What Is Aromatherapy, and How Can It Help Those Facing Death? An Interview with Nyssa Hanger

Today SevenPonds chats with Nyssa Hanger, an aromatherapist based out of Tampa, Florida. She is a self-employed masseuse and an essential oils expert. She is also the founder and owner of Upward Spiral, a business with an advanced approach to healing through massage therapy. Her backgrounds in holistic healing, aromatherapy and spiritual studies have helped her to change the lives of many clients struggling in many areas, including death and loss.

Credit: Nyssa Hanger

Kristen: Can you describe the basics of what Aromatherapy entails?

Nyssa Hanger: Aromatherapy is the use of aromatic essential oils taken from plant extract for, in my case, massages. I use a technique called Aromatic Kinesiology, which specifically targets the muscles and allows me to see what scents my clients respond to. I also do aromatherapy consultations, which are one-on-one interviews that help me to gauge a client’s situation and see what type of scents best suit their needs. Then I make a blend of my own based on what they tell me. They can take it home with them to use as they please.  It’s like giving them a little magic potion!

Kristen: How did you get started in the practice?

Nyssa: My mom has studied aromatherapy since the 1970s, but I always felt it could be a possible route for me as well. In 1989 my mom developed the Atlantic Institute of Aromatherapy, which has been one of the longest running aromatherapy schools in the country. Then, in 2001, she joined with a team of about 50 expert aromatherapists from all over the United States to travel to New York to help those affected by the 9/11 attacks. As a result, the United Aromatherapy Effort was created, an organization separated into station programs which ran off of donations and sponsors. That company ended in 2013.

During this time I was only a junior in high school, but I went to help my mom in the city for three weeks. The experience totally changed my life. I saw what a cotton ball and a little bit of aromatherapy could do for people. I realized that I had taken my mom’s job for granted. That’s when I decided that aromatherapy was something I wanted to do for the rest of my life.

Kristen: Wow, that’s incredible! Did you go for your licensing right away?

Nyssa: Actually, aromatherapy does not require a license. I received my education from other experts in the field. It’s frowned upon to get an education from the same people that supply your oils. You want to receive well-rounded training and be aware of all the different types of aromatic oils that exist. But I did go for my massage therapy license and gradually began writing the course schedule for the Atlantic Institute to help my mom out. I officially took over the company in 2012 and began teaching classes.

Kristen: What does an education in aromatherapy entail?

Nyssa: The first thing someone studying aromatherapy needs to realize is how deprived we are of a wide range of scents. That’s why it’s hard for us to connect a smell to a name. One major part of aromatherapy education is learning how to link a smell to its appropriate name. This involves studying the relationship between olfactory receptors and neurons linked to recollection and emotion, which are part of the brain’s limbic system.

How aromas affect the brain
Credit: Drorgan.net

Most people can’t guess the name of many scents. If asked, they will immediately guess lavender, citrus or peppermint. But there are many smells that are beneficial to the mind and body, such as rose and ginger.

In addition to training with smells, I also studied cranial work at the Hancock CranioSomatic Institute, developed by Dr. G. Dallas Hancock and Dr. Flo Barber. Additionally, I took a 13-month massage therapy program and trained in structural energetic therapy. I combined all of these skills in order to create my massage therapy business, Upward Spiral.

Kristen: You describe Upward Spiral as a center for healing and transformation. Can you explain what Upward Spiral Therapy is?

Nyssa: Upward Spiral Therapy is a type of massage therapy that focuses mainly on the head and neck. It works to release tension in order to initiate an unwinding in the body and provide rehabilitation from acute or chronic pain. Our goal is to help our clients achieve optimal structural balance and live life to the fullest, unhindered by pain. We also use some essential oils in our work to generate a sense of mental well-being. I think it creates change in people’s lives.

Credit: leanandfitcoach.com

Kristen: What are the benefits of aromatherapy? More specifically, how can aromatherapy help someone who is dying, or someone dealing with the loss of a loved one?

Nyssa: There are so many! As I mentioned before, our sense of smell is almost directly linked to emotional centers of the brain. These trigger recall receptors that help us form memories.

Scents can transport us because they reach parts of the brain not under conscious control. The nervous system mediates our other senses, but the olfactory bulb connects to one of the oldest parts of the brain. An aromatic plant extract can take a person back years, especially in conjunction with touch and sound.

For those who are nearing the end of life or dealing with loss, essential oils can be very comforting. Remembrance happens so quickly, and is relatively gentle to the nervous system. While there is not one scent that is perfect for everyone going through the grieving process, rose is often one that helps people feel cared for and nurtured. I’m always amazed at how different scents affect different people.

Want to hear more about aromatherapy? Join us next week for the second part of Nyssa’s interview, where she expands on her businesses, describes a typical therapy session and gives advice to those struggling with grief and loss.