Editor’s note: This article is a follow-up to our previous article. The therapeutic relationship in post-traumatic stress disorder.
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The therapeutic use of essential oils, known as aromatherapy, is gaining ground in the healing field as an effective contributor to holistic healing. Carefully selected essential oils are ideal for treating post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Both the physical and emotional aspects of trauma respond powerfully to the use of the appropriate essential oils. Massage therapists who employ an integrative approach can use aromatherapy to enhance their work with PTSD patients. PTSD patients who have any of the following physical and emotional symptoms may benefit from aromatherapy:
- depression
- Irritation
- Panic and panic attacks
- Guilt
- Withdrawal from life
- insomnia
- Headaches and other body aches
A closer look at the olfactory system can help us understand the effects of essential oils on the physical and mental issues of PTSD. Research has shown that scents trigger a response in the brain. They activate the hypothalamus, pituitary gland, hormones in the body, and the limbic system. The limbic system connects the left and right brain and the voluntary and involuntary nervous system centers.
The sense of smell is processed in the limbic system, evolutionarily the oldest part of the brain. It is where emotions, sexuality, memory and learning are centered. First, aromatic essential oil molecules are absorbed by the cilia in the nose, which contain one end of the olfactory receptors, and are transmitted to the olfactory epithelium at the top and back of the nose. The ethmoid plate of the ethmoid bone then transmits the scent to the olfactory bulbs, located above and behind the nose, at the base of the brain. From here, the message is amplified and transmitted to the limbic system and the hypothalamus.
Neuroscientist Candace Peart, PhD, says that 85 percent of the neuropeptide receptors for emotions are located in the limbic system. This means that smell can bypass other cognitive networks in the brain, facilitating a more direct association of memory with smell. For example, say your favorite aunt who used to hold you and rock you to sleep when you were a child wore lavender. Now, as an adult, the smell of lavender evokes memories of being comforted and loved. In this case, lavender may help you sleep more peacefully. If the aunt who wore lavender was cruel and scared you as a child, the opposite effect may occur. In this situation, the smell of lavender may be unpleasant and cause discomfort, even if you don’t consciously associate the scent of lavender with your aunt. Depending on the association, using lavender with your clients may be calming and nurturing, or it may exacerbate feelings of irritability and depression.
Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) theory posits that the association between certain smells and emotional memories is due to the concept of anchoring, an internal process in which the brain connects an event with a memory associated with that event. In the example above, lavender essential oil would be the anchor that defines the association between your adorable or scary aunt and the associated memory of comfort or discomfort.
Therapists can use this associative process to anchor behavioral and emotional changes when treating patients with PTSD. Certified aromatherapist and course instructor Sheryll Ryan teaches therapists how to anchor emotional changes that occur during therapy with essential oils. Although essential oils can be effective on their own, blends are often more effective due to the complexity and synergy of their scents. Additionally, combining oils helps to avoid the cognitive brain trying to identify the scents. Using a blend allows the process of anchoring the “new” sensation to occur more effectively.
Creating a blend of essential oils that can be used as an anchor in the treatment of PTSD patients is an interactive process between practitioner and patient. For example, Jeanne Rose, in her article “Aromatherapy,” recommends the use of spikenard and rose for women affected by painful sexual, psychological, or physical trauma. The blend is thought to be “spiritually uplifting and can promote pure love and true forgiveness.”
Spikenard’s calming and sedative properties complement those of Rose and, when inhaled or applied to the skin, provide relief from personal pain. The combination of these two properties makes it effective in healing emotional wounds caused by trauma. Spikenard has a regulating effect on the nervous system when inhaled and a calming effect on the heart when inhaled or applied topically. This creates a warming and stabilizing influence that helps Spikenard overcome emotional wounds, grief and deep anxiety.
Known as the “Queen of Flowers,” Rose can heal the self-blame that accompanies deep emotional wounds by awakening the heart and opening a deeper sense of self-love. Rose has cleansing and cooling properties, and acts on the liver, helping to reduce anger and depression. Two drops of Rose on a tissue placed under the face rest of the massage table during bodywork in the prone position, or on a cotton ball placed under the pillowcase before bedtime, can have a relaxing effect and help alleviate insomnia. Clients can inhale the anchor rose at any time of the day or night to restore a sense of relaxation during therapy. Lemon oil can be added to the Spikenard and Rose formula to lighten the scent.
