Accredited Practical Instructors

Our practical instructors are committed, energetic and dedicated therapists who have years of clinical experience before becoming instructors. They have undergone extensive teacher training to ensure that you learn the highest quality hand skills and practical knowledge. They are certified by the Dr. Vodder School – International to teach various levels of our training program. Once certified, instructors undergo annual recertification by attending a Teacher Review course, designed to maintain and improve their skills and also to maintain uniformity amongst teachers. As a student in our program, you can be assured that you will receive the same Dr. Vodder technique, no matter who you train with through the Dr. Vodder School.

Therapy II and III (including all courses)

Robert Harris, HND, RMT, CLT-LANA rharris@vodderschool.com
Robert is the director and senior instructor of the Dr. Vodder School-International. He was first certified as an instructor in 1986 and has since introduced thousands of students to the Dr. Vodder method of MLD. He has authored and presented many papers and articles internationally. With over 26 years of clinical experience, teaching and research on the Dr. Vodder method of MLD and CDT, Robert conveys a passion and dedication for this work. His patient, empathic approach encourages students to find the best way to engage their innate skills as therapists.

Linda (Koby) Blanchfield, RMT, CLT-LANA kobymld@telus.net
Linda (Koby) Blanchfield graduated in 1990 from the West Coast College of Massage Therapy, 2400 hours program and has maintained a private practice since then. She completed the Dr. Vodder training in Austria in 1992. Koby became a basic Instructor with the Dr. Vodder School in 1995, Therapy I Instructor in 2000 and in 2004 she completed the certification training for teaching Advanced Esthetician Neck and Face, and Advanced Body/Spa levels. In 2002, Koby became certified through the Lymphology Association of North America (LANA).
She has taught classes in Australia, Ireland, Japan and throughout North America (including Stanford University Hospital and the Ottawa General Hospital). She has presented at a World Conference on Breast Cancer, the Canadian Association of Wound Care and several other conferences in Canada and the USA.

Therapy I levels (including Basic)

Janet Douglass, BHSc., RMT jandouglass@mi2plus.com.au
Jan has worked in the field of natural therapies since 1987 practicing remedial massage and aromatherapies and developing and delivering health science subjects for students of massage therapy, occupational therapy and naturopathy. Since becoming a Dr Vodder Therapist in 1997 Jan has specialized in MLD & CDT and in 2002 became and accredited instructor with the Dr Vodder School. Jan’s scope of experience includes research into treatments for lymphoedema at Flinders University, presentations at numerous conferences and seminars within Australia and internationally and developing the lymphoedema clinic within the breast unit at Flinders Medical Centre. A continuing student at Adelaide University School of Health Sciences, Jan’s future aspirations include working with communities affected by filarial lymphoedema

Kathryn McKillip Thrift, BS, RMT, CLT-LANA kmtcltlana@aol.com
Kathryn has been a certified Dr. Vodder therapist since 1987 (Walchsee, Austria) and a Basic Instructor since1992. She was certified as a Therapy I Instructor in 1997. She serves on the Boards of the North American Vodder Association of Lymphatic Therapy (NAVALT), the National Lymphedema Network (NLN), the Medical Advisory Committee of the NLN, the Lymphology Association of North America (LANA) as well as serving on the steering committee of the American Lymphedema Framework Project (ALFP).
She maintains a private practice in Dallas, Texas, as well as being the clinical consultant of the Lymphedema Program at Medical City Dallas Hospital, which she helped set up in 1995.
“This work has such meaning and value to me as I have benefited from it, first as a patient with my lipedema, and then as a therapist. There are so many who can benefit from this work, either as a wellness therapy or for the many different pathologies MLD is uniquely suited to treat. Becoming an instructor was the next logical step for me. I want to help others catch the vision of this work as I was inspired by my teacher, Hildegard Wittlinger. These days my motto seems to be ‘Have packed bag, will travel’ as I have been teaching so much . . . I love teaching and meeting so many wonderful therapists from all parts of this vast country. I feel blessed to have found this work and my role in it.”

Basic level

Anne Bramham, LMT bramhami@aol.com
With more than 25 years of professional experience as consultant, teacher, therapist and designer of spa therapies. Anne Bramham is the founder of ASTECC (American Spa Therapy and Education Certification Council) and the owner of the Bramham Institute in West Palm Beach, Florida. An instructor of Manual Lymph Drainage with the Vodder School since 1995, Anne opened the first hospital based Lymphedema treatment center in South Florida. In recent years Anne has been instrumental in introducing MLD to the Spa and Wellness community. In 2005 she introduced the Vodder sponsored Spa Body Certification program to serve as a bridge between the medical use of MLD and the world of wellness. The program facilitates the use of MLD in conjunction with spa therapies and rehabilitation from cosmetic surgery and has been adopted by a number of resort spas including Mobil's first ever 5 Star Award Winning Montage Spa.

