Aromatherapist Question

[Guest guest]

Hi Sarah

 

The first thing to understand is that unlike esthetics or massage

therapy or nursing etc. etc. aromatherapy is not a licensed

profession. Therefore there are no government regulations that govern

who may or may not call themselves an aromatherapist. The definition of

an aromatherapist and what an aromatherapist does can vary quite a lot

depending on who you ask. There are some who read a book or two and buy

a few oils and feel that they have the right to call themselves an

aromatherapist while there are others who feel that they should undergo

a much more in depth training that includes Anatomy and Physiology and

how the essential oils work in the various body systems before they can

call themselves an aromatherapist and everything inbetween.

 

When aromatherapy is regulated it is self-regulated by an Aromatherapy

Association. Some Aromatherapy Associations have been around a long

time and have become industry standards in their own country, while

others have not reached that level of recognition. It very much depends

on where you live and the association you want to join. The benefits of

joining an aromatherapy association are that one can generally get

professional liability insurance through their association as well as a

newsletter and continuing education opportunities. Most aromatherapy

associations have a minimum standard of education that their membes must

attain before they can be accepted. These associations often will

recognize schools that teach to their educational standards.

 

A good aromatherapy course should take the student step by step through

the use of essential oils as well as the precautions and safety issues

around their use. There is a lot of information available on the use of

essential oils today, some of it is quite easy to come by but some of

the really good information is either expensive or hard to find. There

is also a lot of conflicting information available on the use of

essential oils out there. One group may advocate using essential oils

one way, while another group might be quite horrified to hear of this.

When the course has been well written it should expose the student to

these opposing views and help them make up their own minds as to why one

or other method of use of the oils is correct. In my opinion, at the

end of a course students should be able to reason things out for

themselves and not just be doing something because they were told that

is the way to do it.

 

The answer to your question will depend on what you yourself mean when

you talk about wanting to become an aromatherapist. My own opinion is

that one wants to gain as much information as one can before using

essential oils on the public. I also believe that taking a aromatherapy

course is probably the quickest way to getting that information. A good

course should be written in such a way as to easily and clearly deliver

the necessary information for one to have a good understanding and

grounding in the use of essential oils.

 

Whether or not you choose to join an association after that is up to

you, although if you are using essential oils with the general public,

and that would include making products with essential oils, you really

do want to have professional liablity insurance and possibly product

liability insurance. This is usually much more reasonably obtained

through an aromatherapy association than privately.

 

Should you have any other questions I would be happy to answer them for

you off the list.

 

All the best

 

Bev

 

Beverley von Marksfeld-Fuhrherr

West Coast Institute of Aromatherapy

www.westcoastaromatherapy.com

 

 

>

>okay this might sound silly. But please bare with me.

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>I can't seem to get a straight answer from schools I have e-mailed. Or they

>don't respond at all.

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>So with so many smart people here I thought I would throw it out there.

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>I am attending school soon (after we move) just because I want to learn

>more about EOs.

>

>But what makes one an aromatherapist? How does one become one?

>

>

>-Sarah

>(26 years old with 2 kids, time to do something for me

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