Presenting Aromatherapy Workshops

18 Pages·2014·0.65 MB·English

Presenting Aromatherapy Workshops

by

Beverley Hawkins
2

First Steps .............................................................................................................. 2
Supplies ................................................................................................................. 4
Presentation .......................................................................................................... 5
Extra Tips ............................................................................................................. 11
Different Size Groups ........................................................................................... 13
Ideas for Workshops ............................................................................................ 15
Notes: .................................................................................................................. 16

Presenting an Aromatherapy Workshop 2014 © West Coast Institute of Aromatherapy
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First Steps

Whether you have been approached by someone in your local community to give a talk on
Aromatherapy, or you are branching out into giving Aromatherapy Workshops there are a
couple of steps you need to take into consideration when designing your presentation.
The first step should be to consider why you want to give the talk in the first place. As
aromatherapists it is part of our calling to share our knowledge and expand the information out
there in the community but our aims for giving the workshops can be different. We may
choose to give an introductory talk to a group as part of our own marketing strategy. Getting
our name out there and having an opportunity to 'show and tell' people what it is we do can be
very helpful. Teaching specific workshops is a way that many aromatherapists like to augment
their income and share their love of the oils with others. Once you know what your own focus
is, you have the foundation for designing your presentation.
The second step will be to know more about the logistics. Where will your presentation be
held? How much time will you have to present? What sort of people will be attending? What
is their level of knowledge? What is their area of interest? Aromatherapy and the use of
essential oils covers a broad spectrum and you do want to know that the information you are
going to share is what the people there are wanting to hear. Also, always remember to allow
sufficient time at the end for Questions and Answers.
Once you know where the workshop will be held, the amount of time you have available, and
the sort of people who might be attending, you are ready to take the third step and decide on
what direction your course is going to take.
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Supplies

Regardless of the actual theme or subject matter for your presentation there are some things
you will always want to take with you:
 Your business cards
 Any brochures and marketing material
 A mini handout on what is to be covered with safety guideline etc an example is
the Essential Oil Brochure of the Safety Guideline Essential Oil booklet.
 A resource list
 Some essential oils and/or essential oil products
Additional supplies will vary according to specific themes and objectives, as these will depend
on both the subject matter and whether it is a demonstration type presentation or an
interactive hands on type workshop.
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Presentation
Start with an introduction to Aromatherapy and what you mean by that term (my examples
are in italics, but write this in your own words, your presentation is always best when you
present in your 'own voice'. How much you share and give them to experience will depend on
how much time you have available for the whole talk.
Today the term 'Aromatherapy' is used quite a bit to promote everything from air
fresheners to shampoos so perhaps I should give you a brief explanation of what I mean
by aromatherapy.
For me aromatherapy is the use of therapeutic grade essential oils to influence
conditions affecting the body, mind and spirit. Essential oils occur naturally in nature in a
number of aromatic plants e.g. if you rub the leaves of a rosemary bush between your
fingers, what you will smell is the essential oil of rosemary.
Describe where essential oils occur.
Essential oils can occur in different parts of the plant.
They are found in the leaves, flowers, seeds, roots and wood. I mentioned rosemary
essential oil just now it is found in the flowering tops and leaves of the rosemary bush
while essential oil of lemon is contained in the rind of the fruit. The liquid that squirts out
of the skin of a lemon or orange when squeezed is in fact essential oil.
Describe how essential oils are obtained.
The majority of essential oils available today are extracted from plants through the
process of steam distillation. However steam distillation is not the only process by which
we obtain essential oils. Citrus oils which are found in the rind of the fruit is most
often extracted by a process called expression, while delicate flowers which would not be
able to withstand the process of steam distillation are extracted through solvent
extraction processes and are generally referred to as absolutes. Traditionally these
delicate flowers were subjected to a process called enfleurage but as this is a very
labour intensive process very little essential oil is produced by this method today. The
yield of essential oil will vary quite considerably depending on the plant in question. For
instance it takes approximately 50lbs of eucalyptus leaves to produce 1lb of the essential
oil; 150lbs of the flowering tops of lavender to produce 1lb of essential oil of
lavender and two to three thousand pounds of rose petals to produce 1lb of essential oil
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of rose. So you can appreciate why rose essential oil would be much more expensive
than eucalyptus essential oil.
 Passing around pictures of the plant and the essential oil are helpful.

 Having the plant available to share can also be effective.

 Pictures of the distillation process could fit in well here.

