BERLIN, NH — Cathleen Houle, MS, OTR/L, CLT, has recently been designated as a Certified Lymphedema Therapist by the Academy of Lymphatic Studies (ACOLS). Cathleen provides Occupational Therapy services at Androscoggin Valley Hospital, a proud affiliate of North Country Healthcare.
The Complete Lymphedema Certification Course, offered by the Academy of Lymphatic Studies (ACOLS) equips therapists with advanced training in Complete Decongestive Therapy (CDT), the gold-standard treatment for lymphedema. By completing this program, Cathleen gained specialized skills in manual lymph drainage, compression bandaging, exercise, and skin care—tools necessary to manage and improve quality of life for patients with lymphedema and related conditions.
This certification enhanced her clinical expertise and broadened her scope of practice, allowing her to treat a population with a highly specialized and often underserved medical need. This increases the department’s service capacity, reduces the need for external referrals, and enable us to offer a higher standard of care to patients with lymphatic disorders. It also supports our Mission of providing comprehensive, evidence-based rehabilitation services and strengthens our position as a leader in integrated therapeutic care.
Currently, the nearest certified lymphedema therapists are located 45-minutes away from Androscoggin Valley Hospital, creating a significant barrier to care for patients in our community who are often unwilling or unable to travel that distance. Certification allows us to offer this vital service locally, improving access, continuity of care, and outcomes for our patients. For our organization, this enhances service offerings, reduces the need for external referrals, and positions us as a regional provider of comprehensive, high-quality rehabilitation services.
