t find anything that resonated with me until a friend told me about Tom at Full Circle Coaching and Consulting.

After a short conversation with Tom, I began to have clarity. The idea of creating a crystal clear vision of what I wanted my life and practice to look like, my core values, what makes me tick, and finding a balance between work and home lives really spoke to me.

At first, I hesitated, unsure about how to pay for it. My practice was just covering costs and feeding our family. But I had faith and took the first step.

Within six months, my practice had doubled, and coaching had more than paid for itself. Even more importantly, I found the balance and defined my own success as a wife, mom, and entrepreneur.

A Shift in Perspective

It wasn’t long before our family life was turned upside down again. In 2013, my husband was diagnosed with a brain tumor. Our lives were full of uncertainty. I needed to become our family’s primary income provider. I don’t think I’d have made it through these times without support from my coach, Tom.

His ability to listen, ask the right questions, and guide me was a true blessing. One question he asked that changed it all was, “Why did you attract this into your life?” After hours of reflection, I understood that life happens FOR me, not TO me. I could see the blessings and benefits of Mark’s diagnosis, and my energy changed. I became thankful for all the wonderful new opportunities it provided.

With the equal support and challenge of my coach, it made the journey so much better. I love the path from where I started to where I am now. I’m passionate about sharing my journey and helping others find the clarity of what they want their personal and professional lives to look like while staying true to their authentic selves.