Today we’d like to introduce you to Deborah Ayer.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I came into the world with a curiosity of the pulse and rhythm of life and people. It felt natural for me to feel and see what lies beneath the surface of a moment. Even in personally challenging circumstances, I could see the good in people, or rather see that their behavior and habits were not all of who they really were. This made me a place to go for friends and acquaintances, and even my parents sometimes. I’ve said that I was born with the capacity to find the silver lining even in the shittiest of moments.
Many factors led my desire to want to help people; including a close relationship with my mom who was a nurse, having a love for vitality and athletic endurance as well as my innate affinity to connect with people. I wanted to see others thrive through whatever their struggle. I considered becoming a physical therapist to help athletes get back into their game, I also explored the idea of psychotherapy because people often sought my advice naturally, and also thought about becoming an MD. As it goes, my soul and body led me elsewhere. It turned out that none of the aforementioned considerations lit me up.
In my early 20’s I attended San Diego State University, 3000 miles from where I grew up. I suffered frequent headaches and back discomfort and started to realize how much this experience consistently shrunk my life. I was young and active yet if I went on a day trip with friends, it was necessary to bring some ibuprofen with me, as I knew my head would be pounding halfway through an active day. A pain that often became debilitating. Even though I grew up medically oriented where we took medication for whatever our specific body ailment may have been, I had an insatiable desire to understand the WHY behind our body’s cries. I had an interesting dichotomy inside of me; I was taught to believe the doctor knew all the answers and yet I could see that there was so much that they just had no idea how to answer and how could they? I noticed the system seemed to be missing the bigger picture – the beneath the surface story.
At this same time, I had a friend who couldn’t stop talking about chiropractic school and how excited he was to become a chiropractor. What I remember most about him is the depth of his excitement and energy around it. The combination of my friend’s enthusiasm, my body’s discomfort and driving past a free spinal screening sign, I fell right into the arms of discovering Chiropractic. It was possibly the first time in my life where I felt a clear gut “yes” which matched my desire to serve humanity powerfully. Shortly after this I started receiving chiropractic adjustments as well as working for a chiropractor.
After college I went on to attend and graduate from chiropractic school. My calling into chiropractic was such a divinely guided experience that when I was in school, I dove in, not for the grades, but instead to coat myself in everything I could; sort of like immersing in another culture to learn a second language. The divinely ironic thing about that is I found out a week or so before graduating that I was the valedictorian. I share this only as a reminder to us all that when we are in rhythm with our soul’s calling, we truly become the valedictorians of our lives.
In 1993, I first practiced in Mountain View, California with a dear chiropractic mentor of mine, Dr. Christopher Lehner. I loved adjusting people and watching the miracles happen as I helped free up their nervous system. The part of my soul soul that knew that everyone has an in born brilliance and that people have a far greater capacity to heal and thrive than they think, was acknowledged through the core philosophy of chiropractic. Yet, even with this awareness and a great environment to work in, I still felt something was missing. I saw people’s symptoms change but not necessarily their lives, but I had no idea what I could do to help in a more impactful, empowered way.
Years later this inner knowing led me to how I would discover an evolution of chiropractic called Network Care, an evidence-based application developed by my dear friend and mentor Donny Epstein. This unique chiropractic approach is a combination of Network Spinal (Analysis) and Somato-Respiratory Integration that includes clinically measured gentle spinal care, body awareness exercises, along with personally attentive expert guidance from the Wellspring doctors.
After I discovered Network Care I delved into it with a passion learning everything I could and eventually became a leader in this cutting edge body wellness application of chiropractic. I have been blessed with serving thousands of souls through this powerful work in a way (and more) than I had imagined so many years prior. I have served movers and shakers in the world such as Tony Robbins and have been privileged to teach and inspire 100’s of Network doctors into their clinical excellence and their personal greatness. Currently, I am joy-filled to have had and have some of my most brilliant prior students (now Network Chiropractors) join me here at Wellspring along with a heart-powered team. Together we are passionately committed to serving a high-level life through Network Care to the northeast.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
When I look back, I can recollect so many life experiences, many rich and challenging ones that beautifully led me to every next step. A few years into practicing Chiropractic, two poignant learnings were about to work their way into my life and it would take at least five years to begin to make some courageous life changes.
One of those life lessons included learning that more is required for a relationship to thrive through time beyond (although including) love. I learned that many times my pain stemmed from what I thought life “should” look like. In the heart of this lesson was this: I and only I am responsible for my happiness. Within this truth I made one of the hardest decisions of my life (at the time) and dissolved my marriage.
Now, almost 24 years later, I celebrate how far I’ve come and simultaneously revel in the humble and limitless opportunities for growth in deepening not just in an intimate relationship, but all of them. It’s been said that life IS about relationships and I believe it starts with a lit up SELF. A fully lit up heart attracts a fully lit up life.
