Trauma and Aromatherapy with Dr. Elizabeth Guthrie

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In this episode, Nikki interviews Dr. Elizabeth Guthrie about trauma and how aromatherapy can help.

Elizabeth Guthrie is a clinical herbalist, certified aromatherapist, and yoga teacher with a PhD in Natural Medicine with a specialization in Naturopathic Psychology and a Master’s of Public Health in Functional Nutrition. They are also the best-selling author of The Trauma Informed Herbalist, and Essential Oils for Trauma. She also holds multiple other certifications from conventional and traditional schools.

Nikki and Elizabeth discuss

• What her favourite essential oils are - Bergamot and spearmint
• What is trauma
  • A lack of compassionate witness - Dr. Peter Levine
  • Acute trauma, and Chronic trauma
  • Different ways people can experience trauma
  • Generational trauma, systemic trauma,
• The body’s reaction to an event that is perceived as overwhelming
  • It is nobody’s fault
• Finding the balance between being knowledgeable and informed of what is going on in the world, but not bombarding yourself with negative stories constantly.
• We can rewrite and retrain our nervous system to reverse it as well
• How the body reacts in a stressful situation
  • Sympathetic response
  • Dorsal vagal state
• You can start to learn how to catch yourself and learn the early signs to intervene before getting into a nervous system reaction
• Fireworks analogy
• Polyvagal theory
• The importance of community, and connecting with each other again.

Aromatherapy support

• What people like will be most important.
• What the person wants right now in this moment.
• In fight/flight - try to unwind and come down, with soothing and relaxing oils - florals such as lavender, palmarosa, and bergamot as well.
• In dorsal vagal collapse/shut down - supportive and energizing oils - citrus such as sweet orange, mandarine, bergamot, also woodsy oils as supportive oils.
• Scent memory is important. If a scent is associated with a negative memory, pick something different.
• Aromatic use by personal inhalers is the preferred way to use the essential oils as you connect with the scent memory as well
• Topical application when used - use at a 0.5% to 1% dilution
• Diffusing safety

Connect with Elizabeth

Website: www.traumainformedherbalist.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/traumainformedherbalist/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TraumaInformedHerbalist

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@traumainformedherbal

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This podcast is for information purposes only. We are certified clinical aromatherapists and holistic health professionals. If you have a medication concern, please refer to your health team. Everyone’s health is unique to themselves, so the topics and suggestions stated may or may not apply directly to you. Please reach out to an aromatherapist to work with or consider training to become one yourself!

Show music: Happy Dreams - By David Fesliyan