EXPLORE NAHA'S HISTORY

THE STORY OF NAHA’S BEGINNING

The founding members of The National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy (NAHA) came together in 1990 in Boulder, Colorado, during a 10-month correspondence course with the London School of Aromatherapy. Patricia Davis, well-known author of Aromatherapy A-Z and Subtle Aromatherapy, was the originator of the course. Ann Berwick, who had just moved to Boulder, had been a graduate and long-standing tutor for Patricia's course in England, and arranged to sponsor training in Boulder as the local Principal Tutor. Ann reviewed and graded homework and was available for endless questions. Patricia came to Boulder three times during the training to provide its practical component, including the full body aromatherapy massage component in the tradition of Marguerite Maury; an extensive blending workshop for therapeutics and aesthetics; consultation and documentation skills; specialized body treatments; and an oral and practical exam of the aromatherapy massage.

At the completion of the course, the students and Ann committed to developing an association of aromatherapy students, practitioners, and lay public members interested in promoting high standards in aromatherapy education and supporting the uses of aromatherapy in daily life. At that time, the American Aromatherapy Association (AATA) had just sponsored a highly successful aromatherapy convention in Santa Monica, CA. Since the AATA membership was largely based in California, they aspired to create local energy and support for aromatherapy in the Rocky Mountains.

CHOOSING THE NAME

They discussed whether the name of the association should reflect their area of the country. They seriously considered Rocky Mountain Aromatherapy Association and ultimately decided on The National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy, with the idea that other parts of the country would develop their own regional support/networking meetings, and educate their respective medical community, therapists, and lay public communities in the safe uses of the oils.

BUILDING THE FOUNDATION

For the most part, they met as a group for three hours weekly at Dawn's house and somehow succeeded in staying regular with their meetings. They assigned each other tasks to do; e.g., registering the name (Debra Bowley); having a logo designed (Elaine Jackson); collecting and writing newsletter material (Ann Berwick); coordinating advertising (Mary Jane Dixon); gathering a mailing list (Laraine Pounds). They bartered aromatherapy massage and blended products to the graphic artist and to a consulting attorney (both friends of Elaine). This was definitely grassroots!

With delight, the founding members invited well-known aromatherapist leaders in the field to serve on the steering committee. The original steering committee was made up of Robert Tisserand, Patricia Davis, John Steele, and Shirley Price.

GROWING THE ASSOCIATION

Ann Berwick generally facilitated the meetings and was later voted in as Founding President, ultimately becoming editor of the newsletter, Scensitivity, with her teenage son helping with layout design and computer input from his dorm room. Collectively, they agreed on what the newsletter would cover, such as the calendar of events, new products, book reviews, and feature articles on a particular oil or case study.

As the members of the Boulder core-founding group became involved in establishing personal businesses, maintaining their livelihoods, having babies, and so on, the base of support for the association dwindled. Ann took over answering most of the mail when the secretary bowed out. Laraine helped with advertising when Mary Jane phased out, and so on. Jeanne Rose became a great help maintaining energy and enthusiasm. She also funded NAHAʼs first conference herself, which helped keep the association going. Laraine eventually took over the responsibility for association correspondence (generally Sunday afternoons), which ultimately became too demanding.

Founding Members

ANN BERWICK

Ann had been studying, practicing and teaching aromatherapy for 13 years. She studied aromatherapy with Shirley Price at her school and Patricia Davis at the London School of Aromatherapy (LSA) and taught there part-time for six years. She was an early member of the International Federation of Aromatherapists in London. She managed her own skin care and alternative therapy clinic in England before returning to her native US in 1989.

At that time, Ann sold essential oils under the name Quintessence Aromatherapy Inc. and sponsored the LSA Correspondence Course. In 1991 she began teaching her own Quintessence Aromatherapy correspondence course. Her book Holistic Aromatherapy was published in 1994.

She had a baby soon after the London School of Aromatherapy training ended and decided to step away to care for her family and develop her career. She had a long career as a Spa Therapist and Educator. She created a treatment menu and aromatherapy product line for Essentials Spa in Boulder, Colorado for 7 years, and subsequently was a Manager for the French aromatherapy skin care line Clarins, Lead Therapist, Director of Training, Spa Supervisor and Assistant Manager in Destination Spas in Colorado Mountain resorts.

She also co-created the Associate Degree Spa Therapy program at Boulder and created and taught classes in aromatherapy and spa therapies there for 6 years. Ann is now retired and enjoying life with her husband and family in New Mexico.

ELAINE JACKSON

Elaine Jackson, secretary, came into the world of aromatherapy through her love of wild photography. She had a business making candles with wild photography and silk screening T-shirts with multicolored pictures of Colorado wild photography. She wanted to locate and sell pure quality essential oils.

