This is a 4-part series written
by Lane Therrell, who is a nurse practitioner, health coach, and trauma
survivor. She has used essential oils personally and with her private
health-coaching clients for more than 10 years, and she loves to educate others
about them. This series explores how essential oils work, how they combine with
other treatments, and which oils may work best for trauma recovery and why. We’ll
also take a rational look at how best to choose and use essential oils.
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I learned early-on in my own trauma-recovery journey that the more
treatment tools I had in my toolbox, the better. Without a doubt, the most
delightful tools in the box have always been, and still are, essential oils
(EOs). When was the last time you thought of a treatment method as delightful?!?
EOs have always been fascinating to me, and they remain one of my favorite
subjects. Enthusiasm aside, I’m honored to share what I know about EOs with you
in these posts.
This article is for you if you’re interested, curious, and ready to add
something new to your treatment plan. In this article, you’ll learn:
- How human anatomy sets the stage for aromatherapy to work powerfully on multiple body systems
- Why essential oils are an ideal aromatherapy tool
- The simplest way to integrate EOs into existing plans and strategies
- A simple tip to try
My goal is to help you discover whether and how EOs might work for you.
Human anatomy allows
aromatherapy to work
Have you ever wondered why the smell of baking bread reminds you of
Sunday afternoons at grandma’s house? Or maybe you have some other (hopefully
positive) smell-related memory from childhood you can recall.
The reason we have these powerful olfactory memories is because—get
ready for the science lesson—aroma-producing molecules have direct access to
the part of your brain responsible for memories and emotions.
Our anatomy makes this possible. The olfactory nerve (in your nose) is
connected directly into the limbic system (in your brain). Here are a couple of
pictures to help explain the complex relationships.
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| This picture shows the olfactory nerve (in yellow). Notice how it sits at the top of the nasal cavity, ready to intercept aroma-producing molecules as you breathe them |
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| This picture shows the complexity of the olfactory-limbic system. The endpoints of the olfactory nerve are called the olfactory bulbs, labeled OB in this diagram. |
The limbic system is a complex network of brain structures, including
the amygdala, the hypothalamus and the thalamus, among others. These structures
have powerful roles in the functioning of multiple body systems. In other
words, the limbic system does way more than control our memories and
emotions. The amygdala affects the fight
or flight response of the nervous system and the hypothalamus and thalamus
affect hormone creation and flow via endocrine system. And this is just the tip
of the iceberg.
So, if the limbic system is responsible for all of that, in addition to
our memories and emotions, it’s a powerful system indeed. And since the
olfactory nerve provides direct access to all of that complexity, can you see
how scents and aromas hold incredible, almost super-hero-like, potential for
influencing our bodies in multiple, powerful ways?
But wait, there’s more: When scents activate the limbic system, the
process bypasses the cerebral cortex, where most of our higher thought
processes—like logic and analysis— take place. This means you don’t have to think about aromas for them to affect
you. Of course, you can choose to think about and analyze fragrances if you
want—that’s what perfumery and wine-tasting are all about…but that’s another
article, not in this series. The point for trauma survivors is, sometimes you
want to stop thinking, but you still need to do some inner work, and
aromatherapy allows for that kind of thing.
If anyone has ever admonished you to “get out of your head,” or “get
out of your own way,” aromatherapy can be an ideal tool because of that
direct-access pathway to the brain’s emotion and memory centers it provides.
This makes aromatherapy an effective treatment in its own right for the myriad
symptoms that can accompany trauma and trauma recovery. It also expands the
possibilities for effective integration with other modalities.
Essential oils as vehicles of
aroma
We just talked about anatomy, so now we need to talk a little about
chemistry. You didn’t know this was going to be a science lesson, did you, but
what do you expect from a nurse? The types of chemical compounds present in EOs
matters immensely when exploring which oils work best – but that’s another
article.
Many people equate aromatherapy and essential oils. They often go
together, and are sometimes used synonymously, but I prefer to think of EOs as
a primary tool of aromatherapy, because aromatherapy is a larger, more
encompassing concept. There are other ways to deliver aromas, but EOs are the
most potent and arguably the most effective, so they get top billing.
While some sources will use the terms “aromatherapy” and “essential
oils” synonymously, I prefer to differentiate the two. Aromatherapy is about treating a symptom
through inhalation of an aromatic compound. Essential oils are ideal
aromatherapy tools because they are so highly aromatic.
