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| LYMPHLAND |
| Meet The Therapist
Name: Veronica Yap Address: 18, Portchester Ave Singapore 556300 Email: veronicayap@yahoo.com website www.vylymph.com What inspired you to become involved in LymphedemaTherapy? Probably from my own experience in coming close to having ovarian cancer, I had stage 4 endometriosis 13 years ago, that was the rude awakening, going through surgery and half a year of injection therapy was hard, the lucky part was the biopsy result was not malignant although my cyst was 11 to 12cm but since it was wide spread multiple, I had to do hormone injections. At that time I was a Beauty School Training Administrator and I had some information on the lymph drainage therapy from the spa industry, I had come close and felt that managing my symptoms with aromatherapy oils had helped alot, so I asked around on what skill is related to cancer and found Manual Lymph Drainage. Where did you study and how long? Since I was a lay person with no back ground, I had at first thought it was simply a massage skill, so I got myself qualified as an Aromatherapist in the beauty school here. Then I enrolled for the Basic MLD course in Melbourne hosted by ESTT College of Natural Medicine with the seminar instructor (Director of Vodder School Canada) from Dr Vodder school. Initially my application was rejected, because of qualifications, I was very upset, I made alot of noise and they reluctantly took me in, then I realise that there is a huge difference in education standards of beauty and medical massage therapist. I did not pass the test and was sent home after refunding the rest of the course fee back to me. ESTT principal Prof Carroll felt sorry for me and arranged for me to have a distance learning qualification via phone lectures and internet and took me 3 years to complete the 6 exams in Anatomy, Physiology and Pathology done by a few professors of the Victoria University. I semt to Sydney at Strand College of Beauty Therapy to do the Advance Asthetic syllabus for Vodder School Face and Neck MLD, I did well, but felt that Asthetic medicine was not satisfying. I went back to study again with Health School Australia and finally graduate as a Remedial Therapist. I then joined the physiotherapist and nurses who were doing the Therapy 1 Module of Vodder School MLD, I felt like the odd one out since I am not mainstream medicine, but I did well and I was glad for all the education I recieved. Finally two years of savings later, I joined the school in Adelaide, Massage Study Center, for the Therapy 2 and 3 module and became a full fledge Lymphoedema Therapist. I took in total 6 years from the first time I went to Melbourne in 2000 to the day I finished in Adelaide. My instructor Dr Robert Harris who has been my teacher for all the modules was so moving when he presented my cert to me, he made me cry because he was rooting for me all along, the underdog therapist :) How long have you been practicing? I have been practicing for 11 years in biz as a home based biz to be part mom and part therapist. Lymphoedema therapist for 2 years, working on cancer patients with aromatherapy for 11 years and a general lymph drainage therapist for 8 years. Most familiar with cancer work, including all the emotional trauma, also treat patients for insomnia, anxiety, depression, panic attacks, muscle aches and pains and fluid retention issues among other things under my other biz www.vyaroma.com this one helps with the income, to feed the work for the cancer patients who can't afford to pay on their own much. Do you have other areas of expertise? Medical Aromatherapy under Dr Kurt Schnaubelt also an aromatherapy Remedial Therapist under Wilson Chia (mentor) graduate from Health School Australia. What insurances do you take? Do you offer any fee reductions for cash clients? Currently not covered :( no insurance companies in Singapore, searching for the last 10 years only covered in Aromatherapy from my England's affiliation. Is not good for me. We are all on cash basis in Singapore, so I do offer $20 off per hour for my patients so that they can cope better with finances since it is a long standing problem. They are normally very compliant lot, and they do wear their gloves and keep their bandages on for 24 hrs so I am very pleased with their performance always. :) What is your approach to understanding the individual needs of your clients? Under my mentor's wisdom, I now try to go to the core of the problem and restore their bio rhythm balance first e.g. constipation, digestion problems, sleep disturbances, once that is dealt with, alot of issues resolves spontaneously. I try to look at the whole picture, because we are a sum of all the parts and lymphoedema is only a part of the sum. Are you involved or affiliated with any professional Lymphedema, Physical Therapy, orMassage Therapy Associations? Nope :( because of insurance issues, I can't get professional affiliations. I'm going to the Australian Lymphology Association Conference in March 2008 to see if I can fix this problem. I wanted to apply for LANA, once I get the insurance approved, I should be able to get this done. What else would you like us to know about you? I'm a single mother of 2 beautiful boys! My greatest achievement in my lifetime :D I'm still studying to a higher qualification in advance diploma in Remedial Therapy and Naturopathy, so that's still in the factory. :) This might help me give more options to my lymphoedema patients yet. |
