In recent months, chiropractic has truly come under attack. All you need do is tune in to a PBS channel or pick up a publication today to find unflattering information about our profession and the institutions that teach it.

You might ask, what's new about that? That's the way it has always been and will always be. Well, let me be the first to tell you that what's new about it is that you are lucky enough to be living in a time where you can counter these attacks without being thrown in jail!

Now more than ever, you can turn these attacks around to the benefit of the profession, your patients and community if you are willing to put the time and effort forth to do so.

Thankfully, we live in a country where freedom of expression is respected and encouraged on TV programs like CNN's "Crossfire" and the Bill O'Reilly's "The Factor" on FOX. In these shows, people from opposite ends of the spectrum present all the evidence they have to support their point of view and the other party follows suit leaving viewers to decide for themselves.

In fact, the last presidential election was a perfect example of how people can be split on "the issues" and how they interpret the information they receive, so much so that an almost equal number of people (close to 49 million) voted Republican as did Democratic in the Bush-Gore primary. The outcome of this election simply illustrates that no matter what country you live in or party you attend, you are likely to find people who are equally split on dozens of similar issues including chiropractic.

Let's take this analogy a step further. What if 49 million people believed chiropractic to be a safe and effective answer to most of American's ills, and another 49 million thought it was dangerous and should be outlawed? Would you allow those 49 million other people with opinions that were in opposition to yours to intimidate you into silence?

It's a fact that controversy creates great ratings for the media. So, don't be afraid to step into the mix and speak out in a way that will bolster chiropractic — especially when you know that others are holding press to tear it down! Don't forget, hidden agendas abound, so don't take a back seat when it comes to defending chiropractic. Just because chiropractic has come under fire recently doesn't mean that you yourself are on trial or that you can't fire back with just as much ammunition.

You can be sure that those who are courting the press with negative "news" about chiropractic have an agenda, one in which they hope to profit by shaping our nation's health policies or gaining governmental influence. Will you be silent as this anti-chiropractic voice makes its way into the media and behind the closed doors of congressional committees?

At a recent seminar, I asked participants to role-play interviewing and interacting with the media. As we went through these exercises, I could see their shyness fade away and their chiropractic confidence and credibility grow. The D.C.s who were there left the seminar knowing they had the skills and ability to pro-actively contact the media and share "their side of the story" whenever the need arose.

Today, chiropractors who speak out in the media are not only defending our profession but they are becoming the authorities on family health care in their communities. On some level, this is a battle that everyone needs to be willing to fight.

Remember, though, that when chiropractic comes under attack you are not personally on trial and you cannot go to jail for speaking your beliefs. You are a licensed chiropractor who is permitted to practice chiropractic, based on the laws in your state, and you have a right — and an obligation — to speak out about what you believe to be true.

You should take a stand and respond to these attacks by sending proactive press releases and educational articles to the newspaper, TV and radio stations in your area.

Always be prepared to stop what you're doing to speak to the media and alert your staff that you will make yourself available whenever a reporter calls. They interview on a first call basis and if you can't come to the phone or be on camera when they make the request, you can be sure they'll call on somebody else! When being interviewed, don't over think the process, just look your best and be yourself, and your sincerity will certainly shine through. Reporters and the public are tired of "talking heads" and they are just as hungry for the truth as your patients and community are.

It never ceases to amaze me how quickly the public reacts to whatever the media covers. So, don't ever believe that what you put out there isn't being heard or that it will not come back to you tenfold because, it will! Collectively, we can take these chiropractic attacks and turn them into victories. Start speaking your truth today.