The Healing Power of Essential Oils

Whether it’s freshly mown grass, brownies in the oven, or a whiff of your mom’s favorite perfume, scents can invoke pleasant memories and have an immediate and powerful effect on our emotions. This is the basis for essential oils therapy, an ancient healing art now being offered by MarinHealth Medical Center to help calm, relax, uplift, or invigorate their patients.

Stephanie Carver, a registered nurse and health consultant at MarinHealth Medical Center, has special training in essential oil therapy. Here, she describes how the oils are used to reduce the tension, stress, fear, and anxiety that many patients experience during hospitalization. To maximize the oils’ soothing effects, Carver and her colleagues often use them in conjunction with breathing exercises and guided imagery.