Arja (AJ) Simmons
L.M.T.
Meet The Team
I have worked for Porter & Clark Chiropractic as a massage therapist for over 10 years. A fun fact about myself is that I was born and raised in Finland. At a young age, I had been waiting at a local restaurant where the late Dr. Porter had asked if I wanted to apply full-time as a massage therapist, as he knew I had wanted to grow my career in massage therapy, but at the time I was unable to understand ways in which to do so. From then on, I was influenced to pursue my career with a hands-on approach to care. I went from being a patient of the clinic to also being a part of the team administering compassionate care. Outside the clinic, I enjoy knitting blankets and sweaters during the winter and gardening during the summer. As for my education and certification, I graduated with honors from the National Institute of Technology (NIT) with a myomassolgy degree. I specialize in a wide variety of treatments, including deep tissue, Swedish, reflexology, trigger point, and stretching massage techniques. While treating patients, my approach is to bring comfort with words and conversation. With that, I am excited to enhance your experience here at Porter and Clark Chiropractic.
Kye Rexford
L.M.T.
I’ve always been drawn to natural medicine, but seeing it help my brother recover from a serious injury sent me straight to massage school. I immediately knew this was the kind of place I wanted to be. I completed my training for massage therapy at Everest Institute in 2014. With that, I specialize in sports and Thai style, along with pregnancy, geriatrics, and hot stone massage. In addition, I specialize in post-surgery and injury care, as well as migraine care. My primary duties are handling massage treatments for patients. When I’m working with the doctors, I handle patient intake, facilitate the different therapies we apply in our clinic, and help everything run as smoothly as we can to ensure the best care we can offer. I contribute to quality care by working together with the other therapists, the doctors, and our chiropractic assistants to ensure our information is as accurate as can be and that we are using the most advantageous and effective treatments on a patient-by-patient basis. My hobbies and interests outside the clinic revolve mostly around art, games, movies, music, and cooking. I am very passionate about expression. Through any medium, I think people getting to express how they feel and what they want, whether it be my clients or artists, is a human necessity. My advice to patients seeking care is simply to ask them to try; even if they are nervous, expanding their care is my number one priority. I am confident in my approach and look forward to treating you next at Porter and Clark Chiropractic.
Evan Johnson
L.M.T.
I have always been very active in athletics all my life, and growing up, I had an injury that led me to various massage and physical therapy treatments, serving as my ultimate inspiration for this career. With that, I then graduated with a degree in sports medicine, branching off into massage therapy for over 8 years. My contributions to quality care for my patients are simply curated by the treatment plan I put in place. I take each patient and view them as an athlete with a top-tier outlook since we truly move from place to place, similar to the athletic mind and body. I then incorporate a wide variety of stretches that work to achieve an optimal range of motion for each person’s body type. I specialize in prenatal, deep tissue, Swedish, reiki, sports, and hot stone massages, along with many other forms of treatment. Outside of my work in healing, I enjoy all that comes with the outdoors, from kayaking to fishing. While improvement is what all patients want up front, I live by the motto, “pain is gain.” You must go through the pain to reach your goals of improvement. I look forward to assisting you with reaching your goals in your treatment and wellness at Porter and Clark Chiropractic.
Ashley Slaight
L.M.T.
Since a young age, I can remember caring for my mother through illness and neck pain, leading me to pursue a career in massage therapy and helping others with various treatments and techniques. My career started at a massage center and then shifted to the chiropractic environment here at Porter and Clark Chiropractic. Since working here, I have been so inspired by the holistic approach created between spinal care and tissue care. As far as my outlook on quality care, I view each patient’s concerns with a cause-effect-solution-based mentality, taking each element of their background and pain into account and using techniques and instructions throughout their treatment. For my education and certification, I graduated from Irene’s Myomassology Institute. In addition, I work to incorporate deep tissue work, energy work, chakras, and reflexology into my massages because I strongly believe they add to the emotional relief of my clients as well as the physical relief during treatment. Outside the clinic, I enjoy crafting, reading, and video gaming. My advice to patients seeking care is to approach their needs with an open mind, as I strongly believe everyone here at Porter and Clark Chiropractic excels with treatment outcomes and patient care. I am very excited to work with you to find what will make you feel your best.
Charlene Gurney
L.M.T.
Throughout my whole life, I have always had a natural intuition for massage therapy and care. After being a patient of Porter and Clark Chiropractic, I then chose to join the team to be a part of that treatment and positive experience. I am a graduate of Irene’s Myomassology Institute in Southfield, Michigan, where I received 700 hours of training in a variety of massage modalities along with knowledge of anatomy, physiology, and pathology. I genuinely care about people within this field and treating patients with the ability to hone in on factors and concerns regarding their health and well-being before a massage. I have experience with Swedish massage, trigger point release, deep tissue, neuromuscular therapy, cupping, dynamic stretching, orthopedic massage, and reflexology. In addition to my education at Irene’s, I am also a Reiki Level II practitioner, and I am passionate about energetic healing. When I’m not giving massages, I enjoy being outside in nature, gardening, kayaking, and also being with my cats. My strongest piece of advice within this field is to always listen to your body when unsure about care. I look forward to being a part of your healing journey at Porter and Clark Chiropractic.
