Meet the Doctor

Dr. Sean Manning

I had no way of knowing that the entire course of my life would change that summer day.

I was eighteen at the time and some friends and I were at a summer concert festival. Shortly after the concert began a riot broke out and I was pinned under a metal barricade. After spending most of that day in the ER I was sent home and told I had sprained my back. The next morning though the radiologist from the hospital called because I had in fact fractured my spine.

I spent the next six months in a brace wondering whether my life would ever be the same again.

At the advice of my cousin, a chiropractor out west, I started chiropractic care. I quickly started to regain strength and endurance and the stiffness that had developed because of the bracing dissipated. It wasn’t until I had been under care for a few months though that it occurred to me how other things, not related to my accident, were also changing.

As a kid I was always sick. I can still remember taking two medications every morning and every evening just so I could breath because my allergies were so severe. This was in addition to the allergy shots I had once or twice a month. Then I had two different inhalers to manage my asthma—not to mention the repeated courses of antibiotics for chronic sinus infections; I was a walking pharmacy.

Under chiropractic care all that changed. I stopped taking all my medications; I stopped the allergy shots; and I stopped having allergies and asthma! This was when I knew that I needed to be a chiropractor.

Several years later, as a chiropractic student, I found out that I was going to be a father and my life changed again. I knew from my studies how important it was for women to undergo chiropractic care during pregnancy and I also knew that it was critical to check a child as early in life as possible to ensure that they grew and developed properly, but at that point I did not have the training to provide adequate care for either my wife nor my son.

It was then that the next chapter of my life began. I read and studied everything I could about prenatal and pediatric chiropractic. This eventually led me to complete a total of three years in post-graduate studies earning both a Fellowship with the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association (ICPA) and a Diplomate in Pediatrics with the Academy of Chiropractic Family Practice. It’s a good thing I did because eventually my wife and I had a total of five children, all born at home naturally, and all receiving chiropractic care since the moment they were born.

After several years in practice it became apparent that there was a growing need for prenatal and pediatric chiropractic care. To improve accessibility from both the city and the suburbs I moved my practice to Oak Park, a near west suburb of Chicago, and in 2004 Well Adjusted World was established.

I initially gained distinction for my work with the Webster Technique to improve fetal position and in helping woman to have natural childbirth. As time went on my reputation for working with childhood conditions such as colic, nursing difficulties, ear infections, allergies and asthma started to develop. As a natural course of promoting family health and well-being the practice continued to grow and evolve and now you will find people in every stage of growth and development coming in for care.

It would be a number of years later before I learned that one of my children has a sensory processing disorder. This of course was all the motivation I needed to begin my next pursuit of training in functional neurology. In practice I find great reward in helping individuals with neurodevelopmental disorders, such as autism and sensory processing issues, as well as learning difficulties including ADD and ADHD.

I have discovered my passion for writing and teaching have contributed articles to various publications including Birthlink, Expectant Mother, and Pathways to Family Wellness.

Because of my unique training I have the honor and distinction of acting in many advisory roles. I am a regular contributor to the ICPA Clinical Forum, I serve on the Board of Advisors of the Northeastern Illinois Doula’s Association, and most recently I was appointed to the Academy of Chiropractic Family Practice Board of Examiners.

As my career has evolved I have grown to appreciate the need for ongoing development and research. I am a distinguished member of the ICPA's Practice Based Research Network, and I am a peer reviewer for the Council on Chiropractic Practice Guidelines and Journal of Vertebral Subluxation Research.

I am one of the fortunate few who absolutely love my chosen profession. For me I never “go to work.” I begin each day by reflecting on how truly fortunate I am to have been given the opportunity to serve others through chiropractic. This is…

I am a chiropractor because I honor the inborn potential of everyone to be healthy.

I desire to help the newborn, the aged, and those without hope.

I choose to care for the PERSON with the dis-ease, not the disease.

I assist rather than intrude.

I free rather than control.

I seek to correct the cause, not its effects.

I know I do not heal; only the body can heal itself.

I have been called to serve others.

I want to make a difference.

