When we picture healing, most of us imagine the cinematic version — a clean upward rise, a triumphant montage, maybe a Beyoncé track swelling in the background. Reality has a slightly more chaotic timeline. Healing is often cyclical, spiral-like, full of pauses and returns. It’s the quiet practice of living well with the body you have, not in spite of it.

At Kaname, we’ve walked alongside patients in long-term care for years, watching that spiral unfold with grace, grit, and the occasional “Wait, why does my shoulder suddenly feel 23 again?” Their stories remind us that more than achieving perfection, wellness is all about participation. It’s showing up to your own life, one adjustment, one breath, one tiny act of self-belief at a time.

And like the snake — our symbol of transformation for 2025 — healing happens in layers, a rhythm of shedding.

Below are two beautiful and inspiring stories from our community that embody the long arc of wellness, told with honesty, humor and hard-won wisdom.

Ebony’s Story: When Pain Finally Stops Talking Over You

Ebony came to us at a moment when sleep itself felt like a nightly endurance test. Side-sleeping was torture. Stacking her knees? Not happening. The pain was deep, loud, persistent, the kind that steals energy, mood, and patience in equal measure.

But little by little, things shifted.

“Physically it has helped a lot. I went from being in pain while sleeping to feeling nothing! It was so bad I couldn't even stack my knees on my side. Now I sleep so peacefully.”

Through consistent care (and, yes, a mattress and shoe glow-up that changed her life), her body began to exhale. The mental clarity came next; when pain stops yelling, your thoughts finally get airtime.

“The physical translated to the mental. When you hurt it sucks! It's frustrating and it makes you feel so down. Now I can get back to what I love — running my activewear brand Equalls Apparel and coaching tennis.”

Her story highlights one of Kaname’s core truths: chiropractic care isn’t just about bones. It’s about nervous system balance, emotional regulation and the ripple effect that occurs when someone finally feels heard.

“Dr. Marisa allows me to reflect. To be heard is nice. To receive guidance is nice. To not be talked at is so nice. Here, I have all the tools I need. It all works together. You can’t just treat one thing — it’s all connected.”

Today, Ebony sleeps deeply, moves freely, coaches with more presence, and runs her brand with renewed energy. The cycle continues, but now it’s one of restoration, not depletion.

Sarah’s Story: Standing Rooted Like a Tree

When Sarah began her care, she was navigating uncertainty: a wobbly sense of balance, chronic sinus congestion, and the overall feeling of being slightly disconnected from her own strength. Healing felt abstract. Distant. Maybe even a little out of reach.

Then the clarity came, both physically and mentally.

“It's helped me with my confidence. My health has improved so much that I can now go to the gym. I can lift weights and not feel wobbly.”

As her sinuses opened, something else opened too: her mental space.
Fewer blockages meant clearer thoughts, steadier decisions, and a spine that finally felt like home again.

“I never had a routine before, but now that my sinuses have cleared dramatically, it’s helped me think clearly. My body feels stronger instead of flimsy.”

One phrase became her anchor:

“Dr. Marisa and I refer to it as standing rooted as a tree.”

Not perfectly. Not instantly. But deeply.

“I’m still healing. I’m 90% there. I’m really thankful.”

Her journey is what the long arc of wellness looks like up close: authentic rootedness.

The Arc, the Rhythm, the Relationship

Healing, in the long-term sense, isn’t flashy. It isn’t charismatic. It doesn’t always come with a ta-da moment and confetti cannons (although we support confetti for other occasions!). What it looks like:

sleeping without pain for the first time in years
trusting your legs again
feeling your breath deepen when stress loosens its grip
feeling seen instead of rushed
building a routine that feels like devotion, not discipline
standing rooted instead of bracing

This is the long arc, this is the relationship.

Relationship to your body.
Relationship to time.
Relationship to the wisdom that keeps unfolding, layer by layer, like a snake shedding what no longer serves.

Ebony and Sarah remind us that when we walk with the body instead of against it, even limitation can become liberation. The journey may be cyclical, but so is strength. So is clarity. So is renewal.

And we’re honored to be part of that rhythm.

The Long Arc of Wellness: Stories From Patients in Long-Term Care