What is Aromatherapy?

For some, the term, "aromatherapy," conjures up images of soothing spas, Zen gardens, waterfalls, and jasmine blowing in the breeze. For others, aromatherapy sounds like hokum along the lines of healing magic crystals. Here at Sanctuary Counseling, people often ask us, "Just what is aromatherapy and why do you do it?"Aromatherapy isn't...So first, let's talk about what aromatherapy isn't. Aromatherapy isn't a magic cure for ... well, anything. But that makes sense, considering nothing is a magic cure for what ails us. Aromatherapy won't heal wounds, physical or emotional, and it isn't a replacement for doing the important work of intensive therapy.Aromatherapy is...Aromatherapy is a tool, just like any other relaxation technique. It's one more thing to load into your self-care toolbox to help you along your life's journey. Many clients here at Sanctuary enjoy having their choice of scent in their therapy space. People report that it helps them relax and be more present with the work. Why? Well, simple. Think about a place you enjoy being. The beach at sunset, the woods on a dewy morning, or the kitchen with your favorite dishes on the stove and in the oven. Take a moment to close your eyes and really picture being there.Can you feel that? That sensation of calm? Imagine how enhanced that calm would be if you were doing this visualization while you could quite literally smell the salt air or the pine trees or a warm apple pie. Those scents help us to relax into the memory of how good their associated places feel for us. They help us settle into a calm state, and that's extremely beneficial for achieving the openness, and even vulnerability, we need in order to do the serious work of psychotherapy.At Sanctuary Counseling, aromatherapy is your choice. You can opt to try it or not, to use it all the time or not. This is your space, your therapy, and your time. We want it to be what you want and need it to be. Aromatherapy is one tool we offer, and we do encourage everyone to give it a try at least once. You may be quite surprised to find that it's just the thing that helps you truly relax. Particularly if you are new to therapy, having a familiar, comforting scent in an as-yet unfamiliar space can really make a huge difference in how quickly you're able to feel at home here at Sanctuary.No More Candles...If you've been with Sanctuary for a while, you know that we used to have various candles with different scents available. Candles, however, can pose a fire hazard, so we have switched over to wax warmers from Scentsy. The Scentsy line includes dozens and dozens of scents, and we have at least one of almost all of them on hand. If you see something you'd like to try on the Scentsy page, let us know. If we don't have it, we'll order it for you.If you find that aromatherapy is so calming for you that you'd like to utilize it at home to recreate some of that Sanctuary feeling between sessions, wax warmers are available at most of the local stores such as Target and Walmart. If you want a specific scent you've experienced in the office, we do have Scentsy wax and warmers for sale with some in stock and others needing a few days to order. You can see the full line here and place online orders if you'd like.So the next time you have a few minutes before your session, take a "sniff" at the scents we have on the hutch just outside the kitchen area. Displayed there, you will also see some of the wax warmers we have in stock. If there's a scent you'd like to use in session, just ask your therapist or counselor if we have that scent available to use during your time with us.