"I was at Massey at the time and had been looking at studying something in the health field, when I was offered a rugby scholarship to study chiropractic. Chiropractic appealed to me as it offers a way of treating the whole body, it is holistic, and that interested me greatly."
A chiropractic degree is five years of intensive study, "we had two weeks off at Christmas and that was it, one term would finish on a Friday and the next would start the following Monday. It was hard work, but that kind of training really does give you a fantastic result".
Peter says he has observed a huge paradigm shift in his four decades in the industry.
"There used to be a lot of separation between the different health care disciplines, whereas now doctors work closely together, recognising the valuable input each type of specialist can bring to the overall outcome."
Chiropractic, says Peter, is all about a whole body approach.
We aren't just sore back doctors.
"We work with the relationship between the spinal mechanics and the central nervous system. If that is operating well, then your whole body is better off."
Peter says if the spine is misaligned and malfunctioning then this can impact and interfere with normal central nervous system function. "This in turn can upset the way the body systems normally work."
What has always appealed to Peter about chiropractic "is recognising the body's amazing ability to self-regulate and repair damage so long as the system is free from interference, which is why we encourage people to have regular checkups as they do with their dentist and GP. It isn't about fixing pain all the time, the important part is to keep your body in good working order before it gets to the point of pain."
Peter compares chiropractic to the dental profession. "Years ago, people only saw their dentist when their tooth hurt, now we know the importance of going for regular checkups and cleans in order to stop it getting to that point. Chiropractic is the same, we can help you when you are in pain, but we can do a lot more for you if we see you on a regular basis however healthy you are feeling."
While Peter is the sole chiropractor working at Stratford Chiropractic, "Karen's the boss". Karen, Peter's wife, has years of experience working in business and he says having her run their clinic means he can focus on patients. "Karen is great, she does all the administration, follow up calls etc, she keeps the place running so smoothly, all I have to do is turn up and see my patients."