A new wellness center is in town.

North Island Chiropractic and Wellness Center opened Oct.1 at 520 E. Whidbey Ave., Suite 101.

Owner Dr. Rondle Bennett likes the location because there is plenty of room for growth.

“It’ll take me to retirement,” Bennett said.

Bennett has been a chiropractor since 1997 and wanted to start up his own practice.

He said he likes being able to take time to cater to his patients’ needs.

“I try to be gentle,” Bennett said. “I don’t want to have a rack ‘em and crack ‘em situation here.”

The center offers chiropractic care provided by Bennett, as well as licensed massage practitioners who can offer a variety of treatments, such as deep tissue, hot stone and pre- and pos-natal massage.

“They’re good people,” Bennett said about his massage team. “I get nothing but stellar compliments about them.”

One of the licensed massage practitioners, Nellie Wilson, moved up from Portland in June and was looking for a space for clinical massage. Wilson works with prenatal and postpartum clients, but also offers a little bit of everything.

“It goes with the flow of his practice,” Wilson said.

The other, Marcia Muchnick moved to the island in August 2012 and is excited to be at the center with Bennett.

“He’s spot-on as far as care, professionalism and his chiropractic knowledge,” Muchnick said.

She also provides deep tissue massage and throws pottery in her spare time.

Bennett likes to feature local artists at his practice and has some of Muchnick’s ceramics on display too.

Muchnick wasn’t always a massage therapist. She used to paint for a living but because of a neck injury she had to stop. She turned to massage and acupuncture for treatment during that time because she did not want to use prescription drugs. Since massage helped her so much, she said decided to become licensed herself.

Everyone at the center agreed that massage helps bring balance to the body and can help with the overall treatment of the client. Instead of treating an ailment, they want to focus on a holistic approach.

Different types of pain and injury can manifest in the body in many different ways.

For example, stress can cause clients to have pain in certain  areas, such as the upper and lower back.

“People hold stress and anxiety in different parts of the body and that creates tight muscles,” Muchnick said.

Besides treating the island residents, Bennett is also one of the sponsors the Whidbey Island Roller Girls — the Oak Harbor roller derby team.