What we do

A good lymphatic system is essential to maintaining your health. When it functions properly, you will have more energy and find relief from common symptoms like bloating and congestion, and recover faster from injuries and surgeries. Studies show lymphatic drainage accelerates the healing process.

Lisa is available for speaking engagements, wellness retreats and advanced education..

Reach out to us if you’re interested in having our team teach our unique method at your spa or clinic

Lisa Levitt Gainsley is a Certified Lymphedema Therapist, Manual Lymphatic Drainage practitioner, Author, Educator, and Speaker. Her work has appeared in GOOP, ELLE, The Hollywood Reporter, Healthline and more. She has worked at UCLA Medical Center and been in private practice for 20 years.

She holds a double certification in Lymphedema Therapy and is a member of the Lymphatic Education & Research Network (LE&RN) and National Lymphedema Network (NLN).  Lisa leads workshops across the country and has pioneered the field of Lymphatic self-massage.

Born and raised in Los Angeles, Lisa is an innovator in her field. Her unique life experience has driven her to become an accomplished and multi-faceted practitioner. When Lisa was 10 years old, her mother was diagnosed with lung and brain cancer. She and her family spent the next few years educating themselves about the disease and working with doctors and top specialists across the country to support her mother's health. At a young age, Lisa and her family were exposed to the concept of complimentary medicine and beneficial ways to help her mom alleviate the side effects of her cancer treatment, including adopting a macrobiotic diet and learning guided meditation techniques. Lisa was 13 years old when her mother died, and the deep impact of her loss inspired her to pursue a lifelong commitment to helping others.

After college, in the early 90's, Lisa enrolled at the Institute of Conscious Bodywork, a massage school in Marin County, where she felt an immediate connection to her Lymphatic courses.

"I loved the way lymphatic treatments felt. I’ve never experienced anything else like it. I finally felt at home in my body again, a feeling I hadn’t experienced since my mother’s death. The rhythm and cadence of the strokes felt like the undulating ocean. Over time, my digestive issues and acne improved, and my bloating subsided. The more I learned about the intricate patterns of the lymphatic system, how the strokes are grounded in science and physiology, the more I was hooked! Lymphatic massage has a calming effect on the nervous system where healing occurs. Once I understood the direct connection between the lymphatic system and the immune system, and that manual lymph drainage can benefit side effects from cancer treatment, I knew I had found my life's work."

Lisa has studied passionately and incessantly - from meditation to yoga and massage. Since being introduced to the Silva method of meditation with her family in 1980, Lisa has gone on to learn Zen meditation, Vipassana, Pranayama, Tai Chi and Qi Gong. She learned Canial-Sacral Therapy with David Weinstock of NeuroKinetic Therapy. She studied Chi Nei Tsang in Berkeley, CA and has traveled to Thailand to deepen her knowledge of Chi Nei Tsang with master Mantak Chia. She studied Breema bodywork in Berkeley, CA. In Chang Mai, Lisa became a certified Thai massage therapist and her training continued in India and Bali where she studied Ayurvedic principals, Iyengar Yoga, and massage techniques from a Balinese master. 

Lisa’s work is a moving meditation. She believes in the power of self-healing and the trust that develops from clear-minded intentions and methods grounded in science.

• Manual Lymphatic Drainage - Institute of Conscious Bodywork, 1993-1998

• Certification in Lymphedema Therapy - Academy of Lymphatic Studies, 1999

• Certification in Lymphedema Therapy - The Norton School of Lymphatic Therapy, 2007

• Certification, Yoga Instructor - Yoga Works, 1999

• Member of the National Lymphedema Network

• Member of the Lymphatic Education and Research Network

• Lisa has worked at UCLA Medical Center, TAG Physical Therapy and Plumbline Pilates & Physical Therapy

• Private practice since 2000 in Los Angeles, California

• Since 1998, Lisa has specialized in working with cancer patients

• Lisa remains dedicated to helping people before disease manifests in the body