Patient Testimonials

With nearly 11 years in the chiropractic profession, I can safely say that I have more than my fair share of experience and a unique position from which to comment on the talent, skills and professionalism of a fellow physician.

I have suffered from significant and ongoing pain resulting from a motor vehicle accident several years ago – an accident that has altered by life in more ways than I care to consider. Dr. Jennifer Ridley’s ability to help me through one of the worst relapses I have ever had the misfortune of experiencing was nothing short of astounding.

I am struck by the depth and breadth of Dr. Ridley’s knowledge of chiropractic, nutrition and the healthcare industry as a whole, not to mention her amazing skills as a practitioner. Dr. Ridley’s clinic is aptly named. LiveWell. Without reservation, I would recommend Dr. Ridley to be your chiropractor. Your body will thank you.

Damian P., DC

I have procrastinated in writing this testimonial because I know it is going to be difficult to put my thoughts to words. My journey through health and wellness has been long and to put it all to words seems overwhelming. Here is my attempt.

I am a registered nurse with a bachelor of science in nursing. I specialized in Pediatrics and soon became an assistant to the director of a Pediatric Unit. After years of taking care of sick kids, I decided to challenge myself and enter the arena of critical nursing. I took an advanced course in cardiac care and became a lead coordinator in a Step-Down ICU unit taking care of open-heart surgery patients. I did that for a while and then headed to Cooks Children where I worked on the oncology unit. I have had my share of medical experience, and I have seen the best and worst of the health care system. I can honestly say that Live Well exceeds the best care I have seen in the health care world. Even though I could tell true stories that would be very disturbing about my time in the medical world and even though I was beginning to see that non-traditional remedies were effective, less expensive and more natural, I continued in the traditional medical world and in the “MD knows best” mindset for years -- until -- fifteen years ago I was told by a trusted pediatrician that my 13-month-old baby had asthma and would probably need respiratory treatments and steroids for the rest of her life. At that point I said, “ENOUGH!” I had been too far down that path and knew where it led. I began a search for preventative care instead of palliative. My search has allowed me to keep my 5 children off of antibiotics or any other prescription medications for 10 years. And my search is eventually what led me to Dr. Jennifer Ridley.

Fortunately due to my shift in thinking and learning how to take care of my family preventatively, our family stays very healthy. However, almost two years ago, my oldest son began to have severe stomach pains. He lost weight very rapidly. At that point, I had continued to take my children for their once a year well checks from our pediatrician. That was the only time they ever saw us, until my oldest son’s problems began. He was told to cut back on fruit. Also, his liver enzymes from his well check were elevated, but I was told not to worry; it was because my son was growing. That answer did not work for me, so I began my search. I had thought outside of the “medical box” for preventative health care, but now began the search to think outside of the “medical box” for an actual health care provider. I can hardly believe how blessed our family was to find Dr. Jennifer Ridley. She is intelligent, honest, compassionate, gentle, caring. Most importantly, she knows her stuff. She can answer my questions as well, if not better, than the most impressive MDs I have worked with. She immediately tested my son for food allergies/sensitivities – of which he had many. Dr Ridley slowly and carefully walked us through the world of food allergies/sensitivities. After months of Dr. Ridley’s help, my son’s liver enzymes have returned to normal and his stomach pains have lessened to almost nonexistent. He is now about to graduate from high school and plans to enter college next year. He has even been able to play football! He is back to a healthy weight and has learned how to eat well and live well.

As for me, a few weeks ago I fell on the ice and reawakened an old back injury from my early years working as a nurse. My back has been a source of problems on and off for years. I called Dr. Ridley and Emily worked me into the schedule. Dr Ridley was able to readjust my back almost completely. Before meeting Dr. Ridley, every time I hurt my back, I was out for days. Just knowing Dr. Ridley is not too far away gives me such peace of mind.

I could go on and probably write a book, but I will stop here and say, “Dr. Ridley is the best!” I would go to her with ANY health problems. I would ask her opinion before having any surgery or any medical treatment. I trust her knowledge and her integrity.

