Not studied for a long time?

People learn differently. Some learn easily with reading information, some by drawing and using colour.  Everyone learns by writing information down in a structured way, called note taking.

Making up sentences to help you remember information is called a Mnemonic.

   For example: Could Uncle Digby Repeat Mother's Erratic Response to Linda's Surly Nerve-racking Sloppy Slogan.

This interprets Physiological Systems in the human body as : Cardio-vascular, Urinary, Digestive, Muscular, Endocrine, Respiratory, Lymphatic, Skeletal, Nervous and Special Senses.

Tip's For Reflexologists

Remember client comfort: working hand over the supporting hand, short finger nails and remove jewellery before beginning a treatment; wrist watches interfere with the electro-magnetic field around the body.

Remember to offer water for drinking to all clients and encourage them to drink at least 1.5 litres of pure water daily, in addition to other beverages, to aid detoxification.

Emotional cathartic release may happen to clients when giving a reflexology treatment. If this should occur, hold the feet, or hands, and encourage the client to stay with their feelings and to breathe deeply.  If they hyper-ventilate, encourage them to place feet firmly on the ground, shoulder width apart, place their hands on the knees, lower the trunk forward and to breathe in through the nose very slowly, exhaling the breathe slowly through the mouth.

INTERNATIONAL REFLEXOLOGY &

LIFE SKILLS WORKSHOPS

THE REFLEXOLOGY ACADEMY

THE PRACTITIONER CERTIFICATE IN REFLEXOLOGY

The Reflexology Academy & Life Skills Workshops training programmes offer perspectives of holistic health-care for those interested in learning clinical Reflexology, psychological perspectives of health, basic counselling skills, an understanding of the human energy field and philosophical concepts that underpin complementary medicine. Students can qualify with the Reflexology Practitioner Certificate and Advanced Reflexology Diploma level of education, or simply learn sufficient Reflexology with which to treat their relatives and friends.  Your goals as a Reflexologist are discussed with the Principal in an interview before acceptance into training.

Reflexology offers complementary support to those working in clinical medicine and those working in the community.

The Reflexology Academy Practitioner Certificate leads student learning with Anatomy & Physiology related to all systems of the body and together with integrated biology, and the theory and practice of Reflexology, provides and underpins a solid foundation for good practice.

For those who have little understanding of the human body, our courses are aimed at explaining Anatomy & Physiology theory in simple terms, with correspondence course work, webcam, face-to-face tutorials and telephone contact. Students attend compulsory weekend Workshops, totalling 120 hours before examinations.

Reflexology is a powerful healing tool when worked with sensitively, accurately and knowledgeably and can aid all manner of ailments and health problems. The feeling of satisfaction and reward when a client attains the maximum benefit from Reflexology cannot be expressed simply in words.

You will not be short of volunteers for 'hands-on' practice - your family and friends will be intrigued with this wonderful therapy.  Apart from the help given in re-awakening the healing process in a person's psyche, Reflexology is tremendously relaxing - surely a 'must' in everyone's life in these days of stress and strain!

ACCEPTANCE ONTO A COURSE

Practitioner Certificate Course in Reflexology Students will be accepted onto the Course either by face-to-face interview, telephone, or webcam interview if it isn’t possible to attend in person. Courses begin in October and March and the exams are set by the ABC Awards and Association of Reflexologists (AoR .

Interviews are a requirement before commencement of training so that discussion of the Course content and the student’s personal needs can be ascertained.

Previous knowledge, qualification and/or experience of Anatomy & Physiology (A&P) is a requirement before entry into training at Practitioner Certificate level. Please bring evidence of learning with you to the interview, even if you weren’t successful.  There may be exceptions to this rule, please see ‘Commitment to Study’ and ‘Accredited Prior Learning and Accredited Prior Experiential Learning’ below.

Interviews can be arranged by contacting the Secretary on 01425 639370.

THE BENEFITS OF ACCREDITATION

The Association of Reflexologists (AoR) aspire to excellence as an
accrediting body in Reflexology. On entering training, students are expected to join the Association of Reflexologists' as a student member.  Students achieving the recognized professional qualification to Certificate standard in Reflexology can apply to become an Associate Member of the Association of Reflexologists and a Full Member after one year in professional practice. 

Students wishing to train to an accredited standard of education as Reflexologists are required to meet the standards set for Training Centres by the Association of Reflexologists (AoR) and ABC Awards (ABC Awards).     Accreditation protects the practitioner and client with the assurance that training has reached a satisfactory standard that is comparable to the requirements for training in complementary medicine world-wide.

The Association of Reflexologists (AoR) offers FREE Malpractice and Public Liability insurance premiums and once qualified, we recommend that insurance cover is taken out through them.   For further information about the Association go to AoR’s website at: info@aor.org.uk

ABC AWARDS

ABC AWARDS ABC specialize in developing Vocationally Related Qualifications (VRQs), a foundation that underpins knowledge for National Occupational Standards (NOS), which in turn form guidelines for National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs).

ABC Awards are mapped to the NOS to provide future accreditation of prior learning (APL), should students wish to achieve an NVQ in the future.  For a full description of ABC Awards

To see more information about ABC Policies, benefits and requirements of accreditation go to their website at www.abcawards.co.uk.

