Community Chiropractic & Acupuncture

I really love Dr. Thomas. She clearly cares about her patient’s well-​being and has amazingly skilled hands. I have gone to her in a crisis – when my back has been locked up and I’ve been hard-​pressed to move. She has gently given me chiropractic treatment and acupuncture, restoring me to my former self. I trust her implicitly and think we’re lucky to have someone of her caliber practicing in Park Slope.

Dr. Thomas is great! Extremely attentive. You never feel rushed, and I always leave feeling like I was totally cared for — she is a excellent chiropractor, and I have seen a TUN. I travel a lot for work, so am often getting adjustments in different citys; she is top notch and since I started seeing her have had a 90% decrease in back pain, its amazing, I recomend to the fullest!

Great place

I started seeing Dr. Thomas over 2 months ago now after a few visits to the emergency room for what I thought was a kidney infection and strained muscles from spin/​yoga/​running. I was living in 8 – 9 level pain for about a month which ultimately started sinking me into depression. After listening to my justifications as to what I thought the pain was attributed to, Dr. Thomas had me lay down on her massage table for the preliminary examination and in under a minute told me where the problems lie and assured me that I would no longer have to live with the pain. After the consultation and treatment I felt like I was dreaming and that I was living in a completely different body. I now happily see Karen once every 2 weeks, which is an enjoyable experience. Her many years of practice, bubbly personality, and genuine care for your overall health in combination really make her the best doctor I have experienced to this day.

Karen is a wonderful chiropractor. My back felt so much better after one session, she knew exactly what my problem was. Also very grateful that she takes my health insurance even though it doesn’t pay her very much, such a lovely lady. I highly recommend her.

The most Zen experience ever! Dr Thomas connects with you spiritually and really connects with you and your healing! I never leave Unilocal reviews but this woman is amazing! Cannot wait for my future treatments. Cannot judge a book by its cover ;)

I am seeing Dr. Thomas for treatment after a bad car accident. In the time I’ve seen her, I have really enjoyed the care I’ve been receiving. She listens carefully to my descriptions of pain each visit, and I feel she is very in tune with what’s happening in my body.
I find her to be personable and easy to talk to, and she often gives medical explanations or context to my questions, which I especially appreciate.
I leave each session feeling renewed, and with hope for continued healing.

I’ve been around alternative medicine including chiropractors and homeopaths since I was a kid. I had mixed results with both in my teens and early twenties. But as I approach 40, I’ve discovered that if you get a good diagnostician, and get with the program yourself, then homeopathy and chiropractic medicine are nothing short of miraculous.
Dr. Thomas is one of the great ones. And if you do your part, then you’ll get better.
She first treated me just before Memorial Day weekend six or seven years ago. I hurt my back playing soccer and could not get into or out of bed, or up the steps to my 5^th floor walk-​up. I had an adjustment and acupuncture, regained mobility, and was able to enjoy my weekend.
She’s since treated me for knee injuries, back and hip pain due to excessive yoga and cycling, and occasional general stress. She’s also treated my girlfriend and many of my friends and fellow soccer players.
Perhaps as valuable, though, is her general lifestyle, fitness, and diet advice that other reviewers may have had difficulty with.
I was a vegetarian for most of my life and was exceedingly active. I ate what I wanted because I didn’t eat meat. In my late 30s I began putting on weight. Dr. Thomas advised me to eat fish to get more protein and to take fish oil for the sake of healthy fat. I tried, didn’t like it, and ignored her advice for a year or so. When a GP who was treating me for another soccer-​related injury recommended that I lose some weight, I revisited Dr. Thomas’ recommendations, and began to read everything I could get my hands on regarding diet.
After a few false starts, I’ve cut back on refined carbs, stopped eating wheat, and added fish to my diet. I’ve lost 20 pounds and my joints feel better. I do not have celiac and I am not following a Paleo diet. I eat mass quantities of beans, still eat a bit of rice and quinoa, and avoid all meat besides fish.
When Dr. Thomas told me to eat fish I was initially offended and disgusted and couldn’t do it. Once I sifted through the dogma, and made an intuitive decision to try it again, I loved it and feel great.
She’s also recommended that I modify my yoga practice to deal with nagging issues, and reminded me gently about the caloric implications of pizza and beer.
In other words, like all great healers, Dr. Thomas has the HEALTH of her patients in mind at all times, and sometimes her prescriptions may be something of a bitter pill.
I’ve gone once a week when my back’s been hurt. And I’ve gone two years without a visit (when I was following her advice and healthy). Dr. Thomas may eventually work herself out of a job if the patient does their part.
My girlfriend and I have both been treated by another doctor at her office, and he’s wonderful as well. As is Helen at the desk.
If you want to get better, then go see Dr. Thomas and listen to what she has to say with an open mind.

