Yarrow Blue and Arnica - our favourite oils for June

Our favourite oils for the beautiful month of June are Yarrow Blue and Arnica. Here are the profiles of these wonderful plants:

Q&A with Frances Chong, Registered Nurse and APA Diploma Course Graduate

Today we had a little chat with Frances Chong, a Registered Nurse and early APA Diploma Course Graduate.

Frances told us about her aromatherapy journey, her work as a nurse and professional aromatherapist in the Matilda International Hospital in Hong Kong and her experience of studying with Rhiannon Lewis in Provence:

Fennel Sweet and Borage - our favourite oils for May

Our favourite oils for the beautiful month of May are Fennel Sweet and Borage. Here are the profiles of these wonderful plants:

Mandarin Yellow and Chickweed - our favourite oils for April

Our favourite oils for the beautiful month of April are Mandarin Yellow and Chickweed. Here are the profiles of these wonderful plants:

Aromatherapy Case Study: Recognising the Psychological Needs behind Physical Problems

The following case study was conducted by one of APA's students for her final Diploma Course exam. She kindly allowed us to share her successful treatment process which highlights that physical problems can be a reflection of one’s psychological condition.

Dill Herb and Evening Primrose - our favorite oils for March

Our favorite oils for the beautiful month of March are Dill Herb and Evening Primrose.

Here are the profiles of these wonderful plants:

Q&A with Christina Paul, APA Diploma Course Graduate and owner of "Soulistic Asia"

Today we had a little chat with Christina Paul, a recent Diploma Course Graduate at APA.

She grew up between Hong Kong and UK and after graduating with an MA from Oxford University, her curiosity for the mysteries of the mind eventually lead her to study Kinergetics and Neuro-Energetic Kinesiology with Brett Scott.

In 2013, she started her journey into the art of aromatherapy at APA and now holds an internationally accredited Diploma in Holistic Aromatherapy. Combining this form of plant medicine with Kinesiology, Christina supports her clients to get from where they are to where they want to be.

We talked about her genuine passion for aromatherapy, how she integrates energetic kinesiology and aromatherapy in her treatments and what tips she can give to new students:

TCM and Aromatherapy: A case study on how a combined treatment of TCM and Aromatherapy can help a patient heal

The following case study was conducted by one of APA's students for her final Diploma Course exam. She kindly allowed us to share her successful treatment process with us which highlights the successful combination of TCM and Aromatherapy to help the client heal:

May Chang and Sea Buckthorn - our favorite oils for January

Our favorite oils for the beautiful month of January are May Chang and Sea Buckthorn. Here are the profiles of these wonderful plants:

Mandarin Yellow and Avocado - our favorite oils for December

Our favorite oils for the beautiful month of December are Mandarin Yellow and Avocado. Here are the profiles of these wonderful plants:

Fragonia and Camellia - our favorite oils for November

Our favorite oils for the beautiful month of November are Fragonia and Camellia. Here are the profiles of these wonderful plants:

Sweet Orange and Calendula - our favorite oils for September

Our favorite oils for the beautiful month of September are Sweet Orange and Calendula. Here are the profiles of these wonderful plants:

Sole Connection: The Art of Reflexology and Foot Reading with Monika Dobler

We are very excited to have expert reflexologist Monika Dobler back at APA in October/November for some very informative workshops and wonderful treatments!

Monika was running her own practice in Switzerland and is now living in London. Her passion and heart lies "within the feet" and she lets herself be guided by her hands and intuition to find insight into a person’s wellbeing. She has been with Asia-Pacific Aromatherapy teaching reflexology under the topic of Holistic Views for over 10 years, sharing her precious knowledge in this aspect to our students.

In our Aromatherapy Q&A, Monika told us about her journey into the art of reflexology and foot reading, how our feet can help us to understand ourselves better and why she is passionate about Qi Gong:

Peppermint and Evening Primrose - our favorite oils for August

Our favorite oils for the beautiful month of August are Peppermint and Evening Primrose. Here are the profiles of these wonderful plants:

On APA's bookshelf: Aromatherapy for the Healthy Child by Valerie Ann Worwood

The Hong Kong Book Fair has opened its doors yesterday presenting thousands of interesting publications and books, many of them health related. It's definitely worth a visit!

Meanwhile in our own APA library, you can find great new reads such as internationally acknowledged aromatherapist Valerie Ann Worwood's publication "Aromatherapy for the Healthy Child" - a comprehensive guide featuring more than 300 natural, non-toxic and fragrant essential oil blends for our little ones.

Geranium and Neem - our favorite oils for July

Our favorite oils for the beautiful month of July are Geranium and Neem. Here are the profiles of these wonderful plants:

Caraway Seed and Pomegranate - our favorite oils of June

Our favorite oils for the beautiful month of June are Caraway Seed and Pomegranate. Here are the profiles of these wonderful plants:

Aromatherapy Q & A with Joie Yiu

Just before Joie Yiu will host our next Sharing Session on Aromatherapy and Alzheimer's Disease this afternoon, we had a chance to have a quick chat with her.

On APA's bookshelf: Aromatherapy vs. MRSA by Maggie Tisserand

MRSA is a global problem. Known as a "superbug", some fatal cases of MRSA (Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) have also been reported in Hong Kong in recent years. In fact, the Centre for Health Protection announced the death of a 35 year-old man only last March who tested positive for a community-associated MRSA infection. The man with a good past health was admitted to hospital for multiple joint pain and fever. He was taken to the intensive care unit but tragically died two days later.

MRSA is a bacterium that causes infections in different parts of the body and becomes increasingly difficult to treat due to its resistance to beta-lactam antibiotics. Many infections are not serious, however, some can be life-threatening especially when dealing with tough, resistant strains of MRSA.

Summer Savory and Borage - our favorite oils of May

Summer Savory / Borage

Our favorite oils for the beautiful month of May are Summer Savory and Borage. Here are the profiles of these wonderful plants: