Advice for Aromatherapy Courses?

RE: Advice for Aromatherapy Courses?

Hi Whispers,

first of all i did ITEC A&P & massage. I did that one day a week for six months, then sat my exams and hey presto, qualified massage therapist!

after that i went on and did VTCT in reflex and aroma which took another 5 months combined (2 & 1/2 each).
to be honest with you i wish i hadn't wasted my time and money doing this as im not happy with my level of learning or understanding of these 2 therapies
(all this was at a private college)

SO.......!

I'm going back to college again this year to do both reflexology and aromatherapy to ITEC level, which will take me 10 months (i'm doing them side by side, so i'll be studying both for 10 months each, as apposed to 2&1/2 each like i did before)
i'm going to be doing this at a normal college

VTCT is only recognised by insurers in the UK, where as if i get and ITEC qualification i can also work abroad.

with ITEC there is also an examination at the end of the course where as with VTCT there are constant assesments through out the course. both involve case studies

hope this helps?! I cant really ofefr any advice on other courses available as i have no experience of them.......

emma.xXx.

RE: Advice for Aromatherapy Courses?

Hi Emma, thanks for your reply and for sharing your experience. I'm determined to do this

RE: Advice for Aromatherapy Courses?

I'm currently doing the ITEC Aromatherapy but I am finding I would've prefer a more clinical course from the outset.

I can't afford the more in depth courses that are run by private colleges, at the moment so am looking to do more advanced stuff in the future - save up again.

Sure ITEC are recognised abroad but not necessarily in the same capacity as they are here as we are going throught the process of being regulated.

RE: Advice for Aromatherapy Courses?

Hi

ITEC seem to be the way to go although they are not as efficient at they like to think they are! - depends on what is available to you
all courses really depend on your tutor -
I am currently doing my ITEC diploma in Aromatherapy at Middlesex School of Complementary Medicine which is private. Costs a lot more that going to local college but I have found the course a lot better organised and the people who work in the office are therapist/tutors themselves and will always help if they can.
I did my A & P at Cassio college and took 3 attempts at the exam because I just couldnt get my head into gear. It is hard work, you have to do a lot of homework but worth it if that is the way you want to go

hope this helps, best of luck

hemelgirl

RE: Advice for Aromatherapy Courses?

if you can find a local one at a price you can afford I would recommend either an IFA ( international federation of aromatherapists

Both have details of schools on the their websites and as you are in London you should be able to find a convenient one. these courses will cover the anatomy and physiology as part of the whole course content so you don't need to worry about taking more than one to get the training you need.

I did my Anatomy Physiology and Massage with ITEC and then did Aromatherapy with the IFA so I can compare from personal experience. And I have two close friends who did ITEC Aroma so I have seen their course content and learning outcomes.

In the end however it the quality of the teaching by each tutor and how you two get along on a "philosophical level ie do you view complementary therapy in the same way ? and not the examining body which will make a huge differnce - which ever course you chose go and talk to the tutor before you sign up to see if you think that you wll be able to work togther

Edited to fix link.

RE: Advice for Aromatherapy Courses?

I'm struggling too to find an aromatherapy course that is convenient - I'm in south east London and need to do it as an evening class. Any ideas, anyone?

RE: Advice for Aromatherapy Courses?

I also live in SE London (Tulse Hill) and studied aromatherapy on Thursday evenings at Lambeth College, Clapham Common Centre. The course costs about £175 excluding the materials you need, but really its a bargain.

RE: Advice for Aromatherapy Courses?

Thanks Neko!
I signed up for the course last night. Wouldn't have found it without you - and now I can't wait!

RE: Advice for Aromatherapy Courses?

Hi there,

wow Neko your Aromatherapy course is cheaper then mine, mines £375.
Are everyones courses alot different in price? just wondered.

Anyway whispers i done A&P which was 6 month course, then swedish massage which was also 6 months. Starting aromatherapy weeks time which is a year course.
All VTCT and my local college one evening a week.

good luck in finding your dream !! Im now doing mine [sm=sandrine.gif]

kathy

RE: Advice for Aromatherapy Courses?

The course is £185 this year, which does seem to be a bargain - one reason I thought I should get on with it now (and take on all that extra work!). It's over £700, I think, for foreign students.
My brother was put off doing aromatherapy in Milton Keynes because it was £500 - and according to Cherish, on another thread, the course was cancelled anyway!

RE: Advice for Aromatherapy Courses?

It is a bargain, I did both my diploma in A&P & Holistic Massage(which is I presume what you have signed up for as its required before doing Aromatherapy) and my aromatherapy course at Lambeth. They are great courses and studied over 1 year, means that you have plenty of time to study and practice.
Idid the holistic massage on Saturday mornings and aromatherapy on Thursday eveningsover 2 years and am now a qualified therapist (yay!) and doingthem over this time enabled me to also study for a cert and diploma in life coaching whileholding down a fulltime job.

The more intensive the course the more expensive they seem to be. Also where you study affects things. Lambeth is not exactly a pretty study environment, but at the end of the day whether you have trained at the rather blah room that I did or in a beautiful salon where the same courses cost over 800 a pop which a friend of mine did, your qualifications are still the same!

Laura Altin was my teacher for Holistic massage -she was an amazing teacher. I was a little nervous about going back to study after having very negative learning experiences at University andI found studying at Lambethgreat.

Best of luck in your studies and if you need a case study *ahem* cough * volunteer at the ready and will be happy to give feedback / advice on movements in return.

RE: Advice for Aromatherapy Courses?

Thanks for that - I might well take you up on it! We started last week and I see what you mean about the environment (my last college had a proper salon, though not particularly swish) but who cares? It just means I'll have to provide and wash my own towels!

RE: Advice for Aromatherapy Courses?

Exactly! Presume your teacher is Geraldine, if so she will recommend you buy your towels from Magestic. She has a very particular way she likes to do things according to ITEC to get good results. She'll work you hard the first few months and then relaxes while you are stressing about completing case studies. Learn your latin names, make up your cards as soon as possible, it really helps. Sadly ITEC go very much by the pants recommended texts but Julia Lawless, Salvatore, Francesca Watson books all make great reading and my own notes and cards are an amalgamation of these making it easy to reference quickly when making blends. Enjoy, I found aromatherapy a fascinating subject!