Healing from PTSD with the Help of Aromatherapy
Are you wondering if aromatherapy can help you with past trauma so you can move forward with your life?
Is there a specific oil that triggers you, but that you feel might be helpful for you to work with?
This story will give you ideas on how you can turn to aromatherapy for the deep healing that you are looking for, even when you least expect it.
Though there are plenty of people who study aromatherapy as a hobby, others begin with a curiosity—one that ends up transforming their lives. It’s more common than we might think at first. I’ve met many students who begin the study of aromatherapy hoping to learn how to use essential oils safely. Then, unexpectedly, they discover deeper healing as they start to understand the emotional effects of the oils.
Chris Mack is one of those students. Not only is he an unlikely aromatherapist, working as a bailiff in the courtroom during the week, but he is also a man with a heart of gold. When he tells stories, it’s like he is a sage poised to deliver some potent truth.
I first met Chris when he came to our weekend workshop, after his wife and mother-in-law (also former students) decided to pursue their passions and open Aromatic Harmony in Plant City, Florida. Since Chris would be helping out in the store, he figured he should learn a few things.
In our two days together, he discovered an essential oil that, with one whiff, brought him back to a past traumatic experience. With our guidance and his own inner wisdom, Chris used this oil to work through the trauma.
In this interview, Chris shares in his own words what it was like encountering this “trigger oil” for the first time. He also outlines how he worked with this oil and “reprogrammed” his mind.
Hear it from Chris himself:
Ylang Ylang is one of the oils that is featured in the Atlantic Aromatic Library Library. We thought, who better to contribute a guest recipe for Ylang than Chris Mack. Since Ylang Ylang tends to be a great floral oil for men, Chris’s Blend would make a great cologne for a man (though I’m sure women will like it as well). He suggests that you use this blend as a “base” and build on it to make it your own.
Remember, there’s no right way to make a blend, as long as you like it and the application is safe. If you need guidelines on the safe use of essential oils, sign up to receive our Safety-First Aromatherapy PDF.
You can find Chris’s Blend (and so much more) in the Atlantic Aromatic Library. Learn from the comfort of your own home and let the wisdom of the oils speak to you. Doing the deep healing work that these oils evoke is hard, but learning how to use them doesn’t have to be.
Now, we want to know:
Have you ever used essential oils to help you heal from trauma? What did you use and how did you use it? Is there an oil that tends to be a trigger oil for you? What are some things you can do to work with it?
Let us know by leaving a comment below. We love hearing about how you’re turning to aromatherapy for your healing.
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