I qualified as a member of the Register of Qualified Aromatherapists (RQA), and when this merged with the International Society of Professional Aromatherapists and the International Federation of Aromatherapists to form the International Federation of Professional Aromatherapists (IFPA) I became a founding member. I am also a member of MLDUK, the professional association of Manual Lymphatic Drainage practitioners as well as being a registered general nurse (I have worked in both Ipswich Hospital and Ipswich Nuffield Hospital).

All very impressive, I can hear you say, but what good will this do for me?

Learning Aromatherapy

Before I could join the Register of Qualified Aromatherapists I had to study aromatherapy both in the classroom and by studying with more experienced aromatherapists. This meant that the aromatherapy I learned was not simply picked up from a couple of paperbacks (if that). By getting an unqualified aromatherapist, you are getting a person who studied and qualified, not just as a nurse, but as an aromatherapist.

Aromatherapy Code of Ethics

As an aromatherapist who belongs to a professional body I have to abide by a code of ethics. I have to use real essential oils, I am not allowed to misrepresent myself and I have to recommend that aromatherapy clients go to a doctor if aromatherapy on its own won't help them.

If I don't follow this code of ethics then I can be suspended or even expelled. If a person simply sets themselves up as an aromatherapist, they may be cheaper but they are cheaper for a reason.

Continuing Professional Development in Aromatherapy

Every member of the International Federation of Professional Aromatherapists has to take part in Continuing Professional Development. This can involve learning new techniques as well as getting refresher courses. Aromatherapy is relatively new in its French form and there are always new techniques and I think that its important that Ipswich people have access to these new findings.

Aromatherapy Insurance

I have a very good insurance policy that does not just cover aromatherapy but covers some other areas of alternative medicine. It costs a bit of money, but it gives my clients some peace of mind and that is important to me.

I get the insurance through the International Federation of Professional Aromatherapists, and the insurance company deals with them due to the high professional standards that they maintain among aromatherapists.

Not all Aromatherapists are the Same

I am a believer in a decentralised economy and society, I'm a bit of a hippy like that really, and so I strongly believe that we need self regulation rather than state regulation whenever possible. So I do not call for a lot of regulation and I'm perfectly relaxed about people calling themselves aromatherapists when they are not qualified and do not belong to a professional body.

In the end it is up to the buyer, and I believe that the professional difference does tell out, and that with aromatherapy you get what you pay for.

Aromatherapy for Stress

Aromatherapy can be very useful for stress relief, and it is probably the most common uses of aromatherapy in Ipswich. This has particularly been the case in Ipswich in the last couple of years. In fact even the most sceptical people agree that aromatherapy is very good for stress and after an aromatherapy treatment the most stress filled people will become very relaxed.

The stress is often either work stress or trouble with a relationship and aromatherapy as well as relaxing a person can help with the back, neck and shoulder pain as well as the stiffness.

When I have a client who wants to try aromatherapy for stress I usually give them petuli, geranium or rose - all good aromatherapy treatments for stress.

Aromatherapy for Depression

Depression can be a big problem in all places, and Ipswich is no exception. I have a steady number of clients in Ipswich who come to me. Again the experience of an aromatherapy massage in one of the most relaxing places in Ipswich can be a very good part of the aromatherapy treatment. It is however only a part of the treatment, as I use Basil to both calm and energise the person.

Aromatherapy for Sluggishness

Not all people who suffer from lethargy are depressed. Sometimes it can be a physical condition and sometimes it may simply be a factor of poor diet or exercise. However aromatherapy is one of those things that can really energise a person. I have seen a growing number of people come in because of this in Ipswich. Ipswich has a population that is growing older and this may be one of the reasons why I am seeing an increase in the amount of aromatherapy treatments I give for sluggishness.

