AROMATHERAPY ONLINE COURSE
Are you looking for a course which:
- introduces you the basics of aromatherapy
- guides you about the safe use of aromatherapy oils
- gives you a background to have the oils are produced
- enables a deeper understanding behind the plants used to produce oils
- helps you to develop practical skills
Then you are in the right place. There is all this, and more, within our aromatherapy course which is suitable for:
- those wanting to develop knowledge for use at home
- someone who would like to expand their knowledge having worked in a related discipline
- ongoing professional development
You do not need prior knowledge to participate in this course, so why not join us to learn the basics and understand more about aromatherapy and its uses.
Lesson Structure
There are 8 lessons in this course:
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Plant Identification
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Understand the classification system used for naming plants and to be able to identify the family, genus and species names of plants used to produce essential oils.
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Define aromatherapy and its history, to understand how aromatherapy works, and the basic chemistry behind it.
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Introduction to Aromatherapy
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To define aromatherapy and its history and to understand how aromatherapy works, and the basic chemistry behind it
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Essential Oils
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Identify a range of essential oils, their uses and contraindications
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Safe Use of Essential Oils
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Ensure that essential oils are used in a safe and controlled manner.
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Carriers
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Identify what can be used as a carrier for essential oils and why they must be used.
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Growing and Harvesting Herbs for Essential Oil
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Identify methods which can be used to grow, and harvest herbs used in essential oil production.
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Methods of Extraction
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Identify methods used to extract essential oils from plants.
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Hazardous Herbs and Oils
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Identify herbs and oils acknowledged as hazardous to people, and which should not be used in aromatherapy, or with great care
What You Will Do
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Undertake brief written report on what you understand about how plants are named
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Give the scientific names of ten different plants from which essential oils are derived.
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Give a brief summary of your knowledge of aromatherapy and essential oils.
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Understand how herbs are promoted to the public in order to sell them.
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Write an essay on the history of aromatherapy and essential oil use.
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Suggest different blends that can be used for insomnia and other complaints
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Suggest different blends that can be used for treating a head cold.
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Discuss a range of oils that would be suitable for a travel kit
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Understand the use of aromatherapy for children.- List a range of oils that would be considered safe to use for children.
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Write a short essay on ways in which essential oils can be used.
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Understand the use of essential oils on animals.
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List a range of types of vegetable oils appropriate for use in massage and indicate what types of skin the oils are good for.
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Explain how oils enter the body and how a carrier will assist with this entry.
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Submit the bath oil blends from a Set Task along with instructions on how to use them in the bath and what conditions they are good for.
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Understand why some herbs tend to be collected in the morning, some before flowering, some during flowering, and others at various times of the year. What impact does this have on the essential oil?
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From catalogues collected, explain why some oils cost more others.
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Discuss different methods of oil extraction and list their benefits and disadvantages.
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Comprehend what is the difference between an essential oil and an aromatic oil
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Compile a detailed costing for processing herb materials to produce essential oils.
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List a range of essential oils that are not safe for use in aromatherapy.
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Discuss how essential oils can be used safely and ways in which they should not be used.
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Understand which essential oils may not be safe for use during pregnancy.
Learn about Lavender Oil
Lavender oil is one of the most widely used aromatherapy oils; but not all lavender oils are the same.The quality of lavender oil is affected mostly by three things:
- The cultivars of Lavender Grown -every cultivar has a different combination of oils in the flowers
- When it is harvested -oil composition can vary at different stages of crop growth and even under different weather conditions or time of day
- How oil is extracted - oil can be contaminated during processing; or chemicals in the oil can be changed (eg. through over heating), when processing.
Some lavender oils contain high levels of camphor (which can be toxic), or other chemicals. The best lavender can be more expensive; but a quality oil, makes for a more effective use in aromatherapy.
Harvesting Flowers
Lavender flowers with stems are harvested for oil distillation. Oil accumulation is highest when half of the flowers have withered, making this the optimal time to harvest. Harvesting should be carried out in the mid-morning of a dry and sunny day after dew has evaporated. Only undamaged material of good quality should be collected.
The key to producing high quality oil, that attracts a higher price, is just as much in the way it is distilled, as it is in the cultivar that is grown. For a consistent product to be produced, a producer needs to use the same still or type of still, to distil the same cultivar, harvested at the same stage of growth.
Tim Denney, from Bridestowe Lavender Estate, undertook significant research into Lavender oil production in the decades following WW2. He determined that the optimum time to distill oil was 18 minutes, and that long distillation periods could result IN undesirable chemical reactions in the product (e.g. Hydrolysis of Linalyl acetate into linalool). Poor design of distillation equipment can cause the distillation period to be extended (to as much as 2 hours); and that can result in decreased quality in the oil produced.
Distillation
Distillation is used to separate the lavender oil from the plant material. There are two methods of distillation: water distillation and steam distillation.
Water distillation is an ancient method of distillation for herbaceous oils. It requires the plant material to be completely immersed in boiling water. This method is difficult to carry out efficiently and is therefore only used rarely nowadays.
Steam distillation is now the preferred method of distillation for herbaceous oils. The oil glands are ruptured upon contact with the steam, releasing patches of oil. The steam condenses on the plant surface, emitting its latent heat and thereby raising the temperature of successive layers. At the edges of the oil patches is an interface where oil and water come into contact. Once the condensing steam has raised the temperature to approximately 98°C, the additive properties of the water’s and oil’s vapour pressures cause the liquids to boil. Oil saturated vapour rises and can be led through a condenser where it is cooled until it condenses back into a liquid. The liquid flows into a separator. Because oil has a lower density than water, it floats on top of the water and can be skimmed off.
WHY STUDY WITH ACS?
There are lots of reasons why you should sign up to do this course with us, including:
- The information is comprehensive and will give you excellent depth to your knowledge to help you develop your specialism
- Within each lesson you have the opportunity to apply your learning to activities in order to extend your knowledge and research specific areas of interest, enhancing your understanding
- Knowledge of the areas studied in this course will enable you to stand out from others and give you greater confidence
- Understanding about so many different aspects of aromatherapy can give you flexibility now and in the future with the opportunities you seek
- Our subject specialist tutors will be there to support you throughout your course, they are only too happy to share their industry knowledge and experience with you
- When studying with us you set your own deadlines, meaning you study at your own pace enabling it to fit around other commitments
TAKE THE NEXT STEP AND ENROL NOW!
You can enrol on the course now, but if you have any questions about the content of the course or studying with ACS, then please get in touch with us today - use our FREE COURSE COUNSELLING SERVICE to get in touch with our expert tutors. They will be pleased to help you!
