The Berry Method of Manual Lymphatic Drainage

01/21/2026

When it comes to lymphatic work, the details aren’t small. They’re everything. 🔍

Where you start matters.

Here’s the sequencing I’ve been paying closer attention to, and why it works:

• 🦵 **Calves first**

Walking and calf movement are among the primary pumps for lymphatic flow, second only to breathing. Starting here gently engages the system and begins moving fluid upward.

• 🌀 **Then the intestines**

This work reflects basic structural and hydraulic principles. Creating space and movement in the intestines and digestive system establishes capacity for processing. When lymphatic congestion starts to move, it has somewhere to go.

Without this preparation, fluid can shift but not truly clear. Congestion can actually increase, and some clients may even feel worse before the system has a chance to settle.

• 🫁 **Then the thorax**

Clearing the cisterna chyli. Establishing pathways through the sternum. Drawing fluid from the intercostal spaces toward the midline.

• ✋ **Finish with posterior tapotement**

A brief, purposeful, rhythmic tapotement on the back helps the system organize and continue the work on its own. It’s not aggressive, but intentional.

Why this matters:

• The lymphatic system is driven by the natural cycle of muscular compression and relaxation.

• The orchestrated contraction and relaxation of the muscular system creates the pressure changes that move lymph.

• 🌬️ **Breathing is one of the primary continuous lymphatic pumps**, influencing pressure, rhythm, and flow with every inhale and exhale.

• Freedom in the ribs, spine, and viscera allows this system to work efficiently.


This unique approach to working with the body, including the addition of tapotement, helps support all of these influences.



Clients often notice:

• Easier breathing

• A sense of lightness through the chest

• Effects that last beyond the session



This kind of work is less about doing more and more, and more about creating the conditions that allow the body to do what it’s designed to do.

If you’d like to learn more about this approach, I’m teaching visceral and lymphatic classes in Reno that explore these relationships in depth, including sequencing, anatomy, and hands-on techniques.

Visceral techniques can sometimes feel complex when they are initially introduced within lymphatic work. Based on my experience, I offer the visceral class as a standalone learning experience. It provides a clear foundation, supports clients’ digestion right away, and prepares you to get more out of the lymphatic class when you choose to take it.

For many therapists, this means the visceral component within the lymphatic class becomes a refinement rather than a first-time learning experience, allowing the rest of the material to be absorbed, understood, and utilized more efficiently.

More information about upcoming classes:
https://musclemanagement.com/classes?fbclid=IwdGRjcAPd57BleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAo2NjI4NTY4Mzc5AAEeG4lANfhxPjJ1cypfQzalvZjHdiBMuafTkof2dR2U2z8n5fytmQQdPLAPyPs_aem_4rVrFT6aw1xbUyJj38C5VA

The Lauren Berry Method®

01/01/2026

As I move into this new year, I pause to look back with gratitude.
For the lessons, the growth, the clarity.
And with that clarity, I now choose to leave behind what no longer serves me.

I release the habits, thoughts, and attachments that were once part of my learning but are no longer needed for where I am going.

As I step forward, I set my intention:

To look for the love in others.

To remember that when someone is different from me, I am also different from them.

To lead with my heart, even when it feels vulnerable....Especially then.

I choose to let go of fear of failure and the habit of overthinking.

I release the belief that I must have everything figured out before I begin.

I ask that our collective future be guided by openness, courage, compassion, and integrity.

May these intentions ripple out and serve anyone and everyone.

🙏✨

10/15/2025

Things Are Coming Together

Over time I’ve created a few different pages to share ideas, classes, and conversations about The Berry Method®. It’s time to bring those threads together in one place where everyone can connect, learn, and share in the same space.

From now on, updates, discussions, and new content will be shared in the Facebook group:

The Berry Method® with Taum Sayers
👉 https://www.facebook.com/groups/theberrymethod

If you’ve followed any of the other pages, please join this group so you’ll keep seeing the new material as it develops. It’s open to therapists, students, and anyone interested in understanding how the body restores balance and movement through The Berry Method®.

Thank you for staying connected, this is where the ongoing conversation continues.

