What to Expect at Your First Chiropractic Visit in Pleasant Hill
You've been thinking about chiropractic care for weeks. Maybe months.
But you keep hesitating because you're not sure what to expect.
Will it hurt? Will there be cracking and popping? Will you have to commit to coming forever?
These questions are exactly why people wait too long to get the support their body is asking for.
Here's what actually happens at your first visit to Life Force Chiropractic in Pleasant Hill.
What Makes This Approach Different
If you've had chiropractic care before, or if you've heard stories from friends, you might be expecting forceful adjustments, quick appointments, and a focus on getting your spine to "crack."
That's not what happens here.
Life Force Chiropractic uses a gentle, nervous system-centered approach called Bio-Geometric Integration (BGI). Instead of forcing your body into alignment, we work with your body's innate intelligence to help it release what it's holding and return to its natural balance.
What makes BGI different:
The adjustments are light. We use precise, gentle contacts along your spine and body that communicate with your nervous system rather than overriding it. Most people are surprised by how subtle the touch is, and even more surprised by how much shifts.
The philosophy is whole-body, whole-person. We're not just looking at your spine in isolation. We're observing how your entire system is organized, how your nervous system is responding, and what your body is trying to communicate through its patterns.
We listen before we adjust.
Your body has wisdom. It knows what it needs. Our role is to attune to that intelligence and support the changes your body is ready to make. This means we're not following a protocol or treating everyone the same way. We're meeting you where you are.
For people in Pleasant Hill, Walnut Creek, Lafayette, and the broader Bay Area who are tired of forceful approaches or who want care that addresses the whole system, not just symptoms, this is what we offer.
Before You Arrive
What to bring:
• Any relevant medical records or imaging, though not required
• A list of current medications or supplements if you'd like us to know
• Questions you want to ask
What to wear:
Comfortable clothing you can move in easily. Most people wear what they'd wear to yoga or the gym. You'll remain fully clothed during the entire visit.
Forms and paperwork:
We keep this brief. You'll complete a health history form that asks about your current symptoms, past injuries, and what's brought you in. But we're more interested in the conversation we'll have than the paperwork.
Finding the office:
Life Force Chiropractic is located in Pleasant Hill, easily accessible from Walnut Creek, Lafayette, Orinda, Concord, and surrounding areas. There's parking directly in front of the building. The office itself is designed to feel calm and welcoming, not clinical or sterile.
Your First Visit: Step by Step
Your first appointment is either 30 or 60 minutes, depending on what you book. Most people choose the 60-minute initial visit because it allows more time for conversation and a thorough first adjustment.
Initial Consultation (20-30 minutes)
We start by talking. This isn't a rushed intake. This is a real conversation about what's happening in your body and your life.
What we ask about:
• What brought you in today (symptoms, concerns, goals)
• Your health history (injuries, surgeries, chronic conditions)
• How stress shows up in your body
• Your sleep, energy, and digestion patterns
• What you've already tried and whether it helped
Why we ask these questions:
Your nervous system's state affects everything. Shoulder tension isn't just about your shoulders. Jaw pain isn't just about your jaw. Fatigue isn't just about sleep. These are all expressions of how your nervous system is organizing itself.
By understanding your whole experience, not just the symptom that brought you in, we can address the underlying patterns rather than just chasing symptoms.
What we want to know about your goals:
Are you looking for relief from specific pain or tension? Support during pregnancy? Help with stress-related symptoms? Care for your whole family? Understanding what matters to you helps us work together toward what you actually want, not what we think you should want.
Physical Assessment
After we've talked, we move to observation and assessment.
What we observe:
• How you stand, sit, and move
• Patterns in your posture and alignment
• Areas of visible tension or restriction
• How your body responds to gentle palpation
• Indicators of nervous system state (breath pattern, muscle tone, etc.)
The assessment is gentle. We're not asking you to contort into uncomfortable positions or endure painful testing. We're gathering information about how your body is currently organized and where it's holding patterns that might be contributing to what you're experiencing.
With Bio-Geometric Integration, we're looking at the geometry of your body. How forces move through your structure. Where restrictions are preventing optimal function. Where your nervous system might be creating protective holding patterns.
This isn't about finding what's "wrong" with you. It's about understanding what your body has adapted to and what support might help it release those adaptations.
Your First Adjustment
Now comes the part people are often most curious (and sometimes nervous) about.
What it looks like:
You'll lie on the adjustment table, usually face down to start. Dr. Alandi will make light contacts along your spine and body using her hands. These contacts are precise but gentle. There's no forcing, no twisting, no sudden movements.
Sometimes we use small wedges placed under your body to work with gravity and allow your system to release naturally. Sometimes the adjustment happens with you lying still while we hold specific contacts. Sometimes your body will respond with subtle movement, a deep breath, or a softening.
What you'll feel:
Most people say the touch is surprisingly light. You might feel warmth, tingling, or a sense of something shifting. Some people feel nothing obvious in the moment but notice changes afterward. Others feel immediate release of tension or a sense of their body reorganizing.
