Conversations with Alicia Burke

Today we’d like to introduce you to Alicia Burke.

Hi Alicia, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
In 1989, I moved to California from Oklahoma with a friend of mine. I had no car, no job, no real place to live and only a few hundred dollars in my pocket. I was 23 years old and could have gone to Europe to play basketball (there was no WNBA yet). I graduated college WITH A TEACHING DEGREE and knew Oklahoma wasn’t for me. I’ve always been athletic and was from a family of six kids – three girls all three years apart (I’m the youngest girl and then three boys and myself are all one year apart). I grew up playing basketball in my front yard with my brothers and started receiving letters of interest from colleges by the ninth grade. I went to college on a basketball scholarship. I played my first two years at a junior college (Connors state college). While there, we won The National Championship for women’s basketball – I was honored with the highest award in the NJCAA – 1ST TEAM ALL- AMERICAN. From there, I went on to play in the NCAA at Oklahoma State. I hold the 1989 NCAA record in the Women’s basketball for 3pt field goal percentage statistical champion 51.4 %. My record hold up and is in the top 20 all-time best shooting percentage at number 11.

If it wasn’t for my athletic ability, I would have never gone to college; we were poor and I didn’t like school, the only way I made it through was my love for basketball.

In college, I earned a degree in physical education /and health and went on to teach at Florence Crittenton a mother baby facility for girls in the county system and juvenile system. The students were pregnant and/ or ward of the state.

I worked there for four years and then decided to pursue a career healthcare.

After working and volunteering in orthopedics, physical therapy and chiropractic. I chose to go to chiropractic school. I started chiropractic school in LA and transferred to Life Chiropractic College West in SF. I graduated Cum Laude and was awarded ‘Excellence in Care’ during my internship.

I moved back to LA to start a practice. Again I found myself with no real money but the desire to help people get healthy. I found an ad in the LA times for office space in the Beverly center area. The property was under renovations and the owner was a kind woman and she asked me how much could I afford. I had $ 700 for my office deposit. She gave me the first month free and I signed my lease and moved in.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It’s been mostly smooth – the writers strike in 2008 and the current pandemic has made it a little stressful, but things always have a way of working out. I definitely keep moving forward and don’t dwell on past mistakes or situations whatever they may be. I just move forward.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
As a chiropractor, I treat every patient the same whether they are an a-list celebrity or someone struggling in life physically/ emotionally/ financially. I never turn someone away for financial reasons. I would give my services away if I could, I’ve always joked that if I won the lottery, I would open a free clinic in a poor area and help people get healthy.

I find all people fascinating – I love helping each person processes their chief complaint by explaining their condition and motivating them to take charge of their health.

I’ve been told by patients that they felt that I truly cared about how they felt and that I didn’t rush them and I listened. What I’m most proud of is? I’m proud of having the skill to treat my patients effortlessly and loving what I do. It doesn’t feel like work – watching someone walk in with pain with a hopeless feeling, treating them and then watching them walking them out pain-free, energized and motivated about their health. It’s an amazing feeling to see this on a daily basis.

Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
I always say I’m lucky to have natural skills and the right personality/attitude to succeed. I think everything is possible. Cute example – as a kid, we were asked what we were going to be as when we grew up – I said I was going to be a Pittsburgh Steeler and truly didn’t think it wasn’t going to happen. The beauty was nobody told me any different.

How it played out in life and biz – things always work out for the better and adapting to life has brought me where I am. I’m not fearful of change, I don’t get stuck or force things.

Being able to pivot and change in business and life has been key.

Call it luck or a mindset – neither for me is actually a conscious thought or effort – it’s just who I am. I take no credit, it is what it is.

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: WWW.DRALICIABURKE.COM
• Instagram: Burke_Ramos_Wellness_Studio
• Yelp: dr alicia burke