POST-QUALIFICATION CAREER PATH

Dependent on the student's inclination, a qualification in Reflexology offers career paths into NHS medical centres, complementary therapy centres or with self-employment.  It is strongly suggested that a minimum of one year is necessary to build-up a Practice and we do not recommend that students leave full-time employment until they have become established within the profession. 

STUDENT LEARNING PATH

• Total contact tutorial hours are set at 120 with compulsory attendance monthly on Saturdays and Sundays at Winchester University, West Downs Campus, Romsey Road, Winchester S022 5HT.

• Examinations cannot be taken until contact teaching hours have been completed.

• Examinations are set approximately one month after completion of Course contact teaching hours.

INDIVIDUAL STUDENT LEARNING

An additional learning aid for the Reflexology Academy Practitioner Certificate:

For a slight increase in the Course fee, and over and above attendance on Course study days you can part-study on an individual basis with the Principal, Jenny Hope-Spencer as an aid to academic learning and practical tuition. This facility does not replace attendance at the hotel as group participation with peer students is an essential part of the Course content.

• Attendance at the hotel to qualify for exam entry is therefore necessary.
• Learning on an individual basis provides learning fitted around your

 commitments.

• Learning is geared to the individual's progress and not group learning only.
• Building the relationship is the key to good practice as a Reflexologist.  Individual

           tuition offers the student time to ask consider and question Course work in
          greater detail.

For more information on this facility, please ask at your interview. Fees are set at £40.00 per hour.

COMMITMENT TO STUDY

If you are considering training with International Reflexology & Life Skills Workshops (IRLSW), Reflexology Academy, you will need to be fully committed to learning what is essentially, a full-time course even though you attend Workshops on approximately a monthly basis at  Winchester University, Winchester, Hampshire (see details below).  A high degree of self-motivation and responsibility are required, both as part of training and in professional practice.  How you are in your personal life will reflect how you will present yourself as a professional therapist!

Because of the depth of training we need evidence that you have managed to complete examinations in Anatomy & Physiology whether you were successful or not.  There may be exceptions to this requirement for entry which can be discussed with the Principal.

SPECIAL CASES

Sometimes, those whose work involves caring for others, which may not require formal qualifications or who have learning or physical disabilities may be eligible for entry into training.  You may be eligible for financial aid for training and you will need to check this with your local Benefits Agency.  It may take longer for you to reach examination standard, however, and you may incur extra tuition costs as a result.  Please tell the Principal any important details about yourself before attending an interview. Alternatively, Career Development Loans (CDLs) are available from three high street banks (see below: ‘Difficulty Meeting Fees’). For further details go to www.direct.gov.uk/cdl.

ACCREDITATION OF PRIOR LEARNING AND EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING (APL AND APEL)

Prior achievements through previous study, employment or voluntary activities may enable you to train as a Reflexologist, even if you have not taken a formal examination.

Evidence of Prior Learning will need to be authenticated and have taken place as a recent activity. Please tell us about your experience and bring any qualifications, letters of recommendation or other evidence in support of your experience to the interview.

COURSE WORK

Students will be expected to complete course work in their own time with completion of written homework as part of preparation for the Theory Reflexology examination Paper, set by the AoR and ABC Awards. Individual tutorial time with the Principal is available at extra cost. Study for a minimum of one hour per day is also recommended.

Students are also expected to demonstrate throughout training that they are developing professional presentation and practice.  Students are expected to wear ‘whites’ on Course Study Days and to present a professional appearance.

It is an essential part of training that you can practice on two or three people per week from the beginning of training to strengthen the hands and to reinforce contact teaching time.

STUDENT GROUPS

Although the total number in a lecture group may be large, it is recommended that adult teaching take place in groups of no more than ten or twelve students.  As a result, groups are no more than twelve for the practical application of Reflexology.  You may have a teacher allocated to you who has trained with International Reflexology & Life Skills Workshops in the past and who will have acquired considerable professional experience. Tutors are experienced Reflexologists and meet the requirements and approval of the Association of Reflexologists (AoR). 

Practitioner and Advanced Reflexology Courses are available as separate modules (see Advanced Reflexology Diploma on the home-page).

Training with International Reflexology & Life Skills Workshops teaches a relatively firm pressure on the feet and hands, combined with a lighter, intuitive technique.  Combining pressure with gentleness is the key to giving good reflexology treatments. Your training will allow you to develop these skills.

Some of the topics related to Practitioner training included in your syllabus are:

• The study of anatomy and physiology of the human body
• Integrated biology
• Practical application of reflexology
• The history, philosophy and principles surrounding reflexology and complementary therapies.
• Practice Management

Once the Practitioner Certificate has been successfully completed at the end of the Course, practitioners are considered to have the necessary qualities of:

• A professional approach to being a reflexologist
• A responsible attitude
• Respect for reflexology
• Commitment
• Reliability
• Compassion, kindness and a caring disposition
• An in-depth understanding of working reflexes on the feet and hands

As students develop as fledgling practitioners throughout training, self-awareness and healing takes place as the student realizes that reflexology is a two-way process - healing for both the client and practitioner. One of the benefits of working with this wonderful therapy!

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