Aaron Hokanson, D.C.
Doctor of Chiropractic
Dr. Hokanson was born and raised in the small northern Minnesota town of Roseau and graduated from Roseau High School in 1997. He graduated from the University of Minnesota Duluth in 2001 with a Bachelor's of Science in Biology with a minor in Chemistry. He continued his education at Northwestern Health Sciences University in Bloomington and received his license as an Emergency Medical Technician in 2004 and graduated as a Doctor of Chiropractic in 2005. Dr. Hokanson finished his externship in Milbank, South Dakota prior to moving to the Brainerd Lakes Area in 2005. He worked as an Associate Doctor for HealthFirst Chiropractic of Baxter and HealthFirst of Pine River from 2005-2008. In April of 2008, Dr. Hokanson purchased the HealthFirst Chiropractic of Baxter clinic and formed Back to Basics Chiropractic.
Dr. Hokanson was drawn to the Brainerd Lakes Area because of his love for the outdoors as well as the small town atmosphere it presents. He has been an active member of the Brainerd Lakes Chamber of Commerce since opening his business and enjoys volunteering and speaking to the public on health and wellness topics. When he's not busy caring for his patients, he enjoys hunting, fishing, camping, and playing hockey in the Lakes Area Hockey League as well as spending time with his wife Katie, their son Parker, and their doberman Lexi.
Dr. Hokanson has experience as an on site first responder and EMT as well as an on site chiropractor at sporting events and has also worked with professional athletes. Although he has a strong interest and background in sports, his practice focus has shifted to family care and he enjoys treating patients of all ages, from newborns to the elderly. Dr. Hokanson chose chiropractic not only as a profession, but also as a lifestyle due to his personal experiences with chiropractic, and his desire to serve people and the community.
Ashley Houge
Office Manager | Chiropractic Assistant
Ashley was born and raised in Crosby, MN and moved to Brainerd in 2012. She received her Associates in Arts from Central Lakes College in 2009 and is currently taking online courses through The College of St. Scholastica for a Bachelor's Degree in Health Information Management.
In Ashley's free time, she enjoys rollerblading on the bike trails, taking her dog Mator on walks, kayaking in the Crosby mine pits, going to concerts, and taking trips to the Twin Cities.
Shannah Andrews, C.M.T.
Certified Massage Therapist |C.N.A.
Shannah earned her degree in massage therapy at Duluth Business University in Duluth MN. She has been practicing massage for 5 years in the lakes area. As a massage therapist, Shannah is trained in sports massage, deep-tissue, Swedish, pre/post natal, and hot-stone massage. Shannah also has her CNA license and enjoys helping other people. Shannah's goal in life its to help other people to feel better with the healing benefits of massage.
Shannah was raised in the Brained Lakes Area and enjoys the peacefulness of the North woods. In her spare time she enjoys trips to the North Shore to go hiking and spending time with her friends, family and her cat Hazelnut.
“Dedicated to serving, educating, and helping you reach your health goals”