She is the best. If she ever moves – heaven forbid, I hope to convince my family to follow her.

Sincerely,
Jill Coan

Dr. Ridley has changed my life in many ways. I go to her for EVERYTHING!! Aches, pains, allergies, common cold -- you name it, she fixes it for me. But if I had to pick just one thing she has helped me with more than anything, it is to quit smoking!

I had tried all of it. I used the patch, prescription medications, “cold turkey,” and many more. I told Dr. Ridley that I wanted to quit, and she responded, “You just let me know when you’re ready and we’ll do it.” Once I made up my mind it was time, together, we came up with a date. She was right there with me every step of the way. Using acupuncture, vitamin supplements, and moral support, we trudged through smoking cessation. She held my hand through the cravings, the detoxification, and the development of new habits.

I smoked AT LEAST a pack a day, every day, for 12 years! I smoked my last cigarette on August 17, 2009, at 10:51 PM. Thanks to my friend and doctor, Jennifer Ridley, I have not touched them since. I have more energy, my lungs are clearer, I am not as irritable anymore, I am happier and healthier all around, because of her. She is amazing.

Thank you, Dr. Ridley! I owe you so much! Terese B

I was experiencing severe headaches that were debilitating and literally kept me from being able to function for months. I had been in the hospital, had MRIs, and seen specialists. Finally, Dr. Ridley cared enough to listen to all of my story, and because of her knowledge of the body and her genuine concern, she suggested that I have it check out to see if I had a spinal fluid leak.

She was right! After the two repair procedures needed, I was better and able to get off my couch for the first time in months. Thanks to Dr. Ridley’s expertise and vast knowledge, I got my life back!

Caroline H

Thank you for my improving health and peace of mind. Your gentle care and expertise in general chiropractic services, decompression therapy, and nutritional assessment and guidance have dramatically improved my quality of life. In four months time, I have lost 30 lbs, my severe back problems have improved by 95% and my overall health has moved from out-of-control to peaceful and energetic.

It may sound “corny,” but I seem to sleep better knowing that you are just around the corner with answers and help for all my health issues.

Appreciatively yours,
Roger M

I just cannot thank you enough for the enormous impact you have had on my health and the health of my family. You are literally a lifesaver!

I thought I was doomed to a life of Fibromyalgia pain until my first visit at your office. To be given hope—and then to be given health is beyond priceless. Your incredible blend of medical disciplines, knowledge, and experience instills so much confidence. And the results have been nothing less than a miracle!

Between my family doctor and Dr. Ridley, I believe I’m in great hands!

Best Regards,
Greg H
President, ActionCOACH of DFW

I just wanted to tell you how much I appreciate the invaluable help you have given me since I started seeing you in July 2007.

As you know, I’ve had chronic back pain for at least 20 years and an ongoing shoulder/arm problem for at least 5 years. Thanks to you, both of these conditions are a thing of the past. I don’t think I felt this good in my twenties, and since I’m 63, that is saying a lot.

As if this were not enough for me to be eternally grateful, I’ve lost 30 pounds since July because of the food sensitivity testing you had me do. I would like to lose 20 more pounds, but the fact that I’ve lost 30 without dieting is indeed a miracle in my life.

You have been a miracle in my life. I can’t find the words to tell you what this means to me and my quality of life. Since I can’t find the words, I’ll just say Thank You!

Sincerely,
Joan H

Thank you so much for everything you have done for our family. Our health is so important to us, but often it is difficult to understand the symptoms and what our body is trying to tell us.

My migraines have disappeared since I have been seeing you. It is amazing that I suffered with them for so long!

I especially appreciate the gentle way in which you have handled our children. With our son’s football, soccer, and other high-impact sports, it is so important that he begin seeing a chiropractor early in life before he develops acute problems.

Mostly, I am thankful for everything you have done for our five-year-old daughter. By diagnosing her allergies and planning a diet to eliminate the toxins, her chronic constipation and fear of going to the restroom virtually disappeared within just a few weeks! As you know, we had tried almost everything before seeing you!

