It is with incredible gratitude that I reflect on 18 years of being an educator and practitioner in the ever growing and expanding field of aromatherapy. It has been an honor to be so involved with practicing, teaching, researching, growing, writing and learning about aromatic plants, essential oils, herbs, and the world of health and healing. Over the years I have become more passionate about education in aromatherapy as well as being empowered in our choices for healthcare. As I reflect on the experiences over the past 18 years I come to appreciate the profound healing aromatherapy (also known as aromatic medicine) has offered not only for me and my family but also for the students, friends, and colleagues who have travelled the aromatic path with us.

Aromatherapy is gaining in popularity and is considered by many to be one of the leading complementary healthcare modalities of the twenty-first century. In recent years, rapid developments in aromatic medicine, neuroanatomy, stress-related disease, and complementary care have enormously expanded the boundaries of aromatherapy. This expansion of knowledge and application has been accompanied by an ever-increasing integration of aromatherapy and other healthcare practices such as massage therapy, nursing, esthetics, psychology, and hospice care. Aromatherapy is showing up in a variety of settings, including spa, hospice, hospitals, complementary healthcare centers, individual practices and perhaps most importantly, homecare healthcare. As the healthcare crisis continues to grow in the United States, more and more individuals are seeking natural alternatives or complements to support their own health and healing.

These developments have produced a need for high-quality education in aromatherapy. The East-West School for Herbal and Aromatic Studies has remained at the forefront of aromatherapy education and is dedicated to enhancing the knowledge and application of essential oils for both the healthcare provider and the lay practitioner. All of our programs have been updated in 2007-2008 and we will be offering more advanced seminars as well as on-line education in the next few months.

BY STUDYING AROMATHERAPY YOU WILL BE ABLE TO EFFECTIVELY:

• Increase benefits to clients or self for stress relief.
• Feel empowered over one´s healthcare choices and options for care.
• Enhance your skills as a massage therapist or healthcare practitioner.
• Increase income potential by adding new services to existing practice.
• Fulfill continuing education requirements (for WA state and NCBTMB*).
• Develop a clear understanding of the benefits of true aromatherapy.
• Enhance treatments to increase client wellness!
• Choose from a broad spectrum of specialties including Environmental AromaConsultant, Product Design Consultant, and Aromatherapy Practitioner to focus on.

We hope that you enjoy our course catalog/website and we look forward to welcoming you as a student of the East-West School for Herbal and Aromatic Studies. If you would like to discuss any of our programs or have questions please feel free to contact us at: 919-894-7230 or info@theida.com