Become a certified professional aromatherapist and start fulfilling your soul’s calling today.

Whether you’re a nurse, massage therapist, herbalist, energy worker, hospice volunteer, cosmetician, naturopath, aesthetician, yogi, reflexologist, or other CAM practitioner, your profession can benefit from the power of aromatherapy.
Becoming an Essence of Thyme Certified Professional Aromatherapist also provides you with the knowledge to venture into entrepreneurial careers!
After going through the program, many of our graduates have successfully launched their own product line, opened their own retail or wholesale stores, developed their own workshop and course materials, and have become aromatherapy consultants!
Regardless of the path you choose, EOT is behind you 100% of the way.
You know you want to become a certified aromatherapist. Now what?
Choosing the right school to transform your aromatherapy dreams into a reality is a big decision. We started off feeling the same way.
It can be difficult to discern which school truly offers a high-quality recognized curriculum taught by knowledgeable, credible, and experienced instructors. Online learning can also leave you feeling isolated, unmotivated, and unsupported.
If you feel overwhelmed at all of the options out there, you’re not alone!
We’ve taken the guesswork out of making a decision.
Essence of Thyme is a recognized school at the highest levels by multiple professional aromatherapy associations.
Our instructors are international experts with over 40 years of combined experience so you can feel 100% confident in your essential oil training and aromatherapy certification.


You'll be fully supported.
Not only do we offer one-on-one support so you have direct access to our renowned instructors, but you also have an attendance pass to join our monthly live lectures so you can stay motivated and on the cutting edge, learning from experts in the field on topics ranging from hydrosols to plant sustainability to business-building strategies.
And we didn’t stop there!
You also get...
- your own personal mentor as you complete your case studies
- access to our private student forum, led by EOT's expert instructors
- bimonthly office hours for personal advising
- live, interactive online guest lectures and open forums
This is one of the most comprehensive and recognized aromatherapy certifications available today. We’d love for you to be a part of it!

What sets Essence of Thyme apart?

Science-Backed Research
What sets our curriculum apart is that it is built on science-backed research, our vast areas of expertise, and the knowledge of credible academics and industry experts such as Robert Tisserand, Madeleine Kerkhoff, Ann Harman, and Marco Valussi.
Learn by Doing
EOT guides you from the theoretical to the practical application of aromatherapy through completing case studies which you will also learn how to publish. (You may not realize how important this is but it’s an invaluable vehicle to put you on the map as an aromatherapy expert!)
User-Friendly Curriculum (with 24/7 access!)
Our curriculum is highly organized, user-friendly, and created with the utmost attention to detail.
We chose to build our programs on a state-of-the-art online learning management system so you would have the best learning experience.
The material is available 24/7, 365 days per year so no matter where you are and in what part of the world you live, learning how to become a certified aromatherapist is convenient and always accessible.

Qualify for Professional Associations
Upon successful completion of the program, you will have the choice to join Professional Aromatherapy Associations: NAHA (Level 2), AIA (Level 2), the CAOA (Level 2), and IFPA (Full Membership MIFPA).
As a member of these associations, you’ll be recognized as a certified aromatherapist with international credibility, qualify for practitioner insurance, and remain connected to leading experts and breakthroughs in the field through conferences, webinars, and newsletters.





Tanya Violette, Canada
“I always had a passion for Holistic health, and it was important to me to have the proper education on essential oils and how to use them safely. My experience with EOT has been amazing. The communication between instructors and students is phenomenal, by far the best I’ve experienced. The instructors encourage and support questions and comments, and they are compassionate, knowledgeable, informative, and again the communication has always been fantastic. If you’re deciding on which online course to take, I highly recommend this one!”
Here’s what you get when you learn from us.
Regardless of life’s other commitments, our dedicated and inspirational team’s promise is to support your success and to provide you with the skills you need to create a unique path as a highly knowledgeable, sustainably minded, and dynamic professional.


Guidance and Motivation
We take guiding and motivating you on your journey very seriously. Our extremely experienced hands-on team achieves this through personal mentorship, hosting live talks by leading experts in the field, offering bimonthly office hours and monthly open forums, and providing a platform to connect with Essence of Thyme students all over the world. This goes far beyond any other online program on the market.

Updated and Unique Curriculum
Essence of Thyme’s mission is to maintain its gold-standard in aromatherapy education. EOT ensures a comprehensive, self-paced and interactive online curriculum that is updated every six months. Our curriculum is very unique because it incorporates videos and lessons by top experts in the field which have been specially developed just for EOT!

