Aromatherapy Schools and Careers Guide
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| | "Nothing is more memorable than a smell.. If you hit a tripwire of smell, memories will explode all at once." ~Anonymous |
A Glimpse Into Aromatherapy Careers
Aromatherapy is becoming increasingly popular in response to the wellness boom and focus on alternative medicine for both disease prevention and 'feel-good' spa treatments. Aromatherapy actually predates written history, but has just begun to emerge in mainstream, Western culture.
Learn more about aromatherapy careers and whether there is an aromatic career niche for you in this scintillating profession. Aromatherapy education and training are crucial in aromatherapy career success, but first you need to learn more about the science behind aromatherapy. Discover how aromatherapy works and learn about the different types of aromatherapy to decipher whether there is a little aroma in your career future.
The Definition of Aromatherapy
Aromatherapy is the inhalation and bodily application of essential oils from aromatic plants to relax, balance, rejuvenate, restore or enhance body, mind and spirit. Pure essential oils are extracted from many parts of the plant including the flower, leaf, resin, bark, root, twig, seed, berry, rind and rhizome.
A basic principle of aromatherapy is to strengthen the self-healing processes by indirect stimulation of the immune system. The depth of use of essential oils is quite wide, ranging from deep and penetrating therapeutic uses to the extreme subtlety of a unique fragrance.
Aromatherapy is considered by some to be an ancient, yet timely and modern approach to total well being that is in tune with nature. Aromatherapists, armed with a technical understanding of an oil's constituents, artfully blend essential oils to produce new aromas.
The results of aromatherapy are very individual. While there is general agreement about the actions of certain oils, aromatherapy texts may vary in their descriptions of the properties and characteristics of an essential oil. In addition, no two people are affected by the same essential oil in exactly the same way. Even the same person can be affected differently by the same oil depending on surroundings, time of day or mood.
The Different Types of Aromatherapy
The different types of aromatherapy are cosmetic, massage and olfactory. Regardless of which type of aromatherapy you choose, essential oils should always be diluted in a carrier oil or water.
Cosmetic Aromatherapy combines essential oils with facial, skin, body and hair care products containing all natural ingredients.
Massage Aromatherapy combines the healing touch of massage therapy with the aromatic benefits of essential oils.
Olfactory Aromatherapy releases essential oils into the environment around you either by inhaling or diffusion. For inhalation , you can either dispense the essential oil into a handkerchief or spray a mixture of essential oils and distilled water into the air and breathe in. Diffusion is the evaporation of the aromatic components of an oil into the atmosphere using aromatherapy equipment.
Several different devises are used to fill the air space of a room. Some use heat as a means of "evaporating" the essential oils; this spreads the essential oil vapor throughout the room. Candle diffusers and ceramic or brass rings placed on light bulbs are commonly used. Other diffusers consist of an electrical air pump and glass nebulizer, which micro-ionizes the volatile oil, thus allowing for the most efficient form of inhalation treatment.
How Aromatherapy Works
When inhaled, essential oils affect our bodies in several ways. The essential oil component molecules enter the nasal passages where they stimulate the olfactory nerve. This sends messages directly into the limbic system. The limbic system, located in the brain, is the seat of memory, learning and emotion. The inhalation of the essential oils triggers changes within the limbic system which in turn can stimulate physiological responses within the body via the nervous, endocrine or immune systems. Either stimulation or sedation of body systems or organs may occur.
Certain essential oils may have certain effects. For example, due to their effect on the brain and the subsequent sedating or stimulating of the nervous system, essential oils can also indirectly raise and lower blood pressure and possibly aid in normalization of hormonal secretion. The inhalation method can be useful for respiratory symptoms. Local application of diluted oils on various points, such as the spinal nerves, chakras, and meridians, is effective for certain conditions. Massage aromatherapy provides relaxation as well as a physiological action through the nervous system. In addition, when applied topically, essential oils can exhibit anti-microbial, antiseptic, anti-fungal or anti-inflammatory properties. Although essential oils produce certain effects that can be counted on, they also adapt to the needs of different people.
