Wellness Chiropractic was founded in 1981 and has been serving the healthcare needs of Downeast communities ever since. We are a passionate team of lifelong learners, dedicated to improving lives through the delivery of spinal care, nutritional, metabolic and lifestyle counseling, and state of the art rehabilitation services. We are ethically driven in our approach, putting patients first and ensuring we keep astride of current trends to maximize experiences and outcomes. All are welcome at Wellness Chiropractic.
MEET THE WELLNESS TEAM
Michael W. Aker, D.C., DACNB, Dipl. Ac., C.C.W.P.
Owner and Clinic Director
Michael is the owner and Clinic Director of Wellness Chiropractic, P.C. He graduated magna cum laude from Sherman College of Chiropractic in 1981, is a member of the Pi Tau Delta International Chiropractic Honor Society, and received the B.J. Palmer Chiropractic Philosophy Distinction Award upon graduation. His post graduate studies have earned him Diplomate status the American Chiropractic Neurology Board and with the American Academy of Chiropractic Acupuncture, as well as national certification as a Chiropractic Wellness Practitioner. These credentials allow Dr. Aker to provide businesses and individuals with Wellness Programs required by national health care reform.
Dr. Aker is certified in many Chiropractic treatment protocols and clinical biomechanics. He has developed and refined new treatment methods for complicated spinal conditions. He is certified in techniques which can provide significant improvement in debilitating neurological conditions. He has studied extensively on metabolism and nutrition throughout his career and has provided metabolic evaluation and nutritional counseling for hundreds of patients.
Sarah De Preter, D.C., C.C.W.P.
Specializes in Prenatal and Pediatric Care
Sarah started her undergraduate education at the University of Iowa and went on to receive her bachelor's degree in Life Sciences from Logan University, with highest honors. She graduated summa cum laude with her Doctorate of Chiropractic degree from Logan College of Chiropractic in Chesterfield, MO in 2008.
Dr. Sarah is passionate about family wellness. She specializes in prenatal and pediatric care and is certified by the Academy Council of Chiropractic Pediatrics (C.A.C.C.P.). She is a certified Webster technique practitioner. She has extensive training in cranial methods. Dr. Sarah has also completed extensive postgraduate training in Wellness principles whereby she achieved her certification as a Certified Chiropractic Wellness Practitioner (C.C.W.P.) from the International Chiropractic Association. She is also certified in Neurological Relief Technique (N.R.T) which can provide significant improvement in debilitating neurological conditions. Additionally, she completed extensive postgraduate training in neurology and acupuncture and is a board-certified chiropractic acupuncturist.
Dr. Sarah has training in several chiropractic techniques including Thompson drop table, cervical drop, Logan Basic technique, Sacro Occipital Technique (S.O.T.), Cranial S.O.T., Diversified Activator methods, N.R.T., and Gonstead. She also practices Graston and Nimmo soft tissue techniques. Dr. Sarah is a member of the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association and the Maine Chiropractic Association.
Shelby Patten, D.C.
Family Wellness Chiropractor
Dr. Shelby grew up on her family’s dairy farm in Atkinson, Maine. After graduating from high school she earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Dairy Science from Iowa State University. After working for three years in the dairy industry she decided to pursue a career in chiropractic and began graduate school. She graduated from Palmer College of Chiropractic in Davenport, Iowa in February 2023.
Shelby is passionate about helping people achieve their wellness goals and live to the best of their ability. She strives to treat patients how they are most comfortable and has experience working with patients of all ages. Dr. Shelby uses a combination of soft tissue and chiropractic techniques to care for patients.
Shelby has training in many chiropractic techniques including Diversified, Gonstead, Thompson, Activator Methods, flexion-distraction and Toggle Recoil. She also utilizes trigger point therapy and manual myofascial release when taking care of patients.
Josh Underwood, DAT
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Modalities
Dr. Josh Underwood attended the Northern Vermont University- Lyndon where he played baseball and received his bachelor’s degree in Sciences with focus in athletic training. He also was named student athletic trainer of the year in 2003. He would later go on to graduate with his Doctorate of
Athletic Training from the University of Idaho in 2018. Josh has been in many different clinical settings over the last 19 years. He has clinical backgrounds in orthopedic clinics, secondary school, outdoor, educational, military, and semi-professional settings.
Josh has performed research on the effects of manual therapy on concussions and complex biomechanical causes of pain or dysfunction in the body. Josh is avid about getting patients back to what they love to do as quickly, safely, and pain-free as possible. Josh tries to take a holistic approach in patient-care so that all systems work together in harmony in their recovery.
Josh has extensive experience and training in many different forms of manual therapy. Positional Release Therapy, Primal Reflex Release Technique, CranioSacral Therapy, Gua Sha, and Mulligan Concept. Josh also holds certifications in several evaluation techniques including Selective Functional
Movement Assessment, Postural Neurology, and ImPact Concussion assessment.
When Josh isn’t helping others or relaxing with his family, you can find him hunting, fishing, playing sports, or playing with his dogs Draco and Echo. Josh is currently working on becoming a part of Maine’s Search and Rescue Team where he can use some of his wilderness training and possibly train Echo as a search and rescue canine.