The International Federation of Professional Aromatherapists (IFPA) warmly invites members and non-members to join us for our 24th Annual General Meeting and CPD Virtual Event.
Following the success of our virtual events, we are delighted to once again bring together aromatherapists, educators, researchers and healthcare professionals from around the world for a full day of Continuing Professional Development (CPD), networking and the IFPA’s Annual General Meeting.
Whether you are an experienced practitioner, newly qualified therapist or aromatherapy student, this event offers an excellent opportunity to expand your knowledge, hear from internationally respected speakers and keep up to date with developments within the profession.
The AGM will provide members with an opportunity to hear about the work of the IFPA over the past year, participate in member voting and help shape the future direction of the Federation.
Delegates will enjoy four engaging presentations covering a range of specialist aromatherapy topics, together with opportunities to ask questions during the live Q&A sessions.
Attendance at this event qualifies for 6 CPD points, and all delegates will receive a digital Certificate of Attendance following the event.
We’re delighted to welcome four internationally respected speakers to this year’s event:
Aki Yokoyama, IFPA Certified Aromatherapist and Tutor
Aki Yokoyama is an IFPA Certified Aromatherapist and Tutor with a Master’s degree in Sports Health Science. She discovered aromatherapy whilst at university and developed a strong interest in its application for athlete conditioning, performance support, and injury prevention. Throughout her career, she has worked as an aesthetician, therapist, trainer, and educator, combining expertise in health, wellbeing, and sport.
Aki has extensive experience supporting competitive athletes, including her work with the Tokai University Swimming Team, where she accompanied athletes to national championships, university championships, and high-altitude training camps. Her work has incorporated aromatherapy into injury prevention, recovery, conditioning, and mental wellbeing. She has also provided care for athletes competing in swimming, beach volleyball, athletics, judo, and tennis.
Furthering her practical experience with academic research, Aki completed postgraduate research at Juntendo University on the relationship between aromatherapy and the autonomic nervous system. Today, she continues to work as an aromatherapist, trainer, and lecturer, promoting preventative healthcare and self-care through evidence-informed aromatherapy practice. Her professional philosophy is centred on helping people “care before problems arise,” supporting long-term health and wellbeing through proactive intervention.
The International Medical Spa Institute https://www.imsi.co.jp/
Presentation Title: Sports Aromatherapy: Supporting Athletic Performance Through Autonomic Nervous System Regulation and Preventative Care
Presentation Description:
This presentation explores the growing role of aromatherapy within sport and athlete conditioning. Drawing upon both academic research and practical experience working with competitive swimmers and elite athletes, Aki Yokoyama will examine how essential oils may influence autonomic nervous system activity and support physical and mental performance.
The session will present findings from research investigating the effects of lavender and peppermint essential oils on heart rate variability and autonomic nervous system function. It will also demonstrate how aromatherapy can be incorporated into athlete care, including approaches to injury prevention, pain management, self-care, recovery, motivation, and pre-competition preparation.
Using real-world examples from competitive sport, delegates will gain insight into how evidence-informed aromatherapy can be integrated into athlete support programmes and how the profession may continue to evolve as research in sports aromatherapy develops.
Helen Nagle-Smith (MIFPA)
Helen Nagle-Smith is a clinical aromatherapist and massage therapist who has run her own aromatherapy business for two decades. She is an aromatherapy educator and writer, and has written CPD courses and numerous articles for several international aromatherapy journals. In 2020, Helen self-published her first book about unusual oils. Her subsequent books, Working with unusual essential oils, and Aroma, aromatherapy and trauma were published by Singing Dragon in 2024 and 2025. She is the editor for In Essence and is an ICAN fellow and currently co-moderates a specialist interest group on mental health.
Clinical aromatherapist, aromatherapy author, essential oil researcher & tutor.
Presentation Title: Aromatherapy and trauma
Presentation Description:
This session will address what we mean by the term ‘trauma’ and demonstrate its widespread and complex nature. It will explore how it can affect our body, brain, behaviours, emotions and soul. The lecture will encourage participants to think about how we can use this knowledge to shape our services and offerings and work in a more trauma-informed way.
