what do you think to this?

[crazi3 c]

I think I can guess but I will ask anyway.

my daughter went for an aroma treatment (£30perhour) recently which she loved and felt great during and after. she was chatting with the therapist, local, lovely premesis nice woman, good massage (my daughter is qualified in massage but doesn't practice) Anyway they were chatting about qualifications etc and the therapist told her that its not necessary to train in aroma these days if you already have massage as there are so many good blends available its not necessary or cost effective to blend your own.

just wondered what your thoughts on that are?

 

[Agent K]

ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!![]

 

[Carlie]

Well, I know things are different now, but in my view, if you use pre-blended oil, then you shouldn't really call yourself an aromatherapist.

Lx

 

[Untitled Always]

If I went for an aromatherapy massage and I had bog standard cream or whatever they could find in Boots on special that week, in place of essential oils I would be extremely mad and would ask for my money back.

As we know any massage is beneficial, but to go to an Aromatherapist (IMO) you get an added incentive due to the properties in each oil.

If a therapist offering Aroma Massage wasn't trained in aromatherapy how could you trust someone to chose an oil suitable for your needs?

I think its a case for trading standards [sm=banghead.gif]

 

[Vani Priya]

Yes this does seem to be away around having to do the training. However I am always wary of anyone offering an Aroma Massage rather than an aromatherapy treatment.

I agree with Aromababe on this one, you have no right to call yourself an aromatherapist if you use pre-blended oils. I also don't think it was terribly professional of your daughters therapist to say that training wasn't necessary, what a total cop out, why not explain that massage therapists are allowed to use preblends because the manufacturer accepts liability for the product. BTW did the literature explain that this massage only used a pre-blend or did they imply the oils were chosen for each client, if so there may be a case for trading standards.

 

[Crysis]

 

[?Fashion Fairy?]

oops well that didnt go very well i was trying to quote, never mind.

What i wanted to say was that i thought angelfish saying that people who use pre blended oils have no right to call themselves an aromatherapist, well to be honest that at the end of the day is your opinion and in my opinion i think it is a bit unfair.

I am now a qualified aromatherapist in using pre blended oils, and i dont see why if you have a very good range of pre blended oils that the client wouldnt benefit from the treatment. The main key is to find out the clients needs and what they want to get from the treatment and to then go from there.

I have still had to learn about the oils, the massage routine and everything else involved in aromatherapy. The only difference is that my oils are already pre-blended.

I dont believe that just because i use pre blended oils, that i couldnt do as good a treatment as anyone else.

But this is just my opinion!

Therapeutic Angel

 

[jinjafey]

Therapeutic Angel

Yes, of course, I'm sure, that your treatments are very effective and that you're clients will benefit. However, there are still limitations when using pre-blended oils.

I don't know how many blends you work with and what they are for, but I work with around 40 essential oils and many different carrier oils, so I can tailor a blend to the individual client, depending on their requirements, both physiologically and emotionally and taking into account any contra-indications. Surely, with a pre-blend there would have to be some compromise somewhere, i.e. the blend is good for the client, but not necessarily the best it can possibly be as it cannot be modified.

I am also able to hand blend products for clients to use at home, sometimes, giving them two different products, for say use at different times of the day or different symptoms. Aromatherapy is more than just massage - it is use of oils in the bath, burners, hot and cold compress, creams, shampoos and as first aid products.

That's really the difference. This is not a slur in any way on what you do. As I said, aroma massage has its place and there are some very good therapists out there. But it is not the same as aromatherapy and we need to differentiate between the therapies so that our clients know what they are getting.

Lesley

 

[mina Si]

I am a clinical aromatherapist (I don't massage - I just make products) with some 30 years experience and I am responisble for a number of blends used by a number of colleges to teach 1st and 2nd year NVQ students. I am also involved in presenting training at these colleges as well as supplying a number of them with therapeutic grade essential oils so, I believe, I am qualified to comment here.

It seems to me that the discussion here questions whether people trained via NVQ are "qualified" as aromatherapists - perhaps there is some confusion regarding NVQ's?

NVQ's are about vocational training - learning "on the job" and as such, I think they are wonderfully enabling and accessible.

My real point however is this, whatever your training or "qualification" it is your ongoing development that determines your worth as a therapist and this can be easily measured by the difference you (or your products) make to the health and wellbeing of those whose lives you touch.

I can categorically state that the aromatherapists I work with do not abandon their training or development in order to use only my blends. Rather, they understand the true potential of aromatherapy and go on to evolve their own unique ways of working.

Let me pose a question to you; Does passing a driving test make you a good driver?

So, please, spend your energies in encouraging each other to grow and develop as healers and therapists rather in squabbling over whose qualification is superior.

 

[ixeraurwipuiuoekt]

I should say that my daughter did have aromatherapy and the therapist blended oils for her needs so she had no complaint but it was during a chat that therapist made the point about blended oils and I wondered what the reaction would be to that.

theraputic Angel - i would be interested to know what course you did

lesley -
I work with around 40 essential oils and many different carrier oils, so I can tailor a blend to the individual client, depending on their requirements, both physiologically and emotionally and taking into account any contra-indications. I am also able to hand blend products for clients to use at home, sometimes, giving them two different products, for say use at different times of the day or different symptoms. Aromatherapy is more than just massage - it is use of oils in the bath, burners, hot and cold compress, creams, shampoos and as first aid products.

just as a matter of interest I have been doing all of that for 20 years (I don't practise on clients obviously as I have no insurance to do so) I have an extensive library of aromatherapy materials have A&P and massage quals amongst others which i am insured for but I'm not an aroma therapist as i have not done a course but its interesting what anyone with an interest , passion and ability can do for themselves

 

[crhavvqv]

Hi Soar

I did the level 3 city & guild aromatherapy course. If i had done it a year earlier i would have been able to blend by now, instead i now have to take the diploma course.