Conservation Consciousness
We're committed to the protection of threatened essential oil-bearing plants and to ethical sourcing of essential oils. EOT has partnered with Airmid Institute and United Plant Savers to provide you with the right tools to protect and heal the same plants that we use for healing.

Perks!
We love to provide you with extra perks to help you stay motivated while learning! Our quarterly quizzes and prizes, special discounted rates on additional EOT expert-led courses, and a significantly reduced rate for LabAroma are just a few of our most popular items.

Our CERTIFIED PROFESSIONAL AROMATHERAPY PROGRAM is an affordable standalone 2-year program consisting of in-depth, organized, current, and a step-by-step curriculum designed to make your learning journey manageable, interesting, and fun!
You will gain experience as a blossoming practitioner and safely make blends for multiple conditions for you, your family, and others using all the common and more recently utilized essential oils, carrier oils, and hydrosols.
Payment Options
Our tuition is displayed in Canadian dollars. Use our currency converter below to calculate your cost.
We welcome students from all over the world. Click here to convert to your currency.

Added Bonus
Once you pass your Professional Level midterm exam with a minimum of 80%, you’ll be rewarded! Nothing makes us happier than to see our students succeed.
EOT will pay $30 CAD toward a first-year student membership to a professional aromatherapy association of your choice! The association must be one that recognizes EOT such as IFPA, AIA, NAHA, and CAOA. This is a unique benefit that is not offered anywhere else. You will have the choice to take us up on it within two months of completing your midterm so that you can maximize your annual membership fees! Joining an association is important as a professional aromatherapist - it gives you credibility, qualifies you for practitioner insurance, and keeps you connected to experts all over the world.
Your Path to Success
The CERTIFIED PROFESSIONAL AROMATHERAPY PROGRAM consists of 14 modules that are broken down into organized and manageable lessons that build upon each other. Each lesson is presented to you one at a time, and when you’ve completed the lesson, the next lesson will be made available to you. How long it takes to complete each lesson is entirely up to you!
Each lesson is taught by Colleen and/or Kelly and is supported with a printable, and when necessary, a video!
Our unique monographs have been designed just for EOT and cover the history, chemistry, botanical description, conservation status, scent note, and therapeutic benefits of each essential oil.
There is a fun quiz at the end of each lesson to prepare you for your exams, and once you’ve unlocked your lesson, it is yours to have over a lifetime!
Let's Get Started!

Marcia Hanssen, Canada
“I researched schools and I could not find a school that exceeded or even matched Essence of Thyme. Essence of Thyme allows for students to work at their own pace, and this was very important to me as a single parent with a full-time job. I was shocked at how extensive the program was, and I felt completely out of my element and over my head, but Colleen and Kelly give you the support and opportunities to succeed in this program. You learn, not only from their expertise, but also from a wide variety of experts in this field of study. This course will exceed your expectations!”
Professional Level Program Outline
This program has been developed from recognized credible resources in the field, evidence-based research, and the personal experience of your instructors.
MODULE 1
MODULE 2
MODULE 3
MODULE 4
MODULE 5
MODULE 6
MODULE 7
MODULE 8
MODULE 9
MODULE 10
MODULE 11
MODULE 12
MODULE 13
MODULE 14

Cindy Craig, Canada
“I began searching for schools and after a lot of research decided on Essence of Thyme College of Holistic Studies and I am so glad that I did! I wanted to learn how to use the oils properly for myself, my family and friends. Colleen is an amazing and attentive instructor and now she has joined forces with Kelly. The two of them are incredibly knowledgeable and have a lot to offer. I highly recommend this course for anyone looking to pursue a career in aromatherapy, or like me, to learn everything they can about those magical little bottles of essential oils.”
Get started on your
aromatic journey today!
Did you ever stop to think about what your life would look like in a year... in 5 years... if you didn’t pursue your dream of becoming a certified aromatherapist?
In the time you spend dreaming about becoming one,
you can turn that dream into a reality.
Have you ever heard that saying, “Life is what happens when you're busy making plans?” It’s easy to get caught up in just plugging into your day to day routine and keeping your heart’s desires locked away only to remain in the “hope” stage.
You might even find yourself falling back on reasons not to bloom and continuing making decisions that don’t feed your true passion because of self-doubt or overwhelm.
You deserve so much more than that.
And frankly, the world needs your unique gifts and talents that only you can bring to the wellness field.
That may be hard to believe at this point in the game, but trust us, it’s true!
I'm ready to bloom!Meet Your Instructors
You'll have hands-on support from Founders Colleen & Kelly.

