Some of the most common words I hear from a new patient are a version of: “I was specifically looking for a female chiropractor.” The reasons vary more than you might expect — comfort, a past experience, pregnancy, wanting to feel genuinely heard. All of them are legitimate, and none of them need justifying.
Why does a chiropractor’s gender matter to so many patients?
Chiropractic is a hands-on profession. Treatment happens in close quarters, sometimes near areas of the body people feel protective about — the low back, the hips, the jaw, the chest wall during rib work. For plenty of patients, none of that registers as a concern. For others, who examines and treats them matters a great deal, and their care is better when that preference is respected rather than talked around.
I’ll say this plainly: choosing a female chiropractor is not a judgment of my male colleagues, many of whom are excellent. It’s about what lets you relax on the table. A patient who is comfortable gives a better history, reports symptoms more honestly, and speaks up when something doesn’t feel right mid-treatment. That feedback loop is a real part of how manual care works.
“I felt like I wasn’t being heard”
The single story I hear most often from women in my practice is some version of feeling dismissed — a pain that got waved off as stress, posture, or “just part of being a mom,” sometimes for years. By the time these patients reach me, they’re often braced for another rushed appointment.
My answer to that is structural, not sentimental. A first visit with me is a 45-minute New Patient Assessment + Treatment, and most of it is history and examination before anything else happens. I want to know what the pain interrupts — sleep, work, lifting a toddler, a running program — because that’s what we’re actually treating. When treatment does start, you’ll know what I found and why I’m suggesting what I’m suggesting.
Where the preference shows up most: pregnancy, postpartum, and kids
Three situations account for most of the patients who tell me they sought out a woman specifically:
- Pregnancy. Treating pregnancy-related pain involves positioning that changes by trimester — side-lying work, pregnancy-specific table setups — and frank conversations about pelvic girdle pain, round ligament discomfort, and what’s changing week to week. Many expecting patients simply find those conversations easier with a woman.
- Postpartum recovery. The first year after delivery brings its own musculoskeletal load: feeding postures, carrying, core and pelvic changes. Patients raise things in this season they might otherwise leave unsaid, and unsaid symptoms don’t get treated.
- Children. Parents bringing a baby or young child for pediatric care often want an unhurried practitioner who explains everything before touching anything. That’s how I practice with every patient, but it matters double with someone’s newborn on the table.
Is the treatment itself any different?
No — and I think honesty matters here. An adjustment is an adjustment; mobilization is mobilization. The techniques I use come from the same training and evidence base my male colleagues draw on, and every chiropractor in the province practices under the same standards set by the College of Chiropractors of Alberta. Choosing a female chiropractor doesn’t buy you a different kind of chiropractic.
What it can change is everything around the technique: what you’re willing to say, how fully you relax, whether you feel able to ask for a modification or say “stop.” Those things aren’t extras. They’re part of the treatment.
How to find (and vet) a female chiropractor in St. Albert or Edmonton
Wherever you end up booking, two suggestions:
Verify the registration. Every chiropractor practicing in Alberta must be registered with the College of Chiropractors of Alberta, and the register is public. Checking takes a minute and tells you the licence is current.
Ask about the first visit before you book. How long is it? Is it examination-first or treatment-first? Will you get an explanation of findings? The answers tell you a lot about how a practice treats its patients.
If you’d like that first visit with me: I’m Dr. Savannah Slater, a Palmer College of Chiropractic graduate, and I’m the female chiropractor in St. Albert at Eden Health & Wellness, with a second clinic in west Edmonton. Direct billing is available with most major insurers at both locations.
Frequently asked questions
Do you also treat men?
Yes. My practice sees men, women, and children of all ages. The patients who seek me out specifically are a meaningful part of my practice, not the whole of it.
Is chiropractic treatment different with a female chiropractor?
The techniques are the same, drawn from the same training and provincial standards. What often differs is how comfortable you feel — which affects how openly you communicate during care.
Can I ask for pregnancy-specific positioning?
Yes. Pregnancy care in my practice uses side-lying positioning and pregnancy-specific table setups, adjusted by trimester. You can also ask for modifications at any point in any visit.
How do I verify a chiropractor’s credentials in Alberta?
Through the College of Chiropractors of Alberta, the profession’s regulator. Registration is public and current-status is checkable.
Are you accepting new patients?
Yes, at both the St. Albert and west Edmonton clinics. A first visit is a 45-minute New Patient Assessment + Treatment ($115), booked through Jane App.
What to remember
Preferring a female chiropractor is common and needs no justification. The treatment techniques are the same regardless of who provides them; what differs is comfort, and comfort shapes how well care goes. Dr. Savannah Slater is a female chiropractor practicing in St. Albert and west Edmonton, Alberta, and new patients are welcome.
Looking for a female chiropractor?
Book a New Patient Assessment at our St. Albert clinic or Edmonton location via Jane App. Not sure whether your concern is in scope? Contact the practice first — I’m happy to help you decide before you book.
Last reviewed: 2026-09-08. This article is general information about choosing a chiropractic provider. It is not a substitute for individual medical assessment.
Sources
- College of Chiropractors of Alberta, practitioner registration and standards of practice, retrieved 2026-09-08, https://www.albertachiro.com/
