GAINING QUALIFICATIONS WITH THE HOLISTIC COOKING SCHOOL THREE YEAR TRAINING COURSE

The Macrobiotic Association has completed setting training standards for the Macrobiotic Advisor and Macrobiotic Cook qualifications, and is in the process of preparing standards for the other three qualifications, hopefully by the end of  2008. We can therefore give a good idea of the qualifications we expect our courses to prepare students for.

Our three year training course is for students to qualify as a Macrobiotic Counsellor. It is expected that our students will be able to gain various qualifications accredited by the Macrobiotic Association during this training.

After completing the first and second years, students will have covered all requirements for the qualifications for Macrobiotic Advisor and Macrobiotic Cook. This means that students reaching this stage will be able to start building a career giving general macrobiotic and health advice and working as a macrobiotic cook if they choose to.

After completing the third year course students are expected to have covered the requirements for the qualifications of Macrobiotic Healing Cook and Macrobiotic Counsellor, enabling them to begin working in these two healing arts.

We feel that Macrobiotic Catering is a more specialised qualification needing particular training, and will not be including training in this as part of our three year course. Students who want to become a Macrobiotic Caterer can take the first two years of our course and then take a further course in this speciality. The Holistic Cooking School may put on a course in Macrobiotic Catering in the future, or this may be taken elsewhere at another macrobiotic training centre.

The Macrobiotic Association Practitioner Register

The law in Britain about practising complementary medicine is very liberal at the moment, allowing anyone to practise anything. It is therefore quite legal to practice as a Macrobiotic & Life Counsellor. Looking into the future, the government is encouraging a move to self-regulation within complementary medicine in order to protect the public and to set definite standards of training and practice. It is doing this through the Prince’s Foundation for Integrated Health, which is overseeing the process of each complementary medicine forming its own professional body.

The Macrobiotic Association of Great Britain is in the process of establishing itself as the professional body for the practice of macrobiotic healing arts. The Practitioner members are actively setting up a professional register for macrobiotic counsellors and cooks in Britain, involving establishing core curricula, high standards of training, assessment procedures, an ethical code of conduct, and guidelines for Continuous Professional Development. This will ensure that whatever regulation comes about in the future, we will be able to continue practising as Macrobiotic & Life Counsellors.

The association is in the process of writing syllabi and training standards for qualifications in the following five distinct macrobiotic healing arts.

1. Macrobiotic Advisor                    

Approximately 200 hours of study, achievable in about 1 year of part-time study

A basic qualification enabling a person to give general advice on health and diet. Advisors are not qualified to offer individual dietary or health consultations. This level is seen both as a valuable qualification in its own right for giving helpful advice to individuals or groups, and also as a foundation for further study and progression to the other four qualifications. This advice might be given in the context of working in a shop or health centre.

2. Macrobiotic Cook            

Requires previous or concurrent study of the Macrobiotic Advisor syllabus plus additional study of the theory and practice of macrobiotic cooking of approximately 60 hours. Achievable over a minimum of about 2 years of part-time study and practice in total.

High standards of the knowledge of the source and unique qualities of a wide range of foods, and of practical cooking skills are needed. Macrobiotic Cooks can provide macrobiotic cooking services to individuals, families or groups, where a specific healing diet is not required. Cooking may be in the client’s home or other premises, or food may be prepared in the cook’s home for sale or delivery to outside concerns.

3. Macrobiotic Caterer                    

Requires previous or concurrent study of the Macrobiotic Advisor and Macrobiotic Cook syllabi, plus additional training in catering. Achievable over 2 to 3 years of study and practice in total.

Study to become a Macrobiotic Caterer involves additional training in the preparation of meals for large numbers in commercial or other large kitchens, and the business skills required to set up as an independent caterer. Macrobiotic Caterers will be able to cater for a wide range of events, including residential workshops, weddings and other celebrations, summer camps and conferences.

4. Macrobiotic Healing Cook                     

Requires previous or concurrent study of the Macrobiotic Advisor and Macrobiotic Cook syllabi, plus additional training in how to cook for people using a macrobiotic approach to heal specific illnesses. Requires a minimum of 2 to 3 years of study and practice in total.

Macrobiotic Healing Cooks have studied macrobiotic nutrition and cooking to a high level, and can offer basic dietary advice and the preparation of healing foods to those who are ill. They will often be working in co-operation with a Macrobiotic Consultant who is giving specific dietary advice to a client. Some people may chose to qualify as both a Macrobiotic Healing Cook and a Macrobiotic Consultant, and so be able to offer both services to clients.

5. Macrobiotic Counsellor             

Requires previous or concurrent study of the Macrobiotic Advisor, Macrobiotic Cook and Macrobiotic Healing Cook syllabi, plus additional training in the pathology of a wide range of illnesses, and an in depth study of the macrobiotic approach to healing. Requires a minimum of 3 years study and practice to develop all the knowledge and skills needed to give in depth guidance to those who are suffering from minor and more serious illnesses.

This training includes much training and practice in counselling real people, to achieve a high level of skills and knowledge. This qualification enables one to give individual advice and counselling to people with a wide range of health conditions. Work may be within a health centre or macrobiotic educational centre, or as an independent complementary health practitioner.