I cannot begin to describe the sense of relief you have brought to us. I enthusiastically recommend that everyone visit you and experience your “magic touch.”

In Gratitude,
Rebecca H

I have suffered for several years with health issues including plantar fasciitis, heel spurs, sleeping problems, inflammation, and general aches and pains, which were getting worse as I aged. Having spent most of my time discussing my problems with medical doctors, I found myself spending money on prescriptions and surgeries to correct these problems. When this only masked my symptoms, sometimes creating new symptoms, and did not correct my problems, I looked for an alternative. I had previously sought chiropractic care for chronic shoulder pain, which had plagued me for 13 years. I knew the benefits of good chiropractic care, and I knew the best way to find a great chiropractor is by referral. I was referred to Dr. Jennifer Ridley and I am so glad that I was.

I cannot begin to describe the sense of relief you have brought to us. I enthusiastically recommend that everyone visit you and experience your “magic touch.” I am now relatively pain free. Dr. Ridley has helped me find relief where surgery and pharmaceuticals could not. She has completely corrected my plantar fasciitis, and I no longer suffer pain from the heel spurs. I don't wake up inflamed or over tired from lack of sleep anymore. I am more in tune with my body's nutritional challenges resulting in a 20-pound weight loss, along with many other health benefits.

I cannot begin to describe the sense of relief you have brought to us. I enthusiastically recommend that everyone visit you and experience your “magic touch.” I feel so much better -- it is amazing to me. I consult Dr. Ridley on everything that has to do with my body, and I trust her knowledge and experience to continue to provide me with excellent care. I often refer people to her as I know that anyone who is treated by Dr. Ridley at the Live Well Center and anyone who follows her advice for a healthier body will benefit just like I have.

I cannot begin to describe the sense of relief you have brought to us. I enthusiastically recommend that everyone visit you and experience your “magic touch.” If you have any questions about what she has done for me, please feel free to contact me at 214-514-6911.

Sincerely,
Dana S

Thank you for the incredible influence you have had on my health and well being this year.

When I first came to you in July I told you that I was going to turn 50 in November and that I wanted to get healthier and achieve a target weight by the time of my birthday. You inquired about my entire medical history and the current medications I was taking and took an interest in treating my overall health.

After working with me for five months I have not only exceeded my weight loss goal, but I feel better than I have in twenty years and have been able to stop taking several of my medications. I have referred several of my family members and friends to you and want to sincerely thank you for the results that we are all seeing in our lives.

Sincerely,
Cary C

Since I began coming to you for my Chiropractic care 3 years ago, not only have you adjusted my spine, but you have adjusted my life and my view of Chiropractic treatment. I am a firm believer in the necessity of Chiropractic care. If you recall, I first saw you, at the recommendation of a friend, for plantar fasciitis and a possible bone spur. During the initial visit, you not only addressed my feet, but adjusted my spine, discovered and corrected my left leg which was about a half inch shorter than the right, corrected a dislocated shoulder that I suffered with, unknowingly, for about 6 months, and also educated me on the benefits of Chiropractic care.

For the following year, you educated me on vitamins and their importance. You helped me with relief for my chronic allergies, continued to adjust my spine and feet and ultimately got me to the point of being pain free. You treated my wife for a seemingly hopeless condition with her leg and got her to the point of being pain free. In the past, she had endured several expensive and demanding treatments by “specialists,” coupled with several months of excruciating pain and disappointment.

In 2007, you introduced me to Food Allergy Testing which revealed the many foods that I was consuming that were poisoning my body. As a result of avoiding the foods that I am allergic to (OK, well, not all of them), I not only cleared up some digestive problems, but simultaneously brought the intensity of my asthma down to the point where I only take medication on an “as needed” basis. I used to take it every day! Furthermore, I lost 15 pounds within 2 weeks, by simply avoiding these foods.

