We See You

Being seen is one of the greatest human needs, and we’re all starving for it. The pandemic didn’t create this hunger. It simply exposed it. We’ve been feeling unseen long before physical distancing forced us to separate into six-foot zones and Zoom breakout rooms.

It’s one thing to be unseen in isolation. If you’re stuck in a cabin in the woods by yourself, you might feel unseen from time to time. But when you’re surrounded by co-workers and social media followers, or when you’re mingling with colleagues at happy hours, and none of them really see you? That’s loneliness.

It’s no wonder that depressive disorders are on track to become the leading cause of the global burden of disease by 2030, outranking obesity as the #1 global health crisis.
Which is why the concept of sawubona piqued my interest when I first came across it a few weeks ago.

Sawubona is a standard Zulu greeting. But its meaning goes far deeper than your typical hello. Sawubona literally means “We see you.” It refers to seeing in a more meaningful sense than the simple act of sight. It means, “We see your personality. We see your humanity. We see your dignity.”

Sawubona says you’re not an object to me. You’re not a business card. You’re not a transaction. You’re not a title. You’re not just another person standing in line between me and my Starbucks drink.

You exist. You matter. You contain multitudes. You’re a memory to someone. You are a living, breathing, imperfect human being who has experienced joy and suffering, triumph and despair, and love and grief.
The traditional response to sawubona is ngikhona. It means “Yes, we see you too,” but its meaning also goes deeper: “It tells the observer that you feel you have been seen and understood and that your personal dignity has been recognized.”
When we feel understood in this way—when we feel that the other person really gets us—we vibrate on each other’s frequency, instead of moving past each other.
Sawubona doesn’t involve any grand gestures.

It means holding emotional space for a loved one with a simple, “I’m sorry. That’s awful,” instead of immediately jumping into problem-solving mode.

It means grieving for laid-off employees instead of blithely marching onward to the resolute beat of business as usual.

It means finding the human dimension in the products we create by looking at them from the perspective of those we serve, instead of getting lost in acronyms, processes, and PowerPoint decks.

It means remembering our common humanity even when we disagree.

It means choosing to see in a world that has stopped seeing.

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  • Dr. Neil is one of best chiropractors, very thorough and professional, he uses the natural authentic techniques in treatment. Once you start the treatment you will start feeling the difference from a day one as your pain will start fading away, All aspects of the services are top notch and I appreciate the care and customer service I received.

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    Mohamed S.
    2/03/2023
  • Knowledgeable, listens to me and very approachable

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    Denise H.
    12/14/2022
  • Dr. Neil has provided outstanding and efficient care for my whole family. From our very first visit we noticed better quality of sleep, increased comfort, resolved headaches, and improved mobility. I am especially grateful for the way Dr. Neil has welcomed us on short notice when urgent needs have arisen and for his follow up care. Our quality of life is much better because of Dr. Neil.

    T K. Avatar
    T K.
    11/29/2022
  • Neil is a kind, super efficient and caring Chiropractor as is his staff

    Angie L. Avatar
    Angie L.
    11/22/2022
  • EXCELLENT CHIROPRACTIC CARE FOR THE ENTIRE FAMILY(not sure about family pets lol) When I came to Dr. Neil I was having problems with a very tight left hip flexor, pain in my left knee, sciatica and some back issues. I’ve been a patient for about two years and recommend this practice to all my family and friends. Since then all areas of concern are much better; some of the symptoms are completely gone. I feel part of the family! Dr.Neil is a true professional who makes himself accessible to his patients even outside of office hours. He and his team take wholistic approach and have created an atmosphere health and healing that is tangible when you walk in the door and Deb greets you. They are very accommodating with scheduling and always manage to find the time to squeeze me in, in an emergency. I never have to wait long. They’ve adjusted me through some really challenging seasons in my life. He and his team love what they do and they love helping their patients, giving back to the community and also abroad. My sister who was visiting from California and she loves Dr Neil because he was able to provide some care until she returned home. Turns out Dr Neil knows her chiropractor...go figure. Go you won’t be disappointed!

    Julia H. Avatar
    Julia H.
    11/22/2022
  • Dr. Neil is an amazing chiropractor. He is very personable, professional and knowledgeable. The team is all so warm and welcoming. Also, Dr. Neil goes out of his way to make sure I'm on the right track for my healing. For example, one time when a particular area of my body was causing me some pain. He adjusted me, gave me some exercises to do and asked me to let him know how I was feeling in a couple of days.

