MEET THE TEAM
Dr. Shabnam Ashtiani, DC
Dr. Shabnam Ashtiani is the owner and treating chiropractor at Essence Chiropractic & Wellness located in San Antonio & Boerne, Texas.
Background
Dr. Ashtiani was born overseas but has been in San Antonio since middle school so she claims SA as home. She is a big foodie, love to cook and bake, but loves exploring new restaurants! She enjoys cheering on the Spurs, gardening/taking care of her plants, spending time outdoors and staying active with a good workout class. Her favorite place to be is at the beach, fresh air and getting some natural vitamin D! Dr. Ashtiani is a mom to a handsome little fella whom she spends most of her free time with.
Education
Dr. Ashtiani graduated from Winston Churchill H.S. After completing her undergraduate studies in Biology, she continued her graduate studies in Health Promotion at the University of Texas at San Antonio, while doing an internship at the Wellness Coalition of San Antonio at the Health & Science Center. Dr. Ashtiani continued her academics to pursue a Doctor of Chiropractic Degree from Texas Chiropractic College in Pasadena, Texas. Special Interests include prenatal, postpartum, and pediatric population. Professional Accreditation includes Graston Provider, Acupuncture Board Certified, Fascial Movement Taping levels 1 & 2 (RockTape), Activator Technique, Webster Technique, Tongue & Lip Tie, 200 hours of training from the Academy Council of Chiropractic Pediatrics, and has completed her Pediatric SOT certification. Her favorite days at the office are when she spends time with little babies struggling to nurse or bottle feed, ones who are delayed in milestones, or pregnant mama’s prepping for birth!
Dr. Summer Kotson, DC
Dr. Summer Kotson is an associate doctor here at chiropractor at Essence Chiropractic & Wellness located in San Antonio, Texas.
Background & Education
Dr. Summer Kotson grew up in Kerrville, Texas. She left the Heart of the Hill Country for Angelo State University in the fall of 2007 where the plan was to get a degree in Biology and apply to medical school. Feeling uninspired by a potential career in medicine and sick-care, she found herself extensively researching holistic providers that were more in-line with her life’s purpose. That is when she found chiropractic, or as she likes to put it- chiropractic found her! Having never even been to a chiropractor once in her life, she applied to Parker University in Dallas with complete confidence this was her calling. During her time at Parker, Dr. Summer served as Sports Club President and Student Class Senator.
After starting a private practice in August 2019 and discovering a passion for family care, she has dedicated herself to enhancing skills and knowledge to better serve pregnant women, children and families. She became Webster Certified in December 2019 and has continued expanding her expertise by taking additional ICPA courses each year since. In 2024, she completed the Parker University Animal Chiropractic program- so now she can say she really does treat the whole family!
When she is not in practice, Dr. Summer is spending time with her growing family. She and her partner, Tony, welcomed their son in December 2022- and you can usually find them at the Farmer's Market on the weekend, walking their dogs in a park, or taking an adventure to a new place. She is also an active member of the Junior League of San Antonio since 2017.
Jamie Perez
Jamie is the Community Outreach & Marketing Coordinator here at Essence Chiropractic & Wellness located in San Antonio, Texas.
Background & Education
Jamie is a San Antonio native and a proud UTSA grad (Go Runners!) with a degree in Communications – Public Relations and a double minor in Marketing and Business. With over a decade of experience in sales, strategic planning, marketing, and relationship-building in the medical and wellness fields, she has spent her career helping healthcare providers grow their practices through patient education, strategic outreach and community connections. As the Community Outreach and Marketing Coordinator, she gets to do what she loves most—form meaningful connections and provide education within the wellness community! She is passionate about making sure people know how life-changing chiropractic care can be and what makes Essence Chiropractic & Wellness so special.
When she’s not working, you’ll most likely find her going back to her first and longest passion since six years old- dancing and choreographing! She love having epic dance parties around the house with her two girls (6 and 11), getting a workout in while jamming out to her favorite songs, golfing with her husband, and curled up with her two labradors (who are like children) with a great book or podcast.
A little-known fact about Jamie—She’s not just part of the Essence Chiropractic & Wellness team, she started as a patient! Dr. Shabby cared for her throughout her pregnancy with her second daughter, and she truly believes that the care she received, along with the support of her doula who worked hand in hand with Dr. Shabby, helped her achieve her dream of an all natural birth. Her daughters have also been patients here, so she personally experienced the incredible impact of chiropractic care for both moms and little ones. She is beyond excited to be part of a team that prioritizes health and healing, and can’t wait to help more families discover how chiropractic care can transform their wellness journey!