Hidden Gems: Meet Jason Winkelmann of True Health Centers

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jason Winkelmann.

Hi Jason, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I had my own health issues growing up. Nothing crazy but things that conventional medicine struggled to treat. After going from doctor to doctor, experimenting with treatment after treatment, with no luck, my mom started taking me to alternative healthcare practitioners. This is where I finally started finding relief and could build on my health, not just manage symptoms for the rest of my life.

In college I learned about naturopathic medicine for the first time. It was the perfect career for me because it encompasses the best that medicine has to offer, in my opinion. While in school, I was also drawn to chiropractic medicine. Now I had the tools to treat someone on a physical, biochemical, and emotional level.

When I first started off in practice I wanted to see everyone and every condition. But as time went on, I started seeing more and more people suffering from chronic pain. People who had been living with migraines, fibromyalgia, arthritis, etc. for years, decades even. They had tried everything conventional medicine had to offer them to no avail.

I don’t think I was doing anything revolutionary with them; I was just treating them instead of their diagnosis, on a physical, biochemical, and emotional level. They started getting results that they never believed were possible and many went into remission within the year.

This is when I decided to focus my practice on the treatment of chronic pain conditions. Now I treat all types of people, with all types of chronic pain conditions, completely naturally with an all-inclusive program model.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I graduated in the thick of Covid when people were still quarantining. Getting a job anywhere was impossible so I resorted to starting my own practice, renting a room from a colleague in Illinois. Up until this point I had only ever had mundane jobs working at the mall or for my school. I knew nothing about business. I had to figure it out all on my own which was exciting and terrifying. I did that for a year before deciding I needed a change of scenery and moved to Colorado.

Once I got here, I was in no hurry to start my own practice again. I wanted to work for someone else for a few years and learn from them before going at it alone again.

This process was not a motivation booster. I was belittled by almost every doctor I interviewed for. I was told I was too young and was offered pay well below the advertised range despite having two medical degrees and not even having the chance to prove my ability.

I took a job at the first place that showed any sign of respect towards me. However, this turned out to be less of a chiropractic position and more of a sales position. I wasn’t there long before leaving and starting my own practice again, this time focusing purely on chronic pain. While running your own practice is hard work, being told how to practice by someone else was worse.

I, once again, started by renting a room from a colleague which led to me filling in at their practice, and ultimately buying the practice from them within the year. Now, rebranded as True Health Centers, we proudly offer naturopathic medicine, chiropractic medicine, physical therapy, and massage therapy. We are home to the True Health Chronic Pain Program and even have a non-profit practice for our underserved communities.

As you know, we’re big fans of True Health Centers. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
True Health Centers is a collaborative, holistic healthcare clinic where we treat you, not your diagnosis. We integrate naturopathic medicine, chiropractic care, physical therapy, and massage therapy under one roof to treat just about anyone and any condition. Many of our patients utilize multiple services, often within the same visit, to support whole-person health rather than fragmented, symptom-based care.

We specialize in the treatment of chronic pain conditions, especially for those who have tried conventional treatments without lasting success. To my knowledge, we are the only clinic in the country that provides an all natural, all-inclusive, and completely customized model of chronic pain treatment. We understand that no matter who you are, when your chronic pain began, or how it began, your chronic pain is a physical, biochemical, and emotional problem. If you ever want to find remission, you have to find and treat the root causes on all of these levels, at the same time. It is not always the easiest path, but it reflects how the human body actually functions.

Participants in our chronic pain program are currently experiencing an average 79% reduction in pain within six months, with some achieving full remission during that time. Equally important, we prioritize education. Patients leave our program with the knowledge and tools to continue improving independently, reducing the likelihood of relapse and long-term dependence on ongoing care.

All of our practitioners have a story to tell. We got into our respected professions not for the glory, not for the sick payout (sarcasm), but to help people who are struggling with their health like we once were. We have grown our practice into a space that we would feel welcome at, feel safe to ask questions and be vulnerable at. We designed our practice to be a place that treats you, and gives you the tools to cut your reliance on us one day, not suck everything from you.

Can you talk to us a bit about happiness and what makes you happy?
Chronic pain sufferers come to me broken. They are tired of getting their hopes up about the possibility that something new will finally end their chronic pain. Even though I promise them something radically different than everything they have tried before, history still reminds them that chronic pain is something they will have to live with forever. A couple of weeks into the program I can see the expression on their face start to shift. They can tell this time around is different. Within a couple of months they feel different. They can tell that what we are doing is targeting the actual problems and will provide lasting relief. At 6 months, when they feel better than they can ever remember, these are the moments that bring me the most happiness. Helping someone get their life back, to spend time with their family, not be limited by pain or the fear of an impending flare. How can I not pick this answer?

But have you spent a day out in the mountains? There is something about being in nature, feeling so small and isolated that brings me so much peace. I like that too.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://MyTrueHealthCenters.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr_winkelmann
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063915378568
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@true-health-centers
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@chronic.pain.specialist