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The therapists at Madison Lymphatics and Bodywork believe that care should always be holistic and we strive to help guide you towards healing with experience and compassion. We have a combined 12 years experience of treating patients with a wide variety of health histories and needs using Manual Lymphatic Drainage. Carmela is a Licensed massage therapist and Courtney holds a doctorate in physical therapy. Therapists at our clinic have graduated from Klose Training, a school which educates students how to perform Manual Lymphatic Drainage in a safe, gentle, and effective manner.
Hi, I’m Carmela. I am a patient-focused Licensed Massage Therapist that specializes in Post-Surgical Manual Lymphatic Drainage. My goal is always to get my patients into a space where they are feeling the best they can in their bodies.
In 2001, I started studying Traditional Chinese Medicine and TuiNa (Chinese massage) at the East-West Healing Arts Institute of Madison, Wisconsin. After graduation, I continued studying Eastern techniques as well as Myofascial Release, ortho-bionomy, NMT, and Trigger Point Therapy.
In 2008, I opened Therapeutic Massage Center of Middleton with the mantra that no one should have to live with chronic pain. It was there that I really started growing as a Massage Therapist, both with my skill set and the clientele that I was seeing. Being a LMT at that location allowed me to build my “tool belt” of treatment options due to the large spectrum of patients that were coming into the clinic. Patients would describe me as knowledgeable, empathetic, and kind all wrapped up in an up-beat personality.
In 2016, I received a certification in Manual Lymphatic Drainage (CMLDT) from the Klose Institute in Boulder, Colorado and began specializing in post-surgical manual lymphatic drainage. I was drawn to MLD as a modality after seeing the amazing results that other practitioners were getting with their patients by reducing inflammation responses and relaxing the nervous system. I truly love working with post-surgical patients of all types, and find so much satisfaction in helping those patients recover and achieve the best outcome possible. Over the last 7 years, I have worked successfully with people recovering from abdominoplasty, breast augmentation, fat transfer, face/neck lift, liposuction, arm/leg lift, skin removal, knee replacement, lymph node removal (and subsequent lymphedema), and other surgical procedures.
Over the last 20+ years as a massage therapist, I have treated thousands of patients. Because of this, I have extensive experience treating a multitude of chronic pain disorders, injuries, and stress-related conditions. I regularly receive referrals directly from surgeons, physicians, chiropractors, and spine specialists as an adjunct member of a patient’s physical support team. I feel extremely thankful to have gained the trust of these referral sources, as I know their patient’s care is of the highest concern.
Outside of the office, I enjoy spending time with my husband and cat, playing the drums, traveling, and making memories with my friends.
PT, DPT, CMLDT – Founder
Hi, I’m Courtney. I am extremely passionate about what I do and helping guide my patients towards their goals with compassion, patience and an understanding of the complexities of each individual’s health journey. I am 100% patient focused, which means I will ALWAYS do what is best for my patients.
Prior to my career in MLD, I received my Bachelor of Science in Dance from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2006 and taught dance for 10 years after graduating. Being a dancer my whole life, I was constantly injured and never took time to heal. This directly impacts how I treat my patients today and I encourage them to listen to their body!
These constant injuries eventually led me on a different path and in 2016, I received my Doctorate in Physical Therapy from Texas State University. My first few years working as a Physical Therapist I was working primarily with high level athletes and chronic pain patients with a focus on movement re-education and manual work- specifically soft tissue, mobilizations and scar tissue work.
Throughout my career as a Physical Therapist, it became clear to me that there was an aspect missing in my practice. I would often see patients with swelling, systemic inflammation, or a heightened nervous system who were not progressing as expected. I wanted to get to the root cause of these issues. Getting certified in manual lymphatic drainage ended up changing my career path and in the last 6 years I have devoted the majority of my practice to lymphatic and scar tissue work specifically. I’m constantly amazed at how well lymphatic therapy works and wish I had implemented this into my practice earlier.
The 5 years prior to working at Madison Lymphatics and Bodywork I was working at a practice in Austin, TX that specialized in post-surgical manual lymphatic drainage and scar tissue work where I helped 100s of patients recover post-surgically as well as treating a wide variety of patients whose lymphatic systems were impacted by trauma, chronic disease or acute inflammation.
At Madison Lymphatics and Bodywork, my focus is purely on helping people recovering from surgery, cancer and supporting those with lymphatic or autoimmune conditions. I also do scar tissue work to facilitate healing with those it is beneficial for. My patients say they appreciate how supportive and caring I am and that it’s obvious how much I love my work.
In my other professional life, I own an IG vintage shop and run a small business helping other small businesses. In my free time I enjoy seeing live music, spending time with friends and family, exploring nature and hanging out with my partner Chris and our dog Lefty.