When Vladimir Nabokov wrote, “nothing revives the past so completely as a smell that was once associated with it”, he was onto something. Our sense of smell is deeply tied to our memories and emotions. It helps us create our identity. Aromatherapists utilise this powerful connection to nurture the body ... Continue Reading
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What are the typical responsibilities of an Aromatherapist?
An Aromatherapist would typically need to:
An Aromatherapist’s work environment is mainly dependent on where they work. When working in spas and holistic medicine centres, the work environment is similar to a physician’s office, though the atmosphere is calmer and peaceful.
If working from home or in your own office, you can decorate your workspace so the clients feel relaxed and comfortable.
As an Aromatherapist, your work schedule depends on whether you work full-time or part-time and work at an establishment or independently.
If working independently, you are in charge of creating your schedule. Regardless of the work setting, be prepared to work evenings, weekends, and holidays to suit client needs.
Finding a new job might seem challenging. Aromatherapists can boost their job search by asking their network for referrals, contacting employers directly, using job search platforms, going to job fairs, leveraging social media, and inquiring at staffing agencies.
Aromatherapists are generally employed by:
Professional associations and organisations, such as the International Federation of Professional Aromatherapists (IFPA) and Alliance of International Aromatherapists (AIA), are crucial for Aromatherapists interested in pursuing professional development or connecting with like-minded professionals in their industry or occupation.
Membership in one or more adds value to your resume while bolstering your credentials and qualifications.
Work experience can be crucial in this field, equipping Aromatherapists with practical skills to feel more confident in their chosen profession. Generally, working in a medical clinic, massage centre, beauty spa, or holistic centre are all valuable pursuits.
Typically, potential Aromatherapists register at a community or vocational college for an aromatherapy diploma that meets occupational standards.
The level and length of the courses will differ based on the applicant’s academic qualifications - a high school diploma or a bachelor’s/master’s degree.
Alternatively, you can sign up for a foundational or bachelor’s degree that covers aromatherapy along with a range of other holistic therapies.
The courses help students gain a basic understanding of the body, including physiology and anatomy, along with specialised knowledge of essential oils and how to prepare them for clients.
More often than not, certification is a necessity for Aromatherapists. It demonstrates your professional competence, typically through work experience, training, and passing an examination.
More importantly, certification allows you to pursue careers in holistic therapy centres and high-end spas, leading to better employment benefits, more opportunities for growth, and an increased salary.
Furthermore, as aromatherapy becomes popular, certification from a reputed and objective organisation will allow you to stand out among other potential candidates.
While it is not mandatory, registering with an accredited professional organisation or board will further legitimise your professional capacity as an Aromatherapist. Registration typically requires an approved qualification, which can be found on the board or organisation’s website.
With experience and good referrals, Aromatherapists can set up their clinics at home or other establishments and visit client’s homes as scheduled.
With further professional development and training, you can offer additional services and therapies such as reflexology, reiki, and massage.
Establishing a regular clientele will help you achieve a steady income, while offering more services may help increase it.
Aromatherapists with the necessary experience, certificates, network, and good work history have the best prospects.
Continuing professional development (CPD) will help an active Aromatherapist build personal skills and proficiency through work-based learning, a professional activity, formal education, or self-directed learning. It allows you to upskill continually, regardless of your age, job, or level of knowledge.
Since Aromatherapists work within the holistic care industry, CPD is encouraged to keep up with new knowledge and techniques to help clients. Besides, CPD can open doorways for you to learn new forms of therapy, which can lead to a more extensive clientele and increased salary.
The Evolution of Aromatherapy
The therapeutic application of aromatic herbs and flowers is a prehistoric practice dating over 5000 years, seen across every major civilisation, including the ancient Egyptians and Greeks.
However, the term “aromatherapy” was coined by Rene Maurice Gattefosse, a French chemist.
Having burned his hand experimenting with cosmetics, Gattefosse put his hand in the nearest tub of liquid, which happened to be a vat of lavender essential oil. He was surprised by how quickly his hand healed and began documenting various essential oils’ healing and antiseptic properties.
Gattefosse worked throughout the first World War and used essential oils to experiment on and heal soldiers. In 1928, he published his observations in a scientific paper, and the term “aromatherapy” was coined in this paper.
Extracting the Essence
There are different methods of extracting essential oil from herbs and flowers, but the best practices include steam distillation and carbon dioxide extraction.
Flowers that contain oil can also be processed with solvents such as hexane, acetone, toluene and petroleum ether. However, chemical solvents during extraction may cause adverse side effects such as headaches and allergies and may even have carcinogenic effects.
Smell Fires Memory
Our ability to smell is a crucial part of our senses, directly connected to our memories and emotions. The olfactory bulb, which processes smell, is situated in the front part of our brains and is in charge of sending information to other areas of the brain.
As a result, smells travel fast through the limbic system, including the amygdala and the hippocampus, areas of our brain responsible for processing emotions and memories.
A relatively new field that is becoming increasingly popular, aromatherapy presents its practitioners with exciting career opportunities and radically holistic ways to help clients overcome all sorts of ailments.
Though it can be daunting to stay abreast of authentic research in the face of regular scepticism, the pleasure of seeing their work impact positively those who seek their help is what drives Aromatherapists to overcome all professional challenges.
Though the information may feel overwhelming at first, once you start learning about and using the different oils in your own life, you become more confident in your knowledge.
Everyone, including anosmics (people who cannot smell), can improve their sense of smell by “smell training” because olfactory neurons can repair and grow when stimulated via continuous exercise.
What do Aromatherapists do?
An Aromatherapist would typically need to:
Accredited
