Testimonials

My name is Courtney and I am 13 years old. Last summer I was diagnosed with puberty-onset primary lymphedema in my left leg. At first I was terrified because my leg was so big and no Doctor could figure out what it was. One said it was fractured, another said I had narrowed vain and others said I had edema. After many catscans and dopler studies on my leg we found out that it was definetely lymphedema. For about two weeks I recieved intensive treatments at the hospital outpatient center which included wrapping for 24 hours for more than 14 days and Manual Lymph Drainage. This showed major results but as a 13 year old girl I had a lot of trouble about my appearance. I cried myself to sleep for months but finally we got in touch with Emily Smith. Emily was a lymphedema therapist and trained in compression bandaging. When Emily came the first time I was not excited because I knew I would get the "it's never going away" speech that I had already heard at the outpatient clinic. Instead, she has been very positive. She has been coming twice a week for the last ten weeks and now my leg looks almost exactly the same as the other!

Oh, and kids with lymphedema, remember you are not the only one. If you need someone to talk to I'd love for you to call!

"As you get older, the body tends to get tighter. Maintaining my flexibility is of the utmost importance. I go to Emily for body work because she's the best. She is extremely knowledgable and thorough in her work. She works hard to make sure she addresses and stretches each muscle to maintain full range of motion to keep me on my game."

-Billy Andrade, PGA Tour since 1987

I've known Emily for about 18 months since the time she had moved to Tallahassee and was working with another MLD Therapist, Ms. Jan Godfrey. Due to Ms. Godfrey's illness, Emily agreed to work with her patients who required varying levels of lymphatic drainage. I have primary lymphedema in both of my legs and abdomen, each area requiring work at least once per week.

I found Emily to be very skilled in her massage methods, her touch was gentle and effective and I experienced successful drainage following treatment. She takes great care to keep her massage area comfortable and appealing, adding to the sense of healing I felt from her massage touch. She goes above and beyond what is required of her during an MLD treatment by discussing other areas of benefit for the condition (i.e., relaxation techniques, exercise appropriate to the health condition and breathing techniques that contribute to the lymph drainage); she is also skilled at compression wrapping. Her personality and care contribute to the overall sense of healing that occurred for me with each MLD session.

I hated to see Emily leave Tallahassee to return home but know that it was in her best interest. If given the opportunity, I would definitely call upon her for MLD treatment in the future.

Please feel free to call or email me should you have any questions or want additional information relative to her MLD skills and work.

Sincerely,

Laura Morgan

I first began seeing Emily Smith for deep-tissue massage therapy as a sixteen-year-old in 2004. I ran cross country and experienced multiple injuries during the course of my high school cross country career. Emily helped get me through many muscular injuries both physically and mentally. She was initially recommended to me by my older sister who trains horses and was seeking regular deep-tissue massage treatment. My mother had also begun to see Emily for her chronic neck injuries and carpal tunnel syndrome and had been amazed at the positive results she had experienced.

Emily has been extremely attentive to my needs as an athlete and a young teen. She is a fantastic listener and is extremely attuned to the human body. She has a passion for educating her clients and establishing long-term relationships. Emily cares for her clients dearly and, on several occasions, has gone to great lengths to help me maintain top condition throughout my running and, now, triathlon seasons. As I step into my fourth semester of college and 2008 spring triathlon season, I will continue to see Emily for deep-tissue massage treatments.

I have learned much from Emily and have always felt extremely comfortable with her professionalism. She has made many steps in her career since the time that I have known her, publishing both a book on stretching the body and a CD for relaxation and meditation. I continue to see Emily and have consistently been extremely pleased with her work. I strongly recommend Emily for massage therapy and have heard great things about her work with lymphedema therapy.

Sincerely,

Sara Reiser

Emily was top of her massage class in both theoretical knowledge and application of technique. She is also a yoga instructor and has written a stretching
book. She exhibited a very positive attitude throughout the program and is organized, up beat, and high energy.

Rick Garbowski,

Director Clincal Program The Atlanta School of Massage

My wife and I first met Emily after she graduated from massage school and were her first clients. She has been our therapist for about 6 years now (we try to get a massage about 2x a month) and we can't say enough good things about her. She is always positive, cheerful and extremely knowledgeable about all aspects of the human body.

Having seen a number of therapists over the years you begin to be able to tell the ones who "get it" and who really focus on the patient's needs. Emily always gets the job done, regardless of what the issue is. We regard her as one of our most trusted health care professionals.

Gary and Gail Silvers

Gary S. Silvers, CPA

Thank you- you have no idea what a blessing it is to have you as a resource for GOCA and these women and their families; To have you as part of this is fantastic!

Nancy J. Noto

Georgia Ovarion Cancer Alliance

INATS in a Flash

By Melanie Marquis
At the end of June, I had the pleasure of attending INATS-West, the International New Age Trade Show held in Denver each year. The expo showcases the best of the best in New Age publishing and retailing, so I thought I’d take a look and share some of the highlights of what’s hot right now and what good things are yet to come. Although the show was much smaller than last year’s event, a by-product of the shaky economy no doubt, it was still very fun, with appearances by authors T. Thorn Coyle, Debra Lynn Katz, and many others. I wandered about for hours, scanning displays for the latest and greatest products that might be of interest to the tarot community. I found all kinds of good stuff. Here are the highlights:

Emily A. Smith
Emily was at the show promoting her new book Awaken. A truly bright and bubbly individual, Emily offers compassion and depth in her spiritual knowledge and insights, guiding us to see the world family, and our selves, as a whole.