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About Aromatherapy
You'll become
- Alternative Medicine Therapist
- Aromatherapist
- Nutrition Advisor
- Herbal Medicine Practitioner
- Lifestyle Coach
Average Salaries
Aromatherapy workers may earn between $32,000 and $132,000 per year
Harness the healing power of plants and build a rewarding career in the emerging wellness sector by studying an aromatherapy course.
Bring plant-based healing techniques into the stressful modern world and offer alternative wellbeing help to people by studying an aromatherapy course.
If you’re searching for a career helping people, are curious and open-minded, and are interested in health and wellbeing, studying an aromatherapy course is your next career step. An alternative form of treatment, aromatherapy is the broad term used to describe a range of non-invasive, traditional therapies that use essential oils and other plant compounds for healing, and may be used with hundreds of people suffering from physical and psychological distress.
Working in aromatherapy, you may see clients with psychological conditions relating to stress, distress, anxiety, and will apply subtle natural techniques to relieve their stress, change their moods, relax their bodies and soothe their nervous systems.
Developed by the French perfumer and chemist Rene-Maurice Gattefosse in 1937, the practise of aromatherapy introduces aromatic molecules from high-quality essential oils into the body in order to treat and prevent stress, disease and illness in people. Essential oils may be applied to various muscles and organs in order to improve their functioning, or to affect the function of a person’s hormones or immune system.
In addition to applying essential oils, a modern aromatherapist may practise complementary techniques including massage, reflexology, medication, prayer, and techniques and therapies from Chinese medicine and naturopathy.
If you like helping people, enjoy hands-on work, and want to explore alternative and natural ways of healing bodies and allowing people to flourish, aromatherapy may be for you.
Responding to modern health issues including stress, pollution and poor diets, aromatherapy remains a relevant and sought-after complementary therapy in today’s world. Aromatherapy is considered a complementary and alternative medical practise; however, established scientific research demonstrates the anti-viral and anti-bacterial properties of popular essential oils such as lavender, tea tree and peppermint oil, and continuing research may establish further benefits of aromatherapy techniques.
You may study an aromatherapy course as a short course, certificate or diploma course, and may seek courses accredited by the International Institute for Complementary Therapists and the Holistic Health Associates International in order to demonstrate your expertise to clients.
After completing an aromatherapy course, you may work as an aromatherapist, or other alternative wellness practitioner. Using your professional skillset, you’ll be able to guide people to seek health, balance and fulfilment, and build yourself a rewarding career in the process.
What do aromatherapy graduates do?
Aromatherapy course graduates usually work as aromatherapists, consulting to clients in private practices, clinics or in the home environment. A consultation with a client usually takes about between 30 minutes and an hour, and may include activities like:
- Interviewing clients to understand and investigate conditions and to discuss and plan treatment options;
- Designing and preparing treatments plans, including recommending essential oils and other complementary techniques;
- Sourcing, mixing and applying essential oils to relieve symptoms;
- Organising and administering techniques including massage, acupuncture, prayer, chanting and Chinese medicine; and
- Maintaining clients records and updating care plans.
Depending on the nature of your qualification, you may also be qualified to give clients advice on herbal medicines, nutrition and lifestyle. You may also be able to assist patients with the use of Chinese herbal medicines, massage techniques, nutrition and lifestyle advice, and suggest other natural therapies and interventions to complement your aromatherapy practise.
Career Outcomes
Career Outcomes
Graduates of aromatherapy courses usually pursue employment as aromatherapists, and may work in private practices and other alternative healthcare settings. However, as the profession emerges, you may also find roles available for aromatherapists in contemporary medical and hospital settings.
After completing an aromatherapy course, you may also be qualified to seek employment as a:
- Nutrition Advisor
Is aromatherapy right for you?
You’ll enjoy studying aromatherapy if you:
- Are passionate about health and wellbeing
- Enjoy working with people
- Have excellent communication and interpersonal skills
- Can take initiative and work independently
- Are interested in alternative approaches
- Are open-minded
- Are a creative thinker
- Can pay attention to detail
- Enjoy experimenting
- Enjoy detailed work
Job opportunities
While the aromatherapy profession in Australia is small, employing fewer than 10,000 people, the Australian Government’s Job Outlook notes a generally positive trend in job opportunities across a range of allied and complementary health roles. Job Outlook predicts roles in the massage, naturopathy and acupuncture sectors will expand in the next decade, which indicates future growth in opportunities for aromatherapists in Australia is likely.
Market research company IBISWorld states that Australia’s alternative medicine industry is now worth $4 billion annually – part of an estimated $88.5 billion dollar industry that represents a paradigm shift in medicine occurring across the Western world, according to the firm. IBISWorld also states that approximately two-thirds of Australians now use complementary medicines, including aromatherapy techniques, to manage their health.
Average Salaries
An aromatherapist can expect to earn between $32,000 and $132,000 per year, with most earning around $62,000, according to Indeed. While the aromatherapy industry in Australia is still emerging, aromatherapy course graduates may also enjoy working in other roles in the natural therapy and alternative wellness sectors, which will affect earning capacity and future job prospects.