The Barefoot Dragonfly

Research Hacks Every Wellness Practitioner Should Know
2020-08-10 11:00 - 12:00 (America/Chicago) | Online Event
Do you ever feel like you’re looking for a needle in a haystack when trying to find research relevant to your profession? Are you tired of the click-bait headlines offering no real data on new research conducted in your area of expertise? Join me for a lunch-and-learn webinar tutorial that takes you beyond opinion news and puts research at your fingertips!
Registrants will be sent a link to join the webinar through Zoom online. If you cannot attend the event register to receive a follow-up email with the recording and handout PDF.
Please note, this webinar is open to wellness practitioners. Those who will especially benefit from examples will be in bodywork and botanical medicine fields but the webinar is open to other wellness professions.

Introduction to Aromatic Therapies
2020-10-19 09:00 - 2020-12-07 10:00 (America/Chicago) | Online Event
Aromatherapy is the art and science of using essential oils, hydrosols, and aromatic extracts to restore or maintain wellness of mind, body, and spirit. This course is designed to give students a foundation in the holistic and therapeutic modality of aromatherapy. Introduction to Aromatic Therapies does not require a prerequisite and is recommended for those considering a career path in aromatic therapies as well as those interested in expanding their general education for home and personal use.
This course starts Monday, October 19th and runs for eight weeks online, ending on December 7th 2020. Lessons are presented weekly using recorded lecture, PDF handouts, and resource links.
Required Text for Module One: Authentic Aromatherapy: Essential Oils and Blends for Health, Beauty, and Home by Sharon Falsetto, ISBN 978-1510706484.
Course Outline:

Ancient Origins of Aromatherapy – the rich history of aromatic botanicals spans thousands of years. This lesson’s activity has participants using a recipe originating from the times of plague in France.
Modern Aromatherapy Origins – starting with the renaissance of aromatherapy in the 1900s through to today’s practice of this modality.
Types of Aromatics – essential oils, absolutes, hydrosols, CO2 extracts, oh my! This lesson explores different kinds of aromatic plant extractions and how they’re produced.
Quality, Purity, and Ethics in Sourcing – essential oils are not immune to overharvesting, adulateration, and improper handling techniques. This lesson explores some of the most common challenges in this area.
Routes of Absorption – essential oils can be applied to the skin, inhaled, or taken internally. This lesson looks at these different routes of absorption.
Cautions, Contraindications, and Safety Considerations – an overview of photoxicity, condition and medication interactions, and other safety issues including special populations like very ill and frail, pregnancy, and pediatrics.
The Aromatic Monograph – an in-depth look at profiles of aromatics and how to create your own.
The Aromatic Monograph Continued – continuation of writing an essential oil profile.

Introduction to Aromatherapy for Reflexologists
2020-10-23 09:00 - 2020-10-24 17:00 (America/Chicago) | The Barefoot Dragonfly, 7601 Pheasant Rock Road, Austin, TX, 78729, United States
In this 16-hour hands-on class students will explore the art of aromatic therapies and their role in the Reflexology practice.

Students will formulate antimicrobial sprays for sanitation and cleanliness in the treatment room.
Students will formulate room diffuser and topical formulations to enhance Reflexology sessions.
Students will develop aromatic wellness plans for common complaints seen in the Reflexology practice.

Classes are held at The Barefoot Dragonfly studio on Friday and Saturday, October 23rd and 24th, from 9am-5pm.
This introductory course does not qualify a practitioner in aromatherapy, students will explore and discuss the requirements to practice as an aromatherapist should they wish to further their education.
Prerequisite: a minimum of 20 hours of Reflexology studies.
A special notice to those studying aromatherapy. If you are taking both certifications with The Barefoot Dragonfly you will not need to attend this live course as you’ll receive a more thorough training in these areas in the 200-Hour Aromatherapy Certificate Course. If you are studying elsewhere you will need to prove core competencies in these areas and have proof of hands-on formulation training as part of your course to receive credit and skip this class. Please note, this isn’t a class on non-GMP formulations such as adding tea tree essential oil to a spritz bottle of water and wiping down your equipment.