The second theme that began to percolate in the foreground was listening to a higher calling that would supersede how I believed life should look like or play out. Now, it wasn’t new for me to follow an unexplored trail, but there was a next level courage and trust that was knocking down my door.
These energies led to trusting my gut in moving to the east coast of New England to be closer to family even though my tribe was in California. I remember I kept getting this yearning to be able to call my mom and drive to meet her for lunch. It had been almost 12 years since I had that kind of access to our relationship. Several years later, my mama (who I swear was immortal) passed away, much earlier than my immortal belief of her led on. Even though relatively short, my mom’s experience in receiving Network Care proved to be paramount in her ability to not only live longer than the average person with her diagnosis, but I was blessed to get to know more of my mom and also most importantly, know her soul. I owe much gratitude to Network Care, Donny Epstein and all of the other incredible Network Docs that helped take care of my mom along the way. This collective experience of healing I shared with her also spawned and nurtured our relationship beyond death, for this, I am eternally grateful.
The thing is, is that we are always being guided, always. It’s the listening, the embodiment of, and the taking action on this guidance that becomes the life journey and evolution. Although there is not a day that goes by that I do not miss my mom, I am thankful for listening to the call that brought me back closer to my mom because it led precisely into Network Care.
When I returned from California to the seacoast of New Hampshire I was planning on buying a chiropractic practice in Portsmouth (At this point I had never heard of Network Care). Simultaneously, I was confused, conflicted and exhausted from trying to fix my marriage. What did I do with this personal conflict? Move far, far away of course only to find out that this conflict resolution was an inside job. To add a little more excitement, I found out a week after moving to Portsmouth I was pregnant.
When I first walked into the chiropractic practice that I had intended to take over I felt into my body. I was looking for the visceral “yes”. Damn, instead I received a clear “no”. Needless to say this felt like a set back and timing of my pregnancy felt so surreal. I had literally no money, knew I would most likely be the main breadwinner and had experienced a strong “no” on the practice I thought I was buying. Crossroads? Indeed, a crossroads.
The provocative opportunity that presents itself at such challenging moments is the ability for us to ask deeper questions, to trust that sometimes we are on the right path even though it looks differently than we originally thought. The next day I called the Chiropractic Board of Examiners and requested they take down my information to give to local chiropractors that were selling their practices. As it turns out on the exact day I trusted my intuition another doctor called the Board of Examiners looking for someone just like me. The next day, this chiropractor called me. I didn’t even have to leave my house!
The magic of this story is that all of these life factors brought me, literally, right onto the doorstep of Wellspring Center for Wellbeing in Dover, NH and Network Care. From the second I entered Wellspring (still knowing nothing about Network and how that would personally revolutionize my life and the lives of those around me) it felt like home, a soul “yes”.
It is such a gift when you experience something big, beyond what the mind can grasp. You quickly realize and reflect that life will never be the same. That couldn’t be more fitting to describe what was the beginning of massive shifts and soul-infused changes that followed from learning, receiving, teaching Network Care and working with Donny Epstein.
I was recently interviewed for a local podcast called Core Nourishment, in which I realized only after answering questions that the many experiences in my life felt like coming HOME through my life journey. It is exactly what the spirit and mission of Wellspring represents.
Nuggets of support wisdom for the sometimes rocky ride of life:
1) No matter what is happening, commit to a sacred space or ritual even if it’s 10 minutes a day.
2) You can be smart and strong and still soft and vulnerable. Don’t hide your softness. “Strong back, soft front, wild heart” – Brene Brown
3) ASK FOR HELP you will need it.
4) Taking naps, baths or eating chocolate does not mean you are being lazy.
5) Before anyone else, wrap yourself in your arms every morning and night.
What should we know about Wellspring Center for Wellbeing? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
I feel blessed on a daily basis to find a home within this community called Wellspring. Some years back, I experienced an essential and powerful perspective shift. The shift was that even though I have been the owner of Wellspring for 22 years, and often sole practitioner, I am not Wellspring and Wellspring is not me. I say this because it is way too easy for small business owners, especially those who are also the artist and technician of their company to become their business. It can feel hard to distinguish between ourselves and the business of what and who we are serving. I have humbly come to realize that Wellspring and I are in a relationship with one another, and as one grows, so does the other and as a result, a community.
I would say I’m known for my capacity to gently, yet powerfully, pierce through the veil into presence with someone with infinite love and humble but seasoned wisdom. I honor the range of people, all of them, including what lies beneath and has yet to manifest. There is such a power in being able to truly be seen and honored for all the parts of you, even the parts you’re a little less fond of.