09/13/2025

✨ “When lymph stands still, health stands still. Our job? Get it moving again.” ✨

💧Lymph and water 💧

Just like in nature, water inside the human body always follows the surfaces and shapes that contain it. Gravity plays its role, but the real *primary pressure* inside the body is **muscular tension + movement** — the constant push and pull that keeps lymphatic fluid in motion.

🌊💪
Lymph doesn’t wander aimlessly. It follows the **solid structures** — ribs, bones, and the soft tissue wrapped around them. Around the rib cage, its flow is guided through the **intercostal spaces**, like streambeds shaping the direction of water. 🩻➡️
But here’s the key: **stagnant fluid is not healthy**. 🚫💧 Our job as therapists is to help get things moving again — to restore the natural rhythm that the body depends on.

Once lymphatic fluid disperses into these channels, its **primary path is always toward the heart ❤️**. That’s the design of the system: tension and release move fluid, ribs and muscles shape its flow, and every beat of movement helps return the body to balance. ⚖️

Understanding these natural laws — how **pressure, shape, and gravity** interact — gives us powerful tools to work with the lymphatic system. It’s not about forcing; it’s about guiding. Just as water moves with the land, lymph moves with the body. 🌍💧

09/11/2025

💧 Hydraulic Balance in The Berry Method® of Lymphatic Management 💧

One of the quiet miracles inside the human body is its hydraulic system. Fluids move, pressures shift, and tissues stay nourished because forces are evenly shared.

The Berry Method® respects these natural hydraulics. Instead of forcing fluid, its protocols restore pathways so the body can self-regulate. When tension eases, lymph and interstitial fluids begin moving again with surprising speed and efficiency.

Here’s where science meets touch: Pascal’s Law tells us that pressure applied to a confined fluid is transmitted equally in all directions. The lymphatic vessels and surrounding fascia behave just like that. Precise Release allows pressure to distribute through the system — unclogging stagnation, reducing swelling, and supporting immune function.

✨ For therapists, this means working with the body’s fluid dynamics, not against them — amplifying outcomes without excess force.

👉 The Berry Method® doesn’t fight fluid pressure. It respects it. And that’s what makes it different

09/09/2025

✨ Listening to That Intuitive Voice ✨

I’ve been working through a subtle hip injury that’s been bringing some nagging discomfort in my left side — right up near the greater trochanter (that bump you feel on the side of your hip).

💡 I’m once again reminded of how deeply things in the body are connected. A single point of pain is often the result of a much less localized and more full-body muscular and fascial reaction.

Here’s what happened: I was walking, and the pain started to flare. You know that intuitive voice that oftentimes we wish we’d have listened to? I’m learning to listen, so I reached down and did some adhesion release work on the right IT band (outside of the thigh). Almost immediately, the pain on the left hip eased. 🙌

Why would working on the right thigh change pain on the opposite hip?
👉 Because the IT bands, glute muscles, and pelvis are tied together in a cross-body stabilizing system. Think of them as guy wires on a tent pole: if one cable is too tight, the opposite side has to overwork to keep you upright.
👉 Releasing the right IT band freed the opposite hip stabilizers (gluteus medius/minimus), taking pressure off that sore spot.

✨ It’s a good reminder: pain often shows up in one place and the root cause is often distant.

09/05/2025

🌊 Unlock the Healing Power of the Body’s Inner Ocean: Advanced Lymphatic Training 🌊

As a therapist, you may notice a need for lymphatic management skills when your client presents the following:
✨ Digestive sluggishness or bloating
💧 Puffiness or swelling that doesn’t resolve easily
😮‍💨 Recurring sinus congestion or that “boggy head” feeling
⚖️ A sense of heaviness or sluggishness in the tissues
⏳ Slow recovery from minor injuries or workouts
🌑 Skin that looks congested or dull

These are all signs that the lymphatic system may be in a state of compromise — not “serious” in a medical sense, but enough to impact comfort, recovery, and resilience.

📚 The visceral and lymphatic management information shared in this class will serve therapists trained in it for years — as it has for centuries. This explains why the owner of the massage school I was invited to teach at over 15 years ago — after offering this lymphatic class once — made it a foundational component in their curricula.

🤝 In a recent conversation with another teacher, another Berry Method® Practitioner/Teacher, and Advanced Rolfer® (with Osteopathic Training), we agreed that our responsibility is to help others who are willing to study and learn to do this work get better at it faster than we did.

