Study at the Institute

All students at the Aromahead Institute study directly under Andrea Butje, founder of the Institute, the International Directory of Essential Oil Distillers, and the Component Database. For over twenty years, Andrea has applied herself to the art of teaching, creating dynamic classes that stimulate and support individual learners. During class, you will learn from Andrea, from your fellow classmates, and from your natural intuition and experience.

Graduates often reflect on their time at the Institute as a “mini-retreat.” It is not unusual for students to make lifelong friends and begin fulfilling careers and life paths as a result of their time studying with Aromahead.

The Aromahead Experience

Every Aromahead Aromatherapy course has a well-rounded, intensive curriculum that includes a unique, custom-made manual by Andrea. The thick manual supports lessons during class, as well as being a future reference guide for blending, further study and career enhancement.

Andrea's own extensive collection of oils, organic carriers, and supplies is made available to students during class. The experience offers students the rare opportunity to blend with the finest materials available to Aromatherapists today. During the Aromatherapy Certification Program, students make and take home over $700 worth of products. It is Andrea's belief and practice that essential oil education must be hands-on and immersion-based. As a result, students learn with all of their senses from day one.

Andrea teaches through engaging lecture, group discussion, individual study time, activities, reviews, and hands-on blending and formulating. As an instructor, she is highly approachable and infuses all of her teaching with passion and a genuine, deep love of the material. Graduates are encouraged to reflect on how much they've learned on a day-to-day basis - the results are always impressive.

Atmosphere is Everything

Ithaca, New York

In-person aromatherapy courses are held in a lovely house on four acres of beautiful rural land just 15 minutes from downtown Ithaca. This is truly an opportunity to connect with nature's gifts while learning in a quiet environment.

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Aromatherapy Certification Program

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15 day class, 5 days a month for 3 months - 9:30 am to 5:30 pm

Aromatherapy Certification

The intensive hands-on 15-day ACP (Aromatherapy Certification Program) is taught in three 5-day segments, over 3 months. The program allows students to become professionally qualified in the therapeutic uses of essential oils. Students learn to confidently work with over 60 essential oils.

During this course, you will:

Become qualified in the safe and therapeutic use of essential oils.
Build a strong foundation for a career in aromatherapy, or to compliment an existing practice.
Create and take home over $700 worth of products, including first aid kits, body butters and salves.
Learn to confidently consult with clients and evaluate which essential oil is appropriate for a given situation, and more.

This is an entry-level class. No previous aromatherapy training is required. Our graduates have gone on to create essential oil retail businesses, web retail stores, therapeutic product lines and consultation services. Students learn through a fun and intensive curriculum in a natural, casual setting.

Prerequisites:

Anyone may register for this class. No previous Aromatherapy training is required.

Advanced Graduate Program

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10 day class, 5 days a month for 2 months - 9:30 am to 5:30 pm

Learn essential oil chemistry and have fun at the same time! During this exciting professional-level program we will explore the chemistry, aromas and therapeutic uses of over 30 essential oils. We’ll go deep into an advanced study of more than 25 specific essential oil components, their structures and therapeutic behaviors.

In this class, you will:

Study the chemical families, and the genus, species and chemotype of each oil.
Learn about a range of more exotic essential oils, not commonly referenced.
Learn to understand GC/MS reports and look at advanced research.
Take your knowledge of essential oils to the next level to better understand safe application, chemical properties, research reports, and to blend confidently in clinical environments.

You also get one year of FREE access to an advanced database of researched essential oil components and their therapeutic properties developed by Andrea Butje and edited by Robert Tisserand.

Prerequisites:

Aromahead Institutes 200-hour Aromatherapy Certification Program or equivalent training in the uses of essential oils. This program requires previous knowledge of essential oils, medicinal blending, and basic essential oil chemistry.

