London Diploma Course in Aromatherapy & Therapeutic Massage
Modules 6-8
This module provides students with the range of skills and knowledge required for the safe and effective clinical practice of aromatherapy.
• Consultation skills: Practical client case-taking; effective listening and questioning; making a record card; session closing skills; monitoring on-going progress.
• Treatment approach: essential oil selection; blending; treatment type, duration and frequency.
• Client referral: conditions that require the attention of other health professionals.
• Aromatherapy for specific conditions: strategies for helping a range of common ailments, including insomnia, headache, bronchitis, asthma, osteoarthritis, menstrual pain, fungal infections, and other ailments.
• Aromatherapy for special client groups: the use of essential oils and related products in special situations and environments; skin care; pregnancy, and baby and childcare; the elderly; cancer care; clinical environments; persons that are debilitated or on intensive medication.
• Clinical contraindications: conditions that require the avoidance of specific essential oils or treatment methods.
• Psychological aromatherapy: the mental-emotional benefits of essential oils; helping clients with problems such as nervous tension, anxiety and depression, etc.
7. Essential Oil Therapeutics according to Oriental Medicine
This module gives students a practical foundation in traditional Oriental medicine and diagnosis, with an emphasis on its value and application to the practice of aromatherapy.
• Fragrance energetics: principal active quality; the Chinese and Ayurvedic interpretation of the effects of herbal tastes; basic principles of perfumery; odour profiling; the main essential oil fragrance families and their energetic effects.
• The Oriental Five Elements: their associated season, climate, Organ, Spirit, root emotion and fragrance energy; Five Element diagnosis and Psychological Aromatherapy; alleviating nervous tension, anxiety and depression, worry and 'overthinking' etc.
• Yin and Yang: Yin-Yang in Nature; Yin-Yang aspects of the body and mind; Yin-Yang properties of essential oils.
• The Vital Substances: Qi (vital energy), Blood, Fluids, genetic Essence (Jing) and Mind (Shen); the relative effects of essential oils on these.
• Causes of disease according to Oriental Medicine: the physical (‘external’), emotional (‘internal’), constitutional (genetic) and environmental causes; the potential role of essential oils.
• Using Oriental Medicine in clinical practice: the Oriental medicine functions of the organs; the diagnostic categories of organ disharmony; specific essential oils for the various disharmonies.
8. Therapeutic Massage
This module provides students with the necessary skills and knowledge to carry out an effective full-body massage treatment – one that can be adapted to individual needs. Our approach to therapeutic massage is broad-based, and encompasses elements drawn from styles that include the 'Swedish' and 'holistic’. The central aim of the massage techniques taught is to soothe tension, promote blood circulation and lymphatic drainage, improve muscular tone, and enhance nervous conductivity. It serves as a pivotal method of essential oil application.
• The history and benefits of massage; its physiological and psychological effects; contraindications; equipment.
• Posture, balance, focus and intention; touch and sensitivity; client care, comfort and handling.
• Classical movements and principal techniques: effleurage, petrissage and friction; developing the use of one’s fingers, thumbs, elbows and palms.
• Therapeutic massage of the entire body and face, incorporating techniques for each body surface area.
• The living anatomy of each body surface area; local muscular and skeletal structures.
• Special manual techniques: neuromuscular technique, trigger point treatment, soft tissue manipulation, passive stretching, joint mobilization.
• An introduction to Acupressure Massage: the location and function of the 14 main meridians and 30 principal acupoints; meridian massage and acupressure techniques.
• Contraindications: circumstances and disorders for which massage treatment should be avoided or modified.
• Client assessment; tailoring massage to the client’s needs; post-treatment evaulation.