Bruce Hardy
L.M.T.
My career in massage therapy started simply from a quick decision for both my well-being and personal finances. Growing into the career, I later realized how fascinating the industry of holistic health and technical myomassology truly is—more than I originally anticipated. With this aspiration, I then graduated from Irene’s Myomassology Institute in 2015. As a myomassologist, I have put in additional hours and training over the years, illustrating my dedication to this career. I specialize in different modalities such as trigger point, myofascial release, and Swedish massage. I take a piece-by-piece approach to patient quality care, taking each need and concern into account when treating each patient case to improve their outcome. I can provide you with various techniques for pain relief, muscle release, and relaxation. Outside of my position as a massage therapist, I enjoy fishing and being outdoors. I am also very passionate about drumming and music. Each of these works to add adventure to my life, allowing me to create a connection with patients with similar interests. Through effective communication and understanding of what my clients are looking for in a massage session, I aim to help you feel your best!
Julian Piunti
L.M.T.
I felt that by going into the chiropractic atomosphere, I would be given the chance to help people with chronic issues, along with holistic care, which I absolutely love. I’m passionate about serving people and making them feel happy, spreading joy, and being a light to others. My role within the clinic is to make sure I’m giving proper care and attention, listening to my clients’s needs, and meeting those needs. My primary responsibilities and duties are to give clients a massage on the areas they are feeling tension or restrictions in, or any other problematic area they are asking about. I also like to help them understand why I’m working in those areas. In addition to my roles, I contribute to providing quality care and service to patients by actively listening and repeating with them. As for my education and certification, I graduated from Dorsey Collage. For my hobbies outside of work, I enjoy outdoor activities like kayaking, biking, running, and camping. My strongest advice to my patients is that holistic care should always be the first approach. A little TLC of chiropractic mixed with massage therapy can optimize your health towards your goals of success. I look forward to working with you at Porter and Clark Chiropractic!
Mattie Baldensperger
L.M.T.
My ultimate inspiration to pursue massage therapy originally came from my mother, later realizing the amazing connection between chiropractic and massage care. As for my certification, I graduated from Irene’s Myomassology Institute. I specialize in swedish massage, pressure points, trigger points, headache massage, as well as a variety of other techniques. My contributions to quality care come from the characteristic of listening. I take each of my clients pain concerns into account when finding the best techniques to relieve their discomfort. In my free time I enjoy spending quality time with family, friends, and my fiancé. In addition, I enjoy being outdoors, hunting and fishing. Overall, I am passionate about helping my clients with respect, and I look forward to enhancing your care at Porter and Clark Chiropractic.
Nicholas Clark
Chiropractic Assistant, and Digital Media & Advertisement
While working at Porter & Clark Chiropractic Nick assists our patients and other visitors.
His primary duties include working alongside the doctors and providing each patient with a comfortable and welcoming environment.
Nick also works to improve our social media and website database, keeping patients up to date on all implementations within our clinic.
Erin Anderson
Chiropractic Assistant
While growing up, I have always been adjusted by a chiropractor, and I believe it is very important to always add a holistic health approach to our lives. That outlook has served as my inspiration as a chiropractic assistant at Porter and Clark Chiropractic. I have grown to enjoy taking x-rays, which brings aspirations for my future career path. You will find me working at the desk, communicating with patients, answering calls, and processing paperwork, growing positive communication within the clinic as a whole. In addition, I also enjoy spending time with friends and family and traveling. Overall, I am truly passionate about helping others as much as possible. We really don’t acknowledge what others are going through, which is why it is so important to capture not only a patient’s story but their goals in health and wellness. I look forward to enhancing your care at Porter and Clark Chiropractic.
Cindy Gothier
Chiropractic Assistant
I have been a member of the Porter and Clark Chiropractic team for 10+ years and was introduced to the values and positive healthcare clinic atmosphere by my sister, who previously worked alongside Dr. Porter with Nutritional Response Testing (NRT). The main roles I serve within our clinic include being a chiropractic assistant, assisting the doctors with NRT, and providing a comfortable and welcoming environment for each patient. On most days, you will find me filling out patient intakes and nutritional histories, placing phone calls at the desk for scheduling, and also assisting patients with supplement purchases. I am very passionate about family and wellbeing, and with that, I always want to help people by lifting them up to better themselves toward success in their health. Never hesitate to ask questions with myself and the doctors, as your healthcare and nutritional growth are my number one priorities.
