There are generally two types of aromatherapy practiced around the world: medical and holistic.

Medical aromatherapy is taught in aromatherapy schools in France (and, to a lesser extent, in other parts of the world) and focuses on clinical treatment using essential oils. The French practice includes both internal and external use of essential oils, and requires extensive training, especially around the internal use of oils.

The other type of aromatherapy, holistic aromatherapy, is taught in most aromatherapy schools around the world, especially in English-speaking countries. The practice aims to treat the whole person, and focuses on the external use of essential oils.

Holistic aromatherapy integrates three basic elements: the holistic, the empirical, and the scientific.

The holistic context lets you consider not only the physical symptoms, but also integrate the emotional, mental, and social factors that contribute to the symptoms. In effect, you’re addressing the whole person, and not an isolated issue.

The empirical context lets you draw on centuries of traditional use, going back to the start of civilization, and brings the context of observation, and experience, passed through generations.

The scientific context lets you draw on chemistry and pharmacological studies of essential oil components, and brings the context of analysis and logical reasoning.

When we think of aromatherapy, we often think of pleasant smells and happy moods. In fact, a primary way we can use essential oils is for emotional wellbeing. That's because our sense of smell has a direct link to the emotional center of our brain, the limbic system. So when we inhale aromas we can influence emotional states and support our wellbeing in many ways.

Essential oil inhalation applications like room diffusers, personal inhalers, and steam inhalations can be applied to help with emotional issues such as anxiety, stress, mild depression, lethargy, frustration, grief, emotional fatigue, lack of confidence, disconnection to others, fear, and sadness, to name a few.

We also use aromatherapy to support our mental wellbeing. Believe it or not, we have an estimated 6,000 thoughts per day, which means that what we’re thinking (or not thinking) greatly impacts our wellbeing. The good news is, here too, our sense of smell has a direct link to the cerebral (thinking) parts of the brain, so when we inhale aromas we can influence mental states as well.

Essential oil inhalation applications can help with mental difficulties such as brain fog, lack of concentration, forgetfulness, overthinking, insomnia, indecisiveness, and lack of creativity, to name a few.

And, of course, we also use aromatherapy to support our physical wellbeing, helping to nudge our body to equilibrium. Whether we wish to address acute or chronic physical conditions, we draw on the therapeutic properties of the chemical constituents in the essential oils to most effectively assist in resolving complaints.

Both essential oil inhalation and skin applications can help with physical issues such as arthritis, headaches, acne, muscle tension, lower back pain, cold & flu, inflammation, and wound healing, to name just a few.

For The Beginner

If you're new to essential oils, I recommend you build a solid foundation. The truth is that essential oils are highly concentrated substances and need to be handled with care.

Just because they're made from nature, doesn't mean they're always safe. There's so much misinformation on the internet, which leads to over-use and safety issues like irritation, sensitization and worse.

Enroll in my free Introduction to Essential Oils mini course. 

In this mini course I will not only teach you what essential oils are and how to buy, store and use them sustainably, but I'll also help you learn how to best use them safely and effectively. 

For The Casual User

Maybe you’ve already bought a few essential oils and you’ve diffused them here or there, but they’re not really acting as more than an air freshener for you. In fact, diffusing essential oils is a wonderful aromatherapeutic application for both emotional and mental support and you can get real therapeutic value out of diffusing essential oils.

Enroll in my online How To Diffuse Essential Oils Effectively & Safely class. 

In this 1-hour on-demand class you’ll learn how to identify the best types of essential oils to use for which issues, how to diffuse safely, and how to blend for optimal success (no more wasting essential oils!).

Maybe you’re looking for natural, aromatic support during the cold & flu season. And you want to actively support your immunity, but also want to be ready when symptoms like a stuffy nose, sore throat, chest congestion, cough, and body aches arise.

Enroll in my new online Aromatherapy for Colds & Flu class. 

In this 1-hour on-demand class you’ll learn how to use essential oils for various cold & flu issues including prevention and relief support.

Maybe you’re struggling with a specific physical issue, like muscle pain, joint stiffness, tense and stiff muscles from stress and worry, and you’d like to learn a natural approach to easing pain & inflammation.

Enroll in my online Aromatherapy for Acute and Chronic Pain & Inflammation class. 

In this 1-hour on-demand class you’ll learn effective ways to use a few essential oils, and carrier oils, to give you support for many types of acute and chronic pain & inflammation issues.

For The Committed

If you’re ready to take your essential oil knowledge to the next level, and you want to integrate holistic aromatherapy into your wellness routine, just like eating healthy and exercising, then consider getting a deeper, more well-rounded understanding of aromatherapy.

Enroll in my self-study Starting With Aromatherapy course.

This is the only aromatherapy program of its kind to teach a holistic approach focused, first and foremost, on the needs of the person. You’ll learn an individualized approach, using the proven FALK Framework, to support all kinds of issues with the help of your sense of smell, essential oils, hydrosols, carrier oils and nature.

The step-by-step, online, self-study course will give you the confidence and know-how to quickly, easily, and safely integrate aromatherapy for mind, body and spirit in no time.

Not Quite Sure?

Well, I’ve got a FREE on-demand Masterclass to watch where I share the 3 secrets that I believe will help you truly benefit from aromatherapy in a safe, effective and “I can do this” way, so you can begin to feel more balance, joy and peace in your life.

Sign up for my free “3 Secrets to Effective Aromatherapy Support That Get You Results” Masterclass.

This 1-hour masterclass will give you a better understanding of how you can take your casual essential oil use to the next level and add aromatic wellbeing to your everyday wellness routine.

For The Advanced

Maybe you’re already certified as an aromatherapist, and/or you’ve got a foundational understanding of aromatherapy. You already know what essential oils are made of, you know their methods of safe application, and you have a general feel for blending.

Well, as someone who’s spent over 20 years in and around the fragrance industry, I noticed that effective blending isn’t comprehensively taught in aromatherapy schools and a lot of people are hesitant about their blending. So I created a course which shares all that I've learned over my career and teaches you how to become more fluent and skilled in blending essential oils effectively, safely, and with ease.

Enroll in my self-study Aromatherapeutic Blending With Confidence course. 

The step-by-step self-study course will teach you how to blend essential oils with the mind of a Perfumer and the know-how of an Aromatherapist. It's the only aromatherapy blending course of its kind to teach multifaceted approaches from the perspective of the materials and the person, using techniques from the fragrance industry.