Today we’d like to introduce you to Michael Headlee.
Hi Michael, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
For more than 30 years, I’ve had the privilege of helping people find their way out of pain and back into their lives. But my journey to becoming a chiropractor—and the journey that continues today—is about much more than chiropractic.
Early in my career, I was fascinated by the human body and its ability to heal. I wanted a career where I could work directly with people and make a meaningful difference in their lives, and chiropractic gave me that opportunity. Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of caring for thousands of people and witnessing something that never gets old: watching someone who has been hurting begin to move, function, and live with confidence again.
But somewhere along the way, I realized I needed to understand pain from the other side of the treatment table.
I experienced chronic pain myself, and that experience changed me. When you’re the one hurting, you understand that pain isn’t just physical. It can affect your mood, your relationships, your confidence, your sleep, your work, and your willingness to do the things you love. Experiencing that personally gave me a much deeper appreciation for what my patients were going through.
It also changed the way I thought about health.
I began looking beyond simply treating symptoms and became increasingly interested in the bigger picture—nutrition, movement, stress, sleep, mindset, the nervous system, lifestyle, and the many factors that influence how we feel and function every day.
After more than three decades in chiropractic, I’ve learned that sometimes the most important thing you can give someone isn’t just an adjustment. It’s hope. It’s helping them believe that feeling better is possible and giving them the tools and encouragement to take ownership of their health.
Now, at 57, I find myself at another turning point.
Instead of thinking about slowing down, I’m thinking about expanding my reach. I want to take everything I’ve learned over the past 30-plus years and find new ways to share it with a much larger audience. That includes health education, wellness coaching, entrepreneurship, and developing products and resources that can help people live healthier, more active lives.
In many ways, I feel like I’m just getting started.
My journey has taken me from chiropractor to health educator, from experiencing pain myself to helping others navigate theirs, and now toward a new chapter of entrepreneurship and a broader mission.
If I had to describe that journey in just three words, they would be pain to passion.
Pain taught me empathy. Chiropractic taught me service. And life has taught me that your next chapter can be just as exciting as your first.
My goal now is simple: help people feel better, move better, and live better—and hopefully inspire them to believe that their best days may still be ahead of them.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Definitely not. Looking back, I can say that the road has been incredibly rewarding, but it certainly hasn’t been smooth.
One of my biggest challenges has been dealing with chronic pain myself. As a chiropractor, I spent my career helping other people with pain, but there was a period when I was struggling with it every single week.
By the middle of almost every week, I would begin experiencing what felt like knife-like pain in my back and hips. By the end of the workday, I was often so uncomfortable that I had to go home and rest. I couldn’t exercise the way I wanted to. I couldn’t participate in many of the simple, everyday activities that most people take for granted.
And the pain didn’t stop when I left the office. It began affecting my sleep, my mood, my energy, and eventually my mental well-being. I realized that chronic pain doesn’t just hurt your body—it can slowly begin to shrink your world.
That experience was incredibly humbling. I understood pain from a professional perspective, but now I was experiencing what my patients experienced. I knew what it was like to wonder if you were ever going to feel like yourself again. It gave me a much deeper level of empathy and changed the way I looked at health and healing.
There have also been the normal challenges that come with building and maintaining a business for more than 30 years. Healthcare has changed dramatically, technology has changed, and the way people find and choose healthcare has changed. You have to continually adapt while still staying true to why you started in the first place.
Another challenge has been learning to reinvent myself. After decades in chiropractic, it would be easy to simply stay comfortable and continue doing what I’ve always done. But I’ve realized that I still have a lot to contribute. That has pushed me outside my comfort zone and into areas like health education, wellness coaching, entrepreneurship, and developing new ideas and products.
I think one of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is that difficult seasons don’t necessarily mean you’re on the wrong path. Sometimes they’re preparing you for the next chapter.
Today, I look at those struggles differently. They made me a better chiropractor, a better health educator, and, most importantly, a more compassionate person.
The road hasn’t been smooth—but I wouldn’t trade the bumps along the way. They taught me lessons that I could never have learned from a textbook, and they ultimately helped shape my mission: to help people move from pain back to living the life they want to live.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
For more than 30 years, I’ve worked as a chiropractor, helping people overcome pain and limitations so they can get back to the activities and people they love. My approach has always been about looking beyond the immediate symptom and understanding the person as a whole.
My own experience with chronic pain has profoundly shaped how I work. I know firsthand how pain can affect your sleep, exercise, mood, confidence, and quality of life. That experience has given me a deeper level of empathy and a strong desire to help people understand that their health is about more than simply treating pain.
Today, I’m increasingly focused on health education and helping people understand the bigger picture—movement, nutrition, sleep, stress, mindset, lifestyle, and the nervous system all contribute to how we feel and function.
What sets me apart is that I see myself as a guide and educator, not simply someone who provides treatment. I want people to understand their bodies and have practical tools that allow them to take greater ownership of their health.
What I’m most proud of is the impact I’ve had on people’s lives. It’s seeing someone sleep better, return to exercise, play with their kids or grandkids, get back to work, or simply enjoy everyday life without constantly thinking about pain. Those moments are what have made more than three decades in this profession so meaningful.
I’m also proud that I’m still willing to evolve. After 30-plus years, I’m continuing to explore health education, wellness, entrepreneurship, and new ways to reach people beyond the traditional chiropractic office.
Ultimately, my mission is simple: help people feel better, move better, and live better. My own journey through chronic pain has made that mission personal, and it continues to drive what I do today.
Are there any apps, books, podcasts, blogs or other resources you think our readers should check out?
I’m a big believer in staying curious and continuing to learn. After more than 30 years in chiropractic, I’ve realized that you never really stop being a student.
One of the resources I’m most excited about is The Health Angle Podcast, which I started with Dr. Gordon Fimreite. The podcast gives us an opportunity to explore health and wellness from different perspectives, have meaningful conversations with interesting people, and share practical information that listeners can actually use.
I also enjoy reading books on health, personal development, mindset, human potential, and spirituality. I’m always looking for ideas that challenge the way I think or give me a new perspective on helping people live healthier, more fulfilling lives.
I’ve found that some of the best learning doesn’t necessarily come from a textbook. It can come from a conversation with another health professional, a patient sharing their experience, a great book, or simply being willing to ask, “Is there a better way to look at this?”
For me, the goal isn’t just to collect information. It’s to take what I learn, put it into practice, and then share the ideas that can genuinely help other people.
That mindset of staying curious, staying open, and continuing to grow is probably one of the most important resources I have.
Pricing:
- $50/visit
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.explorechiropractic.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drmikeheadlee/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/explorechiropracticheadlee
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-michael-headlee-2a6b6532/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheHealthAngle
