WTCR Terri Cooper - Wholistic Wellness Clinic & Spa...of Chiropractic, took more classes, earning...
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April|May 2005 The Woman Today by Maureen Patterson F or as long as she can remember, Terri Cooper always wanted to be a chiro- practor. An energetic, confident, 5-foot-tall dynamo who grew up in Tomah, Wisconsin, Terri was never told that she couldn’t do something. Except once. “The power of words is an amazing thing. When I was 15 years old one of my mother’s sisters told me I was too short to be a chiropractor,” Terri recalls. She listened. Instead of heading to chi- ropractic college after high school, she attended nursing school at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh and didn’t like it. “I truly feel that people do not take enough responsibility for themselves. As a nurse, you have a tendency to see the same people over and over again that continue to do the same thing,” she says. “I’ve always felt that if you always do what you’ve always done you’ll always get what you got.” The death of her childhood chiropractor of a brain tumor prompted her to rethink her life. “It was like this light bulb went off in my head and I said, ‘I’m going to do what I want to do and not what somebody says I’m supposed to do,’ ” she says. Terri enrolled at Palmer College of Chiropractic in Davenport, graduating in 1991. She interned with renowned chiro- practor Dr. Susan Welsh in Tampa, Florida. For a year and a half, she saw 80 to 100 patients a day, including football and hockey players from the Buccaneers and Lightning. Her tiny frame didn’t stop her from wowing the pros. “It was great fun,” she says. When not working, Terri, then a Doctor of Chiropractic, took more classes, earning her Certified Chiropractic Sports Physician certification in 1992. She loved her career and life in Tampa. There was just one hitch: The love of her life was back in Iowa. While at Palmer, she met Terry Cooper, then a branch manager at Petroleum Equipment & Service, Inc., and now its president. They’d become engaged before she left for Florida, so she followed her heart to Iowa. She opened Chiro-Sports in Cedar Rapids in 1993. A combination of her sports certi- fication and experience, networking, com- munity involvement, and incredible personality propelled her practice to success. But her patients needed more care than she could provide. A lifelong learner, Terri investigated acupuncture. She obtained certification and a license after more than 300 hours of instruction. She traveled to St. Louis or Chicago every other weekend for classes, leaving her daughter, Catheryn, at home with Terry and taking her newborn, Cole, so she could keep nursing him, even in class. “When people say, ‘I can’t do it,’I say, ‘Ha! You can do whatever you set your mind to do. It is within your grasp. Anything is pos- sible,’ ” she says. The Coopers now also have a 15-month-old daughter, Carli. They live in Marion. In 2000, Terri had an experience that rocked her world. She met a chiropractor who performed NeuroEmotional Technique (NET), a noninvasive therapy that releases pent-up emotions in the body. Shortly after, she began the 250 hours of instruction to get certified. She’s now the only NET prac- titioner in the state, and she renamed her practice Wholistic Wellness Clinic, PC. “This was the last piece of the puzzle. I not only could help people on a physical end with the chiropractic and the acupunc- ture, I could also help people on this emo- tional end so I could help balance that whole body/mind/spirit,” she says. She also works for balance in her own life. “I’m really okay asking for help,” she says, whether that means having someone watch the kids or clean the house or asking her husband for a hand. “I think that if you can acknowledge your limitations and you can honor those limitations, you’re a much happier person.” In addition to individual NET sessions, Terri conducts Emotional Release Techniques, which help people let go of blocked emo- tions in a powerful group setting. ERT ses- sions are open to the public. Topics include weight control, guilt, motherhood, and anxiety. She also arranges NET retreats to Florida. Her hobbies include gardening, playing the piano, and physical fitness. She takes time for family and friends as well as for herself. And she’s a lot of fun. Says friend Julie Kraft, “There are few people out there you just genuinely want to be around because you’re hoping some of that positive energy rubs off on you. That’s what I love about Terri. She is this pistol packed into 5 feet. It’s pretty amazing to watch her go.” ◆ Dr. Cooper performs traditional chiropractic care on a patient. Terri Cooper is In Touch Cedar Rapids chiropractor and acupuncturist balances body, mind, spirit. Photo by Bonnie Stover Photography
Transcript of WTCR Terri Cooper - Wholistic Wellness Clinic & Spa...of Chiropractic, took more classes, earning...
