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Welcome to The Informed Chiropractor, the go-to podcast for neurologically based chiropractors who are ready to make chiropractic relevant again. Hosted by Dr. Don MacDonald, a 26+ year chiropractor, speaker, and creator of the MacDonald Safety Corridor Protocol, this show blends vitalistic chiropractic principles with modern neuroscience through the lens of the Polyvagal Theory.
Every week, we explore how to shift from a mechanistic model to a salutogenic, nervous system-forward approach that fosters true regulation, coregulation, and healing. Whether you’re navigating burnout, refining your adjusting, or searching for a clearer way to communicate the value of chiropractic, this podcast is your home.
You’ll hear interviews with global experts, real talk from Dr. Don and Brandi MacDonald, and actionable tools to build a practice rooted in safety, interoception, and chiropractic certainty.
👉 If you’re a purpose-driven chiropractor who wants to lead with connection, adjust with clarity, and reclaim the art of healing, you’re in the right place.
Key themes covered:
Neurologically based chiropractic care
Chiropractic and the Polyvagal Theory
Creating safety and co-regulation in practice
Coregulation and the social engagement system
The salutogenic model of health
Interoception and the nervous system
Practice growth without burnout
Subscribe now and join thousands of chiropractors worldwide reimagining what’s possible through a nervous system forward practice.
Episodes

Aug 23, 2018
Aug 23, 2018
51 min
Having a chiropractic assistant is essential to make sure that the chiropractor can focus on being a chiropractor and on making a difference but being a CA is not easy. There are a lot of things that go on to be a chiropractic assistant.
On this episode, we are here with Cath Foote. Before knowing Dr. Craig Foote, her husband, she didn’t know much about chiropractic at all. Her husband was her introduction to chiropractic and he taught her a lot about the practice.
Cath talks about how her journey as a chiropractic assistant began and how crucial that role is in helping grow and maintain the practice. She also shares about her mindset behind hiring a staff and looking after them, and how you can keep them inspired on a regular basis. Get all the resources for this episode and listen to more at http://www.drdonmacdonald.com/

Aug 15, 2018
Aug 15, 2018
30 min
We all know that the world is changing and we also got to change with it because if we keep on doing what we did yesterday, it’s not going to continue to work.
But when we do something that we’ve never tried before, we create all these new ideas about the thing that we’re good at.
On this episode, we are here with Jonah Sachs, who is a returning guest and author of the book Unsafe Thinking.
Jonah explains the difference between “safe thinking” and “unsafe thinking” and how the latter can help us break into our creative minds. Get all the resources for this episode and listen to more at http://www.drdonmacdonald.com/

Aug 8, 2018
Aug 8, 2018
56 min
One of the reasons why people get burned out is they have lost their love of what they do or they have lost being able to see why they do what they do. At those times, connecting with yourself, the practice, and the community are things that are going to bring you back to life.
On this episode, we are here with Dr. Erin Hawken. She graduated from Murdoch University and has been in practice for 13 years. She has worked as an associate in four different practices and now, she has her own practice, LiveLoveLife, which is located in Sydney.
Dr. Erin talks about how crucial it is to bring yourself into practice in a true and authentic way, which is a big part of being successful in growing a practice. Also, she shares her experiences of feeling burned out in her career and how she was able to get back on track again. Get all the resources for this episode and listen to more at http://www.drdonmacdonald.com/

Aug 1, 2018
Aug 1, 2018
57 min
How involved are you outside of your practice?
That is the question Dr. Gilles LaMarche asks every chiropractor he meets.
Dr. Gilles encourages chiropractors to get involved in the practice. When we are more involved in the practice, it impacts you, your life, your career, and your community for the rest of your life.
On this episode, we are with Dr. Gilles. He is the Vice President of Professional Relations at Life University. Also, he has been an Ambassador of the Australian Spinal Research Foundation.
Dr. Gilles talks about various ways that chiropractors can become more involved in the practice. He also emphasizes how crucial it is for chiropractors to not only become an exceptional chiropractor but also be the best practice member in their practice. Get all the resources for this episode and listen to more at http://www.drdonmacdonald.com/

Jul 25, 2018
Jul 25, 2018
54 min
Before you can be connected with your practice members, your team, your family, and everything else, you have to be first connected with yourself and grounded.
On this episode, we are here with Dr. Tiffany Johnson. She graduated from Northwestern Chiropractic and has been in practice for 12 years. Also, she is a mom of two adorable kids.
Dr. Tiffany shares her experience of how she ran into a Board issue and how she accepted the full suspension, probation, and monitoring so she can start to heal and move past it. Get all the resources for this episode and listen to more at http://www.drdonmacdonald.com/

Jul 18, 2018
Jul 18, 2018
28 min
Dr. Demartini who is one of my mentors said that one of the best things chiropractors could do to be better chiropractors and to help chiropractic, in general, is to become more financially stable. If we’re more financially stable, everything we do is from a state of purpose.
On this episode, we are here with Jonathon Gold. He completed a Bachelor of Commerce with a Major in Finance in Concordia University in Montreal. He is the founder of Gold Investment Management, a company that is focused on one thing and that is investment counsel.
Jonathon talks about investment and the fallacies associated with it. He also emphasizes the importance of not only paying your debt off but also saving early and investing. Get all the resources for this episode and listen to more at http://www.drdonmacdonald.com/

Jul 11, 2018
Jul 11, 2018
1hr 6 min
Shedding the husk that's on us and taking from above down inside out that you're going to create a big impact is a big part to being able to make a difference and give, do, love, and serve better.
On this episode, we are here with Dr. Ron Oberstein. He graduated from Life Chiropractic College, which is now Life University, in 1981 and is the current President of Life West. Dr. Ron has been in practice for 37 years and his goal is to spread the chiropractic message and get the world under chiropractic care.
Dr. Ron shares how chiropractors can enrich themselves so they can fulfill their mission, which is changing the world through chiropractic. Get all the resources for this episode and listen to more at http://www.drdonmacdonald.com/

Jul 4, 2018
Jul 4, 2018
50 min
Everything you talk about in your practice is directly related to what you believe in chiropractic and if you’re not aligned with your concepts, it’s hard to ask the right questions and to understand what’s really going on with the person who comes into your office.
On this episode, we are here with Brandi MacDonald. She talks about what the most important concepts are and shares different scenarios to help us understand those so we can help people achieve their true potential.
Aside from learning those concepts, it is also crucial to learn how to communicate those concepts to your practice members, and to connect to who they are and what their potential is. Get all the resources for this episode and listen to more at http://www.drdonmacdonald.com/

Jun 27, 2018
Jun 27, 2018
1hr 3 min
Chiropractic is not a numbers game. The number of patients you see and the amount of money you earn don’t matter. Chiropractic is about helping people reach their full potential.
On this episode, we are with Dr. Danny Constable. He graduated from Palmer University in 2000 and now runs a successful practice in Germany.
Dr. Danny talks about the difference between the mechanistic practice and vitalistic practice and the reason why he converted his practice into the latter. Get all the resources for this episode and listen to more at http://www.drdonmacdonald.com/

Jun 20, 2018
Jun 20, 2018
52 min
Our ability to pay attention has atrophied because of the way that we live our lives and thus learning how to be present and mindful is crucial so we can make better decisions and be in a state of homeostasis.
On this episode, we are with Vikki Kelly. She’s a mother of three kids, a business owner, a director, a speaker, and is passionate about helping people understand the importance of mindfulness and meditation.
Vikki shares tips on how we can start being more present and how it can change your life and your practice. Get all the resources for this episode and listen to more at http://www.drdonmacdonald.com/
