My passion for essential oils and empowering therapists to use them safely

One of the great privileges of my working life is that it incorporates something I love and allows me to put it to its best and most powerful use - to help people feel better. I have a real passion for essential oils and their therapeutic powers. However, with that passion and the knowledge I have been able to gain, comes enormous respect for their potency and the potentially dangerous implications they can have when not used with care and understanding. 

This is a respect I try to bring into all of my training - not to scare therapists out of using essential oils and creating their own blends, but to empower them with the knowledge they need to use them safely, especially when working with cancer patients. In doing that, we can also ensure that people are not turned away from cancer treatments as a blanket response to addressing risk factors, when education can provide a much more rewarding solution.

Natural doesn’t mean powerless

There is sometimes a perception that because essential oils are ‘natural’, they are also gentle. This assumption cuts both ways because on the one hand it can lead people to dismiss their efficacy, but on the other it can lead people to underestimate their potency as well. As therapists, we know that essential oils can be both effective for supporting wellbeing as well as extremely potent. Depending on personal health requirements, the quality of the oil and how it’s used, potency isn’t always beneficial.

In terms of quality, there’s such a wide variety of essential oils on the market and it can be difficult to know which ones are reputable or not, although I have found that over time you develop a very sensitive nose for synthetic substitutes. When I was working with the nurses on the oncology ward at my local hospital to develop skincare products that were suitable for addressing the needs of cancer patients, they were deeply suspicious of the term ‘natural’, and it was because of this issue of quality and provenance.

In terms of how oils are used, it’s so important to understand that different oils have their different uses and effects. For example, some are photosensitisers and are therefore not for topical use. Or, that knowledge may impact how they are used topically.

Equally, it’s vital to have an understanding of individual health requirements when using essential oils, especially when you’re creating blends for use on a client in a treatment or for anyone creating product to sell (with or without consultation, although that differentiation does affect how you would be regulated). Personal wellbeing and how the positive effects of an oil may be beneficial for one person but not another is one of the reasons spas and therapists have consultations or consultation forms. For example, if someone has low blood pressure and an oil is used to lower blood pressure, it may be too much for that person.

Empowering therapists to use essential oils safely and effectively

I remember years ago speaking to someone at a professional organisation for aromatherapists (no longer in existence). She was adamant about how inappropriate it was for skincare houses to use essential oils just to get a nice smell into their products, because they are so powerful. The point is that there are extra levels to these oils and if we give them to anyone, they have potential implications.

Of course, with this knowledge, the really important thing is recognising the enormous power essential oils have for good, and this is where providing therapists with the information they need to use them confidently is magical. Their potency means that many are contraindicated for those who have been diagnosed with cancer, particularly when undergoing active treatment which may make them nauseous, cause extreme sensitivities and also where their chemical intake through treatment like chemotherapy has been carefully calibrated and no action should be taken to interfere with that.

However, there are those that are gentler and ways that they can be used to relieve discomfort, calm the mind and soothe anxieties gently and effectively. We use them in this way in the skincare products we create to address the side effects of cancer treatments, as well as in aromatherapy home fragrances, which can have an impact on mental and emotional wellbeing. For example, our Mental Clarity Diffuser contains essential oils formulated to relieve headaches with a blend of lavender and eucalyptus. Others help to boost confidence or ease stress.

At any rate, to make is that therapists are exceptional people who have a passion and a gift that I share when it comes to offering nurturing, a sense of healing and restoration for individuals when they most need it. However, to really make sure that power is being used safely and effectively, we have to have a real appreciation and respect for what essential oils can do and when they should or shouldn’t be used. That journey in itself can be a joy.