Priestley Chiropractic Of Farmingdale Hits 35 Years: 'Very Grateful'

FARMINGDALE, NY — Priestley Chiropractic is celebrating 35 years in Farmingdale.

The business, owned by Walter Priestley, is at 81 Conklin Street. Priestley said he is "very grateful" to achieve the milestone.

"Looking back, we could never have grown without the help of friends, family and the welcoming people from the Farmingdale community," he told Patch.

In the three-and-a-half decades Priestley has run his practice, the "wonderful relationships" he's developed with people has been his favorite part. He has more than 22,000 patients in the system.

"I have heard the life stories of so many and learned so much," he said. "They have given to me greatly in the way of friendships and support. I hope I can give back as much."

That favorite aspect has also led to Priestley's biggest challenge.

"Health care is not an exact science, especially when it comes to painful conditions," he said. "About 80 percent of the time people improve with the help of chiropractic care, but some may not. It makes it tough when you care about them and have grown to like them, and you see them suffer."

There are many variables that can affect patient outcomes, according to Priestley. He said most patients know how they can improve their pain. Some factors are not sitting so much, losing weight, keeping up with the appointment plan, and getting more physically active. But following that structure can be tough because of work, family, and finances.

"Additionally even when patients do everything right and the doctor does everything right they sometimes don’t resolve their condition," Priestley said. "That is when it is good to have a strong relationships with other health professionals to refer to. In in this way we can all work together in the best interest of the patient."

While the people who still struggle after treatment has been tough to watch for Priestley, he enjoys every time he sees a patient improve.

"All day long people say, 'Wow I am doing so much better!' You never get tired of hearing that."

Priestley said he has also enjoyed his professional relationships with doctors and chiropractic assistants he has employed over the years. Many of his assistants were part-time employees who started working at the office in high school and remained with him throughout college and graduate school.

"I enjoyed watching them grow, helping them learn about life and the workplace, and using our office as a steppingstone to their full-time careers," he said.

The doctor has also developed strong professional bonds with other health care providers, vendors and community members.

When Priestley first began in 1988, he reached out to others for help and advice on how to start a practice and build it from "nothing to something." He read books, listened to audio tapes and took classes on building a practice. After soaking in the knowledge, he developed a clear vision of what he wanted to achieve and then took action.

"I made lots of mistakes, but the more action I took, the more I learned, changed, and adapted," he said. "I practiced the long game — consistent and persistent. I recognized that every person that I came in contact with professionally could be an ambassador or a detractor. I did my best to be on top of my game every time I came to bat in the office and community. I believed in giving it 110 percent with everyone not only because it is good business practice, but because it feels good and it is the right thing to do."

That long game has not led to complacency.

"Well, we are now 35 years in and the best is still to come," Priestley said.

He plans to add a fifth chiropractor to the practice in November. She is currently working at the office as an intern and will be fully licensed in a few months. She is from Puerto Rico and bilingual in Spanish and English, Priestley said.

The practice also invested in a spinal decompression table known as the DRX-9000, which is a non-surgical alternative to disc conditions.

"So, in other words, we are all in! We want to help as many people as we can by encouraging healthier lifestyles," Priestley said. "We also want to continue to be good citizens in our community and to give back as much as we can."