SLP 532: Choosing Yourself at Any Age- Bridget Melling-Williams’ Journey to Chiropractic Care

In this uplifting and deeply grounded conversation, Kim speaks with Dr Bridget Melling-Williams — chiropractor, artist, mother, and wholehearted advocate for following your passions at any age. Bridget shares her remarkable life journey, beginning on a farm in country New South Wales and leading her to a meaningful career in chiropractic on the Sunshine Coast. Bridget opens up about her early years, including the challenges of boarding school and the independence it fostered, followed by her transition into the arts and design world in Melbourne. She reflects on the unexpected pivot that came later in life. Returning to study at age 45 and finding her calling in chiropractic care. Bridget discusses how her creativity and artistic background inform her intuitive, patient centred approach to practice, where trust, connection, and presence take centre stage. Together, Kim and Bridget explore the realities of balancing family life with big dreams. She also speaks lovingly about their move to the Sunshine Coast, embracing ocean swims, surfing, and the relaxed Queensland lifestyle. The conversation then dives into chiropractic care and nervous system health. Kim and Bridget highlight the importance of stillness, breathwork, and creating space in a busy world to support emotional and physical wellbeing. The episode also touches on endurance racing, the camaraderie of the UTMB event, and the mental resilience required for long-distance challenges — both on the trails and in life. About Bridget: Bridget Melling-Williams is a chiropractor based on the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, where she lives with her husband—also a chiropractor—and their four sons. After a successful career as an artist, Bridget embraced a bold career change in her 40s, undertaking a five-year degree to follow her passion for helping others through chiropractic care. She specializes in techniques such as Sacral Occipital Technique and Neuro Emotional Technique, combining her love of human connection with a holistic approach to wellness. An avid adventurer, Bridget thrives in the outdoors and continually seeks new experiences as part of her self-care and commitment to living a natural, fulfilling life. She brings to her work—and her conversations—the same curiosity, creativity, and heart that have guided her through life’s transitions. Her definition of Self Love is: Looking after yourself in a way that I am doing the things I want to be doing. For me that is trying new things. Her favourite quote is: Life is short and we have not too much time for gladdening the hearts of those who travel the way with us. Be swift to love, make haste to be kind. This quote is attributed to Henri-Frédéric Amiel, a 19th-century Swiss philosopher, poet, and moralist. It’s from his Journal Intime, where he wrote reflections on life, morality, and human connection. Links to follow: Website: Coast Chiropractic Kawana in Buddina. https://coastchiropractic.com.au/ Instagram: www.instagram.com/dr.bridgmellwilliams_chiro/ If you would like a consultation, please quote SELFLOVEPODCAST for a special introductory offer Quotes: I loved being a country kid. I went to boarding school at aged 12 and had to create a real sense of independence. I found it a challenging experience. I developed a love of art. I knew I wanted to pursue art and see the world. I encouraged my husband to study chiropractic. We both resonated with it and wanted to incorporate vitalistic health in our lives. The vitalistic framework always felt natural to me. I stayed away from medical invention when I could. I felt a little burnout and I really wanted something more. I spent so much time in the chiropractic community. I found it empowering and nourishing. It filled my cup and I loved learning. I loved the philosophy of innate intelligence and allowing the body to heal and self-regulate. I loved studying chiropractic and I found my inner nerd. I loved all the subjects. I found similarities in creating art and chiropractic. A different form of art but similar in that that I do get to express myself. It’s like being a true artist. I love the engagement with people and the one on one connection. I was in love with being a mum with young children. Mike appreciated what I was doing and I appreciated what he was doing. I kept coming back to chiropractic, the nervous system is the root of everything. When I decided to study I thought in my head I am going to be 5 years older anyway. I might as well go for it. I was blown away at how intergenerational it was and they didn’t treat me any different. Let’s go and have an adventure what is the worst that can happen. I love the outdoor lifestyle and swim in the ocean, I am learning to surf and trail running. I love being in nature. Chiropractic is about regulating your nervous system. It is that master control system. We want optimum function which allows you to access both pathways. With a regulated nervous system, you can be your ...