Dr. Leah Reiff knew from a young age that she wanted to follow her father’s example and help people find true health. As the daughter of chiropractor Dennis Reiff, of Lansdale, she grew up with an appreciation of holistic methods that allow the body to heal itself. Observing people that experienced relief after a chiropractic session with her father inspired Reiff to explore various areas in the field of health care. From firsthand observations grew the idea that one day she would open her own health center.

Reiff’s formal educational journey began at Messiah College in Mechanicsburg, where she took allopathic courses related to traditional Western medicine as preparation for medical school. After volunteering at Holy Spirit Hospital, in Camp Hill, during college, she continued as an employee for a year and a half. The experience of working with traditional medical treatment methods directed Reiff back to her holistic roots for postgraduate study. After completing her formal education and receiving a doctoral degree from New York Chiropractic College, in Seneca Falls, New York, Reiff moved to Lancaster County. Working in three different chiropractic offices helped her to formulate a vision of how she wanted her own practice to take shape.

She founded Blue Skies Chiropractic Health Center just more than a year ago. The name came from a friend’s suggestion over breakfast while the two were looking at a photograph of a vivid blue sky. For Reiff, the name brings to mind a sense of peace and clarity, as well as limitless potential and liveliness—a vision that encompasses her goal of sharing true health. It inspires the idea of hope in people, as well as the primary goal of her staff, to create hope and a quality-filled life for their patients.

Reiff also has on staff Susanne Spurlock, a licensed clinical social worker with more than 30 years of counseling experience. Spurlock’s vibrant, energetic personality and counseling methodology complements the holistic approach that Reiff offers at Blue Skies. With the goal of helping others achieve mental and physical wellness, Spurlock offers life and wellness counseling with specialty expertise in stress management, anxiety, depression, mid-life challenges and life reevaluation, relationship work, gender-specific issues, grief counseling, cognitive behavioral therapy, eating and body image disorders, weight management, wellness through the life cycle and general personal growth.

Debi Dunn, a whole life and well-being coach whose business is called Nicely Dunn Coaching, is also part of the Blue Skies team. She employs the Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), which teaches individuals to use tapping and moving the body, meditating and rebalancing thoughts to heal emotions, develop higher performance and a more productive life, and transform vital energies for optimum health. Dunn assists in raising energetic vibrations from anger, fear and shame to joy, love and enlightenment. Services include educational workshops, worksite wellness seminars, motivational meeting energizers as part of corporate wellness programs, and private sessions with clients working on personal transformations. Dunn is also an adjunct professor of stress management in the department of health sciences at West Chester University.

Blue Skies recently celebrated its first anniversary, and Reiff knows that an integral relationship with the community has just begun. Over the past year, she has received terrific community support, which she wishes to give back by making Blue Skies a meeting place where the community can come together to take classes and benefit from its holistic services to heal the whole self. Reiff feels privileged to work with people on the journey to making positive life choices, and Spurlock and Dunn share her passion for helping people optimize their life potential and have a quality life.

Location: 2301 Harrisburg Pike, Lancaster. For more information, call 717-390-9998, email [email protected] or visit BlueSkiesChiroHealth.com.

Gisele Siebold, who lives in Lancaster, is a frequent contributor to Natural Awakenings.