Your nervous system might respond with a deep sigh, tears, yawning, or subtle movement. These are all healthy signs of release. We create space for whatever needs to happen.
Why less force creates more lasting change:
When adjustments are forceful, your nervous system often braces against them. Your body interprets the force as threat and tightens to protect itself. The adjustment might create temporary relief, but the pattern returns because the nervous system hasn't actually released.
With gentle, nervous system-centered adjustments, your body doesn't need to defend. It can receive the input and respond organically. The changes that happen this way tend to integrate more deeply and last longer.
After the Adjustment
We don't rush you off the table. You'll have time to integrate. To notice what's different. To let your system settle into whatever has shifted.
When you're ready, we'll talk about what happened and what you might notice in the hours and days after. Some people feel immediate relief. Some feel spacey or deeply relaxed. Some notice changes that emerge over the next 24-48 hours.
Self-care recommendations might include:
• Gentle movement or stretching
• Extra water to support your body's integration
• Time to rest if your system needs it
• Awareness of what feels different
We'll also discuss whether ongoing care makes sense for you and what that might look like. There's no pressure. No mandatory care plans. We work with what serves you.
Common Questions People Have Before Their First Visit
Will it hurt?
No. The adjustments are gentle and should not cause pain. Most people find them deeply relaxing.
Occasionally, if your body has been holding tension for a long time, you might experience some tenderness as patterns release. This is similar to the soreness you might feel after a good massage. It's your body adjusting to a new state, not damage or injury.
If anything ever feels uncomfortable during the adjustment, you can tell us and we'll modify our approach. Your comfort and sense of safety are essential to the work.
Will you crack my back?
Only if your body asks for it, and we'll never force it.
Some adjustments naturally involve joint movement that creates sound (cavitation). When this happens organically as part of a gentle adjustment, it's fine. But we're not trying to make your spine crack. That's not the goal of Bio-Geometric Integration.
Many adjustments happen with no sound at all. The body releases without needing the dramatic "pop" that people associate with traditional chiropractic.
How long are appointments?
Your first visit is either 30 or 60 minutes depending on what you book. Most people choose the 60-minute option for the initial visit to allow time for thorough conversation and assessment.
Follow-up appointments are also 30 or 60 minutes, depending on what you need and prefer. Some people benefit from the extended time. Others find that 30 minutes serves them well once we've established care.
Do I have to keep coming forever?
No. You're never locked into ongoing care.
Some people come for a specific issue and stop once it's resolved. Others choose ongoing care because they value the nervous system support and want to maintain the changes. Some come seasonally or when they notice patterns returning.
We'll make recommendations based on what we observe, but the decision is always yours. Our goal is to support your body's capacity to regulate and heal, not to create dependence.
What if I'm nervous about being adjusted?
Many people feel nervous before their first visit. That's completely normal.
We work at your pace. If you need to talk more before the adjustment, we'll talk. If you want to start with very minimal contact to see how your body responds, we can do that. If you need to pause or stop at any point, that's fine.
The gentleness of the approach helps. Most people are surprised at how safe the adjustments feel once they experience them. But we'll never push you to do something your body isn't ready for.
What People Notice After Their First Visit
Everyone responds differently, but there are common patterns people describe.
Immediately after:
• Breathing feels easier and deeper
• Tension in shoulders, neck, or jaw has softened
• Sense of being more present in your body
• Mental clarity or a feeling of spaciousness
• Deep relaxation or even sleepiness
In the first 24-48 hours:
• Integration continues as your body adjusts to the new patterns
• You might feel deeply tired (your nervous system is doing repair work)
• Some people experience mild soreness as held tension releases
• Emotions might surface unexpectedly (this is nervous system release)
• Sleep often improves even after one session
Why some people feel emotional:
Your body stores unprocessed emotions and experiences in your tissues. When structure shifts and nervous system patterns release, those stored emotions can surface.
Tears, laughter, anger, grief—whatever emerges is healthy. It's your system completing processes that couldn't finish before. We hold space for this as part of the healing work.
Building on the first adjustment:
One adjustment can create noticeable change, but lasting transformation usually requires your nervous system to learn new patterns over time. Each adjustment builds on the last, teaching your body that it's safe to release what it's been holding.
Most people find that changes deepen with consistent care. Patterns that have been present for years need time and repetition to fully shift.
Who This Approach Serves
Life Force Chiropractic serves a wide range of people in Pleasant Hill and throughout the Bay Area.
You might especially benefit from this approach if you're:
A desk worker dealing with tension from sitting at a computer all day. Many people from Walnut Creek, Lafayette, and Pleasant Hill area tech companies find that nervous system-centered care addresses the chronic activation that comes with high-stress work environments.
Someone with chronic tension or pain that hasn't responded to conventional approaches. If you've tried traditional chiropractic, physical therapy, massage, or other treatments without lasting relief, the nervous system focus might be what's been missing.
Looking for an alternative to forceful adjustments. If you've had negative experiences with aggressive chiropractic care, or if your body is sensitive and needs a gentler approach, BGI offers effective care without force.
