Certified Organic Manufacturer and Handler Since 1974
Educators Jan Benham MIFPA FFHT, Sue Jenkins BSc MIFPA, Ian Brealey BSc FCA
QUESTIONS? Contact the College Secretary Rosie Brandrick on 01455 615466Educators Jan Benham MIFPA FFHT, Sue Jenkins BSc MIFPA, Ian Brealey BSc FCA
Kindly see below for more details of the Shirley Price Aromatherapy Diploma
Aromatherapy Diploma Courses and workshops are held at 8 Hawley Road, Hinckley LE100PR, Find us
Shirley Price Aromatherapy Diploma, the Aromatherapy Diploma runs quarterly. 6000 alumni hold the Shirley Price Aromatherapy Diploma which is one of the most respected qualifications in aromatherapy.
For students with no prior learning the course proceeds as follows
Anatomy & Physiology Level 3 must be obtained prior to Module Three
Aromatherapy Diploma Modules One to Four Tutor Jan Benham MIFPA FFHT. Link to online A&P provider
January - Aromatherapy Diploma Module One
March - Aromatherapy Diploma Module Two
May - Aromatherapy Diploma Module Three
June - Aromatherapy Diploma Module Four
June - Aromatherapy Diploma Module Four
August – Aromatherapy Diploma Module Five with Jan Benham MIFPA FFHT and Sue Jenkins MIFPA and practical and theory examinations with independent examiner.
Each 5 day module is priced at £500+VAT.
Workshops with Jan Benham FFHT, MIFPA
Each day is priced at £90+VAT
2013 CPD day courses, the many properties and uses of essential oils
The Art of Soap Making 11am - 4pm
Chair Massage 11am - 4pm
Qi drop Therapy 10am - 4pmHolistic Skin Care
Aromatherapy Facials 10am - 4pm
Aromatherapy Skin Treatments 10am - 4pm
Fruit Facials 10am - 4pm
Aromatherapy seminar 10am - 4pm
Aromatherapy for Emotional Health 10am - 4pm
Aromatherapy Diploma Module One 5 days 10am - 4pmThe creamy craft of cosmetic making 11am - 4pm
The Art of Soap Making 11am - 4pm
Learn how to make mineral makeup 11am - 4pmHow to make natural makeup 11am - 4pm
Call for latest dates
A highlight of our 2012 schedule was Rober Tisserands weekend seminar at Imperial College London.
THE SHIRLEY PRICE AROMATHERAPY DIPLOMA
Overall Aim of the Shirley Price Aromatherapy Diploma course.
The accredited course seeks to provide education and training opportunities in
developing a proficient professional aromatherapist who has the ability to work within
both the field of complementary and contemporary health care settings. The course
will provide the student aromatherapist with the opportunity for self development and
facilitate an awareness of the importance of evidence based practice within the field
of Aromatherapy.
General Learning Outcomes of the course.
Knowledge and Understanding (theory) Outcomes.
• Develop a comprehensive knowledge and understanding of the principles of
Aromatherapy from a historical and philosophical perspective.
• Explore and develop an in depth understanding of the art and science of using
aromatic materials safely, in a range of therapeutic treatments.
• Examine the concept of health, illness, a range of medical conditions and the
factors which may impact upon Aromatherapy as a therapeutic intervention.
• Develop an in depth understanding of the anatomy and physiology of the
human body in relation to a range of body work techniques in Aromatherapy.
• Identify and evaluate the necessary skills to assess individual needs and the
implementation of appropriate treatment, based on sound research-based
evidence.
• Recognise and critically appraise the importance of personal and professional
development and the need for life long learning in a critical and systematic
way.
• Explore and discuss the socio-economic and political factors from a national
and local perspective. Practice/Ability Outcomes.
• Apply a comprehensive knowledge and understanding of Aromatherapy in
assessing the needs of the individual.
• Demonstrate and justify the use of a variety of therapeutic skills within a
chosen practice setting.
• Create a safe and appropriate working environment, taking into account the
socio-economic and political influences which may impact on professional
practice.
• Utilise reflective practice and the use of personal and professional
development within the boundaries of client management.
• Demonstrate and utilise knowledge of an evidence base to support decisions
for chosen Aromatherapy treatment plans.
Course Components.
Aromatherapy Syllabus. (120 hours)
Therapeutic Massage Syllabus. (60hours)
Anatomy and Physiology Syllabus.(50 hours)
Case Studies. In addition theory/class contact hours at least 4 hourly treatment
sessions on 10 clients is required, totalling no less than 60 hours.
Massage Practice. At least 5 full body massages on 10 clients is also required.
Both case studies and massage practice should be recorded in a practice portfolio
which will be part of the practical examination
THE SHIRLEY PRICE MASSAGE DEMONSTATED
THE SHIRLEY PRICE MASSAGE DEMONSTATED
THE SHIRLEY PRICE VIDEO
AROMATHERAPY Aromatherapy is fast becoming one of the most popular complementary therapies available to combat the stresses and strains of modern day life. Join Victoria Sprigg, a holistic therapist, as she uses an amazing variety of essential oils to treat both physical and psychological conditions. This programme is an ideal guide for anyone who would like to give aromatherapy a try. SWISS REFLEX Applied to the feet in order to access the body, Swiss Reflex enables therapists to diagnose and treat specific difficulties by pinpointing areas on the feet which correspond to the body as a whole. The benefits are remarkable and Victoria Sprigg deals with a variety of conditions from chronic backache to a sluggish digestive system, demonstrating techniques that can be tried at home to bring relief and relaxation in equal measure. SWEDISH MASSAGE Swedish massage is one of the most effective ways of promoting good health. It has evolved into a natural therapy, a complementary treatment for the many ills of everyday life. In this programme, watch Victoria Sprigg demonstrate a full body massage in order to treat a variety of health problems. Study the methods she uses whilst the basic scientific principles behind many of the techniques are explained. Each DVD also available separately.
Aromatherapy is the controlled use of essential oils for the benefit of mind, body and spirit. Professional training in aromatherapy whether by distance learning or residential aromatherapy diploma is quickly and easily completed with many first class courses available. Most homes benefit from having a bottle of lavender essential oil to hand. For use in the bath, to add to organic unperfumed creams, shower gels, bodywash, white lotions and shampoos and as first aid for cuts, stings and burns.
Aromatherapy is a key self help therapy. Aromatherapy is the systematic use of volatile plant oils known as essential oils for the treatment or prevention of disease, for cosmetic hair and skincare and for pleasure. It is a relatively modern form of complementary therapy used to treat the whole person and not just the symptom or disease by assisting the body's natural ability to balance, regulate, heal and maintain itself.
Aromatherapy draws heavily on the approach of traditional chinese medicine in focussing on maintaining wellness and immunity to disease rather than treating illness which is a matter for the medical profession. If you are ill you should see a doctor.
Essential oils consist of a large collection of tiny aromatic molecules that are readily absorbed via the skin, and whilst breathing they enter the lungs. These therapeutic constituents next enter the bloodstream and are carried around the body where the body can use them. Because they are highly concentrated, only a small quantity of essential oil, for example a few drops on a tissue or applied directly to a cut, burn or wart is required to bring about results.
When using good quality essential oils correctly, the soothing combination of beautiful aromas, massage, aromatic baths and other treatments all work to regulate, balance, heal and maintain your entire being by working with nature, and not against it.
Every individual is unique. Even in cosmetic skin care while certain essential oils assist normalise differant skin types the bacteria to be found on hand and face are unique to the individual. So unique scientists are putting this forward as a possible means of identification like fingerprinting. A trial and error approach is necessary to find the correct oils to add to lotions and creams and as ever it pays to take qualified and experienced professional advice.
Lavender and Rosemary oil remain part of national phamacopia as they have for centuries. Aromatherapy has a special relationship with the pharmacy and medical profession. The availability of synthetics in modern times has meant the essential oils are a less important part of pharmacy and medical practice. A small group of doctors continue to study and use them where synthetic medicines are unable to affect a cure or for conditions for which essential oils have always achieved outstanding antisepsis and clincal results such as wounds, burns and skin conditions. Essential oil remain an important tool for self help and are to be found in every pharmacy.
A holistic approach
Today, aromatherapy is one of the most popular of all complementary therapies, offering a wide range of highly effective treatments. At the same time, regular use of aromatherapy treatments and home-use products can help to strengthen the immune system, thereby establishing a preventative approach to overall health.
