This interview took place in an aromatherapist’s office in Orlando on 13th August 2020. The purpose of this interview was to understand aromatherapy, the roles and educational qualifications of an aromatherapist, and evaluate the CAT on biblical and world views. The following paragraphs will summarize the information gleaned from the interview visit.
An aromatherapist is an individual who has excellent knowledge of essential oils. An aromatherapist's role is to treat various physical problems, psychological disorders, and illnesses using aromatic oils extracted from fruits, herbs, flowers, spices, and trees. According to the practitioner, aromatherapy is a holistic treatment done by using plant residues, which heals and improves the body, mind, and spirit’s health (Jasemi et al., 2017). The practitioner also stated that aromatherapy works by smelling the products on the nose through stimulation, sending the information to the brain via the nerve cells to the limbic system, which controls emotions. The aromatherapist also highlighted that aromatherapy is a complementary treatment that does not cure diseases, but can support convectional therapy and treatment in various conditions, such as reducing anxiety and stress (Barati et al., 2016). Clients benefit from aromatherapy since they receive physical, psychological, and spiritual care. Due to the holistic approach, most of the aromatherapist’s patients have reported a general sense of healing and dramatic health improvement.
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Most natural oils are safe to use; however, some precautions should be taken when using some due to their side effects, particularly if any prescription medications are taken. The practitioner stated some side effects: allergic reactions that can lead to asthma and other respiratory attacks, rashes, irritation, headaches, and nausea (Michalak, 2018) . According to the aromatherapist, essential oils should be used with caution for individuals with asthma, high blood pressure, hay fever, and epilepsy. To reduce the side effects of essential oils used in aromatherapy, children, pregnant, or breastfeeding, women should use essential oils under the supervision of a licensed medical practitioner. The application of essential oils o the skin should not be direct. Instead, carrier oils should be used to dilute the oils. Also, skin patch and inhalation tests should be inhaled first to identify if a patient has allergic reactions to the oils. Finally, citrus oils should be avoided if a patient will be exposed to direct sunlight because the skin becomes sensitive when exposed to the sun.
To become a certified aromatherapist, one must complete an anatomy and physiology program; this applies to individuals who lack professional experience in healthcare. The anatomy and physiology program consists of 12 credits in areas like the immune and the cardiovascular system. After completing the program, an individual should complete an approved aromatherapy program regardless of whether he or she has experience in healthcare. According to the Alliance of International Aromatherapists (AIA), this program must have 200 contact hours to become approved. After the aromatherapy program, an individual must become a member of either AIA or NAHA, after which he or she can sit for the certification exam. The exam is administered by the Aromatherapy Registration Council, after an individual’s eligibility to sit for the exam is confirmed. After passing the exam, an individual can receive certifications to become a licensed aromatherapist.
The worldview of aromatherapy is that it is connected to unconventional beliefs about the healing nature of plants. According to the practitioner, aromatic therapy is a collection of various opinions about the medicinal impacts of natural oils (Ali et al., 2015). Individuals who believe in aromatherapy therapy claim that it improves moods, psychological states, and acts as a supplement for medicine. According to the practitioner, although aromatherapy is not scientifically verified, the change individuals' feelings about their general body, mental, and spiritual health provides support for aromatherapy.
According to the practitioner, aromatherapy CAT functions differently depending on body conditions. The treatment oil is usually mixed with cold or hot water. A piece of the clothing is soaked in the mixture and tied to the affected area. The purpose of the practice is to calm muscle pains and tension relief. The scientific evidence of how it works is that the mixture has a soothing effect on the nervous system, resulting in relieving the tight muscles. Additionally, the practitioner stated that the oil is administered through vaporization on the air, enabling the client to breathe easily. The scientific evidence is that the vapor usually enters the lungs and is sent directly to the brain. After the brain receives the scent, it triggers off body reactions, such as relaxation.
Aromatherapy is an effective treatment technique, particularly in body relaxations and body pain reduction. According to a meta-analysis by Shaheen et al. (2016), to identify aromatherapy’s effectiveness in pain management, the participants' physical, psychological, and spiritual well-being improved. The systematic review was done on various types of chronic pains, such as back pains, menstrual aches, chronic neck, knee pains, and labor pains. The practitioner stated that aromatherapy is applied in the above chronic pain treatment, resulting in desirable healthcare outcomes. This meta-analysis is credible and involved a randomized clinical trial with three groups: control trial, received hand massage with no oils, and two intervention groups where individuals in one group received hand massage using lavender oil, and the third received only nurse visits without massage.
