Aromatherapists offer holistic medicinal therapy to patients by using essential oils extracted from plants in blends that are inhaled or applied directly to the skin in order to improve physical, psychological or emotional afflictions like stress and insomnia. Their responsibilities include taking a detailed patient case history before therapy, choosing the correct essential oils for those patients, creating a bespoke blend for the treatment session, administering the oils to the patient’s body either through sprays, massage or inhalation techniques etc. They also consult and refer to other health practitioners if required.
Aromatherapists are usually self-employed. These professionals also work in hospitals, alternative medicine clinics, doctor’s offices, spas, salons, rehabilitation centers etc.
Educational Requirements
To become an Aromatherapist, the aspiring candidates need to earn diplomas and certificates in aromatherapy. The National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy (NAHA) offers the standard for professional aromatherapy certification.
Aromatherapist practitioners study botany, anatomy, physiology, chemistry, the application of essential oils, therapeutic relationships and business.
Knowledge and Skill Set
Aromatherapists should have a great deal of knowledge to distinguish between different types of essential oils, healing properties of such oils and know how they affect the human body.
In addition, these professionals possess various skills such as dedication to work in challenging situation, empathy towards patient, high medical ethics, clear understanding of confidentiality, ability to remain calm under pressure, work with compassion, pleasant communications and interpersonal skills, decision making and management abilities, physical stamina to work for long hours, computer skills etc.
Salary & Job Outlook
Job outlook for the Aromatherapists remains excellent across the USA. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the growth rate for job opportunities in this profession may rise 28% from 2012 to 2022, higher than the average for all occupations. The average annual salary of an Aromatherapist was $53,210 in 2012.