One of the reasons that aromatherapy has been so successful is because it uses a holistic approach, whereby the aromatherapist takes into account a persons medical history, emotional condition, general health and lifestyle before planning a course of treatment.
What makes one person ill and another healthy? Often circumstances and afflictive emotions can lower an individual's resistence to disease depressing the immune system or affecting the ability to sleep which the body needs to rest and repair vital organs. Where purpose and enjoyment of life is lost its rediscovery can bring about dramatic improvement in general health. Rediscovery of a sense of smell and touch is a vital step in connecting with others in our communities not only for disabled people but for everyone.
Backache, irritable bowel syndrome or headaches, for example, are often the result of stress and not actually a physical problem. By looking at the causes of the stress and providing treatments to ease and manage it, the aromatherapist will alleviate the condition in a much more efficient manner.
Stress makes you sick
It has long been known that stress accounts for a staggering amount of illness in modern society, and aromatherapy offers one of the finest ways of combating the ravages of stress without having to resort to drugs which can be habit forming and damaging to your health.
Scientists and doctors have known for a long time that negative and positive emotions can change the complex chemistry of our bodies, and these changes can have a negative or positive effect on the immune system. For example, research has shown how prolonged stress can cause the body to over-produce cortisol and adrenalin which are hormones produced by the adrenal glands.
These two hormones are normally secreted to produce a burst of energy as part of the 'fight or flight' response, and of course this response is an essential tool for survival. Prolonged periods of emotional and psychological pressures however, means that the over-production of these hormones can begin to weaken the integrity of the immune system because they reduce the level of T-helper cells, and inhibit the production of natural killer cells.
Evidence based results
Research and practice is continually re-affirming the efficacy of aromatherapy treatments, and the results are now very hard to dismiss.
More
Plant oils have been used for therapy and cosmetics for thousands of years with records going back to ancient Egypt, China and India.
The essential oils that aromatherapists use to treat conditions are complex substances containing many chemical components. The oils aren't concentrated from whole plant parts - unlike most herbal medicines - but are extracted from flowers, leaves, roots, peel, resin or bark.
Essential oils are either absorbed through your skin using massage or through a cream, lotion or compress to which they have been added. Some people claim this may act as an antiseptic or a painkiller, although there is limited evidence for this. Alternatively the oils can be inhaled and some of the oil components enter your body. It's not known exactly how aromatherapy works - in particular, whether the massage or the smell (or both) has an effect.
When you inhale essential oils, this stimulates your olfactory system - the part of the brain connected to smell. A signal is transferred to your brain's limbic system that controls emotions and stores and retrieves learned memories. This triggers chemicals to be released.
These are thought to have different effects, causing you to feel relaxed or stimulated. In addition, the gentle massage often used to apply the diluted oils to your skin is likely to have a relaxing effect.
Some of the conditions aromatherapy is used for include:
* anxiety, stress or insomnia
* muscular aches and pains
* headaches
* digestive problems
* menstrual or menopausal problems
You can choose to be treated by an aromatherapist, or you can buy certain oils at pharmacies and health shops and carry out the treatment yourself.
If you visit an aromatherapist, he or she is likely to give you a massage using essential oils that have been diluted in a vegetable oil or a lotion.
Where can I find an aromatherapist?
A practitioner should have some training in anatomy and physiology, as well as in the use of essential oils and massage. However, currently the title of aromatherapist isn't protected. This means that anyone can call him or herself an aromatherapist regardless of what training he or she has done. There is no such thing as a chartered aromatherapist. In part because of the accessibility of the therapy to the layman. There is no need for the lengthy training required of a doctor, lawyer or accountant though for a practicing aromatherapist there is a lifetime of learning and acquiring other complementary skills such as reflexology or an understanding of herbalism and traditional chinese medicine.
Aromatherapy is widely available and rapidly learned. Training to satisfy the IFPA examiners and gain work experience of treatments is given over six months of concerted study is the equivalent of a first year of a BSc university course. In particular, some nurses in hospices and nursing homes make use it. It is of particular value in geriatric medicine and cancer care. Many health clubs, sports centres, beauty clinics and complementary therapy centres now offer aromatherapy massage. It may also be possible to find a qualified private practitioner local to you who will come to your home.
