OTHM
Level 5 Diploma in Applied Reflexology for Integrated Medicine
OTHM are a London based International Awarding Organisation offering RQF qualifications via OFQUAL
What are the entry requirements?
* The desire to be the best reflexologist possible which is achieved by learning and graduating from a CAREA Centre of Excellence!
* Over 18
* Many applicants have been out of education for a long time, but what they do have is work and life experience and this will be an important factor and carry a great deal of weight in your application.
* Literacy and good command of English language
* IT skills (sufficient to word process and forward assessments electronically – or be willing to learn!)
* Motivation to have good study habits outside the classroom as assessments will include giving, evaluating and recording treatments.
* Each CAREA Centre of Excellence will ask you to complete their application form and will discuss with you what the training entails, but you will be safe in the knowledge that wherever you choose to learn, the core curriculum, the syllabus and all the assessments are to the same high standards.
The units for the OTHM Level 5 Diploma in Applied Reflexology for Integrated Medicine were written by Sue Alma Evans, formerly Director of Inspira Academy of Reflexology in association with the OTHM Curriculum Development Manager and was then put before a health board prior to validation
Sue Alma Evans also originally wrote the Base Guidance Notes and all assessment and evidence content, but CAREA Centres are a co-operative and all learning contained within the qualification is developed with full input from CAREA
Centres and then externally verified for educational and academic suitability by the Awarding OrganisationThe copyright of the units is owned by OTHM and the copyright of the course content/syllabus and assessments are owned by Centralia
NEPIP is also copyrighted and Trademarked to Centralia.
The units may be accessed by other Reflexology Training Centres outside Wales (these are the CAREA Partner Centres) as long as the learners are registered with an OTHM Approved Centre i.e. Centralia, and as an Approved/Recognised Centre, Centralia meets all OTHM licence requirements for assessment, verification and standardisation
The qualification has been designed to ensure that the learning is progressive, with a starting point based against the Core Curriculum for Reflexology and NOS (CNH1;CNH2, CNH11 - Https://tools.skillsfor health.org.uk/competence_search), the minimum requirement for reflexology practice
The qualification encompasses advanced practical and conceptual knowledge with a depth of understanding of reflexology in applied contexts
It has been designed to extend the learners' range and accountability in reflexology practice, and to develop progression opportunities in a clinical/professional environment
The learners will be able to adapt reflexology treatments and techniques to the needs of individuals and apply specifically individualised treatment against medically predetermined symptoms of pathologies
CAREA work with candidates who are studying at HE1 level.
What modules / units will I study on the OTHM Level 5 Diploma in Applied Reflexology for Integrated Medicine?
The qualification comprises eight holistic and competency based units registered and regulated by OFQUAL
Principles of Safe Practice for Clinical Practitioner Reflexology
As the unit title suggests, you will learn all about your legal and professional responsibilities as a qualified Practitioner of Reflexology who can work in any environment, Clinical or otherwise. You will also understand why choosing the Level 5 Diploma in Applied Reflexology for Integrated Medicine was the best decision as it is the only qualification that embraces the need to look at, appreciate, and understand all the aspects that are involved in a persons health and wellbeing. Discussion and seminars will explore why this qualification is 'Next Generation' for Reflexologists of the future.
Anatomy, Physiology and Psychology in Illness and Health
These subjects can sometimes be thought of as 'dry' or 'difficult to learn', but at CAREA/Centralia Centres our approach is different which means your learning and understanding is different too. We don't deliver a generic unit, we make the subjects relevant to being a reflexologist. We have taken many decades of Reflexology Practice and used those real life scenarios to educate so that the Anatomy, Physiology and Psychology also becomes 'real life' too as we make it relevant, we make it interesting, dare we even say it? Yes! We make it fun too. It is fascinating to understand what all aspects of our lives are involved in why we are well or why we are unwell and with lots of discussion and seminars you will learn the multiple causes for Illness and Health.
Clinical Reflexology and Reflected Anatomy
In this unit we continue your anatomy knowledge and make it really relevant to reflexology. As your foundation, your base treatment, you will learn Duopody Reflexology which was developed at Inspira Academy many years ago, and is now accepted by the medical profession - Doctors studying for a Masters Degree in Pain Management have Duopody included in a module - not so that they learn to use it, but to learn how and why it is relevant for them to sometimes refer a patient to a Duopodist (Duopody Reflexologist). Duopody teaches you to understand the relevance of being able to reflect each anatomy system onto the feet and how to use that knowledge to make a clinical assessment of feet. You will be highly supervised to ensure that you have fully understood as you will be moving on to other treatment protocols in order that you are able to provide bespoke treatments for everyone.
Developmental Reflexology, Pathology and Integrated Medicine
As the unit title suggests, you will build on your knowledge as the depth and complexity as your skills and learning deepen and develop. You will be learning to integrate practical, theoretical and technological understanding to find ways forward in complex and broadly defined contexts. It is important to be able to apply critical evaluation to treatment findings, but also to be able to apply the same to yourself so reflective practice also included at this stage. You will learn and understand the symptoms of pathologies and conditions and how they inform your treatment plan to ensure that you are able to individualise, personalise the treatments you provide for every client. In discussions and seminars we explore the relevance of Integrated Medicine, how to become part of a team of health professionals, and the importance of looking at all aspects of clients and recognising that integration with other health providers (not just medics) is important. Integration also means acknowledging every aspect of a persons life and lifestyle and how they will impact on their health and wellbeing. Reflexologists look holistically at feet and with this unit we extend this to look holistically at their life too.
