AromaPsychology Program

 This two-course program is designed to equip you with the theoretical and practical knowledge you need to add essential oils to your mental health management toolkit. Robert and Hana Tisserand translate cutting edge and relevant research, and Jonathan Benavides, a psychologist and aromatherapist with decades of experience, serves as your guide to applying to to your practice. 

Includes: AromaPsychology and Practical AromaPsychology

AromaPsychology (Part 1)

This course focuses on the research we have regarding many psychological challenges that can be alleviated with essential oils. These include anxiety, PTSD, panic, phobias, depression, S.A.D., P.D.D., sleep disturbances, brain fog, mild cognitive impairment, addictions, appetite issues and more. Each week a lesson will focus on one aspect of olfaction and mental health, synthesizing the current pool of research. 

Part diagnostic and part treatment, we also cover olfactory dysfunction (anosmia etc.) and smell training. In order to understand all of the above we begin by exploring our olfactory system and the many factors that influence what we smell and how we react to an odor. This includes neurochemicals, EEG (brain waves), MRI and cerebral blood flow.

Tutors: Robert Tisserand, Hana Tisserand 

Completion of this course is a prerequisite for Part 2.

Practical AromaPsychology (Part 2)

Building on from the theoretical insights presented in our groundbreaking AromaPsychology course, Jonathan Benavides brings AromaPsychology into practice. In this six-week course he will share insights on client-centered approach to manage the most common and prevalent mental health challenges, combining evidence-based approach with his decades of experience as clinical psychologist and aromatherapist. 

The course touches on mood disorders, neurodivergence, sleep and cognitive issues and is designed both for mental health practitioners and individuals who want to foster a deeper understanding of their own psyche in relation to scent. Included in this course are practical tasks and exercises so you can feel the benefits yourself immediately. 

Tutor: Jonathan Benavides

What You Get in the Program

WEEKLY LESSONS
Part 1: Nine 60-minute recorded lessons.
Part 2: Six 60-minute recorded lessons.

Q&A SESSIONS
Part 1: Four LIVE Q&A sessions
Part 2: Three LIVE Q&A sessions

PRINTABLE COURSE MATERIAL
Extensive downloadable handouts and course notes with links to additional research and resources. Practical guidelines for exercises. 

DEDICATED CLASS DISCUSSIONS AND SUPPORT
Access to our private online forum to ask questions and interact with Robert, Jonathan, the TI team, and classmates. 

ONGOING COURSE ACCESS
Ongoing access to the learning platform for six months after course completion.

Robert Tisserand

Author | Speaker | Founder of Tisserand Institute

Robert is one of the world’s leading experts in aromatherapy with over 40 years of experience. He is a speaker, educator, author, and consultant on the science and benefits of essential oils and their safe and effective application. Robert has inspired audiences in the UK, USA, Canada, Australia, Brazil, Czech Republic, China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Korea and Japan on topics ranging from the therapeutic foundations of essential oils to examinations on essential oils and the skin.

Robert wrote one of the first books to bring awareness to aromatherapy in 1977, The Art of Aromatherapy, and is a co-author of Essential Oil Safety (2nd Edition, 2014), a book that sets industry standards for the safe use of essential oils.

Jonathan Benavides

Clinical Psychologist | Aromatherapist | Educator

Jonathan has specialized in communication problems since 1986 and has always been interested in the integration of different disciplines. In 2002, while designing sensory therapies for autistic children, Jonathan began studying advanced clinical aromatherapy in the UK, and has continued to develop his expertise ever since.

Jonathan works in palliative care within the Dutch public health system, incorporating comforting skills into patient and family communication. Since the beginning of his professional career, Jonathan has taught and lectured both at home and internationally on various therapeutic interventions, both conventional and unconventional.

Jonathan is a psychologist, counselor, clinical aromatherapist, HEARTS process teacher (UK), creator of Aromatic Sentinel (NL), ambassador of the Airmid Institute (US) to the Netherlands, and Director of Essentia Nobilis (NL /PT).

