They help patients maintain optimal health while avoiding unnecessary drugs or surgery. After graduation from high School Dr Jim did a two year hitch in the U.S. Army where he was trained as a medic and became interested in the medical field. After discharge from the Army he entered an Associate in Science in Respiratory Therapy Program. Upon graduation he worked for 3 years as a Respiratory Therapist in the Hospital setting but became disillusioned with the medical profession. Having developed an interest in weight training in high school that had stuck with him through the years he decided to go into the fitness business. He owned and operated two fitness facilities over a 10 year period, U.S.A. Gym in Westfield, and Super Fitness in West Springfield and during that time was introduced to Chiropractic. He sold his businesses in 1989 and went to Chiropractic school at the age of 38. He Graduated from Life Chiropractic College in Marieta, Georgia in 1995 and then opened an office in Mobile, Alabama. After one year in Mobile he returned to MA and worked as an associate for another year. He opened Atlas Chiropractic in West Springfield in 1997 and moved the office 3 miles down the road to Holyoke in September 2007. Dr. Jim developed an intense interest in low force "tonal" techniques while at Life Chiropractic College (Life University) and over the years has done a great deal of additional training in Network Spinal Analysis, in Atlas orthogonal Technique, in Sacro-Occipital technique, in Thompson Technique, in Logan basic Technique, in Activator technique and in Toffness Technique. By combining some or all these techniques he has developed his own unique conservative method of restoring normal Spinal alignment and neural integrity. His burning desire is to introduce as many people as possible to the miracle of Chiropractic. His key to success is to follow your heart and do what you love. His hobbies are motorcycles and fitness. Something no one knows about him is that he was 1979 New England States Power-lifting Champion and 1984 New England's strongest man runner up.