Today we’d like to introduce you to Dr. Megan Watier.
Dr. Watier, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I was an athletic, active twelve year old girl who was so passionate about horses and soccer. Every few months a debilitating headache would leave me bedridden for hours, and sometimes days, at a time. At first, we thought severe seasonal allergies. As the headaches became more frequent that self-diagnosis got thrown out the window. After multiple general practitioner and neurologist visits, I was labeled with a diagnosis of “classic migraines”. These migraines left my eyes closed, and head down during many high school lectures and sidelined at numerous soccer games. If you have ever experienced these headaches personally or known someone close to you, you know the agony. You have seen this person suffering.
Fast forward to December 2009. I was a twenty-two-year-old psychology major at the University of North Texas. In my backpack, I carried around all the migraine medicine to keep on hand as these migraines were now as frequent as every other day. Through the years, I learned to cope with the auras, nausea, pain, and headache hangover. A good friend of mine said, “Listen, let me take you to my chiropractor.” That is definitely one type of doctor I had not considered or really was even a consideration. What could a chiropractor do for my migraines? This friend was INSISTENT. After my appointment, I was literally blown away by how much it made sense that my migraines could be stemming from my spine. I came back for my first adjustment and for the FIRST time in a very long time, I could take a deep breath. The doctors reviewed my x-rays with me and showed me exactly what was going on. As I previously mentioned, I was a college kid. Affording any type of self-care outside of coffee and food, my finances were limited. Then to my very surprise, the doctor said, “We’re hiring. Apply for the job.”
I got the job. My chiropractic, healing journey began. Nine months later I was migraine-free for the first time in 10 years. Y’all, ten years of wondering why I was broken. Wondering why no one else in my family had migraines, but I did—wondering why none of the medications were helping. Now let me back up to say that those nine months were not a paved path of joyous frolicking and roses. During the correction process, my migraines temporarily got worse as I weaned off of medications, used more natural pain relieving methods, and trusted the process.
I graduated from the University of North Texas with my Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and a minor in Addictions in August 2010. Little did I know that God had a different path for me that he had been orchestrating for all these years. My now husband was finishing up his Doctorate in Chiropractic and was finishing up his internship— he began interning in our office early of 2011 and he spoke life into my insecurities of going to chiropractic school. Was I smart enough? Would I be successful? What if I failed? I was a Bachelor of ARTS with no science background. He encouraged, motivated, and saw something in me that I did not. He believed in me.
September 2011, I began pre-requisite science classes to enroll in chiropractic school at Parker University in Dallas. I started my first trimester of chiropractic school in August 2012 as an engaged woman. After my first trimester at Parker and my fiancé’s first year in practice, we knew that I needed to transfer to the chiropractic school in Houston— Texas Chiropractic College in Pasadena. I was DEVASTATED to leave the DFW area. It was my city of comfort! I had my family, friends, and new endeavors. March 30, 2013 we said our vows and a few weeks later, after final exams, I made a move to Katy, Texas. From April 2013 until August 2016, I made the drive Monday through Friday from Katy to Pasadena to attend lectures, labs, and internships.
During my time at TCC, I became a member of the ICPA (International Chiropractic Pediatric Association). This organization was something that I also wanted to be part of. My focus going through psychology courses were centered around family and children. I loved the idea of working with and helping families live their optimal life. The ICPA offers an advanced certification that was 200 additional hours, two research studies, and a final exam in family, pregnancy, and pediatrics. This. This is what God called me to do. My passion was ignited every seminar I attended. Graduation was in August 2016, and I was able to open my doors in September 2016 as a Doctor of Chiropractic with a special focus on preconception, pregnancy, postpartum, and pediatrics care.
I gave birth to our daughter in December 2016 in the comfort of our home (with our midwives and doula). Nothing educates you more about being a mother than becoming a mother yourself. Through a breech baby at the end of my pregnancy, low milk supply, lip and tongue ties, and many tears of sadness and frustration, I morphed into a better version of me. My experiences have softened my heart to the mothers who make the best decisions possible for their family. My experiences have allowed me to practice empathy with the families in the office, and to provide the best education and resources possible. In May 2019, I gave birth to our second child, a son, again in the comfort of our home with our birth team! Just when I did not think I could learn much more as a mother, I was reborn again.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Oof, goodness. The journey was not a freshly paved frontage road. Beginning chiropractic school in Dallas while my fiancé opened his office in Houston was an emotional struggle. My life was in Dallas, but my heart was in Katy. After making the decision to start our lives TOGETHER in the same city, it became smoother ish. After dating in separate cities for most of our relationship, then getting married, then moving in together, it was a shock, to say the least. I can confidently say that our marriage has grown stronger year after year! The stronger our marriage became, the better the business became. After our daughter was born in December 2016, I had the fleeting thought of shutting down my new practice to be a stay at home. A new mom, a new practice. I wanted to focus on one instead of both. We found a way for me to do both successfully! Now, as a mother of two, I love having my son at the office with me as I care for my patients! It really embraces the family atmosphere.
Please tell us about Momentum Health.
Momentum Health is a special boutique chiropractic clinic that specializes in women and children. I am very passionate about helping children live life optimally, and helping women transition through the different phases of motherhood. To help women to the fullest, I have become certified through the ICPA in the Webster Technique and has obtained the CACCP (advanced training in pregnancy and pediatric care); became a BirthFit Professional, and is currently the only Merciér Therapist in the Houston area. I also have advanced training in craniosacral therapy through Dynamic Body Balancing for pregnancy and pediatric care.
Through the years, the above mentioned have given me the tools to help countless women have a more comfortable pregnancy, decreased labor times, and optimize baby position through proper pelvic alignment. A properly aligned pelvis can increase a woman’s odds in natural, non-invasive labor and delivery.
Just recently, through Merciér Therapy, I can help women conceive naturally, and decrease pelvic pain associated with endometriosis and PCOS, and post-cesarean recovery.
In newborns, infants, and children, I have been blessed to help many with tethered oral ties (TOT’s, lip/tongue ties), which has saved numerous breastfeeding relationships! Also, we have seen a decrease in reflux, colic, ear infections (saving many children from getting tubes), allergies, and digestive issues.
I am most proud of the community of women and children that have formed. When I see women breastfeeding together in the waiting room or exchanging contact information, it makes my heart so happy.
What sets me apart from others is that there are specific services available for all transition phases for a woman– Mercier therapy, chiropractic care, and BirthFit. My goal is happy, healthy moms and babies.
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
Both of my uncles and brother played in a recreational hockey league. Every Sunday, we (grandparents, aunt, and myself) would go to the games to cheer them on! Afterwards, we would all go out to dinner. If they didn’t have a hockey game, everyone came over to my grandparent’s house for dinner and to play board games.
Contact Info:
- Address: 1526 Katy Gap Road, Suite 602
Katy, Texas 77494 - Website: www.drmeganwatier@gmail.com
- Phone: 281-770-8057
- Email: dr.megan@momentumkaty.co
- Instagram: @drmeganwatier
- Facebook: /drmeganwatier
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