Aromatic Blending

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3 Day Class - 9:30 am to 5:30 pm

Aromatic Blending

Do you love body butters? Aromatic Blending is an in-depth workshop that offers tools for developing your skill in the aromatic aspect of blending, and the use of body butters. We’ll study blending approaches using cocoa butter, shea butter, beeswax, palm kernel, kpangnan butter, and coconut.

Learn to make your own cream, whipped shea,
foam soap, salt scrubs and body butters! We’ll explore the effect of carrier oils and butters on the blend's aroma, and find solutions to maintaining lovely scents with a variety of bases and carriers. You’ll learn to create medicinal blends and beautiful aromas.

Come spend three fun days smelling, blending, creating, comparing, and understanding a wide variety of aromas!

Prerequisites:

This class is open to everyone.

Medicinal Blending

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2 day Class - 9:30 am to 5:30 pm

More than just cheerful aromas in your collection, citrus oils have powerful healing actions. Explore the potential of these humble, affordable, fabulous top notes! Learn to make:

Throat Spray, Slippery Elm Lozenges and Cough Drops.
Cream with Hydrosols.
Citrus Body Butters.
Cone Incense.
Gel with Hydrosols.

Essential oils rich in d-limonene will be the focus of this blending weekend. Research on d-limonene demonstrates significant immune stimulating properties. We will create medicinal blends, within a holistic framework, aimed at supporting the vitality of the immune system.

Prerequisites:

Basic knowledge of essential oil blending.

Component Blending

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3 Day Class - 9:30 am-5:30 pm

Blending with Pine, Spruce, Fir and Helichrysum!

Component Blending takes place over a 3-day weekend and includes an in-depth study of the chemistry, therapeutic uses, and blending techniques for a wide selection of conifer (pine, spruce and fir) and helichrysum essential oil species.

Spend three days in the aroma of a pine forest! Learn to make your own cream, bar soap, resin incense and a cardamom salt butter scrub!

Course Overview

Learn an easy and practical approach to essential oil chemistry
Spend 3 days blending with organic and wildcrafted pine, spruce
and fir essential oils
Make your own cream, bar soap, resin incense and a cardamom salt butter scrub
Learn the component blending approach to creating medicinal body-care products
Extra class bonus: study 5 different helichrysum oils

Prerequisites:

A basic background in the chemistry of essential oils is helpful.

Teacher Training

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Aromahead Institute's 5-Day Teacher Training Program offers Aromatherapists the opportunity to study dynamic and effective teaching methods for facilitating Aromatherapy classes.

Learn to:

Develop professional curriculum.
Track and understand teaching expenses and income.
Make teaching a significant part of your work with essential oils.

You will finish this course with the tools and knowledge required to begin teaching 1, 2 and 3 hour classes and 1 and 2-Day Aromatherapy Workshops. Additionally you are granted copyright permission for the use of the Aromahead Institute's 2 day student manual in your own classes.

Andrea has been training teachers since 1995. Her inspired approach to teaching and creating community is changing the aromatherapy educational paradigm.

Prerequisites:

Aromahead Institutes 200-hour Aromatherapy Certification Program or equivalent training in the uses of essential oils.

Psychological-Medical Astrology of Essential Oil

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2 Day Class - 9:30-5:30

In this intensive weekend class, Gabriel Mojay shares his long-standing study of the psychological and medical astrology of aromatic plants and essential oils.

Exploring astrology from the perspective of psychological and physical health, Gabriel will show how symbolic elements within the individual birth chart can deepen our grasp of illness and healing. Parallel to this study, he will discuss the astrological symbolism of various aromatic plants — and how their mythological and planetary associations illuminate the therapeutics of their related essential oils.

The goal of the course is to introduce the use of the astrological birth chart as a means of clarifying important issues of well-being. In addition, it will provide further insight into the psycho-spiritual benefits of essential oils — and how their selection and blending can be enhanced by careful use of the birth chart as a tool of intuitive ‘diagnosis’.