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Article Series: Aromatherapy
Teach Me Some
Aromatherapy Benefits
Earn
a Certification as an Aromatherapist
Certification is not needed in the United States to be an
Aromatherapist. It is often required in the European
countries, but not necessary here. The basic idea of
the practice of aromatherapy is to strengthen self-healing
and stimulating our immune system.
Aromatherapy dates from before written history. There are
early documents that tell of the uses of aromatherapy in Ancient
Egypt. The Egyptians were known to use oils from plants and
flowers for massage oils, embalming preparations, perfumes
and cosmetics, and skin care products. The oldest surviving
medical book in China contains information on more than 300
different plants and what they were used for. The book is called
“Chinese Yellow Emperor Book of Internal Medicine” and was
thought to be writing around 2697 BC! The Greek and Roman civilizations
adopted the use of essential oils for both cosmetic and medicinal
purposes. Many of these same cures are still used today were
found in a book written more than 2000 years ago by a Greek
doctor.
The popularity of this alternative or complementary therapy
is growing faster by the year. Right now, the practice of alternative
medicine such as aromatherapy is making more than one billion
dollars a year. Many European countries have insurance companies
that will repay mainstream doctors who practice aromatherapy
with regular medical procedures.
Is
there a career field for you in aromatherapy? If so, how
do you get started? First, we should note the different types
of aromatherapy.
Cosmetic aromatherapy uses essential oils in all natural products
for the face, body, and hair.
Massage aromatherapy combines the scent of the healing essential
oils with the healing touch of massage.
Olfactory aromatherapy is scents released into the environment
around you and is effective because you are not only smelling
the scents, but also inhaling its valuable ingredients. Diffusion
in breaking the oils into micro droplets and allows for easier
inhalation. Diffusers can range from candle diffusers; lamp
rings made from ceramic or brass and even a tissue with a few
drops of oil and kept near you will work.
Careers in aromatherapy can be anything from therapeutic counseling,
oil storage management, production and manufacturing of essential
oils and learning to custom blend different oils for specific
patients. Aromatherapy can be used to strengthen an already
set up medical practice or used with massage therapy.
There
are many openings in this booming business of aromatherapy. Aromatherapy certificates can be earned in several different
ways. Most programs are either night or weekend seminars and
are open to anyone to attend. Some are designed especially
for massage therapists to medical doctors. You don’t have to
have a prerequisite to study in an aromatherapy program. The
cost is about $500 but can be more or less in different areas
of the country. It is interesting to note that financial aid
is available for those wanting to study aromatherapy through
the Sallie Mae Foundation and TERI. These may be available
only at certain schools, so it is important for you to check
the school to see if these aids are available through that
school.
Although we don’t have any official form of accreditation
in the United States for Aromatherapist, several associations
govern it. These include Educational Standards in Aromatherapy
Association, Natural Oils Research Association, The American
alliance of Aromatherapy and the Association for Holistic Aromatherapy.
These associations set educational goals and ensure compliance
with ethical standards set by the industry.
Since there is no accreditation, the length of the course
in learning aromatherapy can vary from a few dozen hours to
a several hundred hours to receive an accreditation from a
school. Because the use of essential oils can be dangerous
if not used correctly, the more knowledge you have of the subject
the more effective you will be. It’s important to learn the
safety issues of essential oils, the chemistry of the oils
and how each oil affects both the mind and the body.
It’s important to have a good course of study before beginning
your own aromatherapy practice, both for safety and liability
reasons. To design specially formatted oil for addressing muscle
pain, or releasing tension requires knowledge and awareness
of the oils properties and uses. Consider training with an
extensively trained professional before stepping out on your
own.
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SolveYourProblem.com
: 2006
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