Gone
are the days when a career was for life.
More and more people change careers and it
is getting increasingly common to hear that
people want to leave the “rat race”,
maybe become self-employed, and investigate
different philosophies of life. Complementary
Healthcare is a rapidly expanding industry
and many adults come to it wanting to help
themselves and others lead a healthier and
more fulfilling life.
Reflexology
is a popular Complementary Therapy with ancient
roots. It is a pressure therapy primarily
involving the feet. It revolves around the
understanding that there are reflex points
on the feet that relate to the structure
and function of all parts of the body. Applying
pressure to these reflexes using a gentle
on-off pressure may influence the state of
the body in many ways. For example, reflexology
has been found to reduce stress and tension,
relieve pain, improve bodily functions and
generally restore the body to a better state,
so improving physical well being.
Reflexology
is not as physically demanding to perform
as some other treatments such a full body
massage. The therapist can sit throughout,
but intensively performing treatments over
a long period of time can take its toll on
the hands and the thumb joints in particular.
So if you fancy training to become a Reflexologist
where do you start?
Anatomy & Physiology is the Starting Point for training in Reflexology
A
Level 3 Diploma in Anatomy & Physiology is
the starting point for most careers in
Complementary Healthcare. Before you
can progress to study you chosen therapy
you must develop an understanding as
to how the body works. This is quite
sensible when you think about it. It
would be unprofessional, and indeed dangerous,
to perform any hands-on treatment without
a detailed understanding of the body’s
structure and function. After all, you
wouldn’t attempt to improve the
performance of a car if you didn’t
understand the mechanics of its engine.
Some
reflexology courses may incorporate elements
of anatomy and physiology. Other courses
require a Level 3 Anatomy & Physiology
Diploma as a pre-requisite. You will often
hear the phrase Accredited Prior Learning
(APL). If anatomy and physiology is listed
as APL for a course then it is necessary
for you to hold a qualification in anatomy & physiology
before you begin.
So Why a Level 3 Diploma in Anatomy & Physiology?
Before
you, as a Reflexologist, begin to treat any
members of the public you must take out insurances
to protect both your clients and yourself.
You will have to show that you hold an accepted
qualification in Reflexology and that your
anatomy & physiology is up to the required
standard. The industry standard for anatomy & physiology
is the Level 3 Diploma. A word of warning – if
the anatomy & physiology is run in tandem,
find out if a separate qualification in anatomy & physiology
is given. If not, you may have problems getting
insured and, despite your studies, your anatomy
and physiology may not be accepted as APL
for another qualification. It is worth the
extra effort to gain the Level 3 Diploma
because this will open many doors for you
in the future.
Which Level 3 Diploma in Anatomy & Physiology should I take?
To
help ensure that your Level 3 Diploma will
be accepted as APL, wherever you choose to
study, it is wise to select an Examining
Board that is regulated by the QCA (Qualifications
and Curriculum Authority). The QCA are the
regulatory body for all public exams (e.g.
GCSE’s and A-Levels as well as Vocational
Training) and they set the standards to ensure
that all of their approved Examining Bodies
assess the candidates to a standard level.
A Level 3 Diploma issued by a QCA-approved
Examining Body should therefore be universally
accepted. The VTCT (Vocational Training Charitable
Trust) are approved and therefore governed
by the QCA and offer a
Level
3 Diploma in Anatomy & Physiology.
What Then?
It
is important that you find a Reflexology
course that suits you. You could contact
your local college to see what they have
to offer. The Association of Reflexologists
(AOR) also offer much advice for those just
setting out and their web site www.aor.org.uk lists
approved AOR Training Centres.
Need Extra Help?
ETS
offer an excellent interactive CD ROM in
Reflexology. It provides a comprehensive
account of the theory of reflexology. Using
videos, photos and graphics it walks you
through the principles of the therapy. This
self-testing training tool proves invaluable
when you have qualified too as it allows
you to reference details of over 70 conditions
and gives advice on how to set up your own
business. Full details can be found HERE.
Click
here for our VTCT Level 3 Online Diploma
in Anatomy and Physiology UK & International
Course
