Daring to be Different Susan Marquez
Growing up in Pearl, Mississippi, Amy Different knew there had to be a way to alleviate her chronic back pain. “I played the clarinet in the school band, and standing and marching for long periods of time caused my lower back to start hurting.” She knew that wasn’t normal, because the other students in the band weren’t complaining. “My mom took me to a chiropractor in Pearl because it had gotten to where I couldn’t stand more than five minutes without chronic pain. After a few adjustments by the chiropractor, my lower back pain was gone!” Knowing that she was interested in chiropractic as a career, Different went to Mississippi State University where she majored in biological sciences and pre-med. “I did band there, and had no problems,” she recalls. “I usually got an adjustment from Dr. Chris Fowler when I went home. I learned that chiropractic care could help people without popping pills or having surgery.” Different went on to Parker University in Dallas for the Doctor of Chiropractic program. It was 2010, and she had just gotten married to her husband, Matt. “I was going to be away at school, and he was going to be deployed for a year with the Mississippi Army National Guard.” While the couple was living in Dallas, they had their first child, Dean, in 2012. They moved back to Pearl in December 2013, after she graduated. “Dean hit every milestone except speaking by age two,” Different says. “We put him in speech and occupational therapy.” All the while, Different was working in a clinical setting as a doctor of chiropractic medicine. In June 2015, their daughter, Anna, was born. Different stopped working for a while to stay with her children and to begin studying chiropractic for animals. She became a member of the American Veterinary Chiropractic Association, something she did as side job while she was a stay-home mom. She also worked to seek answers for her son, Dean, and in July 2016, Dean was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder. “I knew chiropractic care could help him, but I wasn’t sure how,” said Different. “I found a chiropractor in Idaho who works with kids that have Autism and learned all I could.” She started seeing a difference in her son, and continued to research ways chiropractic could help other children. “It was an overwhelming feeling when Dean was diagnosed. I knew I could help more than I was. The more I studied, the more it became a mission for me to want to mentor other chiropractors and to help children. No one else was doing anything like that here, so I thought ‘why not me?’ I wanted to be a local resource.” The more work she did on Dean, the more he responded. “After not talking much at all–ever–one day I was doing some extra neurological work with him, and he looked me straight in the eye and said ‘this is red.’ He went on to point to other colors and tell me what they were, all while looking straight at me, which is not typical for children with Autism.” Different admits that her own children are like her guinea pigs when it comes to trying new treatments. “I don’t try something on someone else unless I know it works. I knew I was on the right track, and that what I do can help other children.” Different says that chiropractic care is beneficial to those who have a neurodevelopmental and/or neurosensory disorders, including Autism, sensory processing disorder, ADD, ADHD, dyslexia, and other learning disabilities. In addition to neurodevelopmental chiropractic care, Different provides general chiropractic care for adults. She also works with patients on improving overall wellness by helping improve digestion, sleep, and managing stress levels. She focuses on the whole patient, not just the point of pain. She continues to work with animals, as well. “So far, I’ve worked with dogs and cats, from newborn to geriatric, as well as large animals like horses and cows. “I was called to work on a cow at the Dixie National Rodeo, and afterwards, it was fine! I’ve also worked on a sheep and a rooster.” Different works under veterinary care when she treats animals. “I got into this because of my love of animals. I hold a national certification, and keep up with continuing education hours to maintain that certification.” When she’s not working to make others feel better, Different homeschools her two children. “Dean is now in kindergarten and he is doing great. I spend a lot of time with my children, which is a great joy to me.” She also enjoys reading. “I read just about anything, but I especially love to study more about biochemistry and neurology. I find it fascinating, and I love to learn new things. Most people think chiropractic is about relieving pain, and it is certainly good for that. My soul and passion is working to make others’ lives better.” Dr. Amy Different runs the Southern Life Chiropractic clinic in Flowood. For more information, visit www.southernlifechiropractic.net. Hometown Rankin • 99