Head & Neck Lymphedema Management: Spring 2026

24-Hour Hands-On Clinical Training

ASHA CE Provider
Hybrid Learning Experience: 4 Hours Online + 20 Hours In-Person (24 CEUs)

📍 Location: Falls Church, Virginia
📅 Dates: MAY 28-30, 2026 
💲 Course Investment: $650 per participant

Course Overview

This immersive, clinician-led course provides hands-on, clinically applicable training in head & neck lymphedema management across the cancer care continuum.

Designed for speech-language pathologists and rehabilitation professionals working with oncology populations, this training emphasizes practical skill development, clinical decision-making, and real-world application—not lecture-heavy learning.

You’ll leave with tools, confidence, and clear pathways you can apply immediately in clinical practice.

Hands-On Skills & Clinical Focus

Participants receive extensive hands-on instruction in:

• Anterior and posterior manual lymphatic drainage pathways

• Intraoral techniques for head & neck lymphedema

• Elastic taping strategies

• Scar and tissue mobility techniques

• Compression therapy, including:

  • Creation of practical, homemade compression garments

  • Over-the-counter compression options and clinical decision-making

• Subsite-specific clinical pathways for:

  • Proactive (pre-treatment) intervention

  • During active treatment

  • Survivorship care

Collaborative Learning & Product Integration

This course includes exposure to tools and collaborations that support clinical outcomes, including

• Education on adjunct modalities relevant to this patient population

• Collaboration with dysphagia-focused product partners

• Hands-on exposure to ARKJ tools

• Free access to the ARKJ self-study course (including wedges)

• Exclusive first-look access to an upcoming tongue training device

Course Format & Structure

• Total CEUs: 24 hours (ASHA-approved)

• Format:

  • 4 hours of online foundational learning (lymphatic anatomy & physiology)

  • 20 hours of in-person, hands-on instruction

• Schedule:

  • Delivered over 2.5 half-day sessions

  • Structured identically to previously successful courses

What Sets This Course Apart

• Ready-to-use clinical pathways organized by cancer subsite and stage of care

• Printable resources to support immediate clinic implementation

• Ongoing mentorship and follow-up support after the course

• A structured, evidence-informed model guiding care from proactive treatment through survivorship

Instructors

Brad Smith, MS, CCC/SLP, CLT
Brad is a speech-language pathologist and certified lymphedema therapist. He graduated in 1988 and became one of the earliest SLP-certified lymphedema therapists in the U.S. in 2006. Now with 20 years of head & neck lymphedema experience, Brad helped build one of the busiest head & neck lymphedema programs in the country at MD Anderson and continues to mentor clinicians nationwide. 

Lauren Meffen, MA, CCC-SLP, CLT
Lauren is a speech-language pathologist and certified lymphedema therapist specializing in voice, swallowing, and head & neck oncology rehabilitation. She is known for her clinician-led, practical teaching approach and commitment to comprehensive, patient-centered care.

Instructional Personnel Disclosures

         Brad Smith, MS, CCC/SLP, CLT

• Financial Disclosure:
  Receives compensation as an instructor from Head & Neck Rehab.

• Non-Financial Disclosure:
  No relevant non-financial relationships exist.

  Lauren Meffen, MA, CCC-SLP, CLT

  • Financial:
    Owner of Wildflower Therapy; Owner of Head & Neck Rehab; Owner of Amplification Resistance Kinetics of the Jaw Stretching Device (ARKJ SD) rights

  • Non-Financial:
    No relevant non-financial disclosures

Completion Requirements

To receive a certificate of completion, learners must meet the following requirements:

• Live attendance

• No partial credit awarded

Accommodations

We strive to host inclusive and accessible events.
To request accommodations, please contact:

📧 Lauren@myrehabworks.com 
📞 (352) 283-0595

Please allow up to 14 days for accommodation requests.

Refund Policy

• Cancellations made prior to the course start date may be eligible for a full refund

• Refund requests must be submitted within 4 weeks of registration

• No refunds for failure to meet completion requirements

• If the provider cancels the course, a full refund will be issued

Complaint Policy

Complaints must be submitted in writing within 7 business days of course completion.
Participants will be notified of resolution within 10 business days.

📧 Lauren@myrehabworks.com 
📧 wildflowertherapy4001@gmail.com 

Target Audience

Speech-language pathologists, physical therapists, and occupational therapists working with — or planning to work with — head & neck cancer patients.

Continuing Education

• ASHA CEU Approved: 2.4 CEUs

• AOTA approval in progress