How to distingush a quality program WAS: EO and pregnancy.

[Guest guest]

Hi Marcia,

 

My remark about grumpy know-it-alls was directed at myself. I certainly can't

imagine why you thought it was meant specifically for you, and I fervently hope

that this is not about to become bloody! It is my impression that there is some

poor quality aromatherapy education and some good quality education, but I don't

know enough about individual schools to usefully comment. I do see a worrying

amount of misinformation circulating, with some of it presumably originating

from schools, and some of it definitely from purveyors of essential oils. And, I

do think open discussion on many of these issues, as happens on this forum, is

extremely healthy.

 

But anyway, I was talking loosely about the " evidence base " for aromatherapy,

which is something I consider myself well informed on, and not " aroma-politics " .

But basically yes, you're right, I have not made great efforts to familiarize

myself with the politics of aromatherapy. I am very involved with the AIA, I

know nothing at all about ARC, and NAHA doesn't seem to be doing much these

days, as far as I can tell. But I agree, let's not examine this, I didn't think

I was, I don't especially want to, and I'm not at all sure how I got here. Must

be my karma for saying that the blind were leading the blind. Fair enough. But I

didn't mean you - I have great respect for your knowledge. Your not blind. Not

even close.

 

Robert

 

 

ATFE , " Marcia Elston " <Marcia wrote:

>

> Although I admitted to being a crotchety curmudgeon, it is always my

> intention to bring positive encouragement and I certainly did not intend for

> my comments to mean that I infer all educators don't know anything. It is

> far more complicated than that simplistic analogy. My frustration has been

> with the lack of leadership in the general aromatherapy community here in

> the U.S. which is so fragmented that meaningful, progressive, accepted

> standards for education or practice have not developed in the 20 years since

> aromatherapy has been introduced here, and it appears turf wars have

> superceded the general cooperation necessary for real purpose throughout

> that history. I'm not sure, Robert, how well you are informed since moving

> here with regard to aroma-politics in the U.S. and I suspect you have pretty

> much avoided them at all costs. One certainly can't blame you, if so, and

> from what I've heard, aroma-politics haven't been so great across the pond,

> either. And, I'm not sure that this forum is exactly the place to examine

> and evaluate the situation, let alone begin a comprehensive resolution. The

> observations in your last paragraph, however, are, while extremely

> discouraging if this is to remain the status-quo, a glaring confirmation of

> my frustration. And, as seen by Trish's response, I'm not alone. Many

> people have shared their concerns over the years, and are soured to the

> point of not participating in any of the organized efforts. People on

> internet lists like AFTE grapple with their desire for factual direction,

> and while those of us more knowledgeable can offer tidbits here and there,

> what is generally needed is an organized, systematic, well respected group

> effort to elevate aromatherapy as a needed and respected profession as well

> as to support the individual layperson to safely use essential oils in

> self-care. What we have now are three separate organizations (NAHA, AIA,

> ARC) who appear to be at cross or dual purposes, and myriad educational

> institutions, all teaching their own brand or style (some islands unto

> themselves not connected to any organized efforts), many not approved or

> designated by any of the three institutions. Leaving aromatherapy itself to

> the winds when it comes to possible (more likely probable) legislation for

> either the practice or the substance (essential oils) because there is no

> coherent voice from within the emerging practice to establish credible

> authority. The same has happened within the natural perfume community, even

> smaller than that of aromatherapy, with factions splintered and at odds with

> one another.

>

> Since a good part of my professional life has been spent working within

> NGO's and the nonprofit sector, I am well aware that solid cooperative work

> can be done to elevate organizations (with research, standards and ideas)

> into go-to authorities. This is the root of my frustration; I know it is

> possible.

>

> Certainly Bob Harris's database and journal are valuable tools for the

> individual professional or layperson, however, this doesn't solve the

> overbearing problem of the continuation of poor educational practices out

> here in the marketplace and therefore the perpetuation of misinformation.

>

> I don't mean to appear pompous or grumpy, but I do admit to being

> frustrated.

>

> Be Well,

> Marcia Elston, Samara Botane/Nature Intelligence

> http://www.wingedseed.com

> http://www.wingedseed.blogspot.com

> http://www.aromaconnection.org

> " We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give. " - Winston

> Churchill

>

>

>

>

>

> ATFE [ATFE ] On Behalf Of

> tisserand

> Thursday, January 21, 2010 12:30 PM

> ATFE

> How to distingush a quality program WAS: Re: EO and

> pregnancy.