The aromatic chemical compounds from plants are classed chemically as
“volatile” compounds. It doesn’t mean they explode into fiery flames, it means
they quickly dissipate into the air at room temperature. This volatility, or
quick airborne dissipation is what allows them to be so effectively inhaled and
therefore accessed by the olfactory nerve.
As specific tools for aromatherapy, EOs are unparalleled. They are
pleasant, portable, and when used correctly, can be a very effective
enhancement for your trauma therapy practices or any aspect of your balanced,
healthy lifestyle. I have also noticed when using them for myself and with my
clients that using EOs can be particularly empowering. Learning about them,
experiencing the different oils and how they make you feel can help to put you
in touch with your own preferences and needs, and allows you to make small,
pleasant choices that put you back in the driver’s seat. This was certainly an
added bonus in my own personal recovery journey, and I’ve seen this happen with
my coaching clients in numerous cases over the years.
EOs and anchoring
Many of our olfactory memories are formed in childhood. We are still
forming them all the time. Whether the olfactory memories we have stored away
over our lifetimes are positive or negative, the fact that scent is linked to
memory is significant, especially if you experience recurring symptoms that are
triggered by memories and associated emotions. You can use EOs and the concept
of anchoring to literally reprogram your emotional responses.
The same way that the aromas trigger the memories, aromas can be
harnessed or reprogrammed by association to affiliate with new, more pleasant
memories and emotions. This is where EOs come in because they are pure and
consistent markers of the association. This is very similar to a process called
anchoring, which you might already be familiar with, especially if you’ve ever
experienced neurolinguistic programming (NLP). The object of anchoring is to
establish associations between certain gestures or behaviors and certain
emotions. The way it works is to think of something that evokes a positive
emotion, and then link that feeling with a specific “anchoring” behavior. You
can then perform that behavior in the course of daily activities whenever the
positive emotion is needed.
Anchoring can be an effective method for controlling the intense
emotions which can give rise to the rollercoaster effect post-trauma. While
anchoring is effective, there are numerous occasions when it might be helpful
to strengthen the anchor. EOs can be harnessed to strengthen anchors for
emotional control.
Most of the decisions we make on a daily basis are motivated by
emotions, not by facts. Since EOs speak directly to the emotional center in the
brain, it means they can provide a strong and effective way to strengthen an
established anchored association and prevent you from short-circuiting it with
analytical thoughts.
Now Try This...
If anchoring has been part of your treatment plan, try inhaling an EO
along with your established anchor, and see if it helps you strengthen your
anchor. (This is sometimes referred to as “stacking” anchors, because your
established anchor behavior and inhaling the EO could be considered as
independent anchors.)
- Next time you are in a treatment session, or otherwise achieve a truly relaxed state, inhale a specific EO that you already know supports and induces relaxation for you.
- Put a few drops of this EO on a cotton ball and carry it with you throughout the day.
- Take the cotton ball out and inhale it whenever you feel the need to recall your relaxed state.
Cotton balls or disposable makeup removal pads work well, or you could
try an old fashioned handkerchief or a small piece of cloth. Keep your EO
saturated material in a covered container to both save the aromatic experience
for anchor-time when it’s needed and to prevent the oils from volatizing off
the cloth.
Summary and sneak preview:
I hope you enjoyed this brief exploration of how EOs work, and how they
can enhance anchoring. In upcoming articles, we’ll talk more about how oils can be integrated
with other treatment types and which oils work best and why.
Questions for comment:
Have you tried EOs before? How have they helped you on your journey?
What did you learn from this article? What else would you like to know?
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Disclaimer: *These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. The information provided here is for information purposes only.
Sources:
Body Maps: Olfactory Nerves
Anchoring
Anchoring to Control Your Emotions – How to Make it Actually Work
Aromatherapy for Survivors of Trauma
How Smell Works
PTSD – Can Essential Oils Help Heal The Trauma?
The Olfactory Limbic System: Sex, Emotion, Pheromones, Learning, Memory
Understanding Essential Oils
What Are Essential Oils?
This is fascinating! I love the science. Now I get it. I would love to have more tools in my therapist-toolbox -- and this would really be appropriate. Thank you so much.
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