About The Chiropractic Studio
Our Mission
To support our children (keiki), pregnant (hapai) mothers, and families (‘ohana) in achieving optimal health and wellness in every phase of life through specialized chiropractic care.
Our Location
We are located in Pearl City and Haleiwa, HI on the beautiful island of Oahu. We specifically chose this office space because of its centralized location on the island. Our space is easily accessible whether you live on the North Shore, Windward side, Westside, or in town.
Our Studio
We believe that healing takes place most effectively when the mind and body are most at ease. Therefore, we designed and created a space that accommodates any size family, is keiki-friendly, comfortable, and homey.
About Dr. Carie Kwan
I was sure that my career path would be physical therapy. I grew up being very active and participated in many sports. I was a gymnast for 10 years, ran cross country in middle and high school, played varsity basketball, have been rock climbing since I was 7 years old, and was sectional champion in the 300m hurdles in my senior year on the track and field team. However, this level of physical activity had its price. I had major knee issues that peaked in high school. I went to physical therapy to try to strengthen the muscles around my knees and had an amazing experience with a kind and caring PT. That was the start of my journey to help people.
I attended University of California, Davis for a bachelor’s in science in Exercise Biology with the intention of applying to physical therapy graduate schools after receiving my bachelor’s degree. After I graduated, I decided to work as a physical therapy aide in a private clinic while I was applying to schools. I was at the clinic for a year and absolutely loved my experience. However, I noticed something that altered the career path I was on. All the patients coming into the clinic were for postoperative recovery, post-injury rehabilitation, and/or taking medications for pain management. I wanted to do something with more of an impact and that would prevent people from getting surgery, injured, or taking medications in the first place.
I decided to talk to my high school basketball coach who also happened to be a chiropractor. I shadowed Coach/Dr. Wong a couple of times and the more I became exposed to chiropractic and all it’s art, science, and philosophy, the more curious I became about the profession. The idea that patients were coming in to get checked and adjusted by Dr. Wong when they had no pain, symptoms, or issues was an eye opener.
The philosophy of “the power that made the body heals the body” seemed so foreign, yet so simple. The easiest way this concept was explained to me is, if you fall and scratch your knee, your body innately responds by clotting up the area so it will stop bleeding, then a scab will form in a couple of days, and finally the scab will fall off and reveal fresh, new, completely healed pink skin. We all have the power of innate healing through the function of our nervous system, but many times we are not in the most optimal state to heal because our nervous system is not functioning at 100%. This can mean longer sicknesses, weaker immune systems, fatigue, headaches, aches and pains. Chiropractors help the body, and more specifically the nervous system, to restore its functions and allow the body to heal itself. Chiropractors do not cure diseases or illnesses, but rather aid in the healing process that occurs naturally and innately within yourself.
I decided to make the big career change and apply to chiropractic school. I attended Life Chiropractic College West in Hayward, CA and started the 3.5 year program. I graduated in the Fall of 2016 with the honor of Summa Cum Laude and Salutatorian of my graduating class. Throughout my time there, I was learned many chiropractic techniques such as Gonstead, Toggle, Upper Cervical, Activator, extremities adjusting, and many more.
The one technique and specialization that drew my attention most was Pregnancy and Pediatrics care. My passion has always been about preventative and proactive healthcare. How much more proactive does it get than taking care of a baby that hasn’t even been born yet through the care of the pregnant mommy? To further my understanding on how to care for this specific population, I completed 200+ hours of additional courses and seminars for my certification in chiropractic pediatrics through the International Chiropractic Pediatrics Association (ICPA). I am also Webster technique certified by the ICPA, which is a technique specifically developed to check and adjust pregnant mothers using gentle ligamentous adjustments for the pelvis.
I became an associate chiropractor at Island Family Chiropractic here on ‘Oahu in February 2017 and immediately started to connect with our local birth community through doulas, midwives, birth photographers, physical therapists, and other healthcare practitioners. I have been helping to actively grow our holistic birthing community ever since! Wanting to focus more on the pregnancy, pediatric, and family wellness side of our community, I decided to leave Island Family Chiropractic and create my own space, The Chiropractic Studio in October 2021. Taking care of pregnant moms, infants, toddlers, and children of all ages is what I absolutely love to do, so I cannot wait to meet all the new families that are seeking a more holistic and natural lifestyle!
About Dr. Kayla Simonson
My goal is to offer a supportive space to help others explore deeper layers of healing.
My curiosity and knowledge of the human body began at a young age. I played competitive softball at the age of 8 all the way through college. During my time as an athlete, I worked with many different modalities to heal from various injuries and to maintain my capacity for the physical demands of training. I worked with Chiropractors, Physical Therapists, personal trainers and I dove into other practices such as Yoga, Power lifting and HIIT training. These roots ultimately lead me to becoming a Chiropractor to help others function at their highest potential.
I attended undergrad at Holy Names University in Oakland, California where I earned my Bachelor’s of Science in Sports Biology in 2016. From there, I completed a Yoga teacher training in 2017 and continue to teach group and private lessons. I moved on to become a Doctor of Chiropractic, graduating from Life Chiropractic College West in 2022. I then completed the Webster’s Certification to specialize in working with pregnant women and have completed ICPA (International Chiropractic Pediatric Association) courses to treat babies and children. I practiced on Maui for one year at a family practice with a high volume of perinatal and pediatric patients before moving to Oahu to join the Chiropractic Studio.
What has inspired me most in this field is that Chiropractic philosophy is based on promoting the body's natural ability to heal. By adjusting the spine and unwinding stress patterns in the body, this can aid in restoring this ability. Stress can come in many forms: Physical (repetitive daily movements, car accidents, falls), Emotional (Grief, Anger, Excitement, Anxiety) or Chemical (Hormonal Changes, Diet, Environmental) and the body can only adapt to so much. Together we will explore what tools are needed to integrate and release these stressors and restore balance within the nervous system.
Each body is unique so my approach will be tailored to each individual's needs. Various tools and techniques that I will use include Soft tissue release, Diversified, Bio Geometric Integration, Drop table, Activator, and Extremity Adjusting. I look forward to supporting you and your family on your healing journey!
About Dr. Alicia Wong
I am a California girl who found her way to Hawaii. I graduated Summa Cum Laude from Life Chiropractic College West in 2017. I started seeing a chiropractor in high school due to overuse injuries from volleyball. It was the only thing that helped and allowed me to play into college. From that stems my passion for working with athletes, particularly youth. I love seeing patients improve their quality of life, health, and wellness through chiropractic. I am also a certified strength and conditioning specialist and certified personal trainer through the NSCA. I look forward to meeting and serving you all.
Here are some fun facts about myself: I volunteer for a local cat rescue group. I love to line dance and country swing on the weekends. My parents met at the University of Hawaii, and I love to travel on points and miles.