Our team is passionately devoted to providing a safe, warm environment that allows people to feel like they are home. We help them connect the dots between what they really desire to experience in their life and what they experience as their personal obstacles preventing them from living their true greatness and wellness. We build the bridge for them to come home and to add more rooms!
When you walk into Wellspring, you immediately feel seen, heard, and cared for. You also quickly realize that we are different. Most people have landed at Wellspring not because they are looking for status quo, instead they are looking for more, they want to access the energy they need to meet the demands of life as well as exceed beyond what they have been able to achieve physically, emotionally, mentally, or spiritually.
People find themselves here, whether it being regaining physical vitality, ease, reclaiming their joy, their voice, accessing the energy that connects to their soul knowing or gaining traction on how they want to leave their mark on contributing to a better world. They gain the energy they need for themselves and for what their life requires. I feel blessed daily for humbly being part of such an incredible community.
Wellspring is known for serving a wide range of people of all ages, including babies. Our specialty is partnering with those folks that know that the world is not slowing down anytime soon, and they value gaining greater access to their innate healing capacity as well a more energized authentic purpose. Receiving care at Wellspring results in an upgrade in the ability of people’s bodies to process in a way that energizes them rather than depletes them. How we live our lives, how well our body heals, who we see ourselves to be are all directly related to our neurological wiring. Our wired patterns are influenced by many factors including the influence of our surroundings both past and present as well as our experiences, especially the ones that were overwhelming or somehow made you feel unsafe or less than.
We utilize specific gentle contacts along the spine in which like tuning a guitar, help assist the brain to tune in more effectively with your body. This precise pressure produces two wave-like movements through the spine. These two reproduce-able and liberating spinal waves develop in the spine through three levels of care. One, lifting the noise of the chronic fight or flight that we all contend with creating not only relief and ease but an instant turn on of the parasympathetic nervous system which allows for the body to regain energy for healing. The second wave liberates energy that has been anchored around the spine that has limited our ability to make change and see beyond what we have known. This wave helps move and use this newly freed energy to expand the eyes of what the brain can see, process, and deem possible. This care is not only unique for the spinal waves that develop, but for the learning that occurs. Your nervous system literally gets smarter. This, allowing for the energy previously bound as pain, anxiety or limiting beliefs to be set free for more vitality, strength, freedom, and soul powered action. As your spine expands, so does your perception of what’s possible.
It constantly humbles me and is a divine delight for our team to guide, witness and participate in the healing and waking up of our clients and witness the relationships that naturally form as people connect with others experiencing similar body and life changes… it’s truly contagious.
What do you feel are the biggest barriers today to female leadership, in your industry or generally?
Great question. First I would like to celebrate that as a woman that has been in business for over 25 years, I feel and see more powerful action in support for female leadership than ever before. This said support comes down to two essential ingredients to overcome barriers.
1) Receive. True leadership listens, allows for, dances with, holds the space for and encourages self-vision. This is the very reason why women are badass leaders. Listening, nurturing and holding a vision beyond ourselves is so in alignment with our natural wiring. And, where the dichotomy comes in, is in personal receiving. Our culture has not been set up for this. As most of us women jump into leadership roles we unconsciously dive into a male-driven model. Before we know it, we are running around the clock nurturing our kids, our relationships, our business and everything in it, our sick father, dog etc. and we have no time for ourselves. When women get tired and have deadlines, we harden, become more closed, burn out or get sick. Our power comes in our pleasure, our delight, and even our fears and confusions. We were meant to let emotion, color, and hormones into the slipstream of business. The paradox is that when we think there is no time for that candlelit bath, or yoga class, or intimate love session because if you slow down a ball will drop, that is when we must choose to receive. Our power comes in receiving. As women, when we are full and ripe in receiving, we are bright lights, full of color and can melt mountains with our presence. Now that is powerful leadership.
2) The second dovetails off the first. We as women must support, love and receive from one another. Business culture in the male dominant role supports that we compete with each other. We are direct, bold and try to become the alpha in our territory. Yes, we need to know when to access bold and direct but how a woman does this is so very different than that of a man. Women need women. Praising each other for our gifts/talents, hugging a lot and encouraging each other to receive, and helping each other be accountable for our joy. Pleasure is essential for successful and sustainable female leadership. Even those of us in the same fields. We are each our unique gem and when we are supported and loved by our sisters, we become softer and stronger at the same time and, most importantly, become more of who we really are… and that is golden. A soulfully rich and joy-filled woman equals a healing and more sustainable world.
Contact Info:
- Address: Dr. Deb Ayer
Wellspring Center for Wellbeing
1 Waldron Ct.
Dover, NH 03820 - Website: wellspringdover.com
- Phone: 6037423270
- Email: dr.deb.wellspringdovernh@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wellspringcenterforwellbeing/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wellspringcenterforwellbeing/
Image Credit:
Raya On Assignment
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