I went to Karen after a sprain/​strain of the low back. I felt worlds better after the first session and better still after each subsequent one.
I had to ask what measures I could take to build strength and prevent future injury — supporting the claim that Chiropractics is reactive more than proactive. But once I did, Karen had great advice. She was very generous with her time. Eager to answer questions in full, even drawing diagrams of the vertebra and connective tissues, etc.
Yes, the furnishings are old and you might have to ask her to wipe down the electrode pads before applying. But if your primary concern is that someone evaluate your condition correctly and adjust you skillfully, rest assured that you will be in good hands.
She made a believer out of me.

I just started seeing Dr. Thomas 2 weeks ago. Thus far I have had a wonderful experience with Dr. Thomas and all of the staff there. Dr. Thomas is very friendly and she knowledgable. She is the type of doctor who truly listens and wants to heal her patients. I have an old back problem and have tried several remedies. I am hoping that treatment with her will help solve some of the chronic pain issues that I have recently been experiencing.
The office is clean and relaxing. She has crystals in every room which really lend to the healing ambiance. I have tried both chiropractic and acupuncture services with her. I always leave relaxed and feeling better.

I think the doctors are ok, but I am tired of the disrespect the front desk (and therefore by extension the practice) has for its patients. It is perhaps a trope that doctors disregard their patients’ time. But it burns me when I call at 9:15 to see if there are any availabilities that day, they cheerfully tell me there is a ten o’clock spot open, I arrive at five of ten and see that the waiting room is full. Thirty five minutes past my appointment time I am still waiting. This was foreseeable but they don’t care about their patients’ time. Time to find new docs.

Karen is a gifted healer with many years of experience. She healed an injury in my neck and has kept me limber and in good health since I started working with her a few years ago. I recommend Community Chiropractic very highly!

I’d not been to see Dr. Thomas for a while, but needed a good acupuncture session for an overworked leg, and checked in on her availability. Many years ago, I broke my femur and still have a plate and screws in it. Occasionally, it is overstressed and starts to have issues, potentially leading to a huge amount of pain and debility if not treated well fast. Not every acupuncturist has been able to address it successfully, restoring the chi flow, etc., even after repeated treatments.
So I was desperate to get moving again, and was able to schedule an appointment with Dr. Thomas for Saturday morning. Boy, was I in luck. After 20 minutes of being needled, the pain was mostly relieved, and by the end of the day my leg felt like it was back to normal. I wasn’t limping around in anguish anymore. What a huge relief!
Since I’d not been to the Community Chiropractic office in a few months, it seemed to have been renovated. The walls were repainted in gentle, tasteful pastel colors, new carpeting was laid down, and the patient adjusting table in the room I was in had been reupholstered. These upgrades were pleasing; understandably, small self-​eomployed doctor offices can take a while before being renovated due to costs.

I’m a chiropractor and when I need an adjustment in the neighborhood, I go see Dr. Thomas. She is very experienced and can gently deliver specific adjustments. Her office manager is also extremely kind and easy to work with.