For emotional needs, the following soothing essential oils are recommended:
- Cedar – Calming, protective and stabilizing
- German Chamomile – Anti-inflammatory, soothing, calming
- Roman Chamomile – Antidepressant, restorative, soothing
- Clary Sage – Relaxation and well-being
- Helichrysum – Heals deep traumatic bruises
- Lavender – Soothing and healing, helps with migraines
- Ylang-ylang – sedative and antidepressant
The following blend is Jeanne Rose’s recommended formula for women. Massage & Bodywork article Aromatherapy:
Emotional trauma
9 drops of rose
5 drops of Spinkenard
2 drops of lemon
1 ounce calendula oil or other carrier oil
Physical trauma
3 drops of rose
4 drops of spikenard
3 drops of Helichrysum
1 oz Calendula Carrier Oil
Fear
3 drops rose geranium
3 drops of spikenard
4 drops lavender
1 ounce carrier oil
Emotional withdrawal
3 drops Roman chamomile
3 drops rose geranium
3 drops palmarosa
1 ounce carrier oil
Although Jeanne Rose created these blends for women, aromatherapy transcends gender. The blends are effective when they elicit a positive response from clients.
In the case of a panic attack, the mind-body connection is undeniable. Thoughts of past trauma may start in your head and cause physical sensations such as hyperventilation, sweating, dizziness, fainting, nausea, and trembling. Your heart may start racing and you may find it difficult to breathe. Some people may feel as if they are having a heart attack. Although you may feel like you are going to die, the panic attack does not last long and your body will gradually return to normal. Applying lavender essential oil directly to the chest and neck area and taking deep, slow abdominal breaths can help prevent or control panic attacks. Lavender mixed with a carrier oil is a great choice for abdominal, shoulder, and neck massages for clients who suffer from panic attacks. Create a relaxing atmosphere by letting lavender waft into the room during your massage and have them add 5-10 drops of lavender to their bath before bed to promote restful sleep.
Clinical aromatherapist Valerie Ann Warwood recommends the following essential oil blends to help manage panic attacks:
Panic Attack Calming Blend
10 drops lavender
5 drops of frankincense
Helichrysum 10 drops
5 drops marjoram
1 ounce carrier oil
Research studies have demonstrated that lavender is effective in dealing with traumatic experiences. Students who used lavender before and during exams reported feeling calmer and clearer when taking the exam. Lavender has been shown to reduce anxiety in patients undergoing bone marrow biopsies, children undergoing dental procedures, and patients undergoing breast surgery. Many patients who used lavender before and during magnetic resonance imaging reported feeling less anxious than control groups. Lavender used in massage therapy at the Royal Sussex County Hospital significantly reduced blood pressure, heart rate, respiratory rate, pain, and alertness. Additionally, studies have shown that lavender, rose, chamomile, jasmine, and rosemary diffused into the air in various living areas reduced depression levels in elderly people living in care homes.
Science is finally proving what aromatherapists have been saying for years: scent improves performance, heightens attention, induces relaxation and has powerful healing properties. Humans can distinguish 10,000 different scents and evoke a wide range of physical and emotional responses. Helen Keller summarized the dynamic influence of the olfactory system on our lives: “Scent is a powerful magician that can transport us to places thousands of miles away and all the years we have lived.”
A skilled massage therapist helps those with PTSD release patterns, buried emotions, and repressed memories held in the body’s tissues. Aromatherapy helps anchor altered feelings of courage, self-love, and forgiveness. These altered feelings can be experienced and strengthened at any time using essential oils. Over time, the trauma is replaced by newly developed coping mechanisms. Massage therapists support patients with safe, nurturing touch and use the healing energy of essential oils to facilitate this transformation.
This article is based on our Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Massage Series. Click here to register.
About the Author
Lydia Riedel, LMT
Lydia Riedel LMT is a licensed massage therapist trained at Core Institute in Tallahassee and has been a licensed professional massage therapist in Florida since 1992. Alongside her massage therapy practice, Lydia became an Usui Reiki practitioner and practiced this energy-based healing art as a volunteer with Big Bend Hospice and as a paramedic with the Lake Lamonia Fire Department. After becoming an Usui Reiki Master, Lydia opened a massage parlor where she specialized in massage therapy for patients with TMJ, fibromyalgia, and sports injuries. Lydia currently practices Acutonic Sound Healing with tuning forks and crystals and teaches Qi Gong foundations and light balancing techniques for health and vitality.
