Distant learning

[Hiii]

Is there anyone that has experience of The School of Natural Sciences?
They cover almost all therapies with or without tutoring coursesare very reasonable. How can it work without a hands on tutor?
Am interested in Aromatherapy and Indian Face massage
Have done Indian Head and Reflexology at college and loved it although very drawn out and seemed to waste loads of time hanging about waiting, would love amore intensive way of learning,
Would greatly appreciate your thoughts and insight

Many thanks

Lorrayne

 

[jluvscnd]

I am studying meridian psychotherapy with the college, I have a package that enabled me to get a mixture of tutored and non tutored courses, basically on the non tutored you just get your essay marked and returned, with the tutored, you get tutor support and tutor's comments as well.
Stonebridge also do a student achiever plan and some of their courses are very interesting, I have just finished dream anaylsis and am almost finished clairvoyancy. I find their manuals very good and the tutor support is excellent.


Pauline

 

[Pompal 09.]

hi Orchid,
im not a big fan of college courses, due to some of the points you mentioned, but I am even more so less of a fan of correspondence only courses.

If you are seeking to learn a hands on skill, there is no way you can learn it by distance learning. You really do need to have face to face feedback from an experienced tutor.

If you are just seeking knowledge, then you would be better suited to buying a good reference book.

 

[Nikki - choke it]

Hi Orchid,

I personally haven't taken any courses with the SNHS but a few of my friends have and they have really enjoyed them.

Good value for money and they say that they did learn a lot from it.

I do agree with sportstherapy about it being difficult to know what to do without getting 'hands-on' teaching, but if your goal is to learn more about a therapy then I can't see anything wrong with going for a distance learning course.

go for it!

 

[ablogtth]

If you PM me Orchid I will send you a sample of their course material, it will make it easier for you to make a decision then

 

[mommy811]

I've been doing IHM with SNHS, I'm doing the self study not the tutored. I don't want to be an IHM therapist, I wanted to gain a perspective on some of the massage therapies for working with families with children with ADD/ADHD/AS etc so started with IHM. I've donethe theory with SNHS, and practised on friends and family, used a video and have now found a local therapist who is willing to help me with the practical side. Turns outthat she is willing to help me by running workshops andtalking toparents/carers of children with the conditions about reflexology, massage, IHM and aromatherapy,taking into account sensory problems (my interest). So I'm nowgoing to get round to finishing the course for interest, and will refer clients to her if its appropriate.

I've done several non hands on courses by distance learning, and I love the flexibility.For me personally, with no previous massage experience at all, it was a personal confidence thing with IHM.

It was important tohave a course of 6 IHM treatments myself (ooh the trials of research! ) and I'm lucky I 've foundsomeone willing to give me some guidance on the practical side.Even with the distancelearning fees, the course of treatments myself, and some personal practical training, itis still good value for money learning the skills.I know someonealready trained in other massage therapies wouldn't needas much help as me, but this way I'm getting the flexibility of distance learning, plus the confidence from practical training which I can book when its suits me.

 

[9th]

I dont want sound like I am knocking people who do distance learning courses, as im not. There are lots of distance learning courses that are excellent, and which dont need 'hands on' tuition. I have done courses with the OU that were excellent, and also others that were more health related.

What worries me is the huge amount of practicing therapists working without any supervised training. I have read stories on these forumsof a guy working as a psychotherapist, having a distance learning either BSY or SNHS qualification and nothing else, and in the clients opinion the guy had serious mental health issues himself. If he would have taken a supervised course this would have been dealt with.

I have had reported to me, a case of a 'sports therapist' having completed a distance learning only course with no practical training, causing quite a serious problem with a guys cruciate ligament.

These are only two of the 'horror' stories that can give the complementary therapy industry a bad name.

I think some of the distance learning courses, as steverobbo says, can give you an insight into different therapies, but i wouldnt say they are good enough to practice with.