April|May 2005 The Woman Today
by Maureen Patterson
For as long as she can remember, TerriCooper always wanted to be a chiro-
practor. An energetic, confident, 5-foot-tall dynamo
who grew up in Tomah, Wisconsin, Terri wasnever told that she couldn’t do something.
Except once.“The power of words is an amazing
thing. When I was 15 years old one of mymother’s sisters told me I was too short tobe a chiropractor,” Terri recalls.
She listened. Instead of heading to chi-ropractic college after high school, sheattended nursing school at the Universityof Wisconsin Oshkosh and didn’t like it. “Itruly feel that people do not take enoughresponsibility for themselves. As a nurse,you have a tendency to see the same peopleover and over again that continue to do thesame thing,” she says. “I’ve always feltthat if you always do what you’ve alwaysdone you’ll always get what you got.”
The death of her childhood chiropractorof a brain tumor prompted her to rethinkher life. “It was like this light bulb went offin my head and I said, ‘I’m going to dowhat I want to do and not what somebodysays I’m supposed to do,’ ” she says.
Terri enrolled at Palmer College ofChiropractic in Davenport, graduating in
1991. She interned with renowned chiro-practor Dr. Susan Welsh in Tampa, Florida.For a year and a half, she saw 80 to 100patients a day, including football andhockey players from the Buccaneers andLightning. Her tiny frame didn’t stop herfrom wowing the pros. “It was great fun,”she says.
When not working, Terri, then a Doctorof Chiropractic, took more classes, earningher Certified Chiropractic Sports Physiciancertification in 1992.
She loved her career and life in Tampa.There was just one hitch: The love of herlife was back in Iowa.
While at Palmer, she met Terry Cooper,then a branch manager at PetroleumEquipment & Service, Inc., and now itspresident. They’d become engaged beforeshe left for Florida, so she followed herheart to Iowa.
She opened Chiro-Sports in Cedar Rapidsin 1993. A combination of her sports certi-fication and experience, networking, com-munity involvement, and incrediblepersonality propelled her practice to success.
But her patients needed more care thanshe could provide. A lifelong learner, Terriinvestigated acupuncture. She obtainedcertification and a license after more than300 hours of instruction.
She traveled to St. Louis or Chicagoevery other weekend for classes, leavingher daughter, Catheryn, at home with Terryand taking her newborn, Cole, so she couldkeep nursing him, even in class. “Whenpeople say, ‘I can’t do it,’ I say, ‘Ha! Youcan do whatever you set your mind to do.It is within your grasp. Anything is pos-sible,’ ” she says. The Coopers now alsohave a 15-month-old daughter, Carli. Theylive in Marion.
In 2000, Terri had an experience that
rocked her world. She met a chiropractorwho performed NeuroEmotional Technique(NET), a noninvasive therapy that releasespent-up emotions in the body. Shortly after,she began the 250 hours of instruction toget certified. She’s now the only NET prac-titioner in the state, and she renamed herpractice Wholistic Wellness Clinic, PC.
“This was the last piece of the puzzle. Inot only could help people on a physicalend with the chiropractic and the acupunc-ture, I could also help people on this emo-tional end so I could help balance thatwhole body/mind/spirit,” she says.
She also works for balance in her ownlife. “I’m really okay asking for help,” shesays, whether that means having someonewatch the kids or clean the house or askingher husband for a hand. “I think that if youcan acknowledge your limitations and youcan honor those limitations, you’re a muchhappier person.”
In addition to individual NET sessions,Terri conducts Emotional Release Techniques,which help people let go of blocked emo-tions in a powerful group setting. ERT ses-sions are open to the public. Topics includeweight control, guilt, motherhood, and anxiety.She also arranges NET retreats to Florida.
Her hobbies include gardening, playingthe piano, and physical fitness. She takestime for family and friends as well as forherself. And she’s a lot of fun.
Says friend Julie Kraft, “There are fewpeople out there you just genuinely wantto be around because you’re hoping someof that positive energy rubs off on you. That’swhat I love about Terri. She is this pistolpacked into 5 feet. It’s pretty amazing towatch her go.” ◆
Dr. Cooper performs traditional chiropracticcare on a patient.
Terri Cooper is In Touch
Cedar Rapids chiropractor and
acupuncturist balances body, mind, spirit.
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