Business Planning
2021-09-08 09:00 - 13:00 (America/Chicago) | Online Event
In this four-hour live class held via videoconference students explore setting up a practice. It is recommended to get a copy of Cherie Sohnen-Moe’s Business Mastery: A Guide for Creating a Fulfilling, Thriving Business and Keeping it Successful.
Topics explore to include:

Business and Professional Development Plan
Bookkeeping and Accounting
Insurance and Association Memberships
Fee Schedules
Ethics and Confidentiality
Best Practice Standards

The Fall 2021 Business Planning Class is scheduled for Wednesday, September 1st, 9am-1pm via Zoom

Holistic Health Consulting & Creating a Wellness Plan
2021-09-15 09:00 - 2021-09-22 13:00 (America/Chicago) | Online Event
Reflexologists and aromatherapists provide holistic services that address the unique needs of their individual clients. In this two-part, 8-hour live videoconference class Amy Kreydin presents an approach to consulting and developing wellness plans from a whole-client perspective – mind, body, and spirit. In part one, participants will explore constitutional theories related to Ayurveda, Traditional Chinese Medicine, and Ancient Greek Medicine to gather the big picture of their client. In part two, participants will work on drafting wellness plans that nurture that client’s individual strengths and weaknesses.
This course is offered as two, 4-hour Zoom videoconference classes held live on Wednesday, September 8th, 9am-1pm, and Wednesday, September 15th, 9am-1pm. Prerequisites are advanced reflexology and/or aromatherapy students with a minimum of 50 hours of study, or graduates of a professional reflexology or aromatherapy course with a minimum of 200 hours of study. This is not a substitute for a health coach type of course. It is intended to supplement and enhance the skills of healing arts practitioners in these two areas of study. Recordings of the live classes will be uploaded for review – attendance on the live dates is mandatory to receive credit towards the aromatherapy and reflexology courses offered by The Barefoot Dragonfly.

Art of Aromatherapy! at the Dougherty Arts Center
2022-08-31 19:00 - 21:00 (America/Chicago) | Dougherty Arts Center, 1110 Barton Springs Road, Austin, TX, 78704, United States
The City of Austin has invited me to give a presentation on aromatherapy at the Dougherty Arts Center downtown. The event, Date Night @ DAC: Art of Aromatherapy!, is free, registration is encouraged.
Participants will explore the art and science of aromatherapy, and then create an aromatherapy necklace to take home.
Find out more, and reserve your place on their Eventbrite page.

Holistic Foot Care Workshop
2023-06-24 10:00 - 15:00 (America/Chicago) | The Barefoot Dragonfly, 7601 Pheasant Rock Road, Austin, TX, 78729, United States
In this workshop we’re letting our feet tell us how to better care for them. Our feet are constantly communicating with the brain via specialized nerve receptors. When something is amiss we can suffer from pain, discomfort, changes in joints and tendons, as well as funky skin and nail issues.
As a reflexologist of nearly two decades let me help you create a better relationship with your feet! We’ll work together to listen to the messages the feet are trying to communicate through movement, pain, tension, and skin. Then we’ll practice with stretches and formulations that can help address some of these challenges.
We’ll cover:

Foot Type – are you a slope, a square, a mountain, or a plateau?
Gait and Stance – what stories can your feet tell you about how you walk and how you stand and sit?
Footwear – are your shoes moving with you or against you?
Foot Gym – what are the best stretches for your feet?
Foot Spa – using nature’s own botanicals we’ll formulate bespoke remedies for soothing, nurturing, and thanking our hard-working feet.

Walk away feeling inspired and your feet feeling nourished!
What: Holistic Foot Care Workshop
When: Saturday, June 24th, 10am-3pm (bring a sack lunch)
Where: The Barefoot Dragonfly studio at 7601 Pheasant Rock, Austin, TX 78729
Registration: $85.00
Why: Your feet are one of your most precious assets, take care of them and they’ll take care of you!