Therapeutic Angel x

 

[Lady Blue]

Hi Christos and welcome to HP.

I think the concern here is not just with NVQ's, but also with others such as City and Guilds and VTCT who always used to include blending in their courses and no longer do so.

Soar


Absolutely, that's how I started and I guess many other aromatherapists also which is why I wanted to take it further. My only gripe is that essential oils are sold freely, without much instruction, and there are those that have no idea how to use them - but I guess that's another thread.

Lesley

 

[Ever James]

i think it is sad that an aromatherapist would have the view that it using preblends is as good
especially as the term aromatherapy is banded about everywhere these days

i can only see the comment pertaining to massage application and not other uses.

i don't think the argument here is really oneupmanship about qualifications, but being upfront about limitations etc as a therapist.

and yes continual developement is paramount which can be acheived in a number of ways.

when i move to south africa i will have to re-train to understand 70 oils in order to be 'therapeutic'.
and that goes for retraining in 'therapeutic' massage too
the itec aromatherapy qualification for which i have just sat the exams, and my itec holistic massage is only suitable for salon and spa work there.

 

[Abiamijoumbelo]

I think the crunch of this debate will come when aromatherpy as a whole is brought under legislation (which will be the case in the not to distant future)
at this point i dont believe that anyone who had not done any intense training and/or have the appropriate knowledge, along with relevant cpd's will be allowed to practise, as i believe shoudl be the case, and the reason i believe this is that many of the oils have quite serious contra indications which can include aborting a foetus, which i dont think any one can argus should be taken lightly!

 

[Khalil]

I'm not qualified as an aromatherapist so don't really feel able to comment on the pre-blended/blend your own discussion. However, I would be very wary of anyone saying it isn't necessary to have training to use essential oils. As has already been mentioned, some of them have extremely serious contraindications.

Aldebaran
[sm=nature-smiley-008.gif]

 

[ndmagicman]

Hmmm...they've been talking about this for many years - I'm not sure if we're any nearer regulation.



I think often it is the case, that therapists are trained to use the blends, just not individual oils and blend them themselves. I may be wrong, but I don't think anyone is saying you don't need to be trained for the products you use. It's just the fact that they are allowed to call it aromatherapy massage which is misleading.

Lesley

 

[?cozicat?]

It sounds to me that what the therapist was saying, was that she had a massage qualification and that; as you could buy pre-blended oils, SHE didn't feel the need to take any further training.
As she hasn't been trained in Aromatherapy, how could she possibly realise that there are risks to using essential oils in certain conditions/situations. It may have been an ignorant comment, but I don't think she meant to upset so many people.
I've done the VTCT Cert. in Aromatherapy this year and had no idea that these oils could be so dangerous. Why would I?
It all goes back to proper awareness and that is what is lacking here! If there was legislation regarding Aromatherapy and Training then we wouldn't be having this discussion because this Therapist would have known otherwise and Sainsbury's amongst many others; wouldn't be allowed to sell essential oils to everyone and anyone.

Claire

 

[3 of us and 1 on the way!]

With regards to legislation - aromatherapy is much further along than other bodywork therapies. The Aromatherapy Consortium has been formed for this exact reason (http://www.aromatherapy-regulation.org.uk/). This will regulate the training and experience for all examining and governing bodies. Eventually the only people who will be able to do "aromatherapy massage" will be people who have trained and become insured.
Aromatherapy is a complicated subject, with a great amount of chemistry, A&P interactions - and should def have blending as part of it. The natural blending instinct will then come with experience.
I think that healthy interest and research in a subject is fantastic, and a great way to learn new things to use for yourself and your family but not for use on paying clients. I have taught myself how to fix cars, do DIY from reading and videos etc, but that does not qualify me to go out and expect someone to pay for me to do this at their house as I have no offical qualifications.
The therapist your daughter went to see prob did not mean any harm, but comments like that can damage the reputation other aromatherapists have spent years building up.

 

[Dean]

Yes with regards to legislation i have been informed that aromatherapy is going to be one of the next ones to be regulated, so people who haven't qualified with the proper qualifications will not be allowed to practice, and according to my tutor this will probably be the case with those who have qualified but neglected to keep up with CPD's, and these poeple will be required to re-take some form of exam/training.

 

[carol k]

Its intersting all of this , my daughter was happy with the treatment she got and in conversation the therapist who is itec qualified aromatherapist just made the point that blends are available so she doesn't think its necessary to study aromatherapy - her opinion.

interestingly i had a hot stone treatment with the same therapist (birthday voucher)never had one before and wasn't expecting any aroma oils but there was initially a strong smell of bergamot and when i asked about it she said its a blend and i think its probably lemon you can smell , the smell of lemon came through stronger and stronger during the treatment. I had no problem with this as i know i am not allergic but had i been asked i wouldn't have chosen lemon

the hot stone treatment would have been fine for me without out any aroma but i wasn't asked

it was i have to say a lovely treatment

I am also wondering when the legislation comes out will all the readily available blends be banned and how will people who do not call themselves aromatherapists but give for example a shop bought blend for stress relieving aroma massage be policed?