Course Breakdown

AROMAPSYCHOLOGY (Part 1) – Starts February 18

 

Lesson 1 - The Fragrant Brain

How smell perception works
The brain structures & pathways involved in olfaction
The nose-to-brain route
Interpreting the neurotransmitter & brain wave data

You will be able to:

  • Describe the principle brain structures impacted when we smell
  • List three neurotransmitters & their functions
  • Explain the meaning of 'nose-to-brain' route
Lesson 2 - Our Sense of Smell

Why we use fragrance
Odors & mental states
The many variables influencing our smell perception
Different ways to smell & sniff, and their effects

You will be able to:

  • Give examples of different ways to sniff & their perceptual consequences 
  • Explain why we may experience the same odors differently
  • List four factors influencing smell perception
Lesson 3 - Olfactory Ability & Smell Training

Olfactory function & dysfunction (the osmias)
Diagnosis of cognitive impairment 
Quality of life impacts
Smell training

You will be able to:

  • Assess an individual's olfactory capacity 
  • Use smell training to improve smell dysfunction
Lesson 4 - Hedonic Issues

Hedonics and the brain
Pleasant & unpleasant odors & their effects on us
Sexual function & dysfunction
Appetite & weight control
Addictions

You will be able to:

  • Assess a clients olfactory preferences 
  • Use odor to help mitigate eating disorders
  • Use odor to help mitigate chemical dependence 
Lesson 5 - Mood Disorders

The various mood disorders and the depressed brain
Depression and mood elevation
Seasonal affective disorder
The inter-relationship between anosmia & depression

You will be able to:

  • Use odor to reduce the impact of depression
  • Use odor to improve mood
  • Use smell assessment as a possible indicator of mental health
Lesson 6 - Stress & Anxiety

The various anxieties and phobias
Mechanisms (GABA, HPA axis, stress hormones)
Anticipatory anxiety (medical, dental, exams)
Sedation and sleep

You will be able to:

  • Describe the relationship between stress and anxiety
  • Use odor to manage anxiety
  • Use odor to improve sleep quality
Lesson 7 - Cognition

Cognitive decline and essential oils
Mild cognitive impairment, brain fog, early dementia
Performance (mental focus, driving, work performance)
ADHD

You will be able to:

  • Administer a simple memory test
  • Use odor to improve work performance & mental focus 
  • Use odor to manage the symptoms of brain fog or cognitive decline
Lesson 8 - Memory & Odor Association

Memory enhancement using essential oils
Memory, odors and sleep
Creating olfactory associations
Fear, threat, PTSP

You will be able to:

  • Create an association between a positive feeling and an odor
  • Use odor associations to reduce the impact of PTSD or negative associations
  • Work with, or modify, a client's existing odor associations
Lesson 9 - Practical Skills

Cross-modal considerations
Odor mixtures and their impact
Blending for psychological effects
Psychological wellness tests

You will be able to:

  • Use other modalities in conjunction with aroma-therapy
  • Create appropriate products as vehicles for therapy
  • Listen to a client actively and empathetically 
  • Understand the limitations of practice

 

PRACTICAL AROMAPSYCHOLOGY (Part 2) 

Lesson 1: THERAPY AND COMMUNICATION THROUGH AROMAS
  • The place of aromas in different therapy frameworks
  • Assessment and defining therapeutic goals
  • Learning to create an empathetic, safe, accepting and non-judgmental environment
  • Introduction to a client-centered, multi-sensory approach
  • Sympathy vs. empathy
Lesson 2: AROMAS AND EMOTIONS
  • Emotions, regulation and dysregulation
  • Learn to use established working protocols to evoke specific positive emotions
  • Learn an aromatic protocol that involves recognizing and understanding emotions, and choosing appropriate strategies
  • Therapeutic interventions suitable for use with aromatics: Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT); Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT); Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR); Interpersonal Therapy IPT
Lesson 3: NEURODIVERGENCE
  • Learn multisensory strategies for neurodivergence
  • Autism: several