 I have always found that passing around the skin of a citrus fruit to show where the oil is
stored is usually well received.
Talk about the quality of the essential oils
The quality of an essential oil can depend on a number of different factors. We are all
aware of the differences one finds in wines depending on climate, soil, harvesting and so
on. The same holds true for essential oils. The climate, the conditions under which a
plant is grown, where the plant is grown, altitude, how the plant is harvested, how the
essential oil is extracted, how the oil is then stored and
bottled can all have an effect on the quality of the final product.
Reputable essential oil suppliers should be able to give you at least the following
information:
 The botanical name of the plant
 Country of origin
 Chemotype when appropriate
 Distillation method
 What part of the plant the essential oil was extracted from
Talk about how EOs enter and affect the body
When essential oils are breathed in, the molecules rise to the top of the nose. Here they
meet the olfactory mucous membrane with its receptors made up of thousands of hairy
sensory cells. The receptors identify the smell and the sensory stimulation is passed on
through the olfactory bulb, which is an amplifier, through the olfactory nerve
and directly into the limbic system of the brain. The limbic system is the oldest part of
our brain. The centers of memory, sexuality, emotional reactions and creativity are also
to be found here. While the scent is being compared to a known scent and labeled,
pictures and feelings from the past (which can include events, people, places and
objects) are associated with the scent information. As a consequence we will react
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emotionally and physically through our autonomous nervous system to an aroma. In the
limbic system, the nerve impulse is led to the hypothalamus, which serves as a switching
point for the transmission of scent messages to other areas of the brain.
The hypothalamus is also the control station for the pituitary. As it receives scent data, it
conveys chemical messages to the blood stream. It is the hypothalamus that activates
and releases hormones and regulates body functions. The thalamus connects the scent
information of the limbic system to the area of thinking and judgment. The
entire process, from the perception of a smell to the corresponding gland secretion,
takes a few seconds or less. Therefore a simple inhalation of an aroma can cause
changes in the body and, depending on the information received, can initiate any
number of physiological processes. For example the immune system could be activated,
blood pressure changed, digestion could be stimulated etc. This complex reaction of
brain and body takes place every time you smell something. Aroma data received in this
way can cause us to become calm, lively, euphoric, hungry, satiated, sleepy, active, free
from pain, etc. Clary sage has been found to stimulate the thalamus into releasing
encephalin, a neurochemical that creates a sense of euphoria and simultaneously gives
pain relief. Ylang ylang appears to stimulate the pituitary gland into
releasing endorphins, a sexually stimulating neurochemical. While lavender, chamomile
or neroli appear to stimulate the release of serotonin, which has a calming effect on fear,
stress, aggravation and sleeplessness. Although most of the essential oil molecules
which, are breathed in are exhaled, some will find their way into the bloodstream via the
lungs. There is some dispute as to whether essential oils are able to totally penetrate the
skin and cell tissue and so be absorbed into the small capillaries directly under the skin
and from there into the blood stream or not. The traditional school of thought in
aromatherapy has always taught that they can be. However, today there is also a school
of thought, which believes that essential oils cannot penetrate the skin in their entirety
and that only some of the chemical components found in essential oils can actually
penetrate the skin. There has been no definitive research done to prove either school of
thought at this time, however it is apparent that when using essential oils on the skin
some cautions must be applied as certain oils have been found to have skin irritating or
skin sensitizing. When using most of the citrus oils on the skin and then exposing the skin
to the sun or UV rays phototoxic reactions have resulted in red blotches on the skin.
Severe phototoxic reactions are sometimes irreversible.

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Talk about the methods of application and reasons to use the essential oils
Diffusion: In an aroma lamp, diffuser or a light bulb ring so that the essential oils will
permeate the whole room 1 - 6 drops depending on the size of the room.
Carpet fresheners
Air fresheners

Potpourri

Inhalation: On a tissue, hanky, Q-tip or pillowcase, which can then be sniffed from time
to time 1-2 drops
Steam inhalation - 2 - 3 drops added to bowl of water.
Topically: In a body product such as soaps, creams, body lotions, shampoos
and perfumes.

In the bath - 3 - 8 drops
In the shower - 1 - 2 drops on the shower cabinet floor.
Added to compresses and poultices
Added to beauty applications such as facial steamers and face masks (1 drop to
1 teaspoon of clay), face creams and lotions.

There are a number of different reasons why we would use essential oils.
 To influence our moods - calm, energize, relax, revitalize etc.
 To disinfect - clear the air of bacteria, germs etc.
 To assist with physical, psychological and spiritual challengers we may be face with.
 To assist in prayer and/or meditation.

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Share information on some of the essential oils.
 Usually we would stick to those most commonly available.
 Pass the oils around for them to smell. Or if you don't want to take the oils you could pass
around a product with that oil in it.
 Lavender, Lemon, Tea Tree are good places to start. Keep in mind that sharing and passing
the oils around can take a bit of time so structure this to fit the amount of time you have
available.

Talk about some of the situations in which essential oils can be used effectively and discuss
the essential oil which could be considered.
 This is an excellent place to add something of your own personal story and your experiences
around using the essential oils.
 Examples include Stress, Colds and Flu, Muscle Aches and Pains, Mental
Stimulation/Learning, Headaches, Digestive complaints, Insomnia etc.
These can be tailored depending on the group you are speaking to, for example if they are
sports people they may be interested in the physical conditions, muscle aches and pains,
strains, etc.
 If it is a group who is into meditation you may want to talk about the various oils which are
good for meditation etc. etc. Where possible learn as much as you can about the sort of
people you will be speaking to.
 When I don't know what the interests are of the group I'll be speaking to I try and prepare
quite a wide range of information and then as the talk develops and I interact with the
group I find the talk takes on a life of its own and goes in the direction it needs to go and as I
have prepared quite a wide range of information in my head I can just go with the flow.

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Take along as many props as you like.
 Diffusers, essential oils, Plant/Flowers essential oils are derived from (lavender,
rosemary, oranges, lemons etc).
 When I talk about the different things essential oils are good for I usually make up a
couple of blends (2 - 3) which are good for a particular condition and then pass around
smelling strips with the blend on it for everyone in the audience to sniff at.
 I like to give them time to give feedback on what they think of the blend.
It is amazing just how very differently each one reacts. One person may love the blend,
while another positively hate it.
 Another reason to have more than one blend available for them to smell for a condition
- they learn just how versatile the essential oils are and that one can make up a unique
blend that they will like and which will be effective for them.
 I always find that the people I speak to seem to love this part of the talk as they get to
really experience the aromas themselves.
It Is important to keep in mind, that it is better to have too few blends rather than too many
blends as it can sometimes cause smell overwhelm.
Try to ensure that there is enough ventilation for this sort of exercise and if necessary open a
window or in a longer workshop take a smell break.

Presenting an Aromatherapy Workshop 2014 © West Coast Institute of Aromatherapy