Dr Mandy Laing, chiropractor extraordinaire, is an unassuming and gentle soul. Many have benefitted from her holistic approach and I caught up with her recently, to find out more about her profession.

* What gets you out of bed in the morning? Knowing that I’ve been given another day to impact somebody’s life. Whether it be with my job by improving someone’s health, sharing the love of Christ with anyone or possibly even just teaching my son something useful for his life ahead.

* What three words would you use to describe yourself? I am strong-willed, supportive, level-headed.

* How would you describe your day job to a child? I do treatments on peoples’ bodies to help them feel better and be able to live better lives.

* What is your biggest achievement to date – personal or professional? Starting my own practice after finishing my masters as a single parent.

* What does a typical day look like for you? Chaotic morning school rush. Workout. Work. Errands. Quality time with my son. Cook. Scattered with eating time and prayer.

* What three words would you use to describe your role? Health partner, leader, helper.

* What are some of your professional challenges (if any)? There are many challenges in the chiropractic profession. We’re private primary health care providers, so we are in no way affiliated with the public health care system. This means after our gruelling 6-year course, there are no postings once we qualify. We must find our own way. Some join other practices, some start their own, some don’t even practice as chiropractors. The market is difficult to tackle due to strict regulations and a lack of public education about the profession. Advertising is not allowed, and medical aids provide insufficient funds for their members, while some don’t cover us at all. We are also still viewed as alternative health care; therefore, we are not always taken seriously and often misunderstood by the medical fraternity.

* Do you have a mentor? Unfortunately, not. I had reached out to a lady who had relocated soon after. However, there are many resources available for the purposes of gaining knowledge and learning from the mistakes of others. An informative book can do you a world of good. Chiropractors are also good with sharing knowledge and experiences.

* If you could change one thing about your working environment, what would it be and why? I would love to work near the beach in bigger premises. This will happen soon.

* What do you like most about your job? Objectively observing people’s lives improve in terms of their pain levels, their demeanour and general attitude towards life. A small bit of pain relief for some people is as good as a holiday. I’m just glad I can help their bodies improve functionally.

* What advice would you give to those wanting to get into this field? It’s a great health care system. It’s the healthcare of the future. Chiropractic is growing faster than medicine ever did. There are many out there who’ve never heard of chiropractic. So, the opportunities are limitless. It’s natural and holistic and it improves quality of life. Just make sure you’ve got the drive to succeed.

* When was the last time you laughed so hard you cried? Almost every week. I’ve got some awesome friends and a son with a deep sense of humour. There’s never a shortage of laughs with us!

* Given a chance, who would you like to be for a day? Trevor Noah! But a Christian version. He’s got a great perspective on life. Very positive outlook that I enjoy.

* What’s your favourite line from a film? “The problem is not the problem; the problem is your attitude towards the problem…” Jack Sparrow

* What’s your most memorable facepalm moment? Too many to mention!

* What is your guilty pleasure? Anything with caramel.

For more info, log onto http://www.chirolaing.co.za