can anyone help with reflexology qualifications?

[Your Southern Can Is Mine]

Hi,

I am currently looking to join a reflexology diploma course but don't know which one will be most recognised and beneficial?
I have both VTCT, ITEC and AOR approved courses near me but don't want to make a bum decision.

Can anyone help...soon...

Ta very much

Claire

PS I would like to add that I have looked at the old threads etc but would like peoples personal opinions.

 

[Raju]

Hi Claire,

This is a very tricky one as you only usually train with one organisation so difficult to accurately compare.

I trained with the AOR and am very satisfied with the depth and breadth of that. We seem to do the treatments pretty much the same as Eunice Ingham and Dwight Byers who were the founders of reflexology, but also study and learn further developments. I think some other courses differ a bit.

I get the feeling that AOR reflexologists may have tended to be more clinical than VTCT, but this may have changed.
Our A&p was incorporated, we did not have to do seperate courses, so although a lot of study involved it only took an academic year.
Also the AOR are universally accepted as a standard setter and have a big, fairly well organised organisation with a good magazine and local groups which meet to do post graduate training.

As far as I know the MAR qual is accepted everywhere.

I have no regrets about the path I chose, I was advised at the time to do the AOR course by a reflexologist who hadn't! I think it can be difficult to join if you haven't done their course and other orgs dont seem to have the same support systems.

Anyway, thats my twopennorth. But on the whole I think being successful much depends on the individual therapist and their committment to practise and study widely. Courses content change all the time, so may differ from when I trained.

Good luck in whatever you decide.


Jan x

 

[Iernatheal]

Hi Jan,

Thanks for taking the time to reply to me. I know what you mean and where you are coming from. A reflexologist I once visited had done the ITEC and was immensely pleased but I did the ITEC massage course and although pleased with it felt it could be more accepted as an extension of a beauty treatment rather than a therapy! You helped loads ta very much...

If anyone else has more advice I would love to hear it...

Claire

 

[Cat2000]

I can only echo what Jan has said..

I did the AOR course.. on my course we had an experienced therapist who had done the VTCT course and she had opted to redo reflexology with the AOR cause she felt it would widen her scope for clients and increase her knowledge of the subject. She wasn't disappointed. The list of contraindications with the AOR is far less than that of VTCT, so it was great experience to be able to work with people with all manner of problems.. cancer, during various stages of pregnancy, the elderly, people with more serious conditions. I think it enriched the learning process a lot.

I believe that the ITEC course is similarly recognised to the AOR and the syllabus is also not dissimilar. Both require a lot (60) case studies so whilst they are hard work, you will get a lot of experience and confidence before you qualify.

Some schools will train and let you take both the AOR and ITEC exams using the same case studies. Well, I only know of one in the Midlands where they do this, but I am sure there are others.

I made the right choice, the teaching was amazing and it was by far the most in depth and well rounded course I've done to date. If the AOR did non-reflexology courses, I would train in those with them - but they are specialists and that does come across in the teaching.

There are a couple of links here you may want to look at:

http://www.healthypages.net/forum/tm.asp?m=138702&mpage=1&key=reflexology%2Ccourse&#138810

http://www.healthypages.net/forum/tm.asp?m=136469&mpage=1&key=reflexology%2Ccourse&#136775

http://www.healthypages.net/forum/tm.asp?m=133659&mpage=1&key=reflexology%2Ccourse&#134822

Good luck in choosing your course!

 

[Sakura Shaunessy]

Hi Justine,

Thanks that has helped a great deal!

Many regards

Claire