>

>

>

>

> Tina, Susan,

>

> I agree there is a distinct lack of " evidence base " in many of the claims

> made for essential oils. With some claims that are made, the evidence base

> turns out to be in vivo animal testing, and sometimes for a constituent, not

> the whole oil. (Some of the information that comes out of France falls into

> this category - look at the references in l'Aromatherapie Exactement.) There

> are French, and other European medical practitioners that use essential oils

> in their clinics and hospitals, and there are some in Asia too. Some

> clinical information is published only in Mandarin, and a few good articles

> have been published in French.

>

> The International Journal of Clinical Aromatherapy and the International

> Journal of Essential Oil Therapy publish some good reviews of the

> literature, and attempt to link this with clinical practice, with the kind

> of global perspective I am talking about.

>

> But, there is no large cache of hard clinical data on essential oils. It

> does not exist. Not only are trials few and sparse, but this reflects the

> very small number of people that practice clinical aromatherapy. There have

> been a number of small-scale trials, some of which found an effect beyond

> placebo, and some of which didn't. There have even been a few larger-scale

> trials, though some of this information concerns oral administration, which

> raises another issue - what kind of an aromatherapist do you want to be?

>

> In the end, the aroma-massage therapist has to make the best of things in a

> world where the blind often lead the blind, where books are written copying

> information from other books, and where ageing, pompous, and sometimes

> grumpy know-it-alls tell them repeatedly that they don't know anything. So

> naturally, they fall back on what they have been taught, and what they have

> read. And actually, I am very encouraged by the way things are now shifting,

> with integrative medicine, often including aromatherapy, being more and more

> widely embraced because doctors are recognizing that their patients can

> benefit. A few dots do need connecting though, so that practitioners have

> their eyes open, and not closed.

>

> Robert

>

[Guest guest]

Hi Robert,

 

How easily things are misconstrued on the internet where self deprecation

can easily seem opinion directed at someone else. Likewise, I meant no

disrespect for you in my remarks, also probably self deprecating because I

often feel guilty for not participating and helping more with progressive

changes. Just burned out from battles past. So all is well and I have

sheathed my sword. :-) Never had it out in the first place, sorry if it

appeared so.

 

LOL, I've just made an appointment with an eye specialist because I may have

a detached retina . . . All the symptoms starting with on/off blurred vision

about a week ago, now the light flashes and a huge 'C' shaped floater

appeared yesterday and today. Damn. I am a real wimp when it comes to

surgery. I know I don't have the actual diagnosis yet, but I know my body

well enough to know this is something that will have to be dealt with. LOL

because sychronistically I really could become one of the blind leading (or

being led by) the blind.

 

Sick sense of humor, yes, I know.

 

Be Well,

Marcia Elston, Samara Botane/Nature Intelligence

http://www.wingedseed.com

http://www.wingedseed.blogspot.com

http://www.aromaconnection.org

" We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give. " - Winston

Churchill

 

 

 

________________________________

 

ATFE [ATFE ] On Behalf Of

tisserand

Thursday, January 21, 2010 6:07 PM

ATFE

How to distingush a quality program WAS: Re: EO and

pregnancy.

 

 

 

 

Hi Marcia,

 

My remark about grumpy know-it-alls was directed at myself. I certainly

can't imagine why you thought it was meant specifically for you, and I

fervently hope that this is not about to become bloody! It is my impression

that there is some poor quality aromatherapy education and some good quality

education, but I don't know enough about individual schools to usefully

comment. I do see a worrying amount of misinformation circulating, with some

of it presumably originating from schools, and some of it definitely from

purveyors of essential oils. And, I do think open discussion on many of

these issues, as happens on this forum, is extremely healthy.

 

But anyway, I was talking loosely about the " evidence base " for

aromatherapy, which is something I consider myself well informed on, and not

" aroma-politics " . But basically yes, you're right, I have not made great

efforts to familiarize myself with the politics of aromatherapy. I am very

involved with the AIA, I know nothing at all about ARC, and NAHA doesn't

seem to be doing much these days, as far as I can tell. But I agree, let's

not examine this, I didn't think I was, I don't especially want to, and I'm

not at all sure how I got here. Must be my karma for saying that the blind

were leading the blind. Fair enough. But I didn't mean you - I have great

respect for your knowledge. Your not blind. Not even close.

 

Robert

 

ATFE <ATFE%40> , " Marcia

Elston " <Marcia wrote:

>

> Although I admitted to being a crotchety curmudgeon, it is always my

> intention to bring positive encouragement and I certainly did not intend

for

> my comments to mean that I infer all educators don't know anything. It is

> far more complicated than that simplistic analogy. My frustration has been

> with the lack of leadership in the general aromatherapy community here in

> the U.S. which is so fragmented that meaningful, progressive, accepted

> standards for education or practice have not developed in the 20 years

since

> aromatherapy has been introduced here, and it appears turf wars have

> superceded the general cooperation necessary for real purpose throughout

> that history. I'm not sure, Robert, how well you are informed since moving

> here with regard to aroma-politics in the U.S. and I suspect you have

pretty

> much avoided them at all costs. One certainly can't blame you, if so, and

> from what I've heard, aroma-politics haven't been so great across the

pond,

> either. And, I'm not sure that this forum is exactly the place to examine

> and evaluate the situation, let alone begin a comprehensive resolution.