This is just a brief praise report on the impact you have had on my wife and me. Whenever we fill out paperwork asking us for the family doctor, we simply put “Dr. Ridley” in the blank. Why not? You have either addressed or advised our concerns on any medical problem we posed to you. Are you sure you cannot do a root canal?

I cannot draft a letter that will truly express what you mean to me. My feet thank you. My spine thanks you. My hips thank you. My shoulder still thanks you and all the stuff on the inside thanks you. You have been, and will continue to be, a blessing to my health and a breath of fresh air for all the medical advice we were given that only treats the symptoms and not the entire body. You truly help the body heal itself!

Many thanks to you, and God’s blessings on your practice,
Tony G

About 8 weeks after I had a cyst removed from my left wrist, my hand started hurting and the tips of my fingers were going numb.

The doctor told me I had carpal tunnel and wanted to do surgery on my left hand again. The pain and numbness continued to get worse, but I did not want any more surgery.

Thank goodness, I met Dr. Ridley. She did Graston treatments on my hand and wrist. Wow! No more pain; no more numbness; no more carpal tunnel!

Maudi L

I had the great fortune of meeting Dr. Ridley through networking. Being somewhat skeptical, I thought, “What the heck, I’ll give her a try.”

WOW! Dr. Ridley knows her profession. She is very knowledgeable, proficient, dedicated, and demonstrates her passion of helping people not only feel better, but live a much healthier lifestyle. The key test was my wife. Today, our family visits Dr. Ridley for regular “maintenance tune-ups,” and we have since referred several others to her.

If you are looking for a chiropractor or nutritionist, Dr. Ridley should be your first call. We highly recommend her.

Rich R

It was a school day. When I called Josh to get up, he fussed that he hurt and couldn't get out of bed. Sympathetic mom that I am, I told him, “Get up and get to class -- we don't skip class.” That night I felt bad because school was over and he was still complaining. I called that very night for an appointment. I told Josh, “I just know that Dr. Ridley is the perfect doctor for you.”

My husband has seen a different chiropractor for years, and Josh has seen him once or twice. My husband’s natural instinct kicked in and he said, “Hey, what's wrong with my chiropractor? He’s great.”

I said, “No, you don't understand. Dr. Ridley is the perfect doctor for Josh. She sings his song.”

Josh came home from his first appointment with you ecstatic, telling me he loves you! “Mom, she this. Mom, she that! Mom, these vitamins I have been taking are junk. Dr. Ridley gave me these great vitamins!” and on and on. “Mom, I told her all about dad, too.”

When dad got home, Josh said, "Dad! You have to go see Dr. Ridley! She knows all about you, and she will get you straightened out!” He kept going on and on about how wonderful you are. The same thing happened after the second appointment. So, if he has not verbalized to you how wonderful he thinks you are, he loves you!

Katherine D
PuroClean Emergency Specialists

Where to begin with 8-year old Joshua’s story -- my little miracle from Heaven?  I can give you a verbal before and after picture of Joshua before he was diagnosed Celiac.

First, let me give you some background information. My husband and I had three mis-carriages before Joshua, so needless to say we have spoiled him in many ways…Joshua is an only child.  We moved every 18 months or so of Joshua’s life.  He did not talk until he was three and then quite sparingly.  He began to learn how to read at about 4 years old and by the age of 5 was reading on a second grade level. Joshua has an amazing memory and at times it seems almost photographic; however, Joshua struggled with explicit directions, which made no sense to me.  Joshua has always been a loving child and clung to Jon and me as his support, not surprising when your mom and dad are the constants in your life.