Everyday I get to witness miracles.

I am a chiropractor because I know it's right.

Thank you for opportunity to serve you and your family

 

Meet the Staff

Vanessa W.

Front Desk Assistant since August 2008 

Originally from the Seattle area, I moved out here with my husband Craig in July 2007.  We lived in Hyde Park for a year before moving out to River Forest in June 2008.  I had no prior experience or knowledge of chiropractic before beginning at Well Adjusted World.  Undergoing chiropractic care has heightened my awareness of my health and enabled me to address issues I had previously dismissed, such as significant tension in the shoulders; pain in the left knee and ankle; and eliminative system problems.  In September, I stepped out of the shower to dry off, stood straight up, and felt an excruciating pain shoot down the right side of my neck into my right shoulder.  By the end of the day I could hardly turn my neck or make any movement without experiencing severe pain.  After two days of adjustments and rest, I recovered my range of motion completely and feel no residual pain from that incident.  From my own personal experience and the patients I have seen in our office, I have witnessed the power of chiropractic to improve the function of all aspects of the human body, and equally, its ability to remind us of the power within us to influence our own health, happiness, and well-being. 

Both my husband and I graduated from Saint Martin’s University in Washington State.  I graduated with a degree in Humanities, concentrating my studies in religion, English, and theatre arts.  My greatest passion is the artistic and creative arts.  I spent most of my high school years building theatre sets, acting, singing, and dancing.  In college, I focused on creative writing, writing short stories, stage plays, and screenplays.  In addition to writing now, my interests include playing the piano, hiking, and eating good food.

Renee Lewis

Office Assistant since June 2006

I first met Dr. Sean in November of 2005. All of the stresses of my life had settled into my lower back and I felt I could hardly move. Something had to change!  A friend of mine told me about this wonderful chiropractor in Oak Park she was seeing so I gave him a call. I felt instantly comfortable with Dr. Sean and had a feeling I'd be part of his office for more than just a few adjustments.

My back had done this throughout my life and chiropractic had always helped, but I always stopped going when the pain was gone. Dr. Sean was the first chiropractor to explain to me the connection between a healthy spine and good health. I continued getting adjusted regularly after my back pain was gone. I slowly realized I was feeling better in other ways too. My allergies were better, my acid reflux was gone, and the anxiety and depression I had experienced for years were finally under control without the use of drugs! I was amazed by all of this and I still am.

So what did I do next? I started working at Well Adjusted World and witnessing other people improve their health through chiropractic. What a rewarding experience! I started out part time at the front desk and then worked on our patient accounts. Currently I am maintaining the Well Adjusted World website and helping to plan special events for our office. My role in the office is continually changing but my commitment to chiropractic, Dr. Sean, and our patients remains the same.

My family and I moved to La Grange Park 7 years ago from Colorado. I'm originally from Nevada where I spent over 10 years as a flight attendant for ATA airlines. That's where I met my husband, Cameron. I then attended The School of Culinary Arts at the Colorado Institute of Art. Although I no longer work in that industry I still love to bake! We now have 2  great kids and we are all under Dr. Sean's care.

Patty McCahill

Clinical Assistant since June 2009

Patty helped us kick-off intensive brain-based therapy in the summer of last year.  As a patient of Dr. Sean's, chiropractic has helped shoulder problems she's had for most of her life.  She thinks people should know that chiropractic can be for everyone, regardless of age.

Patty's favorite part of working with patients is seeing their progress.  In the time she has worked here, she has had the opportunity to see patients transform in amazing ways.

Patty grew up in River Forest, where she still lives today.  She is currently a senior at Oak Park & River Forest High School.  She plans on majoring in psychology when she enters college this fall.  Her interests include creamics, softball, ultimate frisbee, and badminton. 

Molly McCahill

Clinical Assistant since January 2010

Molly joined our team and is helping patients through both intensive brain-based therapy and pelvic-stabilization therapy.  She is the older sister of Patty McCahill.  She grew up in River Forest but now lives in the Lakeview neighborhood in north Chicago.  She enjoys making jewelry and playing whirlyball.