Christine Courtney MIFPA
Christine Courtney is Principal and Founder of OBUS Academy, one of Ireland’s leading training centres for complementary therapies. With over 25 years of experience in Aromatherapy education and clinical practice, she has played a significant role in shaping professional standards within the field, both nationally and internationally.
Christine is proud to serve as the current Chair of the International Federation of Professional Aromatherapists, where she supports the ongoing development and growth of the organisation.
Her work is grounded in a deep respect for traditional approaches, alongside a commitment to integrating emerging research and evolving clinical understanding. As a woman experiencing menopause herself, she brings both professional insight and lived experience to her teaching, with a particular interest in how Aromatherapy can support women through midlife change in a way that is informed, practical and compassionate.
Obus Academy https://obus.ie/
Obus Skin Care https://obusskincare.ie/
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/obuswellness/
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/obus_academy/
Presentation Title: Aromatherapy for Midlife Change: Evolving Traditional Practice with New Knowledge
Presentation Description:
This talk will be structured around how Aromatherapy practice can evolve in response to a growing understanding of women’s health in midlife. It will explore how, as practitioners, we can expand both our clinical awareness and our approach to care.
The session will revisit our use of essential oils. It will consider where traditional choices remain appropriate, and where new knowledge may invite us to broaden our selection, including oils we may not have previously considered in this context.
We will also look at the questions we ask in consultation. By refining how we take a case history and the type of follow-on questions we explore, we can begin to recognise patterns that may point towards a wider hormonal context, rather than viewing symptoms in isolation.
Overall, this is a fresh perspective on women’s health in midlife, informed by emerging research, while remaining grounded in the core principles of Aromatherapy practice.
Inge Westerlinck CNHC, MIFPA, MICAN, MTRA, CMA Practitioner
Inge Westerlinck is an Integrative Medicine Practitioner, Clinical Aromatherapist, educator, and founder of HydroSoul Therapy®, a client-led approach that explores the use of hydrolats to support self-awareness, nervous system regulation, and reconnection with nature through olfactory, gustatory, and biofield pathways.
With over 25 years of clinical experience and more than 45,000 treatments delivered, Inge draws upon aromatherapy, manual lymphatic drainage, craniosacral therapy, somatic awareness, mindfulness, and nature-based approaches to support health and wellbeing.
She is the founder of HydroSoul Therapy® and Director of Linck Academy. Her work explores the intersection of sensory neuroscience, nature connection, fluid communication within the body, and the therapeutic potential of hydrolats. She is also the author of a peer-reviewed article on HydroSoul Therapy®, first published in the International Journal of Professional Holistic Aromatherapy, Volume 14, Issue 4, pp. 33–42.
Website: www.hydrosoultherapy.com
Presentation Title: A Body-Led Approach to Nervous System Regulation Using Hydrolats
Presentation Description:
This session explores how hydrolats can be integrated into a client-led, mindfulness-based aromatherapy framework to support nervous system regulation. Drawing on current understanding of the mind-body connection, sensory neuroscience, and the body as a fluid-based communication system, the presentation will examine how hydrolats may be used through olfactory, gustatory, and biofield pathways to enhance client awareness, self-regulation, and therapeutic engagement.
The session will also explore the role of nature connection in wellbeing, and how hydrolats can act as gentle sensory bridges between the individual and the living world. Practical insights and case-based examples from clinical practice will demonstrate how these approaches may be incorporated into supportive, person-centred care.
Delegates will gain evidence-informed, practitioner-focused approaches that can be readily integrated into their own work with clients experiencing stress, overwhelm, and nervous system dysregulation.
Sports Aromatherapy: Supporting Athletic Performance Through Autonomic Nervous System Regulation and Preventative Care
Aromatherapy and trauma
Aromatherapy for Midlife Change: Evolving Traditional Practice with New Knowledge
Booking
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Event fees are 80% refundable until 4th November 2026. Unfortunately, cancellations received after this date are non-refundable.
Please refer to our full Booking, Cancellation and Refund Policy before completing your booking.
Zoom Access
This is a live online event delivered via Zoom.
Joining instructions and your Zoom access details will be emailed to all registered delegates shortly before the event.
