Training

Hi PF

Yes distant learning in CAM therapies it is a false economy.

Yes there is 100's of threads on HP.

Accreditation for many of these DL courses is B_S_. They make up silly titles and letters after your name to sound impressive, but they don't have formal recognition within the CAM industry. The larger registers/professional associations won't accept DL, especially for core therapies.

That doesn't mean that DL is useless. It is a useful a modality, but you cannot learn hands-on skills using this mode of learning.

These DL courses are run by "diploma mills". Companies that set up to flog the public things that they may wish to learn with at least effort as possible. They offer easy payment schemes and use BS terms like "There is a great need for such or such therapy". And they know they will get customers because of feeding into their ego, whims and fancies.

To be a good, competant, successful therapist, IHM or otherwise, takes time, energy, study, practice, practice and more practice!!

If you truly wish to have a career (it's more of a vocation in reality) in therapies, you would be best to study body massage with anatomy and physiology first, then see where you wish to take it. Taking this route is the foundation to additional studies and can open (hopefully) many doors. The better qualifications to go for are ITEC, VTCT, C&G, BTEC etc etc at level 3. Level 2 should be avoided as it's as useful as a chocolate teapot.

I hope I don't come across as harsh, but don't waste your money on DL courses. Some people do them for personal interest, which is dandy, but you can learn the same info out of a book from waterstones.

Best wishes

RP

Hi,

Thank you for your really in depth and helpful reply. You kind of cemented what I already knew, deep down. I think I have now found a Swedish Massage course, which is VTCT accredited, part home study (A&P) and part classroom. And close to me 🙂 Cost isn't astronomical and it looks fascinating!

I am just waiting to hear back from the school to see if they have space, and to answer a couple of questions and hopefully I can get signed up. I have lots of people who are willing to let me practice on them, and I intend to get as much practice as I can! I can not wait! 😀

Thank you so much...if you ahve any more pearls of wisdom, I would love to hear them xx

I've been doing distance learning for Aromatherapy and Herbalism. I've found them very interesting. Aromatherapy I was struggling a little bit on the practical side of things but as part of my studies I need a set of case studies, which means I get to have hand-on experience. I've gradually built up a team of volunteers who want to try these therapies and are willing to provide me with very honest opinions on my techniques etc. Some distance learning courses also offer workshops as a side so there is some opportunity to get some practical experience.

I only have the ability to do distance learning and while the level of course I'm doing will not get me to a practicing level it is still worthwhile for me.

I have to say it drives me nuts when I see how much money people are paying for healer/therapist training ! Inspiral was set up to offer training and workshops for people who could not otherwise access them due to the ridiculous costs being charged in our local area.

We are based in Grays. Essex, and with all due respect it is not a wealthy area. However, the courses being offered were ridiculously high - and put the chance to develop spiritually and in terms of healing way out of the reach of our clients. 😡

This is why Inspiral was born. We offer a wide range of classes, everything in the spiritual and alternative therapy field at just above cost price.

This means, for example, that we offer Reiki1 and Reiki2 for just £65.00. and Reiki Master combined with Teacher level over a residential weekend for just £250 all in. We also train in Reikara and Rahanni healing, and run a monthly healing circle - the cost to join in with this is just £7 !

Full details of all the workshops and training courses we offer are on our website, However, the point I am trying to make is that too many people are making too much money from people like you !

If we can run these classes, still cover our hall hire, insurance, tutors, and make enough to make it worth doing - what sort of profit margins are involved in other classes ? The mind boggles ! :confused:

With regard to IHM, we are unable to offer this training as it requires anatomy and physiology certification prior to training, but we will shortly be training to "friends and family" level, which will cost just £30 !

I have to say that by charging the prices we do, we havent made ourselves overly popular in the healing world (!) and in one rather disturbing instance, our tutor received quite serious threats, but our ethos is something very central to the way we work - and if every therapist we qualify then goes on to offer reasonably priced treatments to their clients and student, wont the world be a better place ?! 😀

...as part of my studies I need a set of case studies, which means I get to have hand-on experience. I've gradually built up a team of volunteers who want to try these therapies and are willing to provide me with very honest opinions on my techniques etc.

Understand some folk have to do distance learning for geographic or financial reasons but bodywork is a practical skill and the biggest & best part of my training was experiencing a tutor & other students working on me and also getting feedback from teachers and other students who know what to look for.

Working on volunteers is great practice but, in my experience, unless they have a lot of experience of other practitioners in that therapy and/or are professional therapists you'll get loads of "it's lovely" or, if they're honest, "that hurts a bit" but they won't be able to tell you why.

Working on volunteers is great practice but, in my experience, unless they have a lot of experience of other practitioners in that therapy and/or are professional therapists you'll get loads of "it's lovely" or, if they're honest, "that hurts a bit" but they won't be able to tell you why.

I agree. When I was learning aromatherapy, sometimes the teacher would simply move my hand a few centimetres. Not much, but enough to make the whole thing flow much better. There are some things where you really need another person, with expertise and experience, to notice how you could improve. (Maybe IHM is different?)

............(Maybe IHM is different?)

No difference, it's still a technical and practical skill

Cheers

RP