What Clinical Aromatherapy Courses Does RJ Buckle Associates Offer?

RJ Buckle Associates (rjbuckle.com) is a provider of clinical aromatherapy courses for licensed health professionals in the USA, and the originator of the 'M' Technique®, a gentle touch method designed for critically ill or very fragile people. Its main clinical aromatherapy offering is Clinical Aromatherapy for Health Professionals, supported by a hospital-focused course (CAH), certification pathways, and continuing education credit information. The courses are aimed at licensed health professionals, while the 'M' Technique® courses are open to both licensed health professionals and the general public.

Core clinical aromatherapy courses

Clinical Aromatherapy for Health Professionals

This is the flagship course. According to the site, it was the first aromatherapy course to be endorsed by a national nursing organization — the American Holistic Nurses Association — in 1997. It is designed for licensed health professionals and is the entry point for the clinical aromatherapy track.

Aromatherapy For Hospitals Course (CAH)

Listed under the Clinical Aromatherapy section, this course addresses aromatherapy in the hospital setting. It sits alongside the main professional course and the certification pathway.

Certification pathway

The site lists CCAP Certified Instructor and a Clinical Aromatherapy Certified Instructor List, indicating that beyond taking courses, there is a route to instructor-level certification in clinical aromatherapy.

The 'M' Technique® courses

The 'M' Technique® is described as a gentle, easy-to-learn form of touch suitable for critically ill or very fragile people. Unlike the clinical aromatherapy courses, these are available to both licensed health professionals and the general public. Courses are offered in the USA, UK, Japan, South Africa, Hong Kong, and Australia.

Related resources on the site include:

• 'M' Technique® research
• 'M' Technique® certified instructors
• 'M' Technique® in hospitals
• 'M' Technique® in the UK and international

Course schedules and access

To access the demonstration videos, the site states you need to create a log-in (upper right corner) and sign up to purchase unlimited access to either the Full-Body and/or Hand and Foot 'M' Technique® demonstration video(s). The site does not state prices for courses or video access, so check the linked schedule and sign-up pages for current terms.

Who this is for

• Licensed health professionals seeking clinical aromatherapy training, continuing education credit, or instructor certification.
• Hospitals and care settings interested in the CAH course or the 'M' Technique® in hospitals.
• General public and professionals who want to learn the 'M' Technique® for gentle touch with fragile or critically ill people.

Background worth knowing

R.J. Buckle Associates reports that more than 2,000 nurses have been trained in clinical aromatherapy and over 3,000 people have learned the 'M' Technique®. Dr. Buckle's book, Clinical Aromatherapy: Essential Oils in Healthcare (Elsevier, December 2014), is described as the first totally peer-reviewed, evidence-based clinical text on aromatherapy, and it received the 2015 ABC James A. Duke Excellence in Botanical Literature Award. Earlier books include Clinical Aromatherapy: Essential Oils in Practice (2003) and Clinical Aromatherapy in Nursing (1997).

If your goal is clinical aromatherapy training as a licensed professional, start with Clinical Aromatherapy for Health Professionals and check the aromatherapy course schedule. If your interest is gentle touch for fragile patients, the 'M' Technique® courses and demonstration videos are the relevant path.