Stress Management for Body and Mind
Stress is recognised as a contributor to many allopathic conditions and so we developed a treatment protocol specific to the known systems that are most affected by stress responses. Neuro-Endo-Psycho-Immuno-Pody (NEPIP) explores the psychology of stress and the way it often then results in illness because of a compromised immune system, particularly appropriate after the covid-19 pandemic. NEPIP not only explores and treats the physical, it also addresses the impact of stress on the mind. The treatment is now exclusive to the Level 5 Diploma in Applied Reflexology for Integrated Medicine and the treatment will include the body systems most relevant to our reactions to stress, and you will also learn how to treat the psychological/emotional/mental outcomes of stress and how they affect our behaviour.
Life Stages of Human Development
There are many reasons why studying at CAREA/Centralia Centres is that it is your best choice, and here is another! Imagine how interesting it becomes ... you already know how to provide a bespoke treatment based on symptoms of pathologies, conditions and lifestyle, but now you can also include being able to create a treatment protocol and plan relevant to the stage of human development. No other reflexology training in the UK gives you the knowledge and the ability to be confident in treating a baby, an adolescent in the middle of a challenging puberty, a pregnant client, male health, menopause etc. You will be able to confidently tell a client that you are equipped to provide a treatment, no matter their age or their condition as you will be using diagnostic skills (not to be confused with diagnosing) to clinically assess and evaluate so that they get the best possible treatment specific to them. There are just a couple of reasons when it would be advisable not to treat, but these will be discussed and explained why not in class.
Evidence Based Practice for Reflexology
The other 7 units are all at level 5 (comparable to year 2 degree, HND), but this unit is elevated to level 6 and is the only Reflexology Diploma in the UK that has this. As the name suggests, the focus is on evidence. We will explore and discuss why reflexology works? How does it work? What research has been done? In seminars we will debate theories and explore further, you may even want to bring your own theories to class too! After training at ALL CAREA/Centralia Centres you will have all the practical and the theoretical knowledge and skills to be a really competent and confident Reflexology Practitioner, skilled in Clinical practice and theory. You will also recognise that reflexology is still an emerging profession that constantly evolves and develops and your training will encourage you to be a part of this, so that you continue to research and learn from your self, from your peers and most importantly ... from your clients.
Business Fundamentals for Reflexology Practice
After your financial investment and your time investment and your learning and your studies, you want to translate this into being a Reflexology Practitioner! You will research what other knowledge, what other skills you will need to have a successful practice. Many students have never been self-employed before and whilst it is an amazing opportunity and thrilling to be 'in charge' of your self and your working life, it is important to recognise how this is achieved. Everyone on Team CAREA/Centralia has been through what you have as all your tutors have been students and started their own businesses too, which means we really teach from experience. You will of course learn the legislative and professional aspects and also know where external help is available, so that when you qualify and graduate you are ready to join the other CAREA/Centralia trained Duopody Reflexology Practitioners who provide awesome and often life changing and life enhancing treatments. You will be able to practice in any environment you choose from a general practice to a specialist practice and it will be a career that provides satisfaction and pleasure to both you and your clients from day 1 onwards!
How you will learn and for how long.
Your training will include lots of time with the most knowledgeable of teachers. At CAREA we have the highest standards of any regulated reflexology qualification. The CAREA Centres of Excellence are so dedicated to providing the very best reflexology tuition they commit to scrupulous quality assurance procedures which is multi-layered which protects you the student, but also the teachers and standards too. ALL of the CAREA Centres are truly integrated and wherever you study you will be nurtured to become the Reflexologists of the Future because unlike teaching standards for other qualifications it will not be ‘pot luck’ for the style of reflexology you will learn or the way theory is taught. Every student/learner is issued with bespoke manuals for each of the 8 units. Every student is issued with bespoke training aides. Every student studies for and submits the same assignments and it is all these things that ensure that you are on the very best training course possible. Doesn’t it make absolute sense to learn the very best techniques right at the start of your reflexology path? Yes of course it does! And the CAREA Centres recognised this which is why the have studied themselves so that they can be awarded the coveted Licence to Teach DuoPody, NEPIP and CALM and these are the treatments your clients will want as they have the greatest health benefits. These are the treatments that Doctors and other Health Professionals are already recognising and so they will also search out the graduates that practice these life enhancing treatments.
Training is for a minimum of one academic year, and although the number of hours per day (and therefore the number of days in class) may vary, the actual number of taught hours will be the same. It is this commitment to every element of reflexology training and the commitment to being fully and appropriately scrutinised and regulated by CAREA, OTHM the International Awarding Organisation and Ofqual the National Framework Regulator that results in this qualification providing you the opportunity to Learn without Limits.
