California to the UP: Valerie Whiteman on Community, Courage, and Full-Circle Life | Conversations with a Chiropractor cover art

California to the UP: Valerie Whiteman on Community, Courage, and Full-Circle Life | Conversations with a Chiropractor

California to the UP: Valerie Whiteman on Community, Courage, and Full-Circle Life | Conversations with a Chiropractor

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 California to the UP: Valerie Whiteman on Community, Courage, and Full-Circle Life | Conversations with a Chiropractor Episode Description In this warm, funny, and surprisingly moving episode of Conversations with a Chiropractor, Dr. Stephanie Wautier is joined by Valerie Whiteman, the familiar face and steady presence so many patients recognize the moment they walk through the door. Valerie is the kind of person strangers tell their life story to in the banana aisle, and in this conversation, you'll understand exactly why. They start with a detail most people don't know: Valerie once won a game show. Not "kind of" won, actually won, walking away with $8,000 in 1986 and a story that still feels unreal. From there, the episode opens up into Valerie's roots, including the family history that runs from England to Montreal to California, and the adventurous streak she clearly inherited. Valerie also shares the harder chapters: losing her dad at four, moving in with her grandparents, and being shaped by the kind of quiet love that changes your whole trajectory. And then, in a twist that surprises a lot of people who know her today, she talks about going through the police academy and serving as an officer in Southern California, including what she saw, what stayed with her, and how she learned to de-escalate with words. The conversation lands right where it started: real-life connection. Valerie's mom "Grandma Betty" became part of Stephanie's family story, and the two reflect on the weird beauty of time, how life cycles around, and what it means to treat people the way you'd want to be treated. If you like episodes that feel like a front-porch chat with actual depth, this one sticks. 🎧 In This Episode, Discover: The behind-the-scenes story of Valerie winning Card Sharks and what that money meant in 1986 Valerie's family roots from England to Montreal to California, including a candy shop chapter How early loss shaped her, and how her grandparents became a foundation What it was like to live in Hawaii, immerse in Polynesian culture, and carry that experience forward The surprising chapter: police academy, gang detail, and what law enforcement taught her about people Why Valerie's superpower is de-escalation, intuition, and making others feel safe How she landed in the UP, built a family, and became part of the Wautier Wellness "home base" The full-circle story of how Valerie and Dr. Stephanie met, and why it still matters 19 years later What gives Valerie the most joy now, and why family hits different as you get older Stay Connected & Explore Connect with Conversations with a Chiropractor: Follow Us on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@ConversationswithaChiro Follow Dr. Stephanie on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wautierwellness Email for Show-Related Inquiries and Sponsorships: drstephaniewautier@yahoo.com Credits: Podcast production by Brand|Sound. Start your podcast journey by emailing brandsoundpodcasts@gmail.com. Chapters 00:00 Intro and why this show is more "fireside chat" than how-to 00:41 Meet Valerie Whiteman, the face everyone knows at the front desk 01:10 The secret story: Valerie won a game show 02:10 Card Sharks, auditions, and the "game of chance" reality 03:05 What $8,000 meant in 1986 and what she did with it 03:45 Family roots: England to Montreal to California 04:30 A candy shop in Montreal and a mother's adventurous bus trip 05:45 Grandma Betty, Stephanie's kids, and why Valerie's mom mattered so much 07:05 Why people tell Valerie everything, everywhere 08:15 Mattel, early Barbie-era stories, and being a "toy tester" 09:30 Valerie's dad, family history, and losing him at four 11:10 Living with grandparents and being shaped by quiet love 12:20 Hawaii, culture, and learning through immersion 14:35 Police academy and serving as an officer in Southern California 16:10 De-escalation, being a woman in law enforcement, and using words to lower the temperature 18:20 Marriage, the Air Force, and moving to the UP 19:35 Building a life in Gwinn, raising three daughters, and the gift of small-town community 21:05 Grandkids, time moving too fast, and full-circle reflections 24:10 How Valerie and Dr. Stephanie met, and why their story feels stitched together on purpose 26:00 Closing thoughts on purpose, people, and treating others well
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