The Ulla-Maija Grace’s method for wellbeing was inspired by the wonder of and respect for Life.
Life long interest in wellbeing and natural health has led Ulla-Maija Grace from the apron folds of her Karelian grandmother to learn from English and French masters and then to share her knowledge through teaching and the wellness products of Aromatica. The work and studying is continuing as the road to understanding the whole that is involved in human wellbeing is life long.
The roots in the interest in natural wellbeing and working with hands reach far into Ulla-Maija Grace’s childhood. Grandmother Anna that Grace greatly admired and respected was a masseur, blood letter, a lay midwife and she also prepared people for their last journey. From her mother she learned the basics of using herbs and berries for keeping healthy.
At the age of 20 Grace moved to England to study English where in the early 70’s the interest in natural health was increasing. She spent her free time in bookstores that specialized in natural health. That is where she made her first contact with aromatherapy.
While working as a bookkeeper she studied the many approaches and philosophies of natural health and the dream of a profession in the use of essential oils for health and wellbeing lived in her mind. As a young mother she put into practice the teachings of her grandmother, mother and much that she had learned in the literature and yoga.
The First Product from Her Own Herb Garden
At the end of 1970’s Grace moved with her family to Finland for a few years. The new home in the country made it easy to grow clean and pure materials for keeping her children and family healthy. Grace’s cough tinctures and eardrops were a success also among the other mothers.
Once the family moved back to England the road to aromatherapy opened for Grace at The London School of Aromatherapy. Having studied the basic and advanced aromatherapy courses there she received further two year training form the team Franchomme and Penoel, L’institute des Sciences Biomedicales, in the French Style aromatherapy.
Combining the two different approaches in the use of essential oils became the leading guideline in the thoughts and work of Ulla-Maija Grace. The English style aromatherapy bases the use of essential oils in the holistic understanding of human life. The French style on the other hand is based on the knowledge of the chemical composition of each essential oil and its use on the effect of the body systems. The sense of smell is an integral part of both of these approaches.
Aromatherapist and Teacher
Ulla-Maija Grace started her career as an aromatherapist in 1985 by setting up a clinic in the garden room of her home. Studies in yoga deepened her understanding of the body-mind balance and gave depth to use of the essential oils. She qualified as a yoga teacher in 1991.
The synergy of the English and French use of the essential oils combined with methods of massage that she had developed herself became very popular. Clients booked their treatments for months in advance.
The new method was greeted with interest. Grace was asked to teach her method in England and Finland. She founded her Aromatherapy Center in England where she taught the UMG-Method that integrated her special massage technique, the use of essential oils and guided self care. She became a member of the International Federation of Aromatherapists (IFA) teacher register in 1991 and the Japanese Yamano Beauty & Wellness team of tutors in 2000. Grace is proud to be one of the old practitioners in the holistic aromatherapy and sees herself as an international pioneer in it. Her IFA principal tutor number is P/0048 and the IFA membership number 129, the membership numbers now runs in thousands.
Aromatica Oy Spread Aromatherapy into Finland
Grace returned to Finland in 1993 and brought with her her life’s work, UMG-method that is based on aromatherapy. She founded her company Aromatica Oy and started to teach and offer aromatherapy treatments at a time when aromatherapy was not known in Finland. Over the years she has taught hundreds of Finnish health care and wellness professionals. Grace also developed a range of treatment products for professional and self care. As the first clients she had in Finland all suffered from pain from different causes, the first self care product she developed was one to relieve pains. It was named ”Kolotusöljy”– an oil for aches and pains. It is still one of the most popular self care products in the vast range. The second product that was developed very soon after is the ever needed Cellulite treatment oil which has been one of the tree top products from the onset.
Grace has also published books on aromatherapy. Aromatherapy for Practitioners was originally published in England 1996 by D.W. Daniels, and has been translated into Finnish and Spanish. Grace has also written two books in Finnish: the User Guide into Essential Oils, and the Wellness book in 2010.
Being Well is Everyone’s Right
The UMG-method and products are the result of Ulla-Maija Grace’s work and study over many decades. Her treatments and products integrate the inherited knowledge and the modern scientific research, intuitive understanding and the chemistry of the essential oils.
The guiding value for Grace is respect for nature and man. Important is that caring for and treating people starts from understanding that we all are individuals and special and that we all hold the same worth and light.
To fathom the complexity of the holistic depths of wellbeing is a long process.
– I hope that we all one day understand that each one of us holds the key to our own personal health and wellbeing. Being well is every one’s right, but one has to work for it. Wellbeing is born from all the nourishment that one gives oneself; physical, social, cultural, emotional and spiritual says Grace.
Grace continues her work as the Director of Aromatica teaching health care professionals and developing new products and treatments.
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