The five-part grid is an approach that evaluates alternative treatment approaches by a biblical worldview. The five aspects include; history, faith, whole person, and spiritual discernment. The historical part enables individuals to understand how the aromatic therapy developed and the factors that influenced its development. The grid of faith helps individuals to understand how therapy becomes effective through various beliefs. For example, Christians use anointing oil as spiritual nourishment. The holistic approach supports that an alternative treatment addresses the person as a whole. For example, after aromatherapy, an individual has an improved physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health. The science grid argues that the creation of the universe involved laws, and any therapy that does not support the law should not be practiced. Finally, the spiritual discernment grid supports that the spirit must help a client understand whether the therapy interferes with the biblical truth. In aromatherapy, the whole person grid is the best. It evaluates the effectiveness of aromatherapy from a physical, emotional, and spiritual perspective, thereby improving an individual's whole health.
Aromatherapy is compatible with biblical worldviews. In Ezekiel 47:12 and Genesis 1:29, God instructs humans to use plants for food and healing purposes. In faith, aromatherapy is practiced in a package of beliefs and practices, such as spiritual nourishment. Scientifically, the essential oil is extracted from the plants where stimulation is done to enhance treatment. The therapy involves the whole being since body parts support others for healing, for example, nose for inhaling, brain to process the information, and the affected area. Aromatherapy patients have an inner person by faith who motivates them to practice therapy for spiritual nourishment and healing. Therefore, the aromatherapy is compatible with the biblical world view.
I would recommend aromatherapy to a client. My recommendation would be because of the holistic nature of this therapy, which results in improved physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being. I would use aromatherapy to supplement hospital medications. Although aromatherapy does not treat diseases, it would improve my physical, spiritual, and psychological well-being.
The above interview findings interrelate with my readings about aromatherapy. According to my research, aromatherapy takes a holistic approach and involves inhaling essential oils or applying it on an individual’s skin. The results of using aromatherapy are improved physical, mental, and spiritual well-being. This information was highlighted by the practitioner who added that aromatherapy is not proven scientifically and does not treat diseases but is instead used to complement treatment.
Conclusively, aromatherapy involves a holistic treatment approach which uses natural plant extracts to improve an individual's well-being. Aromatherapy uses medicinal oils to improve physical, mental, and emotional well-being. It is an art and science and works through smelling and skin absorption. It can treat conditions like asthma, inflammation, insomnia, and other mental and physical conditions. Despite its benefits, it has some side effects, like skin irritation, which can be reduced by taking precautions, such as avoiding direct sunlight and using it under doctor's supervision. Aromatherapy is an effective treatment; I would use it and recommend it to a client due to its whole-body approach in treatment, which results in improved mental, physical, psychological, and spiritual health.
References
Ali, B., Al-Wabel, N. A., Shams, S., Ahamad, A., Khan, S. A., & Anwar, F. (2015). Essential oils used in aromatherapy: A systemic review. Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Biomedicine, 5 (8), 601-611. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apjtb.2015.05.007
Barati, F., Nasiri, A., Akbari, N., & Sharifzadeh, G. (2016). The Effect of Aromatherapy on Anxiety in Patients. Nephrology Monthly, 8 (5). https://dx.doi.org/10.5812%2Fnumonthly.38347
Jasemi, M., Valizadeh, L., Zamanzadeh, V., & Keogh, B. (2017). A Concept Analysis of Holistic Care by Hybrid Model. Indian Journal of Pallative Care, 23 (1), 71-80. https://dx.doi.org/10.4103%2F0973-1075.197960
Michalak, M. (2018). Aromatherapy and methods of applying essential oils. Archives of Physiotherapy and Global Researches, 22 (2), 25-31. https://doi.org/10.15442/apgr.22.2.3
Shaheen, E., Sheafer, H., & Tepper, D. (2016). The Effectiveness of Aromatherapy in Reducing Pain: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Pain Research and Treatment . https://dx.doi.org/10.1155%2F2016%2F8158693