Colleen Thompson, RA, MIFPA
FOUNDER
After 20 years in the field of banking, Colleen was completely transformed by the pain-relieving effect essential oils had on her chronic migraines.
Since that “aromatic” moment in 1995, she began her journey in the field of Aromatherapy and has been a Registered Aromatherapist since 1997.
She incorporated her business, Essence of Thyme Ltd., in 1995, and over the course of 12 years owned three aromatherapy stores and a holistic spa. In 2012, she completed the development of her Aromatherapy Certification Program which is offered through Essence of Thyme College of Holistic Studies.
Colleen’s practical experience of owning and operating aromatherapy stores, creating blends for the stores, as well as providing aromatherapy courses and workshops and various aromatherapy massages and complementary treatments is reflected in the program.

Kelly Ablard, PhD, RA, MIFPA
CO-PRINCIPAL
Kelly stumbled upon essential oils early on in life and was amazed by their beautiful fragrances and healing benefits. But it wasn’t until years later when she was working on her doctorate degree in biology in 2007 that Kelly was inspired to become a registered aromatherapist. It was then that she witnessed the astonishing connection between essential oil compounds and their use in communication by many species on the planet.
As a Conservation Aromatherapist™, this knowledge continues to help her protect threatened animal and essential oil-bearing plant species, which in addition to aromatherapy, is one of Kelly’s key areas of expertise.
Kelly is a certified and registered aromatherapist and holds a PhD in Biology and an MSc in Conservation. She currently conducts research in Peru on the Endangered rosewood (Aniba rosaeodora) tree. Please click here for her CV.
Join the hundreds of international EOT graduates who are committed to bringing the Gold Standard of professional aromatherapy into the world.
As a graduate of Essence of Thyme, you can embark on your career knowing that you have received the Gold Standard of aromatherapy education.
You can hold your head high and feel accomplished when stepping into the field of aromatherapy because EOT guarantees to provide you with the tools to do so on solid ground and in alignment with leaders of the industry.
EOT’s strong community and recognition by professional aromatherapy associations will give you a sense of belonging, new friends, part of a dynamic movement that you can easily grow with, and many opportunities to make a difference in the field and in the world!

Deena Peters
EOT Graduate

Kirstin Tomas
EOT Graduate

Angie Kennedy
EOT Graduate

Grace-Anne Post
EOT Graduate

Mary Monteiro
EOT Graduate

Johanne Trudel-Dekam
EOT Graduate

Theresa Edwards
EOT Graduate

Melissa Allen
EOT Graduate
Lifetime access... and more
EOT also loves to provide professional aromatherapy graduates with extra perks to keep them focused and engaged! Graduates have lifetime access to ever-evolving course material. And, we extend special discounted rates on additional EOT expert-led courses, work collaboratively on research projects and publications, and extend the significantly reduced rate for LabAroma for the duration of the program.
Sign Me Up!Frequently Asked Questions
How long does the program typically take to complete?
Are some of the same essential oils profiles covered in both programs?
How are the exams laid out?
What books are recommended for each program?
Will I receive any support throughout the program?
Does the cost include an essential oil starter kit?
Do you have a payment plan?
What payment methods do you accept?
What is your refund policy?
Do I have lifetime access to the curriculum?
In addition to laptops and desktops, is the online course compatible with iPhones, Android devices, and tablets?
Do you get a discount if you sign up for the Professional Certified and Certified Master Aromatherapy programs simultaneously?
What if it takes longer than 2 years to complete the program?
What are Colleen and Kelly’s qualifications?

Karina Langevin,
Canada
“Bonuses of being a student are: there is someone available to help out with ANY questions, tutoring options and the monthly lectures are a bonus to gain extra knowledge in the Aromatherapy field.”

Marina Khoury,
Canada
“After several searches and contacts with other schools, which did not convince me at all (lack of rigor and credibility), EOT was the one that won me over with its personalized, honest and very professional approach led by Colleen and Kelly. ”

Margaret MacLellan,
Canada
“I am very pleased with my decision to attend Essence of Thyme College of Holistic Studies and look forward to being able to continue to learn and help others through the safe and effective use of essential oils and aromatherapy."