Bio: During her time at UWS, Dr. Christina Violante was highly involved on campus. She served as an Associated Student Body (ASB) representative, co-president of the Women’s Alliance, president of ENGAGE diversity club and was a student representative for the UWS Diversity, Equity and Inclusion committee. Prior to attending UWS, Dr. Violante worked in the social services field as a refugee and foster care case manager, an assistant program manager and therapeutic recreation aide for traumatic brain injury patients, a patient registration and Spanish translation specialist at a low income/no-income clinic, and a direct care counselor at a residential treatment program for high needs children. In 2011, she graduated Cum Lade from Kalamazoo College with a BA in psychology. In 2013, Dr. Violante got her 300-hour RYT (Registered Yoga Teacher) training with YogaMedics, an organization with a focus of integrating yoga therapy in the treatment of chronic pain. Additionally, she taught high-intensity interval training classes at a local fitness studio. Dr. Violante’s varied experience in health care, patient care and advocacy is a perfect fit for the field of chiropractic.
Tell us about what you have been up to since graduation? What are you doing now?
I opened my own practice in Ann Arbor, MI. Previously I was working under another set of alumni, Josh and Lisa Konynenbelt at Novo Chiropractic in Grand Rapids, MI. They have done and continue to do great things to expand chiropractic to everyone. My focus has always been racial equity in healthcare. As of 2019, Chiropractic is a field that is 69% male and 88% white in the United States. There are not many chiropractors out there that look like me and therefore not many patients that look like me. As a profession, we have done a terrible job of increasing diversity and opportunities for people of color to become both practitioners and patients. We have such an incredible skill to get people active and out of pain that everyone deserves access to. I opened door to my clinic on April 11, 2022. My clinic is Collective Culture Health & Chiropractic PLLC, www.collectiveculturehealth.com
Where does your passion for chiropractic care stem from?
Prior to becoming a chiropractic physician, I worked in foster care, refugee relief and social services. My passion in life has always been to care for people and help them live a better life whether that’s through direct services, advocacy, mentorship, or leadership. It is our responsibility to support and protect those less privileged than us. I love chiropractic because we can help so many people, so quickly, with very little overhead cost. We can get people back to the activities they love. We can help parents with children who have colic who haven’t gotten a good night’s sleep. We can help people stay off opiates and keep them from getting surgery. It’s truly an amazing field that I fall in love with more each day.
What is your favorite memory from your time as a UWS student?
Going to the American Black Chiropractic Association (ABCA) conference with Dr. Sheneé Harris and Dr. Jasmine Brewster-Piper! It was great meeting other students and doctors in the field. I’m still in touch with them as well as the lovely and incredible Dr. Sheneé and Dr. Jasmine.
How did your time at UWS prepare you for your career and life?
At UWS, I was part of a lot of clubs and committees on top of having a job or two and being a full-time student. Being an entrepreneur is the same. You are often going to have to do work that is not paid and you will still have to show up for patients no matter what happened that day. I also feel like UWS is underrated for our adjusting skill and clinical skill. I truly don’t think any other school would have prepared me as well to be an excellent adjuster as well as clinician. Because of UWS I’ve caught things like congestive heart failure on x-rays and AVN of a hip.
What is a piece of advice you’d offer to current UWS chiropractic students?
Spend less time reacting and more time being proactive. It’s easy to sit around and pout and complain about things. Take that opportunity instead to be a leader and an active participant in making systemic change. People will doubt it can be done if it’s never been done before, but that doesn’t mean it’s impossible. It’s just unfamiliar.
What made you choose UWS over other schools?
Location and board scores. I liked that the curriculum was more clinical than philosophical.
What is your favorite way to relieve stress?
Seeing the people that love me most and petting the animals that really only love me if I feed them.
