Meet Dr. ERae Langdon | Doctor of Chiropractic & Health Consultant

We had the good fortune of connecting with Dr. ERae Langdon and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Dr. ERae, what principle do you value most?
The principle that matters most to me is respect. I think it’s wildly important that we approach interactions with respect – be it personal, work-related, or otherwise. Communication breaks down so fast if there’s a lack of respect by any party involved. I think in respecting others and their lived experiences, we can really expand our awareness and empathy for scenarios and perspectives that we wouldn’t otherwise be able to understand. Relating to my business, it’s not only important that those working with me respect my education, my knowledge, my capabilities; I must also respect the physical/health concerns they’re coming to me regarding, their fears, their values, and their expectations in seeking care/support. In placing respect at the forefront, we can better develop a working relationship where the individual knows I believe them and that I’m doing all I can for them, and I know the individual is going to listen to my recommendations for their health and take action with that information. That’s the win-win, for sure!

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
My business is a chiropractic & health consulting practice! I offer what most folks consider when thinking of chiropractic services being adjustments, focused soft tissue work, and guided therapeutic exercise. However, I additionally offer one-on-one health consulting wherein determinants of health like creative expression and sleep habits are assessed and clients have support and accountability in implementing a health-related habit or lifestyle change over the course of a month. True health habits aren’t glamorous – ensuring a consistent sleep schedule, prioritizing daily movement, considering adequate nutrition and hydration – but they’re important and make a large impact on our overall health. There’s a bit of a gap for healthcare that’s non-pharmaceutical, non-surgical, but still comprehensive in this way while staying rooted in quality evidence; I created my health consulting as a way to help fill that need. I haven’t seen a health practice that looks into all of these elements and strategizes sustainable (being inexpensive, and reasonably able to independently maintain) solutions, so I decided to be the change I wish to see! I love to give folks information and tools they can utilize on their own going forward to take an active role in their overall health – that’s empowering stuff!

Another unique element to my practice is operating through a trauma-informed lens. I often ask folks about their past experiences in seeking support or care for their health, what’s been valuable to them and what’s been lackluster, what are their expectations for their care from me. When it comes to my chiropractic visits, people can expect to be told where I plan to make contact with them and there’s always opportunities extended for them to refuse or otherwise let me know they’d rather I not perform bodywork on a certain area. Seeing a provider for a pain point or concern can certainly be nerve-wracking, for a variety of reasons. I believe that bodywork like chiropractic, massage therapy, and physiotherapy elements work best when the individual who’s receiving that modality of treatment isn’t in a fight-or-flight state so they can better connect with their body and be able to take in sensory signals without feeling overwhelm, panic, or dread. In fact, some pain signaling is the result of a nervous system that’s been primed to protect us from perceived injury or damage and has since become hypersensitive to any stimulus (input), sending pain and danger messages to the brain despite normal diagnostic imaging/scans. Especially for cases like this, it’s helpful to work with a provider that takes conscious effort to bring a sense of comfortability and ease while working on de-sensitizing that pain response.

Unlike the viral videos you may see of chiropractors on social media, I’m considered a gentle chiropractor. That which tends to get sensationalized with views, I like to describe as “the sledge hammer of chiropractic” – big adjustments with lots of zipper and popcorn sounds. It’s common for those heavy-handed adjustments to have a side effect of soreness and pain, and that style of adjustment may not always be needed! I prefer to take a less-invasive approach, opting for the least amount of force that will carry a positive effect for the person seeking relief. While I do still manually adjust and elicit those pop sounds, I’m a bit more sparing in when I utilize those higher-force treatment options. In alignment with my stance for advocating for sustainable meat suit management, I place more emphasis in offering therapeutic movement advice and spend time performing guided therapeutic exercise as these are treatment tools that folks can take home with them and use as needed. It can be hard to DIY a joint mobilization like an adjustment!

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Some of my favorite spots are typical tourist spots, but I think for valid reason! Red Rocks, Garden of the Gods, the Manitou Incline, NCAR trail around the Boulder area – all definitely worth visiting. The Manitou Incline is definitely one that needs some preparation, physical AND mental!

When it comes to food & drink, I’m big on brunch. Ethan and I recently moved from the Broomfield area to Denver, so we’re definitely navigating the Denver-South breakfast scene. I’m a big fan of Tangerine in Lafayette, and Goody’s Eatery in Westminster! Tangerine has a great rotating featured menu that has a lot of thought put in, and Goody’s has banana bread french toast. Duffeyroll is a great spot for croissant-like cinnamon rolls. I recently learned you get a free mini duffeyroll if you order a drink from their espresso bar! So I’d definitely take a guest or friend there for a nice morning latte with a great pastry. For dinner, The Melting Pot is my favorite. I love their fondue options from cheese to chocolate!

There are a good few local spots that I’d love to share with a visiting friend! Ritualcravt is a nice witchy shop, it’d be great to check out their crystals for a nice memento with meaning. Nest Art Collective is the go-to get a cool tattoo in a safe space commemorating the trip! Unique Esthetics in Lakewood offers phenomenal facials, lash, and brow services in a beautiful and cozy space which is great for when balance is needed despite a packed schedule. Joy Movement Collective in the RiNo Arts district for some movement classes in a queer-focused space! There are so many great gems in and around the Denver area.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I first thank Sadie Trigg who nominated me for this interview, and additionally Lora Bird and all the lovely tattoo artists at Nest Art Collective! While my work quite differs from theirs, they’ve been such a welcoming and supportive crew to me and my budding practice. I dedicate my shoutout to my sweet fiancé, Ethan. Ethan’s moved states to help support me through chiropractic school and has always given words of affirmation during those moments I’ve questioned my career path and the hardships that come with it! His love and encouragement really help ground me and reconnect to my “why”.

Website: https://www.dr-erae.com/

Instagram: @dr.erae

Image Credits
David Goudy Photography