About Us

Our mission is to help as many people as possible help themselves through the use of natural health care methods. In addition, we help empower people through education and personal responsibility for their health. We provide natural health care based on the holistic model of the triangle of health.

The doctor of the future will give no medication, but will interest his patients in the care of the human frame,
diet and in the cause and prevention of disease.
— Thomas Edison

We are concerned about your health–whether or not you decide to come into the office as a chiropractic patient. The original meaning of the word “doctor” was “teacher”. With that in mind, this site provides you with many articles about health and healing.

Good health is a matter of good structural, chemical, and spiritual balance. No more, no less. Gimmicks and simplistic approaches that stress a single idea do not work. Our goal is to help you understand health issues and to find treatments that address the cause of your health issues. We do not merely treat symptoms in our office.

People with health issues are best served by doctors and other professionals trained in diagnosis and treatment, but an informed patient is easier to treat. Understanding nutrition and physiology can help you stay healthy. It is our desire to help you in your informed quest for vibrant health.

Our Team

  • Dr. Steven Shaffer, D.C.

    Clinic Director

    Dr. Shaffer has been in practice for since 1994 and is involved in health and wellness in conjunction with the chiropractic practice. He teaches patients how to take care of themselves and understand what it takes to be healthy and live a healthy lifestyle.

    He spends time with patients learning about their history and looking at the interactions among genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors that can influence long term health and complex diseases. He is dedicated to providing patients and providing the best care possible and is also a firm believer in holistic and natural health.

    Prior to going into a chiropractic practice, Dr. Shaffer was an athletic trainer and Rolfer. His practice utilizes Applied Kinesiology, Neuro Emotional Technique(NET), sport rehabilitation, and class 4 laser therapy. He enjoys helping patients learn that they can live again!

  • Dr. Crispin Woods, D.C.

    Chiropractor

    Crispin Woods started his career as a personal trainer and massage therapist in 2004. He then went on to earn his Doctor of Chiropractic from Southern California University of Health Sciences in 2013. He has worked in NMC as well as other chiropractic and physical therapy offices as a massage therapist, personal trainer, and chiropractor for almost 20 years. Dr. Woods utilizes Applied Kinesiology and muscle testing to assess for dysfunction and find the root of the problem. Being an athlete himself, Dr. Woods has been getting chiropractic and holistic health care since he was a kid and attributes his healthy lifestyle and minimal sports injuries to that care. When he’s not practicing chiropractic, you can find him riding his bike around the Newport Back Bay, arm wrestling, rock climbing, or lifting weights. Dr. Woods is a foodie and loves to eat everything from ethnic food at hole in the wall restaurants to fine dining.

  • Elise Collins

    SCI Program Coordinator/ Exercise Instructor

    Elise earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Exercise Science from California State University, Long Beach. She is a NASM Certified Personal Trainer with specialty certifications in Corrective Exercise (CES) and Behavior Change (BCS). She has completed additional certifications in AIMLA Medical Laser Treatment and Restorative Therapy FES Ergometry. Elise has been instructing and coordinating spinal cord injury and cerebral palsy specific exercise programs since she joined our team in 2016.


    Before joining the NMC team, Elise worked for five years in the Physical Therapy and large fitness club settings teaching corrective exercise. Elise believes that exercise is key to a happy, fun, and healthy lifestyle, and that there is always a way to modify exercise to suit people’s individual needs and abilities. When Elise is not at work, she loves spending time with her family and getting outside to go hiking and play beach sports.

  • Chelsea Craig

    Office Manager / Patient Coordinator

    Chelsea has been chiropractic and alternative care since early teenage years. She played sports her whole life and played at the collegiate level. Chelsea decided to further her career and studied at Oklahoma State University. While studying, she worked at a chiropractic clinic where she developed her widespread of patient care. After school, she moved back to OC and has been at NMC for over five years. Her passions shine through her work as she helps educate patients on treatment of care and provides therapies. When she’s not at work, she enjoys being a wife and mother, feeding her family nutritious meals and spending time outdoors playing sports and in the mountains.

  • Marcella Reyes, BS, LMT, CPT, CES

    Massage / Rehab Therapist

    Marcella is a Licensed Massage Therapist and NASM Certified Personal Trainer and Corrective Exercise Specialist. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Applied Exercise Science from Azusa Pacific University in 2016. She has also completed the AIMLA Medical Laser Certification. Over the last 12 years, she has worked in a variety of healthcare offices providing manual therapies and corrective exercise instruction for soft tissue injuries and joint dysfunction. As her passion grew for educating patients on the importance of strength, mobility, and optimal joint function, she furthered her study on the science of “ergonomics” and received a certification from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. She then developed NMC’s WorkStation Ergonomics Program to help patients combat musculoskeletal and nerve disorders associated with poor posture.

    Since Marcella joined the NMC team in 2019, she uses a variety of techniques to assess and manipulate the body’s soft tissue to target specific areas of dysfunction. Marcella enjoys spending her free time with family, on the soccer field and in the snow, traveling, and receiving regular therapeutic massages.