Aromatherapy Certification

[Guest guest]

Hi all -

 

Caroline has graciously allowed me to use these forums to ask you all

some questions and get your opinions.

 

The Aromatherapy Registration Council (ARC) thinks it is prepared to

present an aromatherapy certification/registration exam by December.

There is no purpose to the exam except to become an ARC Registered

Aromatherapy. That may be the title of the certification. It is not

certain yet.

 

I have the Exam explanation booklet and will forward those WORD files to

anyone who requests them or to the list if you'd all rather. I didn't

put it out now because I know some people prefer not to open attachments

unless they know what they're about.

 

The handbook itself is still in the draft stage.

 

I would like to open this exam process up to discussion here on these

lists. I'd like your opinions, please. I am presently a member of

ARC. Due to all the questions I've asked lately I don't know if I'll be

a member much longer.

 

Questions I asked:

Where is the business plan?

Answer: There isn't one. Why don't you write one.

(I could but not without input from the whole committee. I'm still

waiting.)

 

Why are we not in compliance with the NCCA standards?

A) We are. Don't you understand?

Q) But all of your are AT educators. I offer an AT workshop not a

completion of course certificate. Isn't a group of educators getting

together to combine questions for this exam not in compliance with NCCA

standards?

 

A) ( I think I'm still waiting for a logical one.)

 

(The above has caused quite a bit of controversy in the AT community as

well as on the ARC committee list.)

 

Q) We've contacted the testing company PTC to help complete the exam

process and give the test. How much are they charging us?

A) They take it out of cost of exam.

Q) Yes, but what's the percentage?

A) Call Sallyann at the testing company and find out yourself.

Q) That would be going over your head. She may wonder why our ducks

aren't all

in a row.

A) Ask her anyway.

 

Q) What's the cost of sitting the exam?

A) $275.00 plus travel and lodging or an additional $150.00 if you want

a testing

center closer to you.

 

Q) Where did the $275.00 figure come from? You told us $150.00.

A) Total ignoring of the question.

 

Q) Who's going to pay $275.00 for this exam? Where's the market

research that

shows people will pay this?

A) There is none. You know we have no money for marketing research.

 

(Oh)

 

Q) So this is an exclusive club set up for only a few to join?

A) None yet. I'm sure that will hit the fan soon enough.

 

Q) NAHA (National Association of Holistic Aromatherapy) will then step

in and offer

the AT community a less expensive test, which they've been

attempting anyway,

consoling people that they don't have to pay $275.00. What happens

then? And

are you aware that this will happen?

A) No answer yet.

 

Q) Once the test gets off the ground do you have a plan for PAC money

because

legislation will begin?

A) Why would legislation begin? What's a PAC?

A) from me: Political Action Committee Legislation will begin because

that is the

way of these things. Look at massage therapy.

 

These are just some of the heated conversations going on with this

committee. No one has kept the AT community advised of what is going

on. That's another question I've asked. Is this good PR not to have a

liaison out there between ARC and the AT community?

 

And since I'm the messenger pointing out the homework hasn't been done,

some are very angry with me. I'm not the only one who has been pointing

these things out. This has been going on since December. At that time

it was more open on the aromatherapy list. I was having some personal

problems around that time and did not keep up with this enough to

realize we were heading down a one way street.

 

ARC was originally set up as a steering committee and I thought it's

purpose was to help set up education standards for AT. Somehow that

sort of got skipped and everyone went straight to the exam.

 

The handbook explains what the exam is about, how much it costs, etc.

 

What are your opinions? Would any of you pay that much money for a

certification exam that does not lead to legislative certification?

 

Do we want to legislate aromatherapy?

 

Do you use AT in your businesses? Do you think there is a need - at

this time - for such testing on it?

 

Would you rather see AT under the umbrella protection of the massage

boards? Or just leave it alone?

 

Any answers, suggestions, advice will all be appreciated and will help

figure out this matter. I don't like seeing something pushed onto an

unsuspecting community who knows a test is in the works, but not such an

expensive one. My husband tells me the CPA test in TX is only $200.00

And isn't the National Certification Exam still $165.00?

 

Thank you all for your time and consideration. And thank you, Caroline

for allowing me to use the forums.

 

Sincerely,

 

Karen Sellars

Massage Therapist

Spring, TX