Aromatherapy

Comment

Comment by Sara Holmes on October 8, 2009 at 8:16am

Hi Denise, I agree that there are several places to get aromatherapy certification.
Where do you live? Parkland College in Champaign, IL teaches an aromatherapy class for certification with college credits but it is not a distance course.
Three other great alternatives for distance certification are The Atlantic Institute of Aromatherapy taught by Sylla Sheppard Hanger, The Australasian College of Health Studies with Dorene Peterson and The West Coast Institute of Aromatherapy with Bev . All of these have excellent programs! Good luck and please let me know if I can offer any further assistance in your search.
Blessings!

Comment by Jackie McLaughlin, LMT, MTI on October 8, 2009 at 5:59am

Hi, Denise
I can't speak to "the best place" to obtain certification in Aromatherapy, because I've only participated in one.... but I can tell you that I think it's a good one. The Pacific Institute of Aromatherapy has a home-study course written by Kurt Schnaubelt, a recognized authority in the field of aromatherapy. You can find them online - just google Pacific Institute of Aromatherapy. Good luck!

Comment by Denise Gregory on October 8, 2009 at 1:00am

Hi everyone, I have just joined this website and am excited to exchange ideas in an open minded environment. I want to get certification in aromatherapy to compliment my Florida license. Any recomendations on the best place to receive certification? Thanks

Comment by Sara Holmes on October 6, 2009 at 12:41pm

Hello everyone,
I am new to this group. I am an active member of The United Aromatherapy Effort
www.unitedaromatherapy.org and our latest goal is to help the military overseas and our veterans at home through therapeutic massage and aromathearpy. We will be making a short presentation and a plea for volunteers at the Alliance of Internation Aromatherapists convention Oct. 15, 16, 17 and 18th at The Holiday Inn in Crystal Park, IL. The convention is a wonderful place to exchange information and learn about the aromatherapy profession.
I also am an active member of the National Association for Holisitic Aromatherapy who also encourages aromatherapy education and safe/best practice. I am always happy to share aromatherapy information and blends
with other practitioners.
Blessings, Sara BS RA LMT NCTMB
Please

Comment by Ariana Vincent, LMT, MTI, BCTMB on October 6, 2009 at 11:01am

WHAT IS AROMATHERAPY?

Aromatherapy is a natural therapy using various essential oils gathered from fragrant plants. Aromas emanating from certain plants have the ability to aid us both physically and psychologically. These fragrances are potent, volatile essences hidden within the plant. Aromatherapy is the art and science of utilizing naturally extracted aromatic essences from plants to balance, harmonize and promote the health of body, mind and spirit.
Each of the essential oils used in Aromatherapy can be used either alone or in combinations to create a desired effect. The oils are found in different parts of the plant such as the flowers, twigs, leaves and bark, or in the rind of fruit. For example, in roses it is found in the flowers, in basil it is in the leaves, and in sandalwood in the wood.

I would love to hear what members of the group have to add to this description of aromatherapy.

Warmly, Ariana Vincent, Ariana Institute, www.arianainstitute.com

Comment by Jackie McLaughlin, LMT, MTI on October 6, 2009 at 10:53am

Nicely done, Ariana! I have nothing to add..... Thanks for putting that together!

Comment by Ariana Vincent, LMT, MTI, BCTMB on October 5, 2009 at 9:22pm

Hi - Here's a little information about the history of aromatherapy. I'd love to know what members of the group would like to add. Warmly, Ariana Vincent, Ariana Institute, Austin, Texas

HISTORY OF AROMATHERAPY

With origins dating back 5,000 years, Aromatherapy is truly one of the oldest methods of bringing comfort and balance to a person’s life.

Research has shown that ancient Chinese civilizations were also using aromatherapy. The emperor Shen Nong is acknowledged for compiling the first treatise on traditional Chinese herbal medicine, Shen Nong's Herbal Classic (Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing). It was first compiled some time during the end of the Western Han Dynasty, lists various medicinal herbs at given grade and rarity ratings. The book recorded 365 types of herbal medicine, some of which is still used in contemporary clinics.

The ancient Chinese also used aromatics in religious ceremonies by burning woods and incense as part of their cultural tradition. The use of aromatics in China was linked to other traditional therapies such as massage.

It is believed that aromatherapy was also utilized by ancient Egyptians, who employed the method of infusion to extract the oils from aromatic plants which were used for health care and cosmetic purposes.

The Ebers Papyrus is one of the oldest known medicinal works recording one hundred medicinal prescriptions, including essential oils. It dates back to 1550 B.C. and was discovered in 1873 by Egyptologist Ebers. The Nile Valley was known as the Cradle of Medicine; a haven of plants, trees and small bushes brought from India, Persia and Syria.