The

> observations in your last paragraph, however, are, while extremely

> discouraging if this is to remain the status-quo, a glaring confirmation

of

> my frustration. And, as seen by Trish's response, I'm not alone. Many

> people have shared their concerns over the years, and are soured to the

> point of not participating in any of the organized efforts. People on

> internet lists like AFTE grapple with their desire for factual direction,

> and while those of us more knowledgeable can offer tidbits here and there,

> what is generally needed is an organized, systematic, well respected group

> effort to elevate aromatherapy as a needed and respected profession as

well

> as to support the individual layperson to safely use essential oils in

> self-care. What we have now are three separate organizations (NAHA, AIA,

> ARC) who appear to be at cross or dual purposes, and myriad educational

> institutions, all teaching their own brand or style (some islands unto

> themselves not connected to any organized efforts), many not approved or

> designated by any of the three institutions. Leaving aromatherapy itself

to

> the winds when it comes to possible (more likely probable) legislation for

> either the practice or the substance (essential oils) because there is no

> coherent voice from within the emerging practice to establish credible

> authority. The same has happened within the natural perfume community,

even

> smaller than that of aromatherapy, with factions splintered and at odds

with

> one another.

>

> Since a good part of my professional life has been spent working within

> NGO's and the nonprofit sector, I am well aware that solid cooperative

work

> can be done to elevate organizations (with research, standards and ideas)

> into go-to authorities. This is the root of my frustration; I know it is

> possible.

>

> Certainly Bob Harris's database and journal are valuable tools for the

> individual professional or layperson, however, this doesn't solve the

> overbearing problem of the continuation of poor educational practices out

> here in the marketplace and therefore the perpetuation of misinformation.

>

> I don't mean to appear pompous or grumpy, but I do admit to being

> frustrated.

>

> Be Well,

> Marcia Elston, Samara Botane/Nature Intelligence

> http://www.wingedseed.com <http://www.wingedseed.com>

> http://www.wingedseed.blogspot.com <http://www.wingedseed.blogspot.com>

> http://www.aromaconnection.org <http://www.aromaconnection.org>

> " We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give. " -

Winston

> Churchill

>

>

>

>

>

> ATFE <ATFE%40>

[ATFE <ATFE%40> ] On Behalf Of

> tisserand

> Thursday, January 21, 2010 12:30 PM

> ATFE <ATFE%40>

> How to distingush a quality program WAS: Re: EO and

> pregnancy.

>

>

>

>

> Tina, Susan,

>

> I agree there is a distinct lack of " evidence base " in many of the claims

> made for essential oils. With some claims that are made, the evidence base

> turns out to be in vivo animal testing, and sometimes for a constituent,

not

> the whole oil. (Some of the information that comes out of France falls

into

> this category - look at the references in l'Aromatherapie Exactement.)

There

> are French, and other European medical practitioners that use essential

oils

> in their clinics and hospitals, and there are some in Asia too. Some

> clinical information is published only in Mandarin, and a few good

articles

> have been published in French.

>

> The International Journal of Clinical Aromatherapy and the International

> Journal of Essential Oil Therapy publish some good reviews of the

> literature, and attempt to link this with clinical practice, with the kind

> of global perspective I am talking about.

>

> But, there is no large cache of hard clinical data on essential oils. It

> does not exist. Not only are trials few and sparse, but this reflects the

> very small number of people that practice clinical aromatherapy. There

have

> been a number of small-scale trials, some of which found an effect beyond

> placebo, and some of which didn't. There have even been a few larger-scale

> trials, though some of this information concerns oral administration,

which

> raises another issue - what kind of an aromatherapist do you want to be?

>

> In the end, the aroma-massage therapist has to make the best of things in

a

> world where the blind often lead the blind, where books are written

copying

> information from other books, and where ageing, pompous, and sometimes

> grumpy know-it-alls tell them repeatedly that they don't know anything. So

> naturally, they fall back on what they have been taught, and what they

have

> read. And actually, I am very encouraged by the way things are now

shifting,

> with integrative medicine, often including aromatherapy, being more and

more

> widely embraced because doctors are recognizing that their patients can

> benefit. A few dots do need connecting though, so that practitioners have

> their eyes open, and not closed.

>

> Robert

>