About AJ
My name is AJ Heeren and I am a Licensed Massage and Bodywork Therapist (LMBT #18521), certified in Manual Lymphatic Drainage (MLD-C) and a Certified Plastic Surgery Therapist (CPST), through the Academy of Lymphatic Studies (ACOLS), and practicing in Asheville, North Carolina.
Bodywork found me after a decade of a very different kind of hands-on life: years of caretaking land, farm, and tree work, alongside a dedicated Vipassana meditation and Hatha yoga practice. I felt deeply connected to myself and to soil, plants, and animals, but craved a more directly supportive role with humans. That pull took shape when I took a break from work to care for my dad after his knee replacement. With a borrowed massage table on hand, I had my first real insight into a hands-on career with people. A Thai massage soon after set the next step in motion: in 2018, I traveled to Thailand to immerse myself in Traditional Thai Massage education. After returning to the US, I studied trauma-informed somatic bodywork at the Pacific Center for Awareness and Bodywork (PCAB) in Kaua'i, completing a 776-hour program and graduating in 2019.
It's my belief that the combination of continuing, hands-on education and years spent immersed in different places and cultures around the world has shaped my style into one that's open-minded, grounded, effective, and adaptable. In my sessions, listening is a priority: I skillfully and intuitively tailor therapeutic massage for deep relaxation and restful recovery from physical and emotional distress or limitation. Presence and compassion are always essential to my approach.
Over the course of my career, a curious mind and love of learning have led me to study modalities like CranioSacral work, Trigger Point Therapy, and Phenomenal Touch, each of which still influences my work today. However, it was Manual Lymphatic Drainage (Vodder Technique) that captured my interest most, with its science-backed effectiveness, diverse applications, and gentle nature, and it's where I've chosen to focus and grow. Adding MLD to my toolbox balances the intuitive, deep muscular work I've built my reputation on. Like my MLD clients, I have also had invasive surgeries, and can relate firsthand to what it's like to be sent home to recover with little to no guidance on managing that process. I look forward to sharing a technique with my clients that supports healing exactly when it's needed most, minimizing complications and helping their bodies get the most out of their own healing systems.
Credentials & Training
Every credential below reflects specific, dedicated training. Here's what each one means in plain terms.
LMBT
Licensed Massage & Bodywork Therapist (NC)
NC License #18521
MLD-C
Certified in Manual Lymphatic Drainage
CPST
Certified Plastic Surgery Therapist
Advanced MLD: Management of Post Plastic Surgery Procedures
Continuing education
Beyond my core license, I keep investing in hands-on training across styles and specialties.
1,658+ hours
A note on scope of practice
I hold an MLD certification, not a Certified Lymphedema Therapist (CLT) credential. That distinction matters: MLD-C training qualifies me to provide Manual Lymphatic Drainage as a supportive, stand-alone technique. It does not include Complete Decongestive Therapy (CDT): compression bandaging, garment fitting, or wound care.
If you have active, unmanaged, or undiagnosed lymphedema, I'll refer you to a physician or CLT rather than begin MLD sessions. If you're an established lymphedema patient already in the maintenance phase of care with a CLT, MLD can be a valuable supplement to what's already in place.