I cannot imagine why anyone would give this practice less than the highest possible praise.
This is my response to the negative reviews about Dr. Thomas and the office. I feel so strongly about this that I joined Unilocal for the first time ever just so I could write this.
Most heavy meat eaters who are scheduled for triple bypass after a heart attack are not told by their heart surgeons that they should eat a vegetarian diet if they want to avoid open heart surgery. why?? Because either the doctor is a greedy slave to the business of medicine, doesn’t care enough to enlighten themselves or doesn’t have enough patience to help their patients, who are likely too lazy to look beyond a quick fix, make real change and help empower themselves to be their own healers.
So, if that’s the kind of doctor you want then don’t go to Dr. Thomas because she is none of those things…
But, if you want to go to someone who is invested in the art of healing (not just a doctor by profession) then she’s the cream of the crop. She will tell a patient like it is and what you need to know so that you can make real change and become healthy, This is for your own good a lot more than her’s so you should really get over it already… no one likes to hear what they are not doing well but, someone who really cares will be honest with you.
I have known Dr. Thomas for 16 years now and have been going to her on and off (mostly off because I listen to every little thing she tells me and take it to heart) for almost every issue I have ever faced. She can help you with anything and if she realizes she can’t after trying her hardest she will send you to someone that can… now that’s a doctor!
About the condition of the office… it’s perfectly fine. You want nice, new furniture or you want a doctor who can change your life for the better? Seems like a simple choice to me…
Fancy offices means high priced office visits… is that what you want to pay for? Comparatively, she is cheaper than most out there, and for her experience and abilities it’s a complete steal!
For as long as I have known her she accepts just as many, if not more, insurances than most conventional doctors and her prices are so reasonable that if you have a medium to high co-​pay it’s worth it just to pay her directly. How many Chiro’s do you know that practice acupuncture, homeopathy, rehabilitation and the list of other well studied disciplines that she can use to help you that take any insurance at all?
Dr. Thomas is rarity and we are super lucky to have her here in Brooklyn… I know I am at least.

I’ve known Dr. Thomas for 2 years now. She helped stop the worst migraine headache cycle I’ve ever had in my entire life with a combination of chiropractic care, acupuncture, exercise tips and nutritional advice.
Dr. Thomas told me up front that she thought I’d need to come for 10 sessions total before she thought I would be fully better from these chronic daily migraines and tension headaches. I was completely better in 5 sessions. She even went so far as to teach me that most doctors treat migraines with an Atlas adjustment, by my migraines stem from my Occiput and to ask for an Occiput adjustment in case I ever went to another chiropractor. I’ve been seeing Dr. Thomas for regular well visit adjustments every 3 months just to maintain my chiropractic health.
I started a new, very stressful career last year, and I wasn’t able to see Dr. Thomas from July 2012 to March 2013. I came back in so sick with so many different symptoms I could barely even think straight. I was so sick I hadn’t been to work in a week, which is very, very unlike me. She’s the only one that noticed that I had a serious of unrelated symptoms that she was afraid were systemic. I thought they were just all weird things happening to me since I was now over 30.
I had put on 40 lbs in 4 months, had severe joint pain and muscle weakness, and had persistent symptoms of a UTI with negative urine cultures, and what really worried her was that she noticed my personality had changed. The UTI symptoms cleared up after 1 acupuncture session and I was able to go back to work, but I got sick again exactly 4 weeks later. This time was way worse than the first. I was breaking out in strange rashes, which I was so sick and in so much pain I didn’t even notice. I was in the emergency room twice in one week because I was so dehydrated from vomiting and diarrhea spurred on by all the pain.
Since then, I’ve been to 9 specialists and the only one who helped me cure any of my pain conditions at all was the one Dr. Thomas has referred me to. Dr. Thomas is treating me with acupuncture now, and when I leave her office, I’m not pain free, but I’m better enough to at least enjoy life for a few moments.
Dr. Thomas told me once that she expects one miracle a day from herself. Every Wednesday, her daily miracle is me. Now that’s a good doctor.

