Wednesday, June 4, 2003

Durden changes gears, keeps on serving people

If asked to sum up Dr. Marilyn Durden's life in one word, the first word that comes to mind is "service." Not only is it a word that crops up often when talking to her, it is an action verb she has wrapped her life around.

Durden grew up in New Jersey, the second oldest of seven children. After graduating from college, she embarked upon a career in education, working with "at risk" children.

She was content living in the north, but a series of events converged to nudge her in a new direction in her early forties. The economy went south and her parents moved to the South. At the same time, a promotion and focus shift at work moved her away from working with children, which she loved, into pushing paper.

Wanting to get back to working with people, she decided it was time to consider a career change. With a bachelor's degree in math education, a master's in education from Trenton State and a positive career in education, she had a number of options. She focused on three: counseling, opening a private school, or chiropractic.

She decided to take a few science classes as a test to see how she would handle chiropractic training. She did well and, at the age of 43, moved to Marietta to attend Life University's College of Chiropractic.

Some would say she didn't have much of a choice - the South was calling! Marilyn would probably say, as she does about many other things, "Someone up there was planning." Her move to Georgia brought a new career, a new religion and a husband into her life.

Regarding her ultimate decision to pursue chiropractic, she says, "My chiropractor was a big influence." In her 30s she had developed sciatic pain that the chiropractor was able to alleviate. She also experienced face pain, was diagnosed with a deviated septum and told she needed an operation. The chiropractor was able to work with her to correct the sinus and pain problems while avoiding an operation. To date she has not had a reoccurring problem.

One of her instructors introduced her to the Atlas Orthogonal Technique, "a gentle, effective approach to renewed health and relief of discomfort without manipulation" according to the atlasorthogonality.com Web site. Durden was given adjustments using the technique and "it brought me to a new level of health," she said.

She began taking classes outside of Life with Dr. Roy Sweat, the founder of the technique. Referencing her heavy class load and extra classes, Durden noted, "I started later in life and didn't have all these years to perfect my technique."

She prevailed upon Dr. Sweat to add her name to a waiting list of interns, and upon graduation, began getting hands-on experience in a clinic working under his tutelage. Through a "wonderful network of supportive doctors," she found herself working with Dr. Vince Velluci in Riverdale. When Velluci moved his office to Fayetteville, Durden moved with him. She also moved her residence from Marietta to Fayetteville.

She had wanted to gain experience before opening her own practice, but hadn't intended to work with another doctor for the six years she ultimately ended up working with Velluci. Finally, the time was right and she made the decision to open her office. Wanting to continue her good relationship with Velluci, she opted to open her office in Tyrone to avoid competition.

The Durden Chiropractic Clinic has been going strong for two years and is continuing to grow. Durden isn't ready to stop yet, though. She has realized part of her dream to have a fun, friendly family clinic. She is also well underway in taking the next step in her well-thought out plan.

She has purchased about an acre just down the street from her current office and will soon be building a new office. She plans to have more than a chiropractic clinic - she will someday have a "wellness center" housed in the two-story Savannah-style office building. The Center will be "a resource place to get information about many health related issues." Additionally, she plans to designate an area for diagnostic testing of patients.

"This will serve to document progress and add to the multitude of existing published studies on the benefits of chiropractic care," she said.

Her plans include having another doctor join her practice and the inclusion of other health fields such as nutrition.

Durden believes strongly in chiropractic. Another of her dreams is to have "the benefits of chiropractic acknowledged so that every child is required to have their spine checked by a chiropractor in addition to their medical physical before entering school."

Having worked with children for years as an educator, Durden states, "I have been a part of helping a good number of children adjust to their academic setting. time and time again, clinically, we are seeing that adjusting the upper cervical area of the spine is helpful to children."

She also takes her philosophy of service into the workplace. The last Thursday of every month she gives a free seminar on a health related topic at Heritage of Peachtree. The seminar is open to the public and to residents of the retirement home. She is active in the Fayette County Chamber of Commerce and is a Regional Staff Trainer for Head Start in 8 counties.

While Chiropractic is a pivotal focus for Durden, her story wouldn't be complete without mention of her husband, Joe. All those years in New Jersey, Joe was patiently (and unknowingly) waiting for Marilyn to move south and enter his life. He didn't have quite as far to move to find her, being born in Savannah. He did, however, have to wait on a mutual friend to bring the north and the south together. Durden (then Lalka) commented to a friend when she was nearing her 50th birthday that "wouldn't it be neat to find someone to spend the next 50 years with." Her friend set up a blind date and, three years later, the couple married.

They now own a home in the county between Fayetteville and Tyrone. Joe, a CPA, has been in private practice for ten years. He taught at DeVry College and "loves teaching," according to his bride. He is also a "great asset" to the business and "really terrific" in her estimation. She quipped, "I love him and I'm going to keep him."

Practicing what she preaches, Durden is a long-term member of Gold's Gym in Fayetteville and works regularly with personal trainer Janet Caldwell. She says, "I started with Janet to make sure I did it right." Janet has become a good friend who "helps to keep me on track."

Durden is a member of Unity Christ Church in Jonesboro. Born a Roman Catholic, she was introduced to the Unity Christ Church by a friend shortly after moving to Georgia. She liked it, and made another major life change. She is happy with her church, but is attending various local churches hoping to find something closer.

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