Cathleen Houle, MS, OTR/L, CLT Earns Certification as Lymphedema Therapist
BERLIN, NH — Cathleen Houle, MS, OTR/L, CLT, has recently been designated as a Certified Lymphedema Therapist by the Academy of Lymphatic Studies (ACOLS). Cathleen provides Occupational Therapy services at Androscoggin Valley Hospital, a proud affiliate of North Country Healthcare.
The Complete Lymphedema Certification Course, offered by the Academy of Lymphatic Studies (ACOLS) equips therapists with advanced training in Complete Decongestive Therapy (CDT), the gold-standard treatment for lymphedema. By completing this program, Cathleen gained specialized skills in manual lymph drainage, compression bandaging, exercise, and skin care—tools necessary to manage and improve quality of life for patients with lymphedema and related conditions.
This certification enhanced her clinical expertise and broadened her scope of practice, allowing her to treat a population with a highly specialized and often underserved medical need. This increases the department’s service capacity, reduces the need for external referrals, and enable us to offer a higher standard of care to patients with lymphatic disorders. It also supports our Mission of providing comprehensive, evidence-based rehabilitation services and strengthens our position as a leader in integrated therapeutic care.
Currently, the nearest certified lymphedema therapists are located 45-minutes away from Androscoggin Valley Hospital, creating a significant barrier to care for patients in our community who are often unwilling or unable to travel that distance. Certification allows us to offer this vital service locally, improving access, continuity of care, and outcomes for our patients. For our organization, this enhances service offerings, reduces the need for external referrals, and positions us as a regional provider of comprehensive, high-quality rehabilitation services.
About North Country Healthcare
North Country Healthcare (NCH) is a non-profit affiliation of four medical facilities focused on the health and well-being of dozens of communities in the White Mountains Region of New Hampshire, as well as Vermont, Maine, and Southern Canada. Mission-driven to improve lives by assuring consistently excellent, integrated healthcare, NCH employs more than 1,100 highly-trained individuals who deliver integrated patient care through three community hospitals, medical laboratories, and home health and hospice services.
The leading comprehensive healthcare network is comprised of Androscoggin Valley Hospital in Berlin, North Country Home Health & Hospice Agency in Littleton, Upper Connecticut Valley Hospital in Colebrook, and Weeks Medical Center in Lancaster. NCH is proud to be the largest employer in the North Country.
The Complete Lymphedema Certification Course, offered by the Academy of Lymphatic Studies (ACOLS) equips therapists with advanced training in Complete Decongestive Therapy (CDT), the gold-standard treatment for lymphedema. By completing this program, Cathleen gained specialized skills in manual lymph drainage, compression bandaging, exercise, and skin care—tools necessary to manage and improve quality of life for patients with lymphedema and related conditions.
This certification enhanced her clinical expertise and broadened her scope of practice, allowing her to treat a population with a highly specialized and often underserved medical need. This increases the department’s service capacity, reduces the need for external referrals, and enable us to offer a higher standard of care to patients with lymphatic disorders. It also supports our Mission of providing comprehensive, evidence-based rehabilitation services and strengthens our position as a leader in integrated therapeutic care.
Currently, the nearest certified lymphedema therapists are located 45-minutes away from Androscoggin Valley Hospital, creating a significant barrier to care for patients in our community who are often unwilling or unable to travel that distance. Certification allows us to offer this vital service locally, improving access, continuity of care, and outcomes for our patients. For our organization, this enhances service offerings, reduces the need for external referrals, and positions us as a regional provider of comprehensive, high-quality rehabilitation services.
About North Country Healthcare
North Country Healthcare (NCH) is a non-profit affiliation of four medical facilities focused on the health and well-being of dozens of communities in the White Mountains Region of New Hampshire, as well as Vermont, Maine, and Southern Canada. Mission-driven to improve lives by assuring consistently excellent, integrated healthcare, NCH employs more than 1,100 highly-trained individuals who deliver integrated patient care through three community hospitals, medical laboratories, and home health and hospice services.
The leading comprehensive healthcare network is comprised of Androscoggin Valley Hospital in Berlin, North Country Home Health & Hospice Agency in Littleton, Upper Connecticut Valley Hospital in Colebrook, and Weeks Medical Center in Lancaster. NCH is proud to be the largest employer in the North Country.
North Country Healthcare (NCH)
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James Patry VP of Marketing & Community Relations
- October 23, 2025
- (603) 326-5606
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