Chiropractors
Jessica Johnson
Jessica graduated from the Welsh Institute of Chiropractic at the University of Glamorgan (now the University of South Wales) in 2001 after completing a 4 year honours degree in Chiropractic. She has always had a keen interest in chiropractic healthcare after receiving treatment throughout childhood for various sporting injuries.
Since graduating she has worked at the Thirsk Chiropractic Clinic, where she still works 2 days a week, and then set up the Ripon Clinic in 2007. Throughout this time she has gained valuable experience and still enjoys everything about the job. Jessica has a keen interest in health and general wellbeing, especially in relation to the lifestyles we live today and the impacts on our bodies. Using a patient centred approach she aims to treat not only the presenting problem but also to educate the patient to prevent re-occurrences.
General Chiropractic Council Registration No. 01290
Richard Skippings
Richard graduated from the Anglo-European College of Chiropractic in 1985 and moved back to Yorkshire the same year to take up a position in the Roundhay Chiropractic Clinic in Leeds, where he worked for three years. He opened the clinic in Thirsk in 1988 when he was ready to branch out on his own and bring chiropractic to a new area. He has always been active in the work of the profession, both on the Council of the British Chiropractic Association and in the Royal College of Chiropractors where he was invested as a Fellow of the Royal College of Chiropractors in 1999, and in 2004 he attained a Specialist Fellowship from the Sports Faculty. In 2014 he was invested as a Fellow of the BCA for his services to sports chiropractic.
As you can see Richard has a particular interest in Sports Medicine. He is a Certified Chiropractic Sports Physician, has been awarded the International Chiropractic Sports Science Diploma and has a Post Graduate Diploma in Sports Medicine from Sheffield University. This enables him to utilise different therapies and techniques as well as his chiropractic expertise, so as to provide the athlete with optimum care.
He is a Team Chiropractor for the British Masters Athletic Federation having been in attendance at British and European Outdoor and Indoor Championships and at seven World Championships. He was also in attendance at the 2000 World Short Track Speed Skating Championships in Sheffield and at the London 2012 Olympic Games Richard was selected to be one of the chiropractors to work in the Polyclinic as part of a multi-disciplinary team providing medical support for the athletes and officials. This was a tremendous honour as it was the first time that chiropractors have been part of the official medical teams at a Summer Olympic Games. He was based at the Olympic Sailing Village in Weymouth working alongside Sports Doctors, GPs, Physiotherapists, Dentists, Massage Therapists, Pharmacists and Osteopaths – in short anything that an athlete could wish for was there available for them. Richard continued this work when he was selected as part of the medical team at the World Para Athletics Championships in London in July 2017.
In his spare time Richard is a Hockey Umpire, officiating in the Yorkshire & North East Womens Hockey League. He is a registered England Hockey Umpire Tutor and also a Level 1 Umpire coach. He is the Chairman of the Yorkshire Hockey Umpiring Association.
- Fellow of the Royal College of Chiropractors
- Specialist Fellow of the Sports Faculty of the Royal College of Chiropractors
- Fellow of the British Chiropractic Association
- Member of the Federation Internationale de Chiropratique du Sport (FICS)
- Member of the British Association of Sport and Exercise Medicine
- Member of the NHS register of Complementary and Alternative Practitioners
During the Covid-19 crisis Richard has undergone the necessary training and accreditation to become a vaccinator within the National Vaccination Programme and has worked at the Askham Bar Vaccination Centre in York.
General Chiropractic Council Registration No. 00136
Kate Jackson
Kate spent 15 years in the Finance sector, and experienced first-hand the impact a sedentary lifestyle and stress has on the body. After developing postural issues and chronic low back pain, a friend suggested seeing a chiropractor and it was the first time therapy truly made a difference. Inspired by their ability to help others, she decided to become a chiropractor and after four years of training at the Anglo-European College of Chiropractic (AECC), she graduated with a distinction in a Masters of Chiropractic.
Kate employs a mix of spinal manipulation and soft tissue techniques to address both acute and chronic conditions. She recognizes the uniqueness of each individual and understands that there is no universal approach to health and wellness. Therefore, Kate tailors treatment plans to align with the goals and lifestyle of each person.
When not in clinic, Kate enjoys exploring the Yorkshire countryside, and playing padel and tennis.