She expressed her frustration about ordering essential oils in bulk quantities and not receiving the same oils as the sample that had been sent in advance. She gave up the project, realizing how difficult it would be to ensure purity without considerable cost. Elaine had an art/massage studio adjacent to her wildflower business and had a large following of loyal clients. As far as is known, she and Doug still have their wildflower business, Rocky Mountain Wild Photography, which includes mail-order sales of their Rocky Mountain wild photography and candles, bookmarks, and framed wildflower collages with pressed or dried wildflowers.

MARY JANE DIXON

Mary Jane Dixon, advertising and research officer, had previously worked as a medical technologist, performing laboratory testing in hospitals and clinics, and had also spent ten years in sales and marketing for two medical companies.

Mary Jane had studied aromatherapy with Judith Jackson and was not a London School of Aromatherapy graduate. Mary Jane was especially interested in promoting education and clinical aromatherapy at her Aromatherapy Scenter - a day spa/massage studio with retail sales of Judith Jackson Aromatherapy products, primarily. After several years Mary Jane closed the studio and accepted a position in Alaska. She now resides in Memphis, Tennessee, and is working in a forensic laboratory, which she enjoys.

DAWN SINGER-KREST

Dawn Singer-Krest was a highly skilled certified massage therapist before her involvement in aromatherapy. She was a certified infant massage instructor and had worked for ten years in a Chiropractic clinic and at the Colorado Back School.

Dawn continued to develop her massage practice with the integration of essential oils until she was seriously injured in an automobile accident, which resulted in a major spinal injury. While restricted to her wheelchair, Dawn studied cranial/sacral massage, which she could provide from her wheelchair. She experienced many life changes as a result of the accident and is not directly involved in aromatherapy at this time.

LARAINE KYLE (POUNDS)

Laraine Kyle (Pounds) was the exclusive distributor of a premier line of Japanese incense from 1986 to 1989, selling wholesale and retail nationwide under the name White Cloud Incense, when John Steele of the American Aromatherapy Association reintroduced her to essential oils. He called to ask her to write an article for AATA's journal, as many people did not know about incense as aromatherapy. She sent John a video about Koh-Do, the Japanese incense ceremony, and they traded Japanese incense for essential oils. When she received John's sample of about ten essential oils, she knew she wanted to work them into healing and reconnect to her nursing career. She met Ann Berwick soon after by auspicious coincidence and enrolled in the London School of Aromatherapy course, and the rest is history. She closed her incense company, though her incense supplier, Shoyeido Incense Co., continues to distribute incense from a US branch in Boulder.

Laraine had a clinical nursing background when she entered the world of aromatherapy in a serious way, working as a Psychiatric Clinical Nurse specialist and Certified Massage Therapist. She graduated from the London School of Aromatherapy course and she continued to work as a psychiatric nurse clinician and educator in a variety of settings.

As an Aromatherapy educator, she graduated nine students from a basic aromatherapy course of study, consulted with nursing homes on aromatherapy for Alzheimer's and operated a mail order aromatherapy business, Resources for Living Well, featuring Shirley Price aromatherapy products.

She has had some success in promoting the acceptance of aromatherapy as a palliative intervention on a med-surg unit at Boulder Community Hospital and facilitates periodic "quality of life" discussion groups with simple blending experiences with body lotion and bath gel as carriers. Laraine teaches an aromatherapy certificate course, aromatherapy massage and skin care and specializes in aromatherapy for hospice.

NAHA Presidents

• ANN BERWICK - 1st NAHA President
• JEANNE ROSE - 2nd NAHA President
• JADE SHUTES - 3rd & 7th NAHA President
• CHERYL HOARD - 4th NAHA President
• MICHELE MILLER - 5th NAHA President
• KELLY HOLLAND AZZARO - 6th NAHA President

Historical Aromatherapy Companies & Founders

Aromatherapy Associations & Institutions

Aromatherapy 1990 - Santa Monica, CA, USA

"The Largest Gathering in the History of Aromatherapy with 1,000 attendees. Aromatherapy 1990 was the Third Annual Convention and Trade Show of the American Aromatherapy Association (AATA). It took place in Santa Monica, California, and served as a major turning point in the history of holistic healing in the United States. The event was a massive success and proved that essential oils and botanical wellness were gaining popularity. Because this California convention was so successful, local wellness leaders wanted to create similar regional support groups. This desire directly led to the founding of the National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy. The 1990s were also the time when aromatherapy generally expanded to urban centers in the English-speaking world. Along the trails of the old Empire, aromatherapy moved from London to places like Los Angeles, Toronto, Singapore, and Sydney" (Michael Scholes, 2026).