The Joint Chiropractic - Acworth

Dr. Andrew St. Bernard, commonly called Dr. Andrew by his patients, joined The Joint Chiropractic in 2017 as part of the Acworth clinic’s team of local chiropractors. “If I can’t adjust it,” he says, “it’s not meant to be adjusted.”

Dr. Andrew graduated from University of Western Ontario in 2006 with a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology, and a doctorate of chiropractic from Life University.

He loves being engaged with those who come into The Joint seeking relief from pain and improved wellness. Their reactions are priceless.

“The thing I like best about being in the chiropractic field is seeing the relief in my patients’ faces after a great adjustment,” he says.

“The other thing I love is being part of a solution to end chronic health problems and promote a vitalistic, thriving lifestyle in my community.”

Working out, particularly in CrossFit and natural bodybuilding and physique, is what Dr. Andrew enjoys doing in his spare time.

Dr. Andrew hopes everyone appreciates going into the Acworth clinic as much as he does. “I enjoy creating an environment that is warm, friendly, and fun for my patients, and contributes positively to their livelihood,” he says.

In Case You Didn’t Know

In his daily routine, Dr. Andrew must have coffee, coconut oil, whey protein concentrate, and almond butter on hand “because of their healthy gains.”

Dr. Andrew says his ideal dinner party would include Jesus Christ, late night talk show host Jimmy Fallon, and comedic actors Jim Gaffigan and Terry Crews, “because dinner should always be accompanied by meaningful conversation and humor!”

When talk turns to the coolest thing each of them has done, Dr. Andrew says his go-to story will be about the time he dove off a 40-foot cliff into Caribbean waters.

Dr. Michael Costa began his career in health care in his native Boston working as a research coordinator at Boston City Hospital, the real “St. Elsewhere”. He worked in public and private Emergency Medicine positions before deciding on a career in chiropractic.

A 1990 graduate of National University of Health Sciences, where he was a member of DTA Honorary Society and the recipient of the Outstanding Intern Award, as well as earing a Diplomate in Chiropractic Orthopedics. He returned to Boston where he practiced for 15 years. He was chosen as a provider in several studies of low back pain and treatment methods published through Harvard Medical School, as well providing chiropractic to patients through the Harvard Vanguard HMO.

He and His wife of 36 years, Trisha, relocated to Atlanta in 2018 where 2 of their 3 children reside.

Dr. Joel Koeppen began his career in chiropractic after a successful thirteen year career in construction building and remodeling homes and installing and maintain large venue audio/visual systems for mega churches. His experiences left him looking for a one-on-one approach to helping people. That is when he realized how powerful chiropractic was.

Dr. Joel attended Life University in Marietta, GA, earning a bachelor’s degree in biology as well as a professional degree as doctor of chiropractic. While in school he helped raise his five kids who are now 13, 13, 14, 17, and 18 and worked part-time as an audio-visual specialist for Life U.

Dr. Joel has special interest in and is pursuing advanced training in scoliosis specific rehabilitative chiropractic care. His wife of 19 years, Sarah, was diagnosed with scoliosis as a young teenager and is part of the reason Dr. Joel became a chiropractor.

In addition to his growing love of chiropractic Dr. Joel is engaged in the local community mentoring young couples alongside his wife Sarah. He is active in his own private practice, as well as in his wife Sarah’s non-profit The Hope Box. He also enjoys mountain biking, playing basketball, hiking, fishing, and golfing with his family.

Dr. Milan Modi is originally an Illinois native. He completed high school in Southern Illinois. For his undergraduate degree, he attended the prestigious Syracuse University in Upstate New York. With a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Exercise Science, he continued on and pursued a Doctorate in Chiropractic at Life University in Marietta, GA.

When it comes to Chiropractic, Dr. Modi believes in making sure the patient is at complete ease before adjusting. 

In his spare time, Dr. Modi loves to be outdoor and spend quality time with his friends and family.

Dr. Joel better known as Dr. D, was very busy living in New York. He was teaching special education for the New York City Board of Education during the day, studying to become an Exercise Physiologist, while managing a department store at night and teaching snow skiing on weekends. Dr. D believes things always happen for a reason. He experienced a serious skiing injury two days before his brother came to visit during a holiday break. His brother was a chiropractic student at that time and gave Dr. D his first chiropractic adjustment. After his brother finished his treatment Dr. D said “I have to learn how to do this, what a great way to help people.”

Dr. D has a strong sporting background and has played on multiple organized competitive sport teams. He participated in a sports related research study for the US Navy while preparing to attend Life College. He has also studied sports medicine while attending Life Chiropractic College.

Dr. D graduated Life Chiropractic College in 1986. He covered numerous doctors’ offices gaining great experience until 1988 when he opened his own office.

One of Dr. D’s mentors, Dr. MT Morter Jr., the founder of Bio Energetic Synchronization Technique (B.E.S.T.) told him: “When you become good at this technique, more and more difficult, challenging cases will walk into your office”. Well, Dr. D says, “that is so so true! I have become the ‘Last Resort’ Doctor.” Dr. D became certified as one of only 45 Master B.E.S.T. practitioners in the United States in 1997.