🎓 My classes help me in fulfilling that agreement.

👉 Learn more and join Taum in Truckee:
🔗

Support your client’s natural ability to move, drain, refresh, and recycle — restoring balance to the body’s Inner Ocean.

09/03/2025

✨ Good news: your body already knows how to recover.

It runs on three basics:
👉 Balance
👉 Movement
👉 Stability

Think of it like an engineering design — solid at the core.
However, if one part becomes stuck and stagnant, including lymphatic flow, the entire system grinds to a halt.

That’s where I come in:
✅ Find the jam
✅ Release the tension
✅ Help your body do what it does best — naturally heal and move freely

🌿 That’s what this system of whole-body therapy is about.

I’ll be sharing insights here for everyone, including:
💡 Anyone grazing for relief from pain or tension
👐 Students & bodyworkers looking to add tools to their tactile toolbox

Stop by, follow along, and take what you need.

09/02/2025

🔥 **A Walking Bag of 98-Degree Stew 😅**
*(And Why Lymphatic Work Is More Than Drainage)* 🔥

🌊 **The Lymphatic Management Class** 🌊
Grounded in three engineering principles:
👉 Homeostasis
👉 Movement
👉 Balance

💧 Think of the **body** as a living hydraulic system — or, if you prefer… a **walking bag of 98-degree stew. 😅**
***Yeah, I know…*** but this is the best I could come up with, and trust me, I’ve tried.

Fluids are always in motion — sloshing, shifting pressure, and requiring structures to support and adapt. When fluids maintain their natural flow and direction, the body doesn’t have to fight itself. Systems regulate more easily, tissues feel lighter, and the whole body works with remarkable efficiency.

⚡ Unlike lighter “drainage-only” approaches, this work also unclogs the **viscera** — providing fluids with a place to be processed. That’s why it’s called *management*: not just moving fluid, but making sure the system can actually handle what’s released.

🧭 **Homeostasis – The Body’s Control System**
Like an engineer’s control panel:
✔️ Regulates temperature, pH, hydration, and electrolytes
✔️ Keeps the body’s operating environment steady
✔️ Every cell depends on it

When lymphatic flow is blocked, pressure builds and chemistry stagnates. By including the viscera, we don’t just circulate fluid — we **restore the regulation system** so the body can process what’s released.

---

🔄 **Movement – Flow vs. Stagnation**
Any hydraulic system needs circulation. If fluid stops, pressure spikes and the system strains.
✔️ Every cell requires fresh fluid exchange
✔️ The Lymphatic, Digestive, and Visceral systems are engines of renewal

Light “drainage-only” methods? 🚫 That’s like pouring water into a clogged drain — without unclogging the pipes, flow remains restricted.

👉 By unclogging the viscera with **Lauren’s visceral techniques**, lymphatic management ensures fluid has a clear pathway and destination.
👉 The result? The body becomes a **symphony in circulation**, not just stirred water.

👉 Rule of hydraulics (and biology): *Stagnant is not healthy. Keep it moving.*

⚖️ **Balance – Hydraulic Pressure & Structural Alignment**
Balance isn’t only posture — it’s hydraulic pressure equalizing throughout the system.
✔️ Muscles pump fluids as they contract and release
✔️ Fascia & joints act like valves and channels
✔️ The lymphatic system relieves excess pressure to prevent swelling & strain

When balance is lost, some areas overload while others run dry → tension, pain, dysfunction.

By including the viscera, lymphatic management **prevents bottlenecks and resets hydraulic balance.**

💡 Drainage moves fluid. **Management restores balance.**

🛠️ **Class Mindset Takeaway**
Think like an engineer:
🔹 Homeostasis = the control system
🔹 Movement = circulating flow
🔹 Balance = hydraulic pressure regulation

In this class, you’ll learn how **unclogging pathways — including the viscera — allows fluid to flow freely**, making results more efficient, effective, and lasting.

https://musclemanagement.com/lymphatic-management

09/01/2025

You know the feeling.
Repeatable results.
Find it...Feel it...Fix it.

More information here 👉: https://musclemanagement.com/lymphatic-management

08/28/2025

The Periosteum and Lymph?