General Chiropractic Council Registration No 05580
Lewis Westwood
Lewis graduated from Teesside University as part of the first cohort of their chiropractic programme, earning a first-class honours degree. His passion for chiropractic care has evolved from his extensive background in gymnastics, where he has been tumbling for Team GB for many years. Some of his greatest achievements include winning gold at both the European and World Championships with the team in 2022. During his first year of practice, Lewis will be completing a post-graduate training scheme under Richard with the Royal College of Chiropractors to help continue to improve his skills with patient care. He is deeply invested in health and overall well-being, always aiming to not only address immediate concerns, but also to educate his patients on how to maintain their health and prevent future issues. Lewis’ patient-centred approach, ensures that each treatment is tailored to the individual’s needs, helping them achieve optimal performance and quality of life.
General Chiropractic Council Registration No 05996
Massage & Reiki
Leanne Cowling
Leanne studied an ITEC Diploma L3 in Holistic Massage at The Yorkshire School of Complementary Therapy qualifying in Body Massage in 2016, with further training received in Oncology Massage and Deep Tissue Techniques with Marie Duggan Butterfly Touch Therapies and York Holistic Training. Her work includes Swedish Holistic Massage and Deep Tissue Massage, also receiving practitioner status in 2016 for Reiki Therapy.
Leanne’s work experience commenced as a mobile massage/reiki therapist serving the local community, with past employment at the Harrogate Turkish Baths. Leanne joined us here in January 2017, she is fully qualified, insured and now works in our Chiropractic Clinic here weekly, as well as another Clinic in Boroughbridge.
Leanne uses a wide variety of massage techniques, she will tailor a treatment to your specific needs, whether this is for relief of tension, pain, working with injuries and conditions in the body or just for general relaxation. Reiki is given in the form of energy healing where clients can experience this relaxing complementary therapy fully clothed on the couch, both treatments can be combined together. Each client’s needs will be individually assessed prior to any treatment commencing, to ensure the best treatment plan is delivered.
Having experienced the positive impact of Massage and Reiki in her own life, Leanne feels passionate about helping people in today’s modern society to effectively relax, reduce pain, lower stress levels and to aid and maintain any health issues.
Acupuncture
Rachel Stocker
Rachel studied Traditional Chinese Medicine and Five Element Acupuncture for three years at The College of Integrated Chinese Medicine in Reading, qualifying in 2002. She subsequently practiced alongside GPs, osteopaths and homeopaths in Wiltshire and North Yorkshire for eight years then practiced overseas for two years.
She has seen improvement in a variety of individuals who have had treatment for problems as diverse as loss of voice, chronic cystitis, tennis elbow, migraines and depression.
Rachel also uses cupping, moxibustion and is fully qualified with NADA-UK as an acupuncture detoxification specialist. Ear acupuncture is used in this instance for detoxification, addiction and stress or trauma.
She recently took a course in the use of acupuncture for the treatment of sports injuries.
Suzanna Leedell
Suzie undertook three years of studying Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) at the Northern College of Acupuncture in York and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in 2018.
She went directly into practice, initially starting as a mobile therapist in and around her local community of Masham, and joined the clinic team in May 2022.
Suzie has successfully treated a range of patient issues including musculoskeletal pain, digestive health, sleep issues and anxiety. She has a particular interest in psycho-emotional health and has recently attended CPD workshops exploring the intricacies of anxiety and ADHD.
Acupuncture is a holistic medicine based on the individual needs of the patient, and Suzie frequently incorporates other modalities into her treatments based on these needs, such as therapeutic massage, cupping, moxibustion (using Mugwort to introduce therapeutic heat to an area on the body) and electro-acupuncture.
Suzie is currently available on Mondays and Thursdays by appointment.
Counselling & Coaching
Alan Cox
You may have reached a point in your life when you feel that you need to ask for help to assist you in trying to deal with an issue, or in trying to understand it, or in coming to terms with it. There may be an issue in your life which is causing you distress or anxiety, or it may be that you may not be feeling right about some part of your life and you are unable to pinpoint the reason why. In a welcoming, secure and confidential environment, without judgement, I can help you explore those issues and feelings.
We are however all unique and our experiences are unique also, so there is no one size fits all. By really listening empathetically to what you are saying and reflecting back to you on what I am hearing and feeling, we can work together in overcoming or coming to terms with the issues you may have. I can see clients aged 18 and over.
Please note that I do provide Couples’ Relationship Therapy.
Reception
Ellie Skippings, Sheena Hughes and Sue Senior make up the front desk team keeping the clinics running smoothly, looking after the needs of the patients and answering any queries that may arise.
All the staff are fully trained and without them working in the background the clinic could not function efficiently. They provide the first point of contact for our patients, either in person or on the telephone and, as such, they set the tone for your visit. We like to set a friendly, welcoming atmosphere that allows the patient to relax and gain a positive experience from their visit. Our staff provide an empathetic listening ear whilst maintaining complete confidentiality. Indeed, they are often told more than the chiropractors about what our patients have been up to between visits.