Your heart pounds, chest heaves, muscles tighten, senses sharpen, time slips into slow motion and you become impervious to pain. Under certain conditions, this would be an appropriate healthy reaction, because now you are prepared to do battle. The trouble is however, that you are probably still sitting in your car or at your desk – stewing in your own juices.
Treatment from an Aromatherapist involves talking to the client first in order to understand their symptoms, how they feel and what they want from the consultation. The aim is to treat the client holistically.
To treat stress, sedative essential oils will be used to calm the client. These may include Roman Camomile, Lavender, Melissa, Lemon Balm or Frankincense. Oils known as ‘nervines’ may then be used to nourish and support the nervous system, and antispasmodics such as Sweet Marjoram to relax the muscles and allow the blood to circulate properly. Finally, tonics are included to strengthen the systems of the body, including the immune system which is one of the first to falter when someone is stressed and run down.
Sarah Saunders