In 1946, the World Health Organization (WHO) defined “health” as “a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.” Practitioners of Holistic Health later expanded this definition to include the spiritual element, as they believe all four aspects of a person’s life must be considered when assessing their overall well-being. Holistic Practitioners believe health is our most natural state of being and the ultimate aim of any natural healing system, such as Aromatherapy, Herbalism, Homeopathy or Naturopathy.
Each of these natural healing systems date back several centuries and has an established tradition of use, widespread acceptance, and an impressive amount of clinical research data behind them. During the past twenty years the public’s awareness of the limitations of Western Medicine has prompted a resurgence of interest in the more Holistic, natural approaches. To accommodate this growing interest, Paula and Neha Curtiss, Founding Directors of Healing Hands School of Holistic Health, added three popular natural healing courses to the school’s curriculum. Below is a brief introduction to these courses and a summary of what students can expect to learn in each.
Aromatherapy – Aromatherapy is a holistic therapy that uses essential oils from plants to positively affect an individual’s mental, physical and spiritual well-being. Essential oils are highly concentrated substances. For example, it would take 5,000 roses to make just 1 teaspoon of oil! For this reason they should be treated with respect and used sparingly. In fact, large doses of many essential oils can become irritating to the skin, and a few are quite toxic if not used correctly. The course taught at Healing Hands School explores how 30 different essential oils can affect us on physical, emotional and energetic levels. Class discussions will include the history of Aromatherapy; intrinsic oil qualities; extraction and blending techniques; plus safe and effective consulting practices that are in accordance with high ethical standards. Through lecture, demonstration and hands-on experience students learn how to formulate and use essential oil blends to treat a variety of disorders and stress-related problems for their clients.
Herbalism – The most widespread of all forms of medicine across the globe, Herbalism is the study and use of plants for food and medicinal purposes. Many of the herbs found in gardens today have been used by herbalists for over two thousand years! Even today, roughly 80 % of the world’s population still relies on herbal medicine for their health needs. The Herbal Studies and Applications class offered at Healing Hands School is composed of two, 50-hour educational modules. Each module is divided into segments that include lecture, the production of herbal preparations, and ecologically-based field work with special focus on locally grown medicinal plants. Students visit a natural preserve where they explore the diverse eco-systems and native plants of Southern California. They will also review the organs and systems of the body, and learn which herbs can most benefit each system. By the end of this course students will be familiar with many traditional uses for medicinal plants and will develop their own herbal apothecary (medicine cabinet) to treat many common medical conditions.
Homeopathy – Homeopathy, or homeopathic medicine, is a philosophy and practice based on the idea that the body has the ability to heal itself. Homeopathic remedies are made from a number of substances, plant, animal or mineral, and are diluted in a special manner with the aim of stimulating the body’s natural healing responses. Founded in Germany during the late 1700s, Homeopathy has been widely practiced throughout India and Europe for centuries. The Homeopathy course offered at Healing Hands School educates the student about safe and effective Homeopathic remedies they can use to deal with the shock and trauma of many medical emergencies. Students will learn how to stimulate their client’s innate healing abilities, and develop a tool-kit of Homeopathic remedies to address emergencies requiring first aid. Homeopathy is an information-packed course that will enable the student to treat nosebleeds, bruises, cuts, abrasions, sports injuries, muscle aches, cramps, fevers, insect bites, sunburn, food poisoning and other common medical emergencies.
To learn more about these Natural Healing traditions, or any of the other 80 Holistic Health courses offered at Healing Hands School of Holistic Health, please visit us on-line at HealingHandsSchool.com or call us at (949) 305-2722 in Laguna Hills or at (760) 746-9364 in Escondido.