My Story

Chicago-raised massage therapist Samantha Garofalo, LMT, CPST, MLD-C, CLT has been helping people feel and function better since graduating from The Soma Institute in 2006. Growing up alongside her mother, who lived with multiple sclerosis and survived breast cancer, taught Samantha patience, careful observation and deep respect for people moving through pain and limited mobility.

Her focus shifted toward post-operative care in 2017 after seeing how challenging recovery could be for people around her—and experiencing surgery herself. She pursued advanced education in Vodder Manual Lymphatic Drainage, plastic-surgery recovery and lymphedema care, building the clinical judgment to recognize normal healing, support swelling management and refer patients back to their surgical team when needed.

In 2022, Samantha founded Real MLD as a mobile post-op practice serving Chicago and nearby suburbs. Her work with plastic-surgery patients led to her joining RAM Plastic Surgery as its in-office clinical massage therapist. Today, she combines nearly two decades of massage experience with compassionate, individualized recovery support.

Samantha is the 2025 International Spa Awards Post-Op Clinical Massage Therapist of the Year and author of The Rib Remodeling Survival Guide. Through hands-on care, education and honest guidance, her goal is simple: help every patient recover with greater comfort, clarity and confidence.