BEFORE:

• At 15 to 17 months we began to notice things that we thought might be different but could be explained away.
• Joshua would stare into space or do what we called zoning. Not all the time but enough for us to give it a name.
• As he grew, we attributed his lack of speech to the fact that he did not have to speak.  We just knew what he needed and did it. Although when he began to learn speech (through echolalia), it was rather large words and difficult subject matter for most children at his age to understand. Joshua absolutely loves animals and almost from birth has been fascinated, and at times, you could call it obsessed, with animals.
• Joshua loved to line up his animals.  He did this methodically.  If you turned one around to face the other way, out of a line of 50, while he was out of the room, he would instantly see it and correct what you had done. We thought it was pretty cool at the time.
• He lacked social skills and ability to cope when he did not get his way, but was improving with much coaching.
• Joshua would flap his hands and run back and forth.
• He had trouble following a conversation -- he would talk about multiple topics and subject matter sporadically and then just stop.
• He never went through the “why” stage
• While he did play with other children, he preferred to play by himself.
• He made very little eye-contact.
• He began Speech Therapy when he was three.
• He was Hearing Tested when he was three.
• He had trouble focusing on things that were not on TV or things he found no interest in.
• He had joint pain.
• He had headaches on occasion.

AFTER:

• Within in two days he was asking “why” questions -- a lot of them!
• He was making eye-contact within about three days.
• He had been playing X-box games on the same machine for about three years and just noticed that the controller vibrated at certain times during the game.
• He started commenting on things in movies that he has seen MANY times before, yet never noticed.
• The flapping of the hands within about a month is almost non-existent.
• He is able to follow a train of thought and have a real conversation.
• Zoning only occurs when he is just really tired at the dinner table.
• He grew out of his size three shoes in about 3 ½ weeks and is in a five now.
• He began to play with other children and seek out friends.
• He is able to handle disappointment and talk through his anger and frustration.
• He began talking to a friend of mine in a store that he had never met before and really was just asking her questions, telling her about himself.  I just stood there in amazement.
• He began reading more and faster than ever.  (He always loved to read and read well, but it really accelerated.)

One last point -- Joshua excelled in academics and at age 7 is a fabulous little boy with an incredible imagination and love of drawing and writing.  With that, we were working with him to control his “nuances” to help him fit into the “normal” society mold while at the same time, trying not to squash his creativity.  Nevertheless, he still needed help in specific areas.

After Dr. Ridley -- who we absolutely love! -- met with him four times, she suggested we do some food allergy testing, along with the test for Celiac disease.  After being on a gluten, wheat and casein free diet and also eliminating the other problem foods for about a month, Joshua is a new boy. Last weekend when we were sitting outside together as a family talking, he looked at us and said, “I feel like I am starting my life over” at the ripe old age of 8!

We are what we eat.  No matter what the cost, be it financial or time, I will do whatever I need to for my son.

We are doing SO much better. I had fun shopping at Central Market, and I found out that there are plenty of great things for me to eat.

I was shocked at first, and felt like I was going to starve to death. The first day was very hard. Then I did a ton of research, and now I am set. My husband is enjoying this diet too! We are eating SO healthy, and it is working for me because I have never cooked better. I look forward to making dinner, and eating it, and so does my family. Even 5-year old Kayden is eating everything without a word!

This is working out really good. I do miss cheese and bread, but I'll survive. Ryann (6 months) is a totally different baby, no more colic. It really only took two days to notice a difference. Now she is so happy. She has not screamed uncontrollably since then. This morning was great, she ate and stayed awake for a long time, smiling and cooing. I cried because I finally got to play with the baby that I thought I was going to have! I knew she was in there. I am thrilled that she is feeling so much better.

Mika F

P.S. -- Dr. Ridley, I have the funniest story to tell you. Remember me telling you how I am always on Michael’s case about seeing you, or rather, not seeing you. Our son, Kayden, picked up on that because tonight while eating dinner, Michael drank too fast and his drink went "down the wrong pipe." He started dramatically coughing and hiccupping at the same time. Kayden yelled over the din, "ARE YOU OKAY? DR. RIDLEY CAN FIX IT!"

It was hilarious -- I was laughing so hard, I cried! Even my son believes that you can fix anything!

I wanted to take a moment to say Thank You for the incredible care you gave me with my injured and neglected back. I was and am amazed at what you were able to correct with both my back and shoulder (ouch). I want you to know I truly appreciate you and though I hope I will not need to return, I hope to see you again!

Thanks,
Glen