About the procedure
If you decide to visit an aromatherapist, you will first have a detailed consultation. The aromatherapist will ask you questions about your medical history, diet, lifestyle and health problems. He or she may ask for your permission to inform your GP that you're receiving aromatherapy treatment. You can also ask any questions you might have. Your therapist shouldn't make a medical diagnosis as he or she isn't trained to do so. However, your therapist can advise you on a course of aromatherapy treatment. You may also be given advice about home treatments.
Aromatherapists claim to practise holistically (treating the whole person) and try to find treatments and oils that suit you physically and mentally. He or she may recommend a single oil or a blend of two or three. If you're having a massage, your aromatherapist will mix the chosen oils with what is called a carrier oil. These light oils, mainly obtained from nuts or seeds such as almond or grapeseed, 'carry' the essential oils and provide lubrication for massage. It's important to tell your therapist if you have a nut or other allergy.
Your first session may last up to two hours because of the initial consultation. You may find that one session is enough or decide to continue with regular treatments at intervals of one to four weeks. Each of these will probably last about an hour to an hour and a half.
Is aromatherapy effective?
Research on whether aromatherapy can improve or alleviate health problems is scarce and results are conflicting. Although there is plenty of anecdotal evidence to support the use of aromatherapy, there is little scientific evidence.
Several studies have looked at the outcomes of different oils and aromatherapy techniques on a variety of diseases and conditions. Some of these have been controlled studies and may have involved using a placebo (dummy) treatment to see how it compares with aromatherapy. Others are less rigorous and therefore less reliable as evidence. The results of these experiments aren't conclusive and have led to conflicting views over how aromatherapy actually works and even if it works at all.
Claims from studies include:
* aromatherapy has mild and short-lasting anti-anxiety effects
* aromatherapy may help to reduce the feeling of agitation in patients with dementia
* aromatherapy may improve the quality of life of cancer patients
However, much of this work has been inconclusive and more research is needed.
What are the risks?
Before using aromatherapy, you need to bear in mind that in their concentrated form the oils might be poisonous. You should handle them carefully and always dilute them according to the product instructions.
Aromatherapy may not be appropriate for everyone. Take extra care if you have conditions including:
* allergies
* hay fever
* asthma
* eczema
* sensitive skin
Aromatherapy oils can have side-effects. Side-effects are the unwanted, but mostly mild and temporary effects of a treatment. Side-effects of aromatherapy may include:
* feeling sick
* headaches
* allergic reactions
Some oils, including citrus ones such as orange, grapefruit and bergamot, react with ultraviolet light and can cause your skin to burn more easily in sunlight.
Don't use essential oils neat on your skin. Exceptions are lavender oil and tea tree oil but only in small amounts and not for long periods. Applying lavender and tea tree oils to the skin over a long period of time has been linked to breast enlargement in boys who haven't yet reached puberty. This is thought to be because the oils may act in a similar way to the female sex hormone, oestrogen.
Don't use essential oils on broken skin. It's important not to swallow oils or apply them directly inside your body (for example, inside your nostril or ear).
Aromatherapy isn't suitable if:
* you have epilepsy
* your blood pressure is high
* you have deep vein thrombosis (a blood clot in your leg)
* you're (or may be) pregnant or breastfeeding
Some essential oils may either reduce or enhance the effects of certain conventional medicines. If you're taking any medication, always check with your GP before using aromatherapy.
Using essential oils at home
It's important to get advice from your GP or a registered aromatherapist before using essential oils at home as they can have harmful effects.
If you do decide to use aromatherapy at home, it's important that you dilute the oils. Some of the ways you can use them include:
* putting a few drops in your bath
* adding them to steaming water for an inhalation
* using them in an incense burner to give fragrance to a room
* adding them to unperfumed creams, shower gels, lotions and shampoos
Always refer to the guidelines on products. These will tell you how essential oils should be used, giving recommended dilutions where necessary.
Make sure you buy essential oils from a reputable source and only in small amounts (5 to 10ml). Always store the oils in tightly-sealed containers in a cool, dark place. Treat them as you would conventional medicines and keep them out of the reach of children.
