Designing Your Practice with Compassion

Recorded On: 01/21/2026

Designing Your Practice with Compassion is a practical and inspiring session that explores how trauma-informed care principles can be integrated into every aspect of chiropractic practice. Participants will learn how intentional choices in office layout, communication, and clinical interactions can help patients feel safer, more respected, and more engaged in their care. This session addresses the impact of power dynamics in the provider-patient relationship and offers concrete strategies to build trust, support autonomy, and recognize signs of discomfort or trauma history. Topics include nonverbal communication, informed consent practices, and approaches to adjusting that prioritize patient agency. Attendees will also examine how practice policies, staff culture, and branding can reflect values like empathy, inclusivity, and accessibility. The presentation encourages reflection on systems that prevent provider burnout and promote sustainable, purpose-driven care. By the end of the session, participants will leave with actionable tools and mindset shifts to design a chiropractic practice rooted in compassion—one that enhances both clinical outcomes and the overall patient experience.

Learning Objectives:
• Objective 1: Define trauma-informed care and describe how its core principles apply to chiropractic practice.
• Objective 2: Identify key power dynamics in provider-patient interactions and strategies to foster trust, safety, and autonomy.
• Objective 3: Evaluate elements of office layout and environment that can support or hinder patient comfort and emotional safety.
• Objective 4: Apply trauma-sensitive communication techniques, including informed consent and nonverbal awareness, in clinical encounters.

Hourly Breakdown:
• Introduction & Objectives – 5 minutes
• What Is Trauma-Informed Care? – 10 minutes
• Power Dynamics in Chiropractic Settings – 10 minutes
• Designing a Compassionate Office Environment – 10 minutes
• Communication & Consent with Compassion – 10 minutes
• Practice Policies That Promote Safety & Trust – 10 minutes
• Q&A / Closing Reflections – 5 minutes

This course is presented as part of the ACA Engage 2026 educational programming.

This course is worth 1 CE credit in ACA-approved and PACE-accepted states. CEUs have been applied for in California, Florida, Georgia, and Texas.

View a list of accepted and approved states.

PACE ID: ON121264

Kristy Carbonelli, DC

Parker University

Kristy Carbonelli, DC is the department chair of basic sciences at Parker University, where she leads faculty across foundational science disciplines and oversees critical teaching environments, including the Gross Anatomy Lab and the Willed Body Program. Her leadership centers on strong curriculum design, student support, and preparing future chiropractors to deliver care that is both effective and compassionate. 

From 2005 to 2017, Dr. Carbonelli served patients in private practice before transitioning into academia as a clinic faculty doctor from 2017 to 2019. These experiences continue to inform her of her commitment to bridging education with the practical realities of patient care and professional sustainability. 

A certified trainer in trauma-informed care, Dr. Carbonelli’s scholarship and teaching emphasize how communication, environment, and policy influence a patient’s sense of safety and engagement. She redesigned the Business of Chiropractic course at Parker to ensure students graduate with the tools to build operationally sound, patient-focused practices that support personal and professional well-being. 

Dr. Carbonelli serves as president of the Faculty American Chiropractic Association (FACA) and as faculty advisor to the Student ACA (SACA), helping strengthen advocacy, leadership, and professional development within the chiropractic community. She presents nationally on trauma-informed approaches and innovation in chiropractic education. 

Her work is grounded in a clear belief: When we intentionally design how we show up, communicate, and structure care, patients benefit and providers thrive. A compassionate practice is not accidental; it is built thoughtfully from the start. 