About Carmen Thompson

Carmen Thompson, BS, LPTA, CMT, CLT, is a Licensed Physical Therapist Assistant and Certified Massage Therapist, with a specialty certification in lymphatic therapy. She currently provides inpatient and outpatient lymphatic therapy to clients with a variety of diagnoses through her practice Lymphatic Care Specialists, LLC. She also teaches Lymphatic Pathology at the Blue Ridge School of Massage in Blacksburg, Virginia. Ms. Thompson has worked in a variety of health care settings over the last 15 years, both as a clinical therapist and in administration.

She served as Director of Rehabilitation Services at Tandem Health Care in Floyd, Virginia, and Facility/Area Administrator of Rehabilitation at Prism Rehab Systems, overseeing therapists, program development and patient care for orthopedic and neurological patients. Ms. Thompson has conducted local and state presentations on the prevention and management of lymphedema in cancer patients and on lymphedema program development in acute care.

Carmen earned a Bachelor of Science in Health Care Management from California College of Health Sciences, National City, California, and an Associate of Science in Physical Therapy (Magna Cum Laude) from Jefferson College of Health Sciences, Roanoke, Virginia. She completed a 140-hour certification course in Manual Lymphatic Drainage and Complex Decongestive Physiotherapy through the Upledger Institute.

Ms. Thompson furthered her education in 2008 by completing advanced courses on head, neck and genital lymphedema. She will be continuing her education in this field in 2010 to stay up on the very latest research findings.

Her training program was recognized by the National Lymphedema Network in 2010, and she looks forward to the continued development of her programs to educate and train medical professionals in order that they might better help people with lymphatic disorders.