Norton School of Lymphatic TherapyReviews of nortonschool.com

This course was very informative, and taught me how to apply the needed treatments. I have had some difficulty since returning to my clinic being able to provide my patients with proper compression therapy due to insurance difficulties.

The instructors were very professional and supportive throughout the 9 day practical. It meant a lot to have Steve Norton stop in and help with the teaching. The information I received has helped me educate and treat my massage clients who come in with lymphedema and who have had lymph nodes removed. My one complaint would be that I am not allowed to review the bandaging video. Any other manual therapy program I've attended offers a DVD of the practicum. Norton School does not. The school should at least allow graduates continued access to the on-line bandaging video to insure proper compliance of the treatment protocol. A video showing proper measuring for custom garments would be helpful. as well.

The class provided a great combination between hands-on learning and information from lecture and a book. The hands-on was a majority of the class and this was good as lymphedema therapy is a hands on practice. I felt prepared at the end of the course to come back to my work setting and educate others, as well as provided treatment to patients. The North School needs to update their tests and manual as there are many grammatical errors throughout both. The tests are not written by a test writer and are worded poorly, making answering the questions quite subjective. The instructors of the course were unprofessional as they were on their personal cell phones throughout the course, texting and taking phone calls during class lecture. In the course manual it was expected of the students to keep their phones off during class, but the instructors did not follow the expectations set for the students. This is a course provided by a college. It is expensive and time consuming, I expected the instructors full attention and felt that their minds were somewhere else. Extremely unprofessional behavior for the work place and college setting.

I am an OT and was previously certified in lymphedema by another school. Over the course of 15 years practicing & managing a lymphedema clinic, I found areas that I was not equipped to handle. There were significant defieciences in my previous training! I was introduced to Norton school from a Norton trained CLT, who I consulted with. She always had a solution for me about my lymphedema delimas! Now that I am a Norton grad, I am so grateful for the well organized, wealth of information that I received. I now feel that I can treat anyone with lymphedema!

Norton School have me a theoretical understanding and education in Lymphedema -- not just online book work--but also practical application of the techniques used in Manual Lymphatic Drainage. I know and trust that with this knowledge base, I will be able to go out into my community, set up programs for educating others about Lymphedema self-care and begin a thriving practice that works in conjunction with the Oncology Facilities around my area as well as local Doctors.

I was contemplating a law suit. I was definitely discriminated against. I think that my instructor would not let me pass and certify for this course because I am a Massage Therapist and NOT a PHYSICAL THERAPIST, or OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST. I got a 78% on the exam, did ALL the pre-qualifying homework and passed every one of those tests. I took the full course, paid in full, and qualified for a "good" rating in my bandage wrapping. The instructor called me up IN FRONT OF THE CLASS and drilled me on some of the questions that had I missed on the test, of which I passed with a 78%. I did not know the answers, she got loud, enough for everyone to hear, and discussed WHY I should know these answers, and demanded that I agree with her. I told her if I agreed with her, that she would not pass me. I said, 'what it sounded like to me is, that is what she wanted, that she was leading me to agree and she would fail me'. When I told her this, she said nothing further. As a 10 year veteran Massage Therapist AND INSTRUCTOR OF MASSAGE, (Anthem College an 820 hour, FULL TIME POSITION, of FIVE YEARS!) I felt that I would pass the practical...well, I did NOT pass. I saw her complete attention on me, singling me out, during the practical, while my co-students - ALL of which, were PHYSICAL THERAPISTS, were just "LED TO SLIDE BY" without the scrutiny of the instructor, which was on me. I felt I did the practical as well as my co-students. I was allowed another attempt at the practical. My instructor chose the most difficult, (which I over heard other co-student PT's say WAS the hardest). I did not pass, although as a Massage Therapist myself, knowing that with practice, and more attention to instruction, am confident I would MASTER these routines. The instructor said that I had perfect technique, but failed me due to a FEW MISTAKES IN MY ROUTINE! I also documented that I heard my instructor tell several other PT's (when they asked WHY a Massage Therapist was in the school) that a "fly-by-night Massage Therapist could not come in here for certification". Simply put, I was told WHEN WE STARTED THE CLASS, that she would NOT fail ANYONE for the practical only, that we would have plenty of time to master the techniques. I failed to receive my certification for the practical only. I could recite the entire concept of anastomosis and the concept of MLD. I passed all exams, and the bandaging. There is NOTHING ELSE to pass EXCEPT THE ROUTINE! (which was biased and under the scrutiny of one single instructor!) I had practiced before the practical, with my fellow students, and could do the routines JUST AS GOOD AS THEM, (before testing in the practical!) But, she failed me, and I think it was STRICTLY discriminatory. I firmly believe that your company only wants PT's and OT's to have this certification, and not Massage Therapists!

This course was comprehensive, interesting and well taught. You left having an excellent feel for the Norton School and the people that you may work with. You also feel very supported as you start as a CLT and that you could contact your instructors at any time.

I was thrilled to be able to go to Norton School, since it is one of only a couple of schools that allow LMTs to take the program. It was a lot of hard work, but met a great group of women, both instructors and students that made the class fun and interesting. I have been able to use my new found knowledge and techniques as soon as I went back to work. I would recommend the program to any health care professional interested in learning the lymphatic system and wants to help those in need of fluid reduction. I graduated 2 years ago and still able to utilize what I learned to my patients every day.