Foot and Hand Spa - Apothecary Session
2023-11-11 10:00 - 14:00 (America/Chicago) | The Barefoot Dragonfly, 7601 Pheasant Rock Road, Austin, TX, 78729, United States
Give your feet and hands some much-deserving rest and rejuvenation in this four-hour workshop featuring aromatherapy, herbalism, reflexology, and hydrotherapy.
For the hands we’ll explore:

Nail serums to hydrate and strengthen cuticles
Aromatic soy wax heat therapy for repetitive use strain, arthritic joints, and to lock in moisture
Self-care reflexology techniques

For the feet we’ll explore:

Natural scrubs to exfoliate and rejuvenate
Herbal foot soaks to soothe tired, achey feet
Balm to nourish and bring ease for a nightly self-care reflexology routine

You’ll make bespoke nail serum, foot tea, and balm to take home using available supplies on hand. Bring your hands and feet as they are – no need for pedis and manis the day before!
Class fee is $85 and includes all aromatics, botanicals, and raw ingredients used in the studio. Participants will take home bespoke formulations crafted to their individual needs. No prior experience is necessary to attend though wellness practitioners are welcome to attend. Space is limited to eight (8) participants to ensure a quality educational experience for all. Please note: cancellation notice
Please note: cancellation notices must be given 7 days in advance to receive a full refund for this class. In the event of class cancellation all participants will receive a full refund within thirty (30) days of cancellation.

Reflexology & Essential Oils for Anxiety and Depression - LONDON
2024-09-28 10:00 - 2024-09-29 17:00 (Europe/London) | Prideaux House, 10 Church Crescent, London, E9 7DL, United Kingdom
Enhance your therapeutic toolkit with a hands-on workshop bringing together the powerful practices of reflexology and aromatherapy to help manage anxiety and depression. Anxiety disorders affect over 8 million people in the UK (Mental Health UK), and about 280 million people worldwide struggle with depression (WHO). The need for effective, whole-person treatment approaches has never been greater.
When combining reflexology and essential oil therapy, we amplify the benefits of each modality, providing a deeply powerful and comprehensive approach to supporting our clients. Direct inhalation of essential oils quickly transmits these chemical messengers from the olfactory bulb to the regions of the brain that play a key role in emotional responses, learning, memory, and social interaction (Arisi et al 2012). Reflexology’s targeted pressure techniques send waves of relaxation and comfort throughout the nervous system. Together, these therapies create a synergistic effect, offering greater relief and support than when used individually.
In this supportive workshop, you’ll gain advanced skills and knowledge to support your clients’ mental health and emotional well-being. Through detailed instruction and hands-on training, you’ll learn how to effectively combine these modalities in your professional practice, making a real difference in the lives of those you care for.
Who should attend?

Reflexologists, and massage therapists seeking to expand their skill set and confidence in holistic mental health.
Mental health professionals looking to integrate somatic therapies into their practice.
Phytotherapy practitioners wanting to enhance care plans with pressure point techniques and fast-acting aromatics.

Learning Outcomes
By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:

Identify the common symptoms and causes of anxiety and depression.
Recognize the physiological and psychological effects of mood disorders on the body and mind.
Explain the physiological effects of reflexology and essential oil therapy.
Create a personalized treatment plan using reflexology and aromatherapy to address specific symptoms of anxiety and/or depression.
Formulate a bespoke personal inhaler based on the treatment plan.
Educate clients on the benefits of combined reflexology and essential oils for mental wellness.
Provide self-care recommendations for clients to use at home.
Ensure safety through identification of contraindications and safety precautions when working with concentrated plant aromatics.

About Amy
Amy Kreydin, Board Certified Reflexologist and Clinical Aromatherapist, has been in private practice since 2004. Kreydin received her certificate as a Certified Reflexologist from the Palmer Institute in Salem, MA in 2004, and was awarded her board certificate in Reflexology from the American Reflexology Certification Board in 2006. She trained at a Harvard teaching hospital in Boston, MA and obtained her Certified Clinical Aromatherapy Practitioner (CCAP) in 2011. In 2016 she completed her advanced diploma in Aromatic Medicine. Since 2022 Amy has run a weekly group in a psychiatric and behavioral hospital working with a range of mood disorders and ages, in her ‘aromatherapy group’ patients use a combination of self-care reflexology techniques and direct inhalation of essential oils. Kreydin is passionate about whole body wellness and loves helping folks reach their wellness goals to live an abundant, vibrant, and balanced life.
Course Cost:
$100.00 deposit with balance of £260.00 due on the day.

