Meet the team
Welcome, and thank you for stopping by! Liz Jester, LMT LLC started as a one-woman shop. Over the years, I have been lucky to work with a wonderful group of clients, many of whom have been regulars since I first opened my doors. My focus has always been to provide excellent therapeutic massage therapy and lymphatic care. It has become clear over the years that there is a huge demand for skilled lymphatic work in the Atlanta area, particularly for clients facing lymphedema, cancer, and autoimmune conditions. My schedule began filling up, and before I knew it, I was booking eight to ten weeks in advance. It is hard to tell someone in pain to wait two months for an appointment! Thus, I began a search for the right MLD therapist to join me. I am thrilled to welcome Melanie Hollifield to the team. She will begin seeing clients in the summer of 2023, and many of you will be happy to hear she will be in the office on Saturdays! Please click our names or scroll down to learn more about us.
Liz Jester, Owner, Massage Therapist, Certified MLD Therapist
Thanks for visiting! I'm Liz. I'm an Atlanta native who's also lived in Austin, TX, and I have been a massage therapist and manual lymphatic drainage therapist since 2015. Yoga was my first stepping stone into the world of bodywork and holistic health, but it was massage therapy that really hooked me.
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When I started massage school at 22, I carried painful physical and psychological burdens caused by complex trauma. I was disconnected from myself, fearful, and exhausted. I had no idea how substantially my massage education would change my life. During my schooling, I spent nearly every day learning to offer and receive skilled, safe touch. In doing so, I discovered the human body is brilliant, communicative, and wants to be healthy; and slowly, I learned to listen to and cooperate with mine, rather than trying to numb or fix it.
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Following massage school, I received the opportunity to become certified in manual lymphatic drainage (MLD), and to apprentice with a well-known MLD therapist in Austin. This modality blew me away- I loved how systematic and effective it was, despite using such gentle pressure. After just one session, my clients and I would often see noticeable results in reduction of edema and inflammation. MLD quickly became my specialty, which led naturally into my study of oncology massage therapy.
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My work has been described as slow, specific, and deeply relaxing. I'm not a no pain no gain therapist; though I am not afraid to use deep pressure, in my experience, subtle pressure can be just as (or more) effective in reaching deeper layers of tissue and helping tension patterns unwind. I use and combine the modalities that seem to be the best fit for each person and situation, including neuromuscular therapy, deep Swedish massage, MLD, and a bit of craniosacral therapy here and there. I have also taken two trainings in trauma-informed care, and am continuously reading about trauma-informed care and ethics in massage therapy.
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In my free time, I love being outdoors and creating things- I am a poet and a pianist, and I love to dance. I also like adventuring, and have made my way through several continents with nothing but a 40L backpack.
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I would be honored to be a part of your healing and health journey. I hope to meet you soon.
Credentials:
Massage Therapy Training and Certification: Lauterstein-Conway School, Austin, TX
Manual Lymphatic Drainage (MLD) Certification: Klose Training Institute, Davis, CA
MLD Apprenticeship with a focus on Post-Surgical Swelling: Austin Lymphatic Associates, Austin, TX
Oncology Massage Therapy Intensive Training: Tracy Walton & Associates, Atlanta, GA
Oncology Massage Therapy Advanced Mentorship: Tracy Walton & Associates
Trauma STARS (Trauma-Informed training): CHRIS 180, Atlanta, GA
Melanie Hollifield, Massage Therapist, Certified MLD Therapist
During her sixteen years working in an outpatient wound clinic, Melanie discovered just how well lymphatic care could complement wound care. Seeing a need for lymphatic intervention in many patients led her to research and learn about Manual Lymphatic Drainage (MLD). This sparked her interest in a career change, and she decided to take the plunge to become a licensed massage therapist. She graduated from Atlanta School of Massage and followed her massage education with a certification in MLD from the Academy of Lymphatic Studies. Melanie has personal ties to this work as well, and is passionate about using it to improve her clients' health and wellbeing. Melanie has experience with post-surgical lymphatic drainage, and also enjoys offering deep tissue and therapeutic massage.
Picture and credentials coming soon!