Curious about nervous system-centered healing. Maybe you've been learning about nervous system regulation, somatic work, or body-based approaches to healing. This is chiropractic that aligns with that understanding.
Seeking care for your whole family. We work with people of all ages, from newborns to seniors. The gentleness makes it appropriate for infants, children, pregnant women, and elderly folks. Many families in the Pleasant Hill area come together for care.
Anyone experiencing:
Chronic shoulder or neck tension
Headaches or migraines
Fatigue that won't resolve
Sleep disruption
Digestive issues related to nervous system dysregulation
Stress-related symptoms
Pregnancy-related discomfort
Recovery from injury or surgery
What Sets Life Force Chiropractic Apart
Dr. Alandi's training and approach:
Dr. Alandi is a Doctor of Chiropractic trained in Bio-Geometric Integration, a gentle and highly effective approach that works with the body's geometric organization and nervous system intelligence. She's also a Reiki Master and integrates craniosacral therapy into her care.
Her background includes training in the arts and athletics, which informs her understanding of embodiment and movement. She approaches each person as a whole being, not a collection of symptoms.
Integration of modalities:
Sessions may include chiropractic adjustments, craniosacral work, and Reiki depending on what your body needs. These modalities work synergistically, all supporting your nervous system's capacity to regulate and heal.
Nervous system as organizing principle:
Everything we do is informed by understanding how your nervous system shapes your experience. This means we're not just addressing physical structure. We're supporting your body's capacity to feel safe, to release protective patterns, and to access its natural healing intelligence.
Attunement and presence as therapeutic tools:
Dr. Alandi's ability to attune to what your body is communicating creates a foundation of safety that allows change to happen. The quality of presence in the room matters as much as the technical skill of the adjustment.
This is care that listens. Care that meets you where you are. Care that honors what your body already knows.
Ready to Experience It Yourself?
If you're in Pleasant Hill, Walnut Creek, Lafayette, Orinda, Concord, Clayton, or anywhere in the Bay Area, we'd love to support you.
Two locations:
Pleasant Hill: Wed 3–7 pm, Thu 1–7 pm, Fri 1–6 pm, Sat 12–4 pm
San Francisco (Inner Sunset): Mondays only, 1–7 pm
How to book:
Visit our website to book online, or call the office if you have questions first. We're happy to talk through whether this approach is right for you before you commit to an appointment.
Insurance:
We're out-of-network providers. Many insurance plans offer out-of-network chiropractic benefits, and we can provide a superbill for you to submit for reimbursement. Contact your insurance company to verify your specific benefits.
What to do if you have more questions:
Call or email the office. We're here to answer questions and help you feel clear about whether this care is right for you.
Your body has been asking for support. This might be the moment to listen.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you take insurance?
We're out-of-network providers, which means we don't bill insurance directly. However, many insurance plans offer out-of-network chiropractic benefits. We provide a detailed superbill that you can submit to your insurance company for reimbursement.
We recommend calling your insurance company before your first visit to ask about your out-of-network chiropractic benefits. Specifically ask about your deductible, copay, and how many visits are covered per year.
Where are you located in Pleasant Hill?
Life Force Chiropractic is centrally located in Pleasant Hill with easy access from Walnut Creek, Lafayette, Orinda, Concord, and Clayton. Parking is available directly in front of the building. The exact address and directions are provided when you book your appointment.
We also have a San Francisco location in the Inner Sunset neighborhood, open Mondays only from 1-7pm.
Do you work with children, seniors, and pregnant women?
Yes. The gentle nature of Bio-Geometric Integration makes it appropriate for people of all ages.
We work with infants (even newborns), children, teenagers, adults, pregnant women, and seniors. The approach is adapted to each person's needs and what their body can receive.
Many families in the Pleasant Hill area come for care together. Parents bring their children. Adult children bring their aging parents. The care serves everyone.
How is this different from a traditional chiropractor?
Traditional chiropractic often focuses on spinal alignment through forceful adjustments, with the goal of "fixing" misalignments. Appointments tend to be brief, and the approach can be somewhat generic.
Nervous system-centered chiropractic using Bio-Geometric Integration works with your body's intelligence rather than overriding it. The adjustments are gentle. The appointments are longer. The focus is on supporting your nervous system's capacity to regulate, not just adjusting bones.
We're interested in the whole system, not just the spine. We take time to understand your experience. And we work with your body's natural healing capacity rather than forcing it.
Can I book online?
Yes. Visit our website to see available appointment times and book directly online. You can also call the office if you prefer to book over the phone or if you have questions first.
About Dr. Alandi Stec
Dr. Alandi is a Doctor of Chiropractic and Reiki Master practicing nervous system-centered care in Pleasant Hill and San Francisco, California. Her work integrates Bio-Geometric Integration, craniosacral therapy, and somatic practices to support the body's natural capacity for regulation and healing. She serves clients locally throughout the Bay Area and nationally through online courses focused on nervous system attunement and embodied wellness.