🦴 Takeaway
The periosteum is like a living sponge that absorbs interstitial fluid and saturates the bones with nourishment.
When circulation at this level is sluggish, bone vitality, repair, and resilience are compromised.
The Berry Method® restores this deep movement, bringing life back into the bones themselves — which is critically important for bone health.

🌊 Why Movement Down to the Periosteum Matters.
The periosteum is the thin, living membrane that covers every bone.
Rich in blood vessels, lymph vessels, and nerves, it serves as the interface between circulation and skeletal tissue.

In the Berry Method®, slow, wave-like pressure is intentionally transmitted all the way down to the periosteum — a depth that most other techniques do not reach.
Because their work remains more superficial, they are less efficient and less effective at stimulating true fluid movement at the bone’s living surface.

By reaching the periosteum, the Berry Method® activates its unique “sponge-like” capacity: absorbing interstitial fluid and saturating the bones with nourishment that is critically important for bone health.

🚩 Indications of Compromise:
Deep, dull “bone-level” aching not relieved by muscle work.
Cool, pale, or slow-to-flush skin over limbs.
Delayed healing of bruises or micro-traumas.
Persistent joint stiffness or reduced rebound.
A sense of heavy limbs, fatigue, or brain fog.

🌟 Benefits of Restoring Fluid Motion:
Bone nourishment – periosteum soaks up fluid and saturates bones with nutrients
Faster repair – hydration supports osteoblast activity and tissue recovery
Inflammation relief – sluggish fluid clears, easing deep irritation.
Fascial resilience – tendons/ligaments anchored to periosteum move more freely.
Whole-limb lightness – clients often feel arms/legs “lighter” after treatment.

🦴 Influence on Bone Health.
Healthy periosteal circulation keeps bones dynamic, adaptive, and resilient.

Supports constant remodeling and repair.
Improves density and reduces fracture risk.
Enhances communication between the bone, fascia, and proprioception.
Helps bones respond better to exercise and everyday loading.

✨ In Short…
The Berry Method® treats bone as a living, nourished tissue, not just a structural frame — and that’s one reason it restores such deep systemic vitality.

08/28/2025

✨ Welcome! If you’ve come here from one of the therapist groups, you’re in the right place.

This page is dedicated to sharing my point of view on the Berry Method® and how restoring rhythm in the body — one section at a time — can serve both therapists and their clients.

My intention here is simple: to share insights you can put into practice, and I hope you come away with something of real value for yourself and those you work with.

Today’s focus: the Sigmoid Flexure — the Gatekeeper of the Inner Ocean.

🌊 The Sigmoid Flexure – The Gatekeeper of the Inner Ocean

✨ As therapists, we each bring a wealth of knowledge and skill to the table. Adding Lauren Berry–flavored tools to your tactile toolbox is most efficiently and effectively done one piece at a time — with each section integrating naturally into your everyday practice.

Today’s focus: the Sigmoid flexure — that S-shaped bend of the colon just before the re**um.

🔄 Natural Patterns

Acts as a storage “waiting room” for stool

Gentle contractions hold contents in place until the body is ready

With a strong peristaltic wave, stool moves into the re**um for elimination.

⚠️ When Out of Rhythm

- Constipation or stool “stuck” in the loop
- Cramping or spasm in the lower left abdomen
- Incomplete evacuation — that “not done” feeling
- Gas, bloating, or irregular bowel patterns

🧠 Brain fog — a subtle sign that the gut–brain rhythm is disrupted

🌿 Why It Matters in the Whole-Body Method
The sigmoid flexure isn’t just plumbing — it’s part of our internal ocean...

🚰 Moves flow steadily forward
♻️ Recycles water and nutrients
⚖️ Separates what stays from what goes
🗑️ Removes waste with efficiency

When this “gatekeeper” is sluggish or spasmodic, it creates back-pressure, not only in the colon but also in the lymphatic and fascial networks of the abdomen and pelvis. Addressing this section specifically can restore rhythm, ease abdominal tension, lift brain fog, and support systemic balance.

💡 That’s the power of the Berry Method® — one section at a time, building toward whole-body freedom of movement and health.

If this resonates, follow this page for more deep dives into the Berry Method® approach — practical, section-by-section tools you can bring directly into your practice.

https://musclemanagement.com/lymphatic-management