Aromatherapy for Weight Loss

As someone who has a particular interest in diet, exercise and general lifestyle I tend to find that I am dealing with a lot of people with weight issues. I tend to link my aromatherapy and lymphatic drainage treatments here as I aim to get the lymph node moving and get the body to stop retaining so much water and to reduce the bloating. I tend to get more people in London rather than Ipswich looking for aromatherapy for weight loss.

Aromatherapy for High Blood pressure

My family suffers from high blood pressure, so I have taken a great interest in using aromatherapy in order to help blood pressure. I see a few people in Ipswich with this issue. I tend to use lavender and ylang-ylang. I have a very few people with low blood pressure and I tend to use peppermint (although I would be very cautious in treating any of these from home).

The Ancient Greeks, particularly a Greek from Cilicia (opposite Cyprus) called Pedanius Dioscorides practiced a form of aromatherapy, although it’s quite different from aromatherapy as it is practiced today.  He practiced as an army surgeon during the time of the Emperor Nero and instead of giving fiddling lessons he wrote a five volume encyclopedia which not only formed the basis of aromatherapy but also pharmacology.  He travelled around the known world – although at this time Ipswich was on the very edge of this world, Britain having only just been conquered by Rome.  In these books, known as “De Materia Medica” he catalogued the medical properties of plants as they were used around the Roman Empire and the way in which these plants were applied, including on the skin.

Distillation and the growth of Essential Oils

Essential oils are the oils that are distilled from plants, and these form the basis of modern aromatherapy.  This involves passing steam through the plants that a person wishes to use, collecting the water and then seperating out the oils from the water through boiling the result and collecting the oils which have a different boiling temperature to the oil.

Distillation was first used for medicinal purposes by the Persian scientist and philosopher Avicenna.  Distillation soon caught on, not only for essential oils used by aromatherapists but also for things as diverse as perfume and gin.

Modern Aromatherapy starts – the twentieth century

Despite its ancient and medieval roots aromatherapy really only became an established discipline in the twentieth century.  From the turn of the century onwards it was used by a small number of French doctors and scientists.  The first conscious aromatherapy manual was called “Aromathérapie: Les Huiles Essentielles, Hormones Végétales” by a chemist René-Maurice Gattefossé, one of the first people to use the term aromatherapy, and to put it into a scientific form.

In the second world war the French army surgeon Jean Valnet used it as an antiseptic so that wounded soldiers could be treated.

Professionalisation

A lot of people call themselves aromatherapists, but there are in fact professional bodies, such as the International Federation of Professional Aromatherapists, to which I belong.  These need exams, insurance and continuing professional development to be able to claim to be a member.

Aromatherapy can be seen as an easy way to make a bit of extra money.  To set up as an aromatherapist in Ipswich, all you need is a cheap massage bed, a couple of leaflets and some sweet smelling oils.  This will always get the cheapest aromatherapy “treatment” but there are reasons why you should be looking to pay a bit extra for someone with a better knowledge of aromatherapy.

I am not against the idea of anyone setting up an aromatherapy practice in Ipswich and calling themselves an aromatherapist, whether or not they have an aromatherapy qualification.  After all Ipswich is in a free market economy and I firmly believe that one of the reasons why aromatherapy has made the advances that it has made in the last twenty five years is due to fewer stringent regulations.

It really should be up to me to persuade you as to why you should go for a qualified and insured aromatherapist in Ipswich, rather than going for a cheaper service that calls itself an aromatherapist.  I know that I’m dealing with an Ipswich audience, so I will have to say that with aromatherapy as with everything else you get what you pay for.

The importance of Aromatherapy qualifications

I have an aromatherapy qualification with the International Federation of Professional Aromatherapists (IFPA).  This involved studying about essential oils, human physiology and a number of other areas that are useful to aromatherapists.   This qualification is not an easy one to pass and it has a reasonably high failure rate.  It also has quite a high drop out rate, as many would be aromatherapists start studying for this highly regarded aromatherapy qualification and then decide that it is too challenging.  Often they simply practice as unqualified aromatherapists.

