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tHE IntERnAtIonAL FEDERAtIon oF ARoMAtHERAPIStS MARKS 35 yEARS

The IFA’s Lauren allen looks back at 35 years of progress…

THIS October, the IFA is celebrating 35 years as a leading membership association for aromatherapists. It’s a time which has seen the modality grow from a small band of enthusiasts to a hugely popular form of holistic therapy that is now offered in many hospitals worldwide to aid patients’ relaxation as well as health and wellbeing.

The IFA will be recognising the efforts made by dedicated IFA members, staff and volunteers to bring aromatherapy to a wider audience. As founding member Patricia Davis recalled, “It was a time of enthusiasm, excitement, idealism and a sense of pioneering. Before the IFA’s inception, aromatherapists had no organisation or representation at all”.

When the IFA was established in 1985, aromatherapy was barely known. The IFA championed the profession, promoting the therapeutic value of essential oils in both the media and institutions. The IFA introduced the nationwide Aromatherapy Awareness Week Campaign which continues to run annually in June. Due to increasing numbers of reputable research trials and subsequent media coverage, the public now has greater awareness and confidence in the efficacy of aromatherapy especially in the areas of mental health, back pain, cancer and palliative care.

One of the IFA’s most ground-breaking projects started in 1988. The UK wide ‘Aromatherapy In Care’ project was launched from within the NHS and evolved into a package designed to introduce aromatherapy treatments to the medical profession. IFA volunteers offered free treatments to terminally ill or bed-bound patients. This inspired many nurses and midwives to choose to train in Aromatherapy and, ultimately, led to a range of paid employed Aromatherapy positions within the healthcare sector today.

This year, the IFA was approved as an Accredited Register by the Professional Standards

Authority (PSA) for Health and Social Care. The PSA is an independent body accountable to Parliament and oversees the UK’s nine statutory health and care regulatory bodies, including the General Medical Council and Nursing and Midwifery Council. It launched its Accredited Register programme under the Health and Social Care Act 2012, accrediting voluntary registers of professionals working in a variety of health and social care occupations that are not currently statutorily regulated. Patients and GPs need to be assured about the competence of practitioners when choosing the services of a professional Aromatherapist and PSA accreditation of the IFA register provides external assurance that IFA registered Aromatherapists meet that high standard.

As an international body, the IFA is committed to its global responsibilities. IFA aromatherapists have provided assistance during international crises including the Japanese Tsunami of 2011, the 9/11 terrorist attacks and, more recently, during the Coronavirus pandemic. The IFA also provided PPE equipment to enable their members to work in a safe environment, supporting the wider wellbeing of the populations at large. Annually, the IFA charity donates funds, time and expertise to initiate projects and raise awareness to support those in need. The IFA hold a Guinness World Record for the most amount of hand massages to the elderly. We have a portfolio of over 50 charitable causes.

The IFA are very proud of its achievements over the past 35 years and the loyalty from its members who, in turn, have felt a strong sense of ownership towards their association. Members, volunteers and staff alike look forward to continuing all the best traditions of the IFA and the strong sense of purpose, caring, enthusiasm and commitment, which inspired its establishment. n

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The IFA regulates and accredits standards in aromatherapy for both practitioners and qualification providers. Discover more at www.ifparoma.org