It's important to start slowly with Lymph Drainage Therapy. LDT moves a lot of toxins, dumping them back into the blood stream where they can be transported to the liver, kidneys, and lungs. It's important to know how your body responds to this process. So your first session of LDT will be fairly short, perhaps 10-15 minutes long. Ordinarily, the rest of the 1-hour session will be spent on CranioSacral Therapy, with the short, LDT sequence interjected at the optimum point.

Then you'll be asked to drink lots of water over the next 48 hours, to help your body flush the toxins away, and to closely observe your body's response. That response will let your therapist know how to proceed with your next LDT session. Perhaps you'll sleep better than you have slept in years. Perhaps you'll sleep restlessly, tossing and turning. Perhaps you'll drag through your day, collapsing on the couch after dinner. Perhaps you'll feel energetic and enthusiastic, waltzing through your daily tasks, clear headed and bright eyed. Perhaps you'll feel like you're coming down with a flu, and not have much pep. Perhaps you'll run your fastest mile. Everyone's body responds differently.

And that's why we do a short session the first time, so that your reaction will be very slight. If your body has to work hard to get rid of the toxins, we want to move forward slowly, to minimize any discomfort you might experience.

If your body does its job effortlessly, feeling great, then we can move forward with confidence, knowing that your body can handle it.

Depending on what part of your body needs healing, a typical LDT session will include specific treatment areas, such as your face and neck. . Perhaps we'll work on your deep abdomen and legs. Or your chest and arms, your liver. But every session begins at the collarbone, stimulating the thoracic duct, cleansing it to create an open conduit for whatever toxins are dislodged during the treatment.

From the collarbone, I'll work upstream along the lymphatic pathway, stimulating the collecting channels, coaxing the lymph to move along, sending it always downstream to the thoracic duct. I'll place my hands and fingers gently on your skin, tuning into the lymphatic pulse, and slowly stretch the skin downstream. I'll repeat the slow stretch 2-3 times, depending on the quality of the lymph lying under your skin. I'll continue to follow the lymph upstream, moving toward the afflicted area of your body, cleansing and rinsing, sending toxins and wastes on their way.

The gentle stretching of your skin not only stimulates the lymphatic system, it stimulates the entire autonomous nervous system. This means that you'll very likely fall asleep during the treatment. That's perfectly okay. Your active participation is not necessary; you'll be able to relax and simply enjoy the treatment.

Afterward, we'll discuss what I discovered during the treatment, and remind you to drink lots of water over the next 48 hours, and to pay attention to anything that seems different to you.