Rehab Rally is quickly approaching, and we are roaring with excitement! As HomeCEU makes its debut into the live continuing education arena, we are thrilled to introduce a new blog segment for your reading pleasure. You all know the benefits of attending a live conference; ease, convenience, an excuse to take a vacation to an awesome venue (like the Gaylord Palms!) but one of the greatest benefits of attending Rehab Rally is the ability to learn from some of the best speakers in your field. As we draw closer to Rehab Rally, the HCEU blog will highlight a different speaker through a conversational interview, which allows you to learn more about the presenters, their practice, and some of the things you may have in common. Today is all about Carmen Thompson, a Licensed Massage Therapist, Physical Therapist Assistant and Certified Lymphatic Therapist located in Blacksburg, VA.
One of the most important things to know about Carmen is that she cares deeply about her field and her patients. Lymph drainage is a passion for me because of the amazing impact it can have on people's lives, who have suffered for a very long time, years in some cases, without being able to find help. says Carmen. Carmen has touched the lives of several patients throughout her career. From the 3rd-degree burn patient with 100% recovery to the patient with an 8cm reduction in edema in a post-op hip replacement in one treatment, she has truly found her calling and is frequently rewarded with patient success.
Carmen said, My patients were my motivation. They would say, How do more people not know about this?', or, Why did my physician not send me here long ago?, Why have I suffered so long? The answer was always, 'because there are not enough certified therapists.' I decided to work to fix that. After years of practicing clinically, Carmen decided to teach courses that would assist other therapists and thereby assist more patients. In 2009, she began teaching courses across the US in a live format. She understood the value of attending quality sessions that cover pertinent topics. When asked what she enjoyed about attending continuing education sessions, Carmen said, I loved learning practical techniques to meet the patient where they are. Allowing them to participate fully in their care and making their home programs 'do-able'" She wanted to extend that same experience to other clinicians, by offering continuing education courses.
In addition, to live courses, Carmen also began offering online/home-study courses to reach therapists who are unable to attend live sessions. She knew first hand that attending live sessions were not always convenient. Carmen said I appreciate that there are options for continuing education. I know that when I had an infant and a two-year-old I would have appreciated an [alternative] delivery method for continuing education. In working with HomeCEU, Carmen is able to do what she loves, to reach the masses. She is scheduled to present 3 sessions at Rehab Rally, Manual Lymphatic Drainage for Orthopedic Conditions, Manual Lymphatic Drainage Introduction I, and Manual Lymphatic Drainage for Face, Aesthetic, & Therapeutic Interventions.
In addition to speaking live at on July 29-30, 2011, she also presents two Seminars On Demand (video-based courses) in the online/home-study format; Practical Applications of Manual Lymphatic Drainage, and Compression Therapy for the Lymphatic Patient (check your states approval status in the state specific course catalog for your profession).
To find out more about Carmen or to contact her with any questions, check out her website at http://lymphedemahope.com.
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