Our sense of touch develops around 8 weeks in the embryo. The next sense to develop is the sense of smell – at 28 weeks – though the cells for smell begin developing as early as the 9th week – thus, aromatherapy throughout our life can have great power. The sense of sound begins around 24 weeks. Sights are the last sensings we get, since babies keep their eyes closed to protect and grow the retina until about 25 weeks.
So, when massage therapists want to communicate with the foundations of people’s sensory worlds, they need to consider, first of all, two things – touch and smell.
This is likely why massage and aromatherapy have been so importantly linked in practice. Can you imagine getting a good massage in a room that smells bad? It is interesting (and problematic!) that the aromas in so many medical settings are often uninspiring or even off-putting. The power that smell has to help with healing has often been discounted. The connections of the senses of smell and touch have thankfully not been lost to massage therapists. They readily acknowledge the power of aromas in addition to the power of touch.
Massage therapists do have access to excellent aromatherapy training at our school. When they have been well educated in aromatherapy, they bring a whole new dimension to the clients’ healing experiences. Through scented oils – ideally chosen by the client for the positive associations they have – through diffusions – through incense in some cases, if that is preferred by the client – therapists can create an atmosphere that dramatically amplifies the positive effects of the massage.
Every therapist who wants to communicate with the muscles and nervous system needs the leverage that first, high quality touch, and, second, that smell provides.
On September 28, The Lauterstein-Conway Massage School is honored to be providing a full three-day training in Aromatherapy. This is presented by Nicola McGill, a graduate of the London School of Aromatherapy. Nicola McGill now resides and practices in Boulder, Colorado. She teaches aromatherapy and basic and advanced manual lymph drainage trainings throughout the U.S. She has been on the staff of Boulder Community Hospital since 2008 and provides education and treatment working alongside the Rocky Mountain Cancer Center and the BCH team of healthcare providers.
Register for this superb and important “Aromatherapy Training” with Nicola McGill on Sept. 28 – http://www.tlcschool.com/continuing-education/upcoming-ce-workshops/introduction-to-aromatherapy/
By the way, here are more intriguing links on the sensory experience of the baby in the womb:
https://www.everydayhealth.com/news/incredible-facts-about-your-sense-smell/