Deborah Penner, DC

I saw "Doctor" Penner 8 long years ago and I had such a completely traumatizing experience with her, I still think about it to this day and I want people to know so you can maybe avoid it too. I'm 26 now, so I was 18 at the time. I just saved enough to go see a chiropractor in Chico and she was really close by and her title was Chiropractor/Nutritionist. When I showed up, I had to wait outside for about 15 minutes until the secretary showed up to let us in, and then when penner showed up, I walked into the room which was like a doctor office trying to be a spa (A hoSPAtal, if you will) and I sit down and she asks me what's going on and I said I've always had some back problems and when I sit with my feet out, they noticeably rest differently, so I wanted to look into that. But I made it clear I just wanted a chiropractic adjustment. It was a 90 minute session for about $200. She had me walk in a line for 10 paces and said "I don't see anything, you're good" and I was like alright..and then I sat in the hospital spa bed, her in the regular chair, she said, ya know I'm a nutritionist as well, so I will be asking some questions about that. I said, I'm really not here for that, I just want the chiropractic work. She said, well I'm both a chiropractor and a nutritionist, so you're paying for both things. And I kindly said alright but please prioritize the back adjustment. And I remember when I said that her energy shifted, so maybe she did this as a punishment, but for the next 35 minutes, this lady not only said I was fat, but that I was "ON THE VERGE OF MORBID OBESITY." You guys, I wish I had a picture of myself at 18 to show you (no I don't) so you could see how not even CLOSE to fat I was. She could tell it was upsetting me but I hadn't found my voice yet and I thought "she's a doctor this is medical information I need", trying to rationalize while dissociating the fucking trauma of a thin old lady saying you're bursting at the seams. After she was done, she had me lay back into the chair, and as she walked over she noticed my feet. HUH wouldn't you know it my feet look weird in their resting position like I said they did and she was like HUH they are a little crooked! (And then she never acknowledged my feet again) She had me lay on my back and gave me a limp, very gentle arm massage like she's just putting in the hours (barely), and does a little neck thing, then she's like "ok I'm gonna leave the room, please take your shirt off and lay on your stomach." So I did. And then I waited like that for 10 minutes. When she came in, it was a gentle "heyyy how you doinnn" like yeah dude I'm great can we get to the fucking bone cracking part?? and then, ladies and gentlemen, she did another timid and sad back massage for maybe 5 minutes and then. LAID HOT STONES ON MY BACK AND LEFT FOR 25 FUCKING MINUTES. Not even kidding, I was about to fully get up from the table but the polite 18 year old who hadn't found her voice wasn't doing shit. She just laid there, trying to remember she's in control of the situation. But eventually dr goddamn penner came back and just took the stones off my back and said "alright! you're all done."The rage flooded through my body and I could feel my face go red. She left the room and I put my shirt on holding back sobs. I know it might not seem like a huge deal, but that was at 18 when I was working really hard and money was a scarcity, so to save $200ish to have some of my back pain released- just to have a stranger say to my face that I'm on the verge of obesity and then just put hot rocks on my back was not okay. And at 18 yrs old that was really fucked up Dr.Penner. I don't even know if you'll remember me, but I remember walking home, sobbing violently, calling my mom and her telling me that when I calm down, call back and demand a refund. And I did, and you and the secretary both basically laughed at me and said it's a medical procedure so it's non refundable. I remember building up all the courage I could to say "well thanks for wasting my time" I was a kid. And you were supposed to be a doctor.

Dr. Penner is someone I saw over a decade ago and to this day, I still value her advice and expertise. I have recently reached out from states away because I trust her advice so much. She was pinpoint accurate in my health issues long before I heard any other natural doctor speak of them. I'm hoping to work with her again, even if it must be remotely. Thank you, Dr. Penner.