Dr. D is also known by his patients as “The Wizard of Wellness.”

He says, “I love being the detective and figuring out what needs to be done to neutralize the interference allowing the body to heal itself. More is not better, find the specific subluxation causing the problem. Doctors don’t fix anything, bodies heal! It brings me such joy watching patients health improve right before my eyes”.

Dr. D is constantly teaching The Habits of Health: What you eat, what you drink, how you exercise, how you rest, the quality of the air you breathe and what you think!!!

One habit that Dr. D takes very seriously is exercise. Every morning before coming into the clinic Dr. D teaches either Boot Camp, Cycle or Aqua Aerobics at LA Fitness.

Dr. D explains most people think its 80% exercise and 20% nutrition to maintain your weight for good health. It’s actually 80% nutrition and 20% exercise.

Dr. D believes that laughter has great healing powers. Dr. D is serious when he has to be; however, most of the time he is cracking up and joking around with his patients and staff. He says, “My Dad taught me when I was very young: you will never work a day in your life if you do what you love and you love what you do. I most definitely DO”.

In case you didn’t know:

When Dr. D isn’t teaching, helping people get healthy or spending time with his 2 adult children, he and his wife Audrey of 36 years are either cruising, traveling or playing with their rescued dogs, cats or koi.

Dr. Deborah Miller became a member of The Joint Chiropractic’s network of local chiropractors in 2015 when she joined the Acworth clinic.

She earned an associate of science degree from Clayton State in Morrow, Ga., and then her doctorate magna cum laude from Life Chiropractic College in Marietta. She also went on to earn a bachelor’s degree cum laude from Excelsior College in Albany, N.Y.

“The thing I like best about being in the chiropractic field is helping people get better,” Dr. Miller says. “The other thing is all the interesting folks I’ve met.”

A product of southeast Florida, she has worked throughout the Atlanta area.

When she has some free time, Dr. Miller enjoys reading, though she admits “there’s never enough time,” along with working out, the outdoors, watching movies, and spending time with her friends and family, including her grown son and daughter. She is also fond of walking her dogs, a dachshund named Katan and a Labrador mix named Mina.

Dr. Miller says she became a true believer in chiropractic based on first-hand knowledge while in her teens.

“The first time I went for chiropractic care was following a car accident when I was 19,” she explains. “I realized that chronic digestive issues I had suffered began to improve. The doctor had brochures in his office about a career in chiropractic, and the rest is history.”

That history includes a wonderful time at The Joint’s Acworth clinic. “The thing I like best about working at this particular location is everyone associated with this clinic,” she says. “Owner, doctors and patients are just terrific.”

In Case You Didn’t Know

According to Dr. Miller, “the one thing that I cannot do without in my life is my faith, and being involved in science is another opportunity to learn about God.”

“I've been given the ability to bring healing to people, and I am honored to be able to use these gifts and talents,” she says. “These things are all linked together.”

If Dr. Miller could dine with any foursome, she would choose Jesus Christ, artist Vincent van Gogh, President Abraham Lincoln, and author C.S. Lewis.

“I’ve learned a great deal from their lives and/or writings that have made me a better person,” she says.

I moved from PA to GA in 1980 to attend Chiropractic College and fell in love with the south! My father was a Chiropractor and I intended to go back to PA to practice with him, but life got in the way and I ended up opening a practice in Georgia. After 36 years, I made the decision to retire.

I had been a patient at the Joint for 4 1/2 years but the doctors didn't know I was also a Chiropractor. One day one of the docs asked me what I did for a living. When I told him he regaled me with wonderful stories about working at the Joint. And so it began. I loved the Joint from the patient side of the table and I love it even more from the doctor side!

Dr. Reem Samhat graduated from Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan with her Bachelors of Science and Biology. Her next stop was a Masters in Neurobiology and Molecule Cell Biology from Wayne State as well. Finally she graduated with honors from National University of Health Sciences in Chicago, Illinois with her Chiropractic Medicine degree after studying at the Saint Petersburg satellite campus.

She realized that chiropractic was the profession for her because of her own struggles with back pain. For years she dealt with pain due to scoliosis and didn’t realize what was happening until she met a chiropractor who was able to give her the answers she been searching for. The impact on her was powerful enough that she wanted to be able to give those same answers to others as well as helping them find relief from their pains.

Dr. Reem has dabbled in a few different specializations within chiropractic to make her approach to care as diverse as possible. While in chiropractic school, she started to explain her knowledge in sports medicine and nutrition realms. She has recently started pursuing her Webster technique certification to help ease the pains of pregnancy and allow as smooth of childbirth as possible.

She is a Detroit native, spending 26 years of her life there. She has a 3 year old poodle named Buddy who spends most of her free time taking him on hikes and nature walks. When she’s not out with Buddy she enjoys vacationing with her husband and experiencing different cuisines.