The Difference Between Essential Oils and Hydrosols
The tools of aromatherapy are essential oils and hydrosols . Essential oils, non-oily in texture, are obtained from plants by a process called distillation, where selected plant materials are heated with water (or steam, or both) in an enclosed still, so that their volatile components are released from the plant. The components vaporize and are then present in the steam. The steam/vapor then condenses back to a liquid state. Due to differences in density, the essential oil separates from the water. The separated water contains water-soluble essential oil components and is termed the hydrosol or hydrolate . The term essential oil also usually includes the group of mechanically pressed citrus oils.
Essential oils are the highly concentrated, volatile, aromatic essences of plants. Scientists agree that essential oils may perform more than one function in living plants. In some cases they seem to be a part of the plant's immune system. In other cases they may simply be end products of metabolism. Essential oils can contain hundreds of organic constituents, including hormones, vitamins and other natural elements that work on many levels. They are 75 to 100 times more concentrated than the oils in dried herbs.
The Difference Between Fragrances and Essential Oils
There is a difference in quality of aromatherapy products on the market. True aromatherapy is not simply the use of products containing fragrance. Only the highest quality of essential oils should be used in aromatherapy. Pure essential oils from plants must not been adulterated with added natural or synthetic substances and must appear in the end product in quantities considered to be therapeutic. Hydrosols must be fresh and must be entirely made up of the water collected from the condenser after distillation.Other products, such as essential oils added to distilled water using a synthetic mixing agent, are sold as flower waters and are not hydrosols. The majority of essential oils produced in the world market are used in food and fragrance; these essential oils are usually adulterated with chemicals and synthetics, as well as preservatives such as dipropylene glycol. Even many commercially available products that label themselves as aromatherapy products are actually compounded synthetic fragrances. These fragrances may duplicate the smell of the pure botanical, but they do not have the complex chemical components of the oil as it is created in nature; it is these complex components that actually determine an oil's true aromatic benefits. While synthetic fragrance oils are not suitable for aromatherapy, they can work well for use in crafts, potpourri, soap and perfume, as long as they do not promote aromatherapeutic benefits. It is always wise to read the ingredients when choosing products labeled as "aromatherapy" and to purchase only from a reputable aromatherapy source.
Learning More About Aromatherapy Careers
Now that you know a little about how aromatherapy works, you can learn more about the history of aromatherapy and how it became the fascinating profession it is today. You can also get aromatherapy career law and licensure information as well as an in-depth aromatherapy training overview. Discover how aromatherapy is one of many promising career paths during a time when society recognizes the many benefits associated with alternative medicine and natural health degrees. Aromatherapy is not only a successful solo profession, it is also an excellent supplement to massage therapy, acupuncture and reflexology.
Sources:
Educational & Career Opportunities in Alternative Medicine, 1999-2006
Where can I get training?
- Arizona
Southwest Institute of Healing Arts - Tempe
- California
- Walter Jay M.D. Institute - Los Angeles
- Hands on Healing Institute - Pasadena (Tujunga)
- Canada - British Columbia
- Langara College - Vancouver
- Connecticut
- Connecticut Center for Massage Therapy - Groton - Groton
- Connecticut Center for Massage Therapy - Newington - Newington
- Connecticut Center for Massage Therapy - Westport - Westport
- Florida
- Boca Beauty Academy - Boca Raton
- Academy of Palm Beach - Lake Worth (Palm Beach County)
- Georgia
- Atlanta School of Massage - Atlanta
- Massachusetts
- Connecticut Center for Massage Therapy - Newington - Training in Newington, CT
- Michigan
- Irene's Myomassology Institute - Detroit area - Southfield
- New York
- Finger Lakes School of Massage - NY - Ithaca
- Finger Lakes School of Massage - Mt Kisco
- Connecticut Center for Massage Therapy - Westport - Training in Westport, CT
- Oregon
- Everest Institute - Portland - Tigard - Tigard
- Pennsylvania
- National Academy of Massage Therapy & Healing Sciences - Kulpsville (Lansdale)
- Lancaster School of Cosmetology & Therapeutic Bodywork - Lancaster
- Rhode Island
- Connecticut Center for Massage Therapy - Groton - Training in Groton, CT
- Washington
- Everest College - Fife - Fife
- Everest College - Seattle - Seattle
- Everest College - Vancouver - Vancouver
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