Body tension that results from unresolved trauma and negative emotions, like fear, or anger and grief, can lead to systemic dysregulation that becomes locked in the body’s cells. Problems can manifest as unresolved pain, sleep disturbances, anxiety or depression. Post-traumatic stress disorder is one example. An original event, that is highly traumatic, like an assault or accident, becomes encoded in the body’s cells, which are then unable to regulate the body’s stress responses. Daily stress operates on the body in the same way, even if it is not as pronounced.

Aromatherapy can be combined with methods of bodywork for additional relief. Some methods of body work include massage, craniosacral therapy, acupressure and reflexology. Essential oils can be added to massage oils to affect the body physically, to reduce pain in the muscles and the joints. Frankincense and German Chamomile are anti-inflammatory oils. Lavender, peppermint and rosemary have pain-relieving qualities. Massage also lowers blood pressure and improves circulation. Rose essential oil is a wonderful cardiac tonic. Add marjoram or ylang-ylang essential oils to lower blood pressure, or cypress essential oil to promote circulation.

In addition, inhaled aromas also affect the limbic portion of the brain, which is responsible for emotion and balancing the nervous system. The sense of smell is the only one of our five senses that is directly linked to the emotional regions of our brain. Certain essential oils can be stimulating, like spearmint, or calming, like bergamot. Lavender is one oil that can assist in calming the nervous system to help with sleep.

Essential oils promote awakening on both physical and emotional levels. Essential oils and aromatherapy can be used for both physical healing and emotional healing, in order to soothe the body’s stress responses. I provide clients a physical application, or inhalation experience targeted toward emotions, so they can experience aromatherapy in the most meaningful way for their health concerns.