Learning never stops - Aroma Psychology at Tisserland Institute

As you may know, I believe the practice of aromatherapy is so much more than bottles of oils and endless blends — it’s about tending to the whole person, including the raw and sometimes uncomfortable places within ourselves.  It takes courage, presence and an open heart & mind willing to soften enough to explore those deeper layers. Aromas can open the path to safely explore and move through emotions that works simply cannot transcend.

Last year in 2024, I enrolled in the Aroma Psychology course through the Tisserand Institute created by one of the most respected voices in modern aromatherapy. This course explored how aromas can support our cognitive, emotional and mental well-being with a focus on plant chemistry, human physiology, current scientific research and best practices.

This year, the Tisserand Institute offered a continuation of that course with a focus on practical applications and use of essential oils in a clinical environment – and that’s exactly where I want to take Robson Valley Aromatherapy. One of my goals is to be able a trusted, resource for those wanting to incorporate essential oils into their daily life as tools for self care, reduction of dis-ease and nurturing personal growth.

I thought it would be meaningful to share this learning journey with you — not just what I’m studying, but how it’s shifting my own practice and personal use of essential oils. I invite you to join me on this academic and personal journey further exploring how essential oils support our mental, emotional and cognitive health.

✨ What Is Aromapsychology?

Aromapsychology is the art and science of using aromas to connect the mind, emotions and memory. It sits at the meeting point of aromatherapy and psychology — a gentle, supportive look within.

In the first module, we explored how aromas can do far more than freshen a room or scent the skin — they can evoke powerful emotions, shift our mood, calm the nervous system, and even serve as a bridge when it is to much to ask for help or your words fail to convey what you are feeling internally.

One line from my notes captures it perfectly:
“Aromas can serve as a sensory anchor or non-verbal communication tool.”

That means a carefully chosen oil can help ground us in the moment, bring comfort, revive passion, and create a sense of safety — all crucial parts of self care. The setting may be a meaningful conversation, with a trusted friend, a therapist, or internally but the basis is self care in that moment on your path of self discovery & development.

Sometimes that moment for self care is as simple as taking a moment of pause, to breath and inhale that anchoring aroma that reminds you that you are safe, you are enough, and you can just be you.

🌸 A Gentle, Client-Centered Approach

A core pillar of Aroma Psychology is something called the Aromatic Client-Centered Approach (ACCA). Inspired by the work of Carl Rogers in the 1950s, this method is built on the idea that each person holds an innate capacity for growth, healing, and self-discovery.

My role as a trained Aromatherapist isn’t to fix someone — rather, it’s to create a safe, warm space where you feel accepted exactly as you are. Empathy, good listening skills and a genuine desire to understand the client’s perspective guide the process. A well-chosen aroma can become a quiet supportive companion, gently inviting and encouraging openness and reflection, not just during a session but most importantly as you go about your day-to-day activities.

I find this so beautiful and aligned with how I’ve always wanted to work: as a partner and guide, not an authority. And it’s a reminder that you, too, are the guide of your own well-being — aromatherapy can simply be one of your most loving tools.

🌹 Aromatherapy as Everyday Self-Care

What I love most is that these ideas aren’t just for formal sessions or consultations. Aromatherapy can be woven into the simplest moments of daily life — it can become one of the most reliable and gentle forms of self-care we have.

A drop of Neroli on your scarf when you’re feeling tender. A moment with Frankincense from your personal inhaler to center you before journaling. Lavender on a cotton ball near your pillow when sleep feels just out of reach. These aromas set the stage for the next passage of time – just like opening an aromatherapy consultation.

Florals are often the starting point for one’s aromatherapy journey — soft, familiar, heart-opening scents that people instinctively trust. They remind you that you are in a safe place to begin your journey using aromas for deeper self-care. They give your nervous system permission to pause, breathe, and feel what needs to be healed.

Another vital part of client centered aromatherapy is creating a personal aroma profile. This means developing a personal portfolio of one’s responses to different scents: which ones feel comforting, which ones stir memories, which ones you might dislike or even find overwhelming. This ensures the aromas we use with that specific client will better support their goals rather than cause distress or harm.

By paying attention to these responses, you learn to choose aromas that can be allies in achieving your emotional or mental health goals.. They can help you feel grounded, uplifted, calm, optimistic — or simply more present in your own body. And that, to me, is self-care in its truest form: learning to listen to yourself and give yourself what you need in response.

As I move through this course, I’ll be sharing what I am learning via this blog series, emails and developing essential oil blends for cognitive, neurodivergence, mental and emotional health. The most direct and personal way to see how essential oils can support your self care toolbox is to book a private consultation where we will explore the benefits of Aromatherapy together.

I believe our sense of smell can be a key to finding calm in chaos, understanding our needs better, and creating small moments of much needed pause in a busy world. We all have an innate ability to do so – why not allow aromas to support you on that quest.

I hope you will continue to gently to check in with your feelings, your memories, your nervous system using aromas as a supportive ally. Feel free to reach out should you want to include essential oils in your toolbox.

I’d love to hear your stories — feel free to share them in the comments below or send me a message anytime.

Cheers – Fawn