Meet the Staff
Meet the Staff of Southview Chiropractic
THE DOCTORS
Dr. Alison Behnke, originally from southern Minnesota, attended University of Minnesota Duluth as an undergraduate student, and then finished her formal education at Northwestern Health Sciences University; where she earned a B.S. degree in Human Biology and a Doctor of Chiropractic degree. She is active in the Minnesota Chiropractic Association and the American Chiropractic Association, and through her work with these groups has had the opportunity to meet legislators and lobby both locally and nationally for the rights of Chiropractors and their patients.
Dr. Behnke was drawn into the chiropractic profession because of the great freedom to personalize care for each patient as an individual, and because she is a passionate believer that everyone should be active in their own health care. She enjoys educating patients so they can become their own health advocates. Dr. Behnke is also fascinated with the positive results she sees when treating infants and children; they are a joy to have in the clinic and truly illustrate that the body is self-healing. Also through Chiropractic, she has been able to become involved in various community and volunteer projects. Outside of the profession, Dr. Behnke enjoys spending time with family and friends, playing softball, reading a good book, and many outdoor activities including fishing, skiing, golfing, mountain biking and playing softball.
Dr. Kristen Harris grew up in Lake Elmo, MN. She attended and graduated from Stillwater High School. While there, Dr. Kristen participated on several athletic teams, including swimming, Nordic skiing, fastpitch softball, and crew. Due to the stress she placed on her body, Dr. Kristen developed intense neck and upper back pain. After receiveing strong suggestion from friends to visit a Chiropractor, Dr. Harris decided to give it a try. After a few visits, the pain was substantially reduced and she became a believer of Chiropractic. Following high school graduation, she attended South Dakota State University where she obtained her B.S. in microbiology and a minor in chemistry. Since she had always had and interest in anatomy, Dr. Kristen researched the field of Chiropractic and decided to enroll at Northwestern Health Sciences University. She moved back to the Twin Cities to pursue her chiropractic education, graduating with her Doctor of Chiropractic degree from Northwestern Health Sciences University. During graduate school, Dr. Kristen was active in various student groups and clubs.
Since graduation, she has enrolled in the chiropractic sports diplomat program and is studying for her strength and conditioning certification. Dr. Harris is passionate about using chiropractic techniques to help athletes achieve optimal performance and families maintain health and wellness. Outside chiropractic, Dr. Harris is involved in athletics playing in a women’s hockey league, a softball league and is involved in other personal fitness activities. She also enjoys spending time with family and friends as well as traveling and being outdoors.
MASSAGE THERAPY
Elysia Watkins grew up just west of the Twin Cities in Chaska, MN.
During her high school career, she was involved in numerous sports such as volleyball, gymnastics, and cheerleading. During the rigorous practices, Elysia became very interested in the muscular structure of the body and the demand that was required to perform the activities for each sport. She was further encouraged when several of her friends would ask her to massage their sore or tight muscles to properly and fully prepare for a game or practice. Soon word spread that Elysia had a gift. The enjoyment of seeing her friends perform better with her help, and the praise for doing a great job inspired her to help as many others as she could.
Elysia decided to attend Everest Institute, a private school in Eagan, MN where she acquired her massage license. While in school, she realized that she would then have the chance to work alongside Chiropractors and Acupuncturists to greatly impact the healing and relaxing portions of patient care.
Elysia is very proud to focus her talent to greatly help so many people improve their health and wellness.
ACUPUNCTURE
Nicholas Zimet, originally a native of the southern US, has been a Midwest resident for almost a decade now.
Nick attended Hiram College in Ohio and graduated cum laude with a degree in psychobiology. He went on to attend Northwestern Health Sciences University and earned a masters degree in acupuncture and oriental medicine, graduating at the top of his class, summa cum laude. He is an active member the in Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine Association of Minnesota and the American Association of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine.
Nick was drawn into the acupuncture profession originally by research he had reviewed during his studies in neurology. The amazing philosophy of traditional eastern medicine treats every person as a whole individual and does not attempt to separate our bodies from our mind and spirit. In doing so, we are able to humanize every case and treat the person, not just a symptom. In the course of his clinical studies, Nick has provided patient care at public clinics, specialty addiction clinics, and at the Courage Center, where he treated stroke victims, spinal cord injuries, and traumatic brain injuries. With his academic background in research, Nick enjoys using science to explain the seemingly mysterious world of eastern medical philosophy in terms that bridge the cultural gap and allow for deeper understanding without cheapening the importance and beauty of the source material. Outside of his profession, Nick is an avid world traveler, an outdoor explorer, a constant reader, an animal lover, and an enthusiastic cook.