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    Rich&Alex D.
    11/15/2022
  • Dr. Neil is highly recommanded to anyone who has back pain, neck pain, or etc. I visited him for my lower back pain. I bear with the pain for a while then eventually I was having hard time walking, sitting, standing, even sleeping. Dr. Neil went through assessments and x-ray for the pain then he explains me the result very nice and easy to understand. He also prepared his video on youtube to support his patients. With all of these, I felt the first time that this doctor really cares about his patients and has passion of his job. Even though I am only been with him a month and half, my lower back pain definitely got much better and as well as neck pain. And of course I cannot forget about Deb and Sue. Thank you Deb that you replied me very quick on the first day for booking an assessment. Thank you Sue that you were very friendly for the assessment.

    Jessica L. Avatar
    Jessica L.
    11/15/2022
  • Any resistance I had to chiropractic treatment, due to past experiences, has disappeared thanks to Dr. Neil Brown and his very capable, kind staff. From the detailed initial assessment, the thorough explanation of the treatment plan including online tutorials and weekly newsletters, the extremely efficient self check-in and dual treatment beds resulting in little to no wait time at each appointment, makes for a very positive experience. I would highly recommend Ancaster Family Chiropractic to family and friends!

    Karen P. Avatar
    Karen P.
    11/15/2022
  • Dr. Neil is very accommodating. The office space is peaceful, and the staff is kind. Thank you Ancaster Family for everything you have done for myself and my family.

    Mary L. Avatar
    Mary L.
    11/15/2022
  • Excellent with young children!

    Vanessa R. Avatar
    Vanessa R.
    11/14/2022
  • I have had strong pain in my arm for months and thanks to Dr. Neil Brown and his friendly team they have helped me get back to the things I enjoy in life without as much pain.

    Kay W. Avatar
    Kay W.
    11/14/2022
  • Impressively efficient adjustment system. No wait or short wait. Very friendly staff. Never had an issue rescheduling appointments. You will feel and see the difference with your posture over time. Highly recommend :)

    Sean D. Avatar
    Sean D.
    11/11/2022
  • A huge thanks to Dr. Neil and all the staff at Ancaster Family Chiropractic for the all of the care they have provided for our son. We have noticed a decrease in his complaints of pain as well as an increase in his range of motion. We can already see the benefits and are grateful for their expertise!

    Jpod D. Avatar
    Jpod D.
    11/10/2022
  • It’s very interesting going in for an appointment after having some pain and the doctor notices where the pain is without saying it. Dr. Neil knows his patients and they are very flexible with appointments.

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    ARNOLD R.
    8/22/2022
  • Sharing from my personal experience- I started a few months ago and I was having an annoying pain in my left shoulder and neck area prior starting, Dr. Neil helped me out a lot with that and I am really feeling relaxed and relieved from that annoying pain. My sleep schedule got improved. I highly recommend this place & Dr. Neil.

    Bhrigu M. Avatar
    Bhrigu M.
    8/09/2022
  • Really impressed with the quality of care my children are receiving. They are comfortable coming here & their sleep issues have improved. I also have issues with my wrist and hands & they kindly looked at my issue and gave me a quick adjustment free of charge.

    n/a w. Avatar
    n/a w.
    5/15/2022
  • The team at Ancaster Family Chiropractic are amazing. I've been seeing Dr. Neil for quite a few years now and am so glad I have. Dr. Neil's treatment plan has not only given me greater mobility I very rarely even get sick. I would highly recommend Dr. Neil if you're looking for a way to improve your health. Give Deb a call and make an appointment, you won't regret it. If you want to feel healthier this is the place to go.

    Kris C. Avatar
    Kris C.
    4/29/2022
  • Started going too the Ancaster family chiropractic about a month ago with neck and mid to lower back pain. Now I'm having less pain and stiffness through out the week.They also put together a personal plan for the problems I was going through and walk me through how they were going to solve them

    colin p. Avatar
    colin p.
    4/24/2022
  • All my family (my wife, 3yr daughter and myself) have regularly treatments from Dr. Neil and his awesome team. Definitely a big improvement and highly recommend.

    HK M. Avatar
    HK M.
    4/24/2022
  • After a few month treatment, my neck and shoulder feel much better and I can work in front of the computer much longer...Dr Neil is very knowledgeable and the staffs are very very friendly!

    Amanda P. Avatar
    Amanda P.
    4/24/2022

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