Aromatherapy

[weezie]

I've always been a bit dubious about some parts of aromatherapy. When I trained I found that too many of the oils seemed to cover too many conditions.

I do however believe in some of the properties of oils, the ones that have been scientifically proven, for example the healing properties of lavender on burns, the anti-septic and anti-fungal properties of tea tree, the fact that eucalyptus oil can help with breathing and that citrus oils with bergamot reduce dopamine levels so help with depression.

My question is if all these oils can affect people in so many different ways, then is it safe for an aromatherapy practitioner to be massaging with these oils and therefore coming in contact with a large number of different oils, some of which may not be suitable for them. Especially as they say in the body for up to three days so if you are doing a number of massages a day that is a lot of exposure. After all we moderate this for the client, but the aromatherapist, by the nature of their work, will get higher exposure. After all the oils are mixed with the client in mind not the therapist. Does anyone take themselves too into consideration when they choose the oil blends and has anyone had an adverse reaction after a treatment they have performed? Or is this not a concern as aromatherapy is just not that effective?

 

[hippy-chick]

Hiya Weezie,

ikwym with the oils covering a lot of conditions, but I tend to concentrate on what are the oils best known for, eg eucalyptus for respiratory, etc.

I have about 40 oils but tend to use the same 10 for everything, most clients come for stress, tension and aches and pains, so that narrows it down considerably, then its their preference of aromas that sometimes gets me to dip into oils not often used.

Regarding using oils a lot, remember the oils really need to be on the skin for a few hours to fully penetrate so for your treatment you will be getting a hit from the oils but not as powerfully as the client leaving it on the skin for a few hours.

I also open the window and air the place afterwards if I was doing more than one a day.

I have had an adverse reaction to one oil, a burn't some grapefruit in an oil burner and started having heart palpitations!!! And I tend to have slightly low blood pressure so can you imagine someone with high blood pressure getting that reaction! OMG!

I have had fantastic results with aromatherapy and am so pleased that I learn't this wonderful art.

 

[Michybug]

Hi there..

It is true what you say and it is something you have to be aware of. I remember whilst I was training and trying to acheive my proficiences, in one day I used about 12 different oils over 6 clients. I don't quite know what happened, but I was completely exhausted for about 3 days!!! It was nice to feel so chilled, but it also zapped my energy - making me feel quite ill. I'll never do that again! :smack:

I agree with 'hippy-chick' - just try to limit your oil usage to a few and always wash you hands immediatly after treatment, and I think as long as you're aware that this can happen and you are careful, you should be just fine.

 

[Meriden]

Totally agree with the above posts. For that reason I use blended oils now and limit my massages to about one a day. I also had the same experience when doing my case study massages. The clients feltl great, but I was completely drained by the end of it. Being a truly holistic treatment you give so much of yourself physically without realising it.
I try not to 'diagnose' and market my treatment as Aromamassage.

Meriden xx

 

[weezie]

Very interesting points so far, thank you. I have to admit I didn't finish my aromatherapy course to the point of a qualification as we had to complete the case studies while studying for other exams as it was just an add on at the end of my course and along with reflexology so I didn't get around to finding enough people to use as a case study. I passed all the written and practical assignments so it seemed like a bit of a waste really.

We also seemed to be required to do such an in depth consultation that sometimes it would take more than 30 minutes to decide on the oil blends as I was trying to get the best for the client! Once a tutor just said "oh just blend something that smells nice, don't worry too much" when I was trying to look through my notes to blend for a client who had all sorts of problems, so I did just that and at the end the client said it was the best treatment she had had and she was having therapeutic aromatherapy elsewhere for depression, which kind of got me thinking is some of the "healing" just a placebo effect.

Are there aromatherapy courses that don't require case studies in order to pass? One which helped with common blends and ailments would be beneficial as otherwise you feel like a chemist mixing the different notes, trying to balance the smell which eats into the clients massage time!

 

[jcpark]

Once a tutor just said oh just blend something that smells nice, don't worry too much"

I think the standard in aromatherapy teaching, qualifications and kind of treatment varies. It appears to me (although I stand to be corrected) that the majority of aromatherapy treatments are just massages using aromatherapy oils, rather than what I would refer to as clinical aromatherapy. The problem is that the general public don't usually know the difference and see them as one and the same.

 

[hippy-chick]

It comes with practise though.

I generally ask the client:

1. how are you feeling emotionally?
2. how are you feeling physically?
3. how are you feeling hormonally?
4. likes/dislikes (and list the families)
5. how do you want to feel at the end of the treatment - relaxed/zombified/revitalised/calm.
6. skin conditions.

I then choose 3-4 oils, check that I've got a balance of oils ie not all top or base, put the drops in BEFORE the base oil and then add additional vegeable extracts to enhance.

Just remembered another oil that I had an adverse reaction to - my friend came for a reflexology treatment and I decided to use clary sage for her foot massage as she was very down. I felt exhausted by the end of it, and crawled into bed, she had to let herself out, lock the door and pop the keys through the letterbox. I slept for 12 hours!!!! dead to the world!

 

[eager beaver]

Hi, as far as i am aware the only Aromatherapy courses that do not require case studies is a qualification in pre blended aromatherapy. Case studies are an essential part of the full Aromatherapy qualification as you need to evaluate the effects of the oils on a person, and you can only do this by consulting with a client at some point after the massage has taken place. I agree thou that ALOT of work is involved, on top of everything else. This is something that should be looked at when implementing such comprehensive courses, as it seems unfair that people put all this work in then fall at the last hurdle
x

 

[joe90]

Just remembered another oil that I had an adverse reaction to - my friend came for a reflexology treatment and I decided to use clary sage for her foot massage as she was very down. I felt exhausted by the end of it, and crawled into bed, she had to let herself out, lock the door and pop the keys through the letterbox. I slept for 12 hours!!!! dead to the world!

Ann this may not have been the oil at all but if you hadn't protected and grounded yourself properly first you could well have picked up all her emotional energies which left you exhausted.

I remember doing a reflex on a colleague at work and although I often feel tired whilst doing reflex this lady made me feel quite physically sick (she felt sick also), I only got through the skeletal and respiratory reflexes and had to stop as we both felt sooooo bad.

 

[hippy-chick]

Ann this may not have been the oil at all but if you hadn't protected and grounded yourself properly first you could well have picked up all her emotional energies which left you exhausted.

I remember doing a reflex on a colleague at work and although I often feel tired whilst doing reflex this lady made me feel quite physically sick (she felt sick also), I only got through the skeletal and respiratory reflexes and had to stop as we both felt sooooo bad.

you are probably right Julie, she was going through an emotional meltdown at the time! I use clary sage A LOT!!!! and have never had that reaction again.

I love clary sage, bergamot and ylang ylang......PERFECTION!

 

[joe90]

you are probably right Julie, she was going through an emotional meltdown at the time! I use clary sage A LOT!!!! and have never had that reaction again.

I love clary sage, bergamot and ylang ylang......PERFECTION!

I love all the citrussy smelling oils with Lime being my favourite (reminds me of opal fruits lol), but I do love Basil and chamomile too.

Strangely I really hate lavender but find myself using it quite a lot.

I absolutely adore aromatherapy and read loads of books on it. However am hooked on a book at the moment called
"Reading the Body" by Ohashi, it is fab!

 

[hippy-chick]

directory of e o by wanda sellar
fragrant pharmacy sequence by valerie ann worwood are my bibles.

whats good about that particular book Julie?