One a final note, re SNHS, a few years ago, they were offering 'tutor' positions, and basically, you didnt need experience, all you had to do was to pay for one of their distance learning courses, and then you became a 'tutor'.

Maybe thats why they are based in Spain, different laws?

 

[raziq29]

Hi Orchid[/align][/align]Distant courses are fine and a good way to learn something at your own pace, but it is better to get one where you have to supplement the distant learning with hands on practical instructions, especially with therapies.[/align][/align]You also need to find out if there is any after care service, this can be important when you first start out, a reputable tuition program will give you this so you just pick up the phone and ask for advice when you need it.[/align]

 

[Cycling Magician]

Distance courses in Aromatherapy - surely that isn't treating either the therapy or any client with the respect they deserve.

 

[wolveyqg]

totally agree Typical, in fact I think I have the distance learning materials for both BSY and SNHS for Aromatherapy, and there is not as much content as some of the Aromatherapy books that are available for a fraction of the price

 

[Nora]

Well for me, I am not doing anything I am doing in order to practice professionally. I am doing this for me. I am a drug and alcohol worker, I have done reiki 2, hopi ear candling, Indian Head Massage, EFT, crystal therapy. I practice on friends and family and young people and staff I work with.
There are hands on courses, such as the ones that I have listed above, where you can be certificated and accredited and it only takes a days training. So as far as I am concerned, the value I get from studying distance learning is that I can do something that I enjoy that doesnt cost the earth, it doesnt mean that I am going to start calling myself a dream anaylst.
With anything, even post graduate study, there is a huge emphasis on self learning, for example, I have a post graduate diploma in alcohol and drug studies, but I only needed to spend 2 and a half days a fortnight at university over 8 months to be qualified, the rest was hard work, it doesnt mean that I am less of an addiction worker for it. If someone can say that they are qualified to do Indian Head Massage after a day's or weekends training, then I don't see the harm in studying certain subjects online. The meridian psychotherapy I am doing self study, complements the EFT course that I did, thats why I am doing it.
Not everyone who does complementary therapies will or will even wish to make a living from it, for me, I am just happy that I can do something different to a client group that at this time in their lives would never be able to afford to pay for the therapy.




Pauline

 

[deweydee]

I agree with you on that Pauline, and yes there are courses that will qualify you in a day, without even having to learn the amount of information in a distance learning package.

I too have looked ata Meridian Psychotherapy distance learning course, (not with SNHS), but as with yourself, I have already done training in EFT and NLP, so the additional insight, and different perspective have been useful.

 

[Yesh! Yesh! Yesh!]

Thank you all for your thoughts and wisdom. Think I will have to learn the skills of the hands on therapies the long and hard way, as I really feel I need a hands on tutor to guide and correct me, before Im let loose on the poor unsuspecting public !
I will though look at other distant learning courses on offerand sure I will find something pleasurable and worthwhile to study
Would have been so nice if it had have been so eazy peazy ...lol

Many thanks

Lorrayne

 

[Nafiz Ullah]

Hi,

I have been looking at the SNHS website & it their rates are cheaper than other onesI have found.It does state on the website that you can practice professionally with their diplomas - is that actually true or not?

Thanks
SS
x

 

[iaiylnje]

with the exception of chiropractic, osteopathy and professions registered with the Health Professions Council, you can practice as any sort of complementary therapist without any sort of training at all.

The problems come when you try to get insured, although I see SNHS will give you the name of an insurance company that will insure you (?) and they also have some sort of obscure membership body that you can join (?)

As I said before this school is based in Spain and if my history is correct used to be linked to a degree mill that offered distance learning degrees in any subject you wanted (!!!!) without training, just pay a fee!

So in answer to your question, yes you can practice, but in my opinion, you wont have the skills to be even an adequate therapist [sm=soapbox.gif]

 

[cat lover]

Ah ok, thanks for your reply

 

[New Boots.]

I hate coming on and appearing negative, but it is something I feel very strongly about. And with the amount of 'knocks' comlementary therapy has had over the years, its 'training' courses like this that make things worse