Catherine DiCecca, RMT cathyd13@telus.net
Catherine DiCecca is a Registered Massage Therapist in the province of British Columbia Canada. She has 14 years experience treating patients of all ages with soft tissue injuries and pathologies related to the lymphatic system such as primary and secondary lymphedema, Turner’s Syndrome, and Klippel Trenaunay Syndrome. She was chair of the Inquiry Committee of the College of Massage Therapists of BC and a board member of the North American Vodder Association of Lymphatic Therapy (NAVALT®). Catherine is a past editor of NAVALT’s newsletter, “The Scoop”. She is a founding member and the current President of the BC Lymphedema Association. She has been a Basic Instructor with the Dr. Vodder School, North America since 2002 and brings her enthusiasm and passion for teaching Manual Lymphatic Drainage to the class setting.

Michel Eid, BPE, MT mikeeid@yahoo.fr
Michel was trained in physical education at Université du Québec à Montréal and taught Phys. Ed. at elementary school for three years before entering the massage therapy field. He is certified in Swedish and Sports Massage. He first started to work with athletes and sports teams, professionals and amateurs and then directed his attention to MLD. He completed his Combined Decongestive Therapy training in 2002 at the Dr. Vodder Schule in Walchsee, Austria. His focus, since then, has been to work with patients suffering with lymphedema. He has given lectures on this topic to many health professionals in the province of Québec, bringing more knowledge and awareness on this subject. Michel has been involved for five years with the Lymphedema Association of Québec and has served on their board of directors for two of these years.
In October 2003 Michel joined Physio Extra, one of the first physiotherapy clinics in Québec to offer multidisciplinary modalities in the treatment of lymphedema

Kathryn Fleming, PT, CLT-LANA kjfmldpt@aol.com
Kathy Fleming graduated from the University of Connecticut, 1977, with a BS in Physical Therapy. She has worked in rehabilitation and community hospitals with in- and out-patients, nursing homes, state and private institutions for the mentally and physically handicapped, school pediatric programs, private practices, Visiting Nurses Home Care PT. Kathy has attended many continuing education classes, including certification as a Lebed Method-Focus on Healing Instructor. She was the first PT in Massachusetts to become Dr. Vodder School MLD/CDT certified (in Austria in 1994) and has been actively doing this work since then. Kathy also certified in MLD/CDT at the Foeldi College in Germany in 1999. She committed to carrying on with the BEST by becoming certified as a Dr. Vodder School Basic teacher in 2005. Kathy states: “I love this work and the positive impact it has upon the quality of life of those to whom we bring it!!”

Gay Lee Gulbrandson, BA, CMT, CLT-LANA gaylee@voddermld.com www.voddermld.com
Gay Lee Gulbrandson, a resident of Berkeley, CA, has a BA (Biology) from Beloit College, WI (1971). She is a certified MLD therapist by the Dr Vodder School International (VSNA, 1996), and is a certified Basic Course teacher since 2002. Gay Lee has a thriving private practice in MLD and Combined Decongestive Therapy. Her qualifications and accreditation include certified massage therapist (1979), AMTA member (since 1988), orthopedic massage certification (Hendrickson School 1991), a member of NAVALT® (since 1995), NCTMB exam certified (1995), NLN member (since 1996) and CLT-LANA certified (2002). Gay Lee has 2 grown sons and is happily married. She has the energy to be an innovative, dynamic and respected teacher and travels frequently to teach MLD throughout the USA.

Sandra MacDonald, RMT aj244@chebucto.ns.ca
Sandra graduated from the West Coast College of Massage Therapy in Vancouver, BC in 1987 and has been in private practice, first in BC and since 1994 in Halifax, NS. She completed her Manual Lymph Drainage certification at the Dr Vodder Schule in Walchsee, Austria in 1996. She has been involved with the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation and is an Encore instructor. Encore is a post Breast Cancer exercise program run by the YWCA. She has done many educational sessions with patients and therapists alike. Sandra became a Basic Instructor in 2009 and hopes to encourage more therapists to take continued education programs in Manual Lymph Drainage.