Aromatherapy has also been used for many centuries in India. Ayurveda, the traditional medical system of India, uses dried and fresh herbs, as well as aromatic massage as important aspects of treatment.

Essential oils are used in Ayurvedic therapeutic formulations for their ability to help transport the healing wisdom of herbs and herbal oils to the cells and tissues of the body. They play the same important role in transdermal formulations and skin care that spices do in cooked preparations and compound herbal formulations that we take internally.

In Ayurveda the oils are believed to help create balance through the sense of smell. The rose, for example, is renowned in Ayurveda for its ability to pacify an excitable nature. Lavender helps pacify the mind and nervous system and thus helps promote restful sleep.

The Greeks found that the fragrance of some flowers was stimulating while others had relaxing properties. The use of olive oil as the base oil absorbed the aroma from the herbs or flowers and the perfumed oil was then used for both cosmetic and medicinal purposes.

The Romans were well known for scented baths followed by massage with aromatic oils. The popularity of aromatics led to the establishment of trade routes which allowed the Romans to import essential oils and spices from distant lands such as India and Arabia.

In Europe during the Dark Ages one of the few places where the tradition of Aromatherapy continued was in monasteries, where research shows that monks used plants from herbal gardens to produce infused oils, herbal teas and medicines.

The revival of the use of essential oils is believed to be credited to a Persian physician and philosopher known as Avicenna who lived from 980 AD to 1037 AD. Avicenna is regarded as a pioneer of aromatherapy for his invention of steam distillation and extraction of essential oils.

By 1200 AD, essential oils were being produced in Germany and were based mainly on herbs and spices brought from Africa and the Far East.

When South America was invaded by the Spanish conquistadors, medicinal plants and aromatic oils were discovered, and the wide variety of medicinal plants found in Montezuma's gardens provided a basis for many new and important remedies and treatments.

Throughout the northern continent, indigenous Native American Indians were using aromatic oils, herbs and plants. They were producing their own herbal remedies which were discovered when European settlers began to make their way across the United States.

Although herbs and aromatics had been used in other world cultures for many centuries, it was in the 19th century that scientists in Europe and Great Britain began researching the effects of essential oils on humans.

It was French chemist, René-Maurice Gattefossé who discovered the healing powers of lavender oil after burning his hand in his laboratory. He published a book on the anti-microbial effects of the oils in 1937 and the term "Aromatherapy" was born.

Aromatherapy has recently enjoyed a Renaissance in popularity in the United States. This is a result of a movement to return to a holistic lifestyle, recognizing the importance of combining the mind, body and spirit to achieve optimum health and wellness.

Modern day scientific research has been, and continues to be performed which verifies the physical and emotional benefits that aromatherapy provides.

Through research and awareness we have come to better understand and appreciate what nature has to offer in the form of Aromatherapy.

There are many reasons Aromatherapy is popular today: it is easy to practice, it is readily available, and it is effective.

Comment by Kelly Sanders, LMT on October 3, 2009 at 10:15pm

Just had to make a comment regarding an aroma touch technique session today. A fellow LMT friend of mine who suffers from fibromyalgia and fall allergies wanted to learn more about the aroma touch technique (att), so we set up a trade session. She gave me a standard relaxation massage and I gave her the att. I saw her online and asked her how she was doing. Said she'd never felt better but wanted to know if any of the oils would cause her to have the runs.
I told her that it could be possible for two reasons. One, I didn't have the wild Orange oil to use so substituted grapefruit even though it's a citrus oil it is also a diuretic, plus after applying all the technique, and two, I also performed the lymph pump which causes the body to detoxify itself thus returning it to homeostasis.

Comment by Kelly Sanders, LMT on October 1, 2009 at 3:06am

quitters never prosper or learn. There is a phamplet available called 216 ways to use essential oils I give one to all my EO interested friends it does not proscribe any one brand.

Comment by Monica A. Roberson on September 2, 2009 at 9:56pm

hello there to all aroma lovers?! or...maybe not?

I have been excited and interested in aromatherapy since the age of 11..I can remember my mom questioning why I was choosing the "scent of the day" based on how I felt or how I wanted to feel..she still brings it up to this day..and if I was wearing yellow that day I would wear the perfume that had a yellow cap or writing or sometimes if I thought it smelled "sunny"..how funny is that!! If there is one thing that I can say about myself is that one of my favorite senses is smell! Some of my favs..FRANKINCENSE..MYRRH..AMBER..SANDALWOOD..CEDARWOOD..PATCHOULI...COPAL..ORANGE..Aromatherapy...to me is a necessity! I use oils on a daily basis in my practice and personal..every way imaginable! I have read numerous books and been around it for sooooo long that it just comes naturally to me..picking up the blends of the oils..do I really need a piece of paper? :) yes..it would look nice in the treatment room...is there anyone out there who LOVES oils as much a I do?

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