LIFEforce Tribe Member
Spotlight
Drs . Laurie and Lou Briegel
Life University is proud to recognize Drs . Laurie and Lou Briegel as the recipients of our 2021 Will Not Stop Award . Between their work as university ambassadors in the LIFEforce program and their top-notch healthcare available at their Wellness Clinic , these two are ceaselessly propelling Life University and the chiropractic field forward .
The Briegels met at County College of Morris in New Jersey before completing their chiropractic training at Life U ; Lou graduated in ‘ 80 and Laurie in ‘ 82 , but in many ways they have never really left . As members of LIFEforce , they volunteer their time to meet with prospective students interested in attending Life U and offer them guidance on whether or not a future in Chiropractic is something they want to pursue . When asked how much the school had changed since graduating , the pair laughed , and Dr . Lou said “ Everything , except for the philosophy the school was built on . The campus has grown so much .” Dr . Laurie filled in that , “ I don ’ t know if we can quite call it exponential growth , but it feels like that .”
Drs . Lou and Laurie Briegel pose with their LIFEforce Will Not Stop Award received at this year ’ s LIFE Vision Extravaganza / Fall CElebration event .
The Briegels set up their Wellness Chiropractic Clinic in Canton , Georgia in 1981 following Dr . Lou ’ s graduation . Set on two wooded acres of land , they have carefully cultivated a welcoming environment to aid in caring for their patients . If your assumption of a healthcare facility involves bright , sterile lights and a miserly sense of comfort , then the Wellness Clinic will blow you away . “ It has a feeling of serenity . We even have a koi pond where people can sit and enjoy the day before or after their adjustment ,” described Dr . Laurie . You can hear in their voices the pride they have in being able to provide this calm healing environment . Inside , their facility stretches more than 4,000 square feet , allowing ample room and privacy for patients whether they need information on nutrition or natural approaches to health and wellness . Furthermore , they offer a full-spectrum practice , “ We have pregnant women , and everyone from infants to 99 year olds . It really is a full family practice with the whole gamut ; we ’ ve seen everything .”
One of the most exciting components of the Wellness Clinic is how it also acts as a satellite site of learning for Life U students . For the past 10 years , the Briegels have also been involved in Life U ’ s PEAK program , accepting as many as six interns per semester from Life U to give them direct , hands-on experience in everything from chiropractic adjustments to the business side of managing the facility . These interns are chosen not just for their outstanding skill academically , but the Briegels stress that what will really catch their eye is passion . Just like their work as LIFEforce ambassadors , they want to find people who are genuinely interested in providing care and will take on the chance to learn to the maximum . They want to work with students who “ will not stop until everyone on the planet receives or has access to the choice to receive chiropractic care . That ’ s the mission of LIFEforce . It ' s not about us and our practice ; it ' s about the future ,” explained Dr . Lou .
It is this ambition and consistency that Life U is looking to honor and reward with our Will Not Stop Award . Dr . Laurie explained how this process continues every day at their work , “ There are a lot of people out there yearning for information about how they can find natural ways of experiencing a better life , so one of the biggest things we try to offer is that education .” It is clear that in developing tomorrow ’ s chiropractic professionals , as well as providing elite care to their patients , the Briegels are crucial for moving vitalistic health care and Life U into the future .
42 Alumni . LIFE . edu | 2021