Aromatherapy insurance

Being a qualified and paid up member of the International Federation of Professional Aromatherapists means that as part of my membership that I have access to a very good insurance policy.  This insurance is specially designed for aromatherapists and other alternative health practitioners.  I have never had a claim against this insurance policy, but I make sure that it is paid up in case of an accident.  I do not mind when a person does not have an aromatherapy qualification practicing as an aromatherapist (as long as they are honest about it) but I do get concerned when they do not have proper insurance.

Nursing background is useful in aromatherapy

I came into aromatherapy because of my nursing background.  I have trained in one of the most rigorous and demanding old fashioned nursing programs, and I have worked in most of the top London hospitals.  I have also worked in both Ipswich Hospital and Ipswich Nuffield Hospital.  I am still a registered as a nurse.  This means that I have a good knowledge of human anatomy and what makes the body tick, which is obviously useful with aromatherapy.  I am also aware that aromatherapy is a compliment to mainstream medicine, not a competitor.

My home is Ipswich

As you can see I have invested in making aromatherapy a worthwhile experience for you.  I honestly believe that it can make you healthier, more relaxed and more energetic.  I have been practicing in Ipswich for six years now, and I live in Ipswich.  I intend to be an aromatherapist in Ipswich for many more years.  I will not be a fly by night aromatherapist.

I love aromatherapy and I love Ipswich, which is why I want to bring more people in Ipswich, and Suffolk, to use aromatherapy.  That is because as an aromatherapist I can see the benefits that essential oils can bring to clients.

Where to Find an Aromatherapist in Ipswich

I practice from the A&L clinic in 9 Lower Brook Street in the centre of Ipswich (near Sainsbury’s), which means I am able to offer aromatherapy in the middle of Ipswich with car parking for customers.  I have found that it is one of the most soothing places in Ipswich and an ideal place to run an aromatherapy clinic.  My telephone number is 01473 683 669.

Successful Aromatherapy Practice coming to Ipswich

For fifteen years I have had a successful practice in Belsize Park in London, a practice that is continuing to flourish and bringing in TV personalities, pop stars and a number of top business people.  A couple of years ago I decided to bring this to Ipswich.  Although I try to keep my London prices reasonable, they would shock anyone looking for aromatherapy in Ipswich.  Due to demand I find myself charging 60% more than I charge in Ipswich.  And that’s without free parking.

Aromatherapy at Ipswich Prices

So why do I give London aromatherapy treatments at Ipswich aromatherapy prices?  There are a number of reasons.  Firstly I live here, I have an Ipswich postcode, and so I want to bring the benefits of aromatherapy to Ipswich, a town that I love.

As a registered nurse (who has worked in both Ipswich hospital and the Ipswich Nuffield hospital) I can see the benefits of aromatherapy not as a replacement for conventional medicine, but as a complement to it.  Aromatherapy is not one of those quack alternative medicines with no basis in science or that tells people that it is an alternative to conventional medicine, I know Ipswich well enough to know that no one in Ipswich would ever buy something like that!

How Aromatherapy works

Some people think that aromatherapy is just a relaxing and invigorating massage treatment.  An aromatherapy massage when done properly is certainly relaxing, but it is more than that.  Simply think of aromatherapy as herbalism applied to the skin rather than ingested.  The medicine from the earth, from plants, can not be patented so pharmaceutical companies can not make a profit from them in their essential forms.  However they have been used for centuries for their healing properties. Aromatherapy applies them through the skin, rather than eating or drinking them.

Qualified and Insured Aromatherapist in Ipswich

To qualify as an aromatherapist, and not all aromatherapists in Ipswich are qualified, you need to sit courses, pass exams and continue to take refresher courses.  To be an insured aromatherapist you also need to show that you are keeping up to date and that you have adopted best professional practices.  As well as being an insured and qualified aromatherapist I am also a qualified and registered nurse.

You are in safe hands.