Unilocal has served me well. I’ve found dentists and doctors, a great restaurant or two, and even a massage that was out of this world. I’ve never really been steered wrong — until my visit with Dr. Thomas.
Maybe my standards for medical facilities are incredibly high, but the waiting room smelled faintly of mildew and the furniture was «broken in.» I didn’t stay there long (my silver lining) because I was taken to an equally distasteful exam room. The room was small, even by NYC standards, and the chiropractic table was leather. The leather, however, was cracked in several places and showing signs of wear and tear. While I might chalk this up to the many years of experience of Dr. Thomas, I am choosing to relegate the tears as poor upkeep.
In the corner of the room was a small table for the electric stimulation machine and various tools, supplies, etc. I have seen elementary school aged children keep more organized. From the picture I have uploaded you can see the various items haphazardly laid on the cart. I don’t think the picture fully shows the level of discomfort I felt when she used the electric stimulation machine on me. I did not see it cleaned before she placed the sensors on me and I did not see her clean them after they were removed.
And then there was the actual visit after the adjustment of my back and neck.
In her conversation, Dr. Thomas insinuated that I was an unhealthy vegetarian, quizzed me on vegetarian foods and their vitamin content, and at several points (3 – 4) told me I needed to eat chicken and fish if I wanted the pain I was feeling to subside. She also said I was too heavy to run and that could be causing the pain I was feeling.
Typically I respect the medical opinion of someone — this is, after all, their job. I left feeling insulted, though, only to encounter sassy attitude that would make a drag queen look nice at the front counter. I was told that the minimum for a credit transaction was $ 25 but my copay was $ 15. There was no ATM and I had no check book. She said she’ll just charge me $ 25 and that I can use it towards my next visit — but I knew there would be no next visit. After 15 – 20 minutes of arguing the secretary let down and charged the copay. Credit card minimums are listed nowhere on her site and the attitude for an unpublished policy was unjustified.
In summary, I came to get adjustment, but the real adjustment needs to be made to Dr. Thomas and her office. From the décor to the medical knowledge all the way to the secretary, I left in more pain than I came in because Unilocal had steered me wrong on this one.

Shortly after writing my review I received a hand written letter from Dr. Thomas apologizing for my second visit and inviting me to return for a free visit.
I was impressed with the letter but skeptical and didn’t want to return. However, after no results from another Chiropractor in Brooklyn and a whole lot of discomfort and pain (turns out I have a tear in my right shoulder… I got an MRI done), I decided to go back.
It was a bit awkward but it was also a more attentive visit than my other two times there… seems there were no other patients around either.
I received an adjustment, some exercise and sleeping tips (which all work great) and a bit of acupuncture.
I have had acupuncture before and it was a very pleasant and relaxing experience. My acupuncture session with Dr. Thomas segued from giving me the sleep tips to asking me to turn over for the acupuncture… she went to get some needles, located the points I had pain and then… I « UnilocalED» and my whole body flinched backwards… she had just put a needle in my lower back. Then, Dr Thomas says, «I forget how sharp these needles are.» … (Initial Unilocal review payback? I don’t know… lol! Kinda funny if it was. lol! I have a weird sense of humor … anywayz…)
Overall, Dr Thomas seems very knowledgeable, and apart from my 2^nd visit, when she’s attentive and present, I experienced relief. I however, will not be returning… just felt really weird.
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…And based on my current experiences with Chiropractors I’m staying away from them all. I’ll go to a specialist in a hospital instead…

I’ve always had wonderful experiences with Dr. Thomas. She’s patient, listens to the reasons for the visit, and knows just what to do to make it better. She’s all the things you would want in a practitioner – knowledgeable and adept, kind and gentle, professional and experienced. The office staff is nice and I’ve never had to wait long to see her.
I originally visited Dr. Thomas for back and neck pain, but on one of my visits I expressed angst about my concerns about being able to become pregnant in the future. She gave me a quick acupuncture treatment that same visit, and that was the week I conceived.
I recently visited for pregnancy back pain, and she treated me on the special pregnant lady table (I actually got to lie on my stomach for the first time in months!) and left the office literally saying, «ahhhh.»
I send all my friends to her, and I will definitely be back soon.

Although Dr. Thomas recommended I come back for a follow up visit, I wanted to fully process my initial visit before I made that decision. So here are some thoughts on my initial visit w/​Dr. Thomas:
— My wait time was not long at all and the receptionist was friendly.
— Dr. Thomas is very friendly and talkative, but this should not be confused with good communication skills. She did not properly close my visit, so I had to wait around for her to ask her a question.
— She did not address both problems that I came in for (hence why I had to wait around to ask her a question). I’m not sure if she intentionally ignored it or didn’t fully read my chart, but neither reason makes me feel comfortable with her as my healthcare provider.
— Although she told me acupuncture could be used as treatment for one of my problems, she discouraged me from getting it, saying that it was uncomfortable. I didn’t think that it was a valid reason.
Needless to say I decided not to follow up with Dr. Thomas and I’m actually feeling worse than before I went to see her. I’ve had to follow up with a neurologist (who also incorporates alternative treatments).