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Aromatheraphy
For those who know Deby Atterby, Aromatherapy is her passion. She teaches it, lives it and breathes it and is its staunch advocate. Recently I caught up with Deby and she shared with me that at last Aromatherapy has a new educational pathway through the Health Training Package that brings it to a new level of Clinical Practices. This study option is now also available to beauty therapists, offering them the opportunity to bring a higher level of treatment outcomes to their salons and clients. Here Deby answers several questions we put to her to assist our readers understand what is on offer and what benefits will this new qualification provide?
Q1. What are the new advances happening to Aromatherapy qualifications? What are the qualification levels now available and what are the units that this pathway will provide?
DA: Until this year all colleges offering accredited or non-accredited courses in Aromatherapy were writing to their own design and to some extent their own standards, although we like to think that those standards were meeting industry needs. If they met the benchmark of the IFA International Federation of Aromatherapy (Australia), this was one way of knowing that they did. However, this year Aromatherapy has now been accepted into the Health Training package for the very first time and can be studied up to Advanced Diploma. During the life of a Training Package there may be occasions when changes need to be made to reflect feedback from users or to include the latest industry practices. The Department of Education Science and Training (DEST) manages the process of continuous improvement.
The new units from the Health Package will provide study and qualification options as follows:
- HLT207 Health Training Package 2007 is the first new qualification (the old version was HLT202). The last two numbers are important and indicate the year, so all new qualifications will end in 07.
HT40307 Certificate IV in Massage Therapy Practice (old version HLT40302 Certificate IV in Massage)
HLT42707 Certificate IV in Aromatherapy
HLT50307 Diploma of Remedial Massage
HLT51407 Diploma of Aromatherapy
So this new Health Training Package will become the new benchmark for these areas.
Q2. What units will qualify for Health Care Rebates?
DA: During the past 12 months clients could claim health fund rebate benefits providing they were issued with a provider number from their practitioner. For associations to gain this status for their members they are required to recognise Diploma qualifications as a minimum standard. Therefore only the Diploma level studies will qualify for healthcare rebates. The advantage of undertaking this study is that a Diploma qualification will allow your client to utilise a Health Benefit Fund for a treatment refund. At this stage there are no provider numbers and rebates for any beauty industry qualification services.
Q3. How does this qualification differ to the current Diploma in Aromatherapy?
DA: The new Aromatherapy qualifications will provide greater emphasis on clinical studies that will address healthcare needs to a greater extent. Comparatively, Aromatherapy taught within the Beauty Package primarily addressed relaxation and stress relief, as well as skin conditions. What we will experience with the new Aromatherapy qualifications is that it will now bring this practice to a new level to accommodate health care issues and be recognised as such; a level that was not previously available through beauty therapy studies. However, this pathway is now available to Beauty Therapists allowing them to move forward through recognition of prior learning to the new level of Clinical Aromatherapy and thus become more credible in the industry.
Q4. What additional benefits and skills will this pathway provide a salon or spa offering body and detox treatments?
DA: Traditionally standard aromatherapy and Swedish Massage are not recognised as therapeutic by Health Benefit Funds. However, graduates of these new qualifications in Clinical Aromatherapy and Remedial Massage will now be able to apply for Provider Numbers, thus offering their clients the option of rebates for their treatments. This is a huge step forward in qualifying for healthcare recognition for treatments available within a spa or beauty clinic.
Q5. How will the therapist be empowered to provide a more clinical and customised service for the benefit of their clients?
DA: Rather than just providing a nice relaxing massage, beauty therapists will be able to address and provide great support and benefits for conditions such as oedema and nervous disorders, as well as arthritis and numerous other healthcare needs. Additionally, the salons will not need to send their clients elsewhere for a therapeutic massage and to assist with other healthcare considerations.
Q6. What conditions can be benefited from this modality?
DA: Clinical Aromatherapy will allow the therapist to address stress and its impact on health in a more clinical and specialised way, as they will also be able to provide great benefits and results for circulatory conditions, high and low blood pressure, arthritic conditions, lymphatic drainage, body detoxification and oedema.
Q7. Who can undertake this study, what are the pre-requisites?
DA: There are no prerequisites other than an aptitude and appreciation for Anatomy and Physiology and a passion for Aromatherapy. However, educators will need to determine a student's language skills and literacy levels that may impact training delivery.
Q7. What study options will be available and will they be made available through distance learning?
DA: There will be underpinning knowledge subject that can be studied by distance learning through correspondence. These could include Occupational Health and Safety, Communication in the workplace, etc. The colleges will offer an array of units and options that will be available through a flexible training environment as individual needs will be considered. A selection of distance and practical training will also be available. However, students will be required to attend certain clinical practice sessions after a certain level is achieved.
Q8. Where is this qualification currently available?
DA: At this stage this qualification is available through the Academy of Aromatherapy in Brisbane.
For further enquiries please contact:
Gwendoline Ford
Aromatherapy College of Australia
Ph: 07 3217 3170 Fax:07 3392 2400
Email: info@acoa.com.au
Suite 3, 16-36 Nile St
Woolloongabba QLD 4102