Aromatic Breast Care - Apothecary Session
2025-04-30 13:00 - 17:00 (America/Chicago) | The Barefoot Dragonfly, 7601 Pheasant Rock Road, Austin, TX, 78729, United States
In this hands-on apothecary session participants will explore using aromatic botanicals for breast wellness. We’ll delve into the energetics of the 4th (Heart) Chakra, lymphatics, breast health and dis-ease patterns, and an apothecary of resources to support breast health.
Participants will:
*Explore the energetics of the Heart Chakra in the Ayurvedic tradition;
*Discuss breast health and dis-ease including cysts, inflammation, cancer, cycle-related pain, mastitis, surgery, and lactation;
*Familiarize themselves with key ingredients including essential oils, plant lipids, hydrosols, and CO2 extracts;
*Participate in an aromatic plant distillation to create a hydrosol for take-home use;
*Design a bespoke breast health take-home kit.
Class fee is $85 and includes access to an apothecary of aromatics, botanicals, and raw ingredients used in the classroom. Participants will take home a bespoke breast oil formulated for their unique health goals and some hydrosol we distill together. No prior experience is necessary to attend. Space is limited to eight (8) participants to ensure a quality educational experience for all.
Please note: due to small class size, cancellations must be given seven (7) days in advance to receive a refund. In the event of class cancellation all participants will receive a full refund within fourteen (14) days of cancellation.

Autumn Equinox Apothecary Session
2025-09-22 09:00 - 12:00 (America/Chicago) | The Barefoot Dragonfly, 7601 Pheasant Rock Road, Austin, TX, 78729, United States
Fall is all about celebrating the harvest, storing up the goodness from the sunshine summer days, releasing physical and emotional baggage, and bringing a sense of balance to our inner and outer worlds. In this Apothecary Session we’ll look to caring for our Lungs, Large Intestine, Skin, and the Chinese element of Metal.

What You’ll Learn:

Living with the season: On the autumnal equinox, occurring September 22nd this year, day and night are equal in length everywhere on the planet. The sun rises precisely in the east, arcs through the sky for 12 hours, and sets exactly in the west, giving us 12 hours of darkness. This is the start of a 6-month period when yin and darkness expand, peaking at the winter solstice in December, and then contracting until they equalize once again at the spring equinox.
Oxymels: Food as medicine, in which we combine honey, apple cider vinegar, and herbs to make oxymels. These tangy, sweet concoctions are known for their medicinal benefits and versatile uses in cooking and wellness routines.
Aromastick: Personal aromatherapy inhalers are designed to bring aromatic plant extracts right to the nose, and occasionally the mouth, in an accessible way. About the size of a chapstick container, they’re very portable, and discrete to use.

Body oil: Nourish the skin after a summer of intense heat and ultraviolet light exposure with a bespoke body oil. The skin is the largest organ of the body, it protects, regulates temperature, defends against pathogens, as well as expressing mood and personality.
Botanicals: Gain insights into some of my favorite plants for this season, such as — eucalyptus to deepen the breath, ginger to warm the digestive tract, bacopa to aid in brain function as we sort memories, and native jojoba to protect and nourish the skin.
Hands-On Creation: You’ll have the opportunity to select from a variety of ingredients, crafting blends that suit your personal tastes and needs. Together we’ll create an oxymel, aromastick, and body oil.

Workshop Details:

Date and Time: Monday, September 22nd, 9am to 12pm noon
Location: The Barefoot Dragonfly LLC, 7601 Pheasant Rock Road, Austin, TX
Duration: 3 hours
Cost: $65.00
Materials Provided: All ingredients, jars, labels, and instructional handouts
What to Bring: A notebook if you’d like to jot down notes or additional recipes

Join us for this engaging and educational session, and leave with a newfound appreciation for the ancient craft of herbal preparations, along with your own handcrafted products.
Register Now to secure your spot, space is limited to eight (8) participants: https://l.bttr.to/9V0G2
Please note: due to small class size, cancellations must be given seven (7) days in advance to receive a refund. In the event of class cancellation all participants will receive a full refund within fourteen (14) days of cancellation.

Medicine Making and Food Handling:
This session involves handling and preparing ingredients the community will be consuming. We will be practicing hygiene, surface disinfection, equipment sanitization, and clean air practices together (UVC sterilizing lights and HEPA filters will be in use). The following PPE will be made available for all participants but you are always welcome to bring your own:

🖐️ Nitrile and vinyl gloves in medium adult size
👩‍🍳 Smocks and aprons as well as a selection of caps, hair nets, and hair bands
🦠 EPA-registered disinfectants including thymol plant-based, and vinegar-salt-water based hypochlorous acid

Thanks for helping make this a fun and safe activity for all!
