News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
Sarah Conroy helps folks in Sisters live better.
Sisters chiropractor Sarah Conroy knows exactly what her mission is: "To help people feel better, to feel good. To improve lives."
Working through Bigfoot Wellness at 392 E. Main Ave., she helps her patients improve movement in their spine and "reduce stuck pain patterns" through manual manipulation and other more subtle techniques. She also works in conjunction with other practitioners and modalities to make treatment more effective.
"I love working with massage therapists," she said. "I also use a lot of heat therapy ... and I do enjoy using essential oils."
In addition, Conroy is a yoga teacher (she holds a class at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesdays at the Camp Sherman Community Hall). Her expertise in yoga enables her to use yoga techniques and stretches as an element of injury rehabilitation.
Given the strain many local residents have experienced recently in coping with massive snowfall, Conroy's services are likely to be in high demand.
Conroy was a pre-med student at the University of Wisconsin when a trip to Central America shifted her career path.
"The more I became immersed in the natural world, the more I wanted to practice natural medicine," she told The Nugget.
Her experience as a chiropractic patient has only affirmed her choice to move into that field.
"The help I've received for my own back has made me a firm believer in its power," she said.
Conroy lived and practiced in Portland (where she still maintains a limited practice) before moving to Central Oregon with her husband Gavin Ferguson and their two children, ages six and one. The couple had rock-climbed in the region extensively and had long been drawn to the area. They initially thought they'd move to Bend, but ended up instead in Camp Sherman, where they have swiftly become part of a tight-knit community.
The community of practitioners at Bigfoot Wellness is a close group as well.
"It's just a really good vibe there," she said.
Conroy is focused on wellness for the whole person, not just treating an immediate problem. Her goal is to help patients reduce mental, physical and chemical stress. That includes helping people reduce the use of over-the-counter pain meds that mask symptoms but don't get at the real causes of pain and inflammation.
"(I) try to reduce the amount of Advil they are taking," she said. "It's extreme."
Nothing is imposed.
"I try to meet people where they're at," Conroy said, "try to help people meet their own health goals."
Conroy accepts most insurance. Appointments may be made through Bigfoot Wellness at 541-550-3726.
Jim Cornelius is editor in chief of The Nugget and author of “Warriors of the Wildlands: True Tales of the Frontier Partisans.” A history buff, he explores frontier history across three centuries and several continents on his podcast, The Frontier Partisans. For more information visit www.frontierpartisans.com.
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