Jaana Simmons
Chiropractic Assistant
I started working at Porter and Clark Chiropractic in 2012 when my mother asked if I wanted to join the team alongside her. In 2021, I shifted to working here full-time after making the conscious decision to pursue a career oriented toward healthcare assistance. Since then, I have found this position to be not only meaningful with its variety of lessons but also very fulfilling. As far as my contributions to quality care for our patients, my philosophy is to always lend a shoulder, putting their needs first when they are being cared for within our clinic. While working, you will find me alongside the doctors, providing each patient with a comfortable and welcoming environment and a personal treatment experience. Outside the clinic, I enjoy painting and crocheting for personal relaxation. My advice to patients seeking our care is to never be afraid to take the leap, making your health a priority. With this advice, I look forward to assisting you on your journey here at Porter and Clark Chiropractic.
Evelyn Kosowski
Chiropractic Assistant
Prior to working here at Porter and Clark Chiropractic, I was a 5th-grade science teacher at Bates Elementary School in Woodhaven, MI, for 31 years. My late husband was a chiropractor in Flat Rock, MI, and I came to work alongside him, assisting patients in addition to being a school teacher. I enjoyed being with the patients and seeing the results firsthand from his treatment and care. After I retired from teaching in 2005, I returned to chiropractic care at Porter and Clark Chiropractic, seeing many patients I remembered from the past. I continue to work here for socialization and to put the patient’s needs and care first. Primarily, I greet and check in patients, answer questions, collect patient payments, process paperwork, and schedule appointments. Outside the clinic, I enjoy walking my dog Penny multiple times a day as well as spending vacation time at my lake house in Irish Hills, MI. I look forward to getting to know each and every patient who walks into the clinic and bringing a smile to their face.
Savannah White
Chiropractic Assistant
I originally worked in sales and didn’t like that it was missing that interpersonal approach. When coming here at Porter and Clark Chiropractic, I am strongly influenced by the personal interactions, connections, and stories built with patients when working at the front desk. Primarily, I greet and check in patients, answer questions, collect patient payments, process paperwork, and schedule appointments. As far as quality care and building a positive environment for the clinic, I work to deeply understand each patient’s outside factors, bringing a kind and compassionate approach to lift them up while under our care. In my spare time, I really enjoy hiking through nature, reading, and painting. In addition, I am a big animal lover, so feel free to tell me stories about your pets during your next appointment.
Melissa Pierce
Chiropractic Assistant
Growing up with a handicapped brother, I was always taught to be more empathetic and willing to help. This ideology has enabled me to act in such ways within the clinic with the goal of seeing others improve firsthand. I first learned about Porter and Clark Chiropractic as a patient, and I was always so impressed by its comfortable atmosphere along with its family dynamic, and I knew I wanted to be a part of that. While working here, I love engaging with others, learning their names, and getting to know more about them. My primary roles include taking patients back, working with the doctors, scheduling appointments, and processing payments. In my spare time, I enjoy spending time with my family, being up north on the beach, and kayaking. I look forward to meeting you and assisting you while under the care of our clinic team!
Brittany Davidson
Billing & Office Manager
I am the office manager here at Porter and Clark Chiropractic. My job tends to stay in my office in the back of the clinic, where I deal with all office finances in addition to communicating with patients and doctors. As office manager, I am also responsible for keeping the clinic running smoothly and overseeing administrative support. Going back, I would have never thought my career would land me here when applying for an office job in a newspaper ad many years ago. A fun fact about myself is that I enjoy playing and collecting pianos. I also love traveling up north to Traverse City, Michigan.
Bailey Yuhasz
Patient Advocate, L.M.T.
My general responsibility as a patient advocate includes interviewing patients, identifying care problems, making referrals to appropriate healthcare services, directing patient inquiries, facilitating satisfactory resolutions, explaining policies to patients, assisting patients with choosing doctors, and many other forms of comforting our patients. In addition, I am also a certified massage therapist. I graduated from Irene’s Myomassology Institute in May 2022. My specializations range across a wide variety of therapies and techniques, including energy therapies, sports massage, relaxation techniques, Swedish massage, and foot reflexology. I find myself to be very enthusiastic about helping others achieve their health goals using mind, body, and soul connections. Working with patients as a patient advocate over the years has made me want to expand my horizons to working with patients individually in addition to what I was already doing. By having both of these positions, I feel the uniqueness of both guiding others through their treatment while also being a part of that healing process as a massage therapist. One way I contribute to quality care is simply with a smile and an upbeat personality, as enthusiasm is a key component in uplifting the clinic environment. Outside of the things I do at the clinic, I enjoy kickboxing, golf, and fishing. I like to advise my patients with the ideology that everything takes time and you have to give yourself grace, especially with your health and well-being. With that, I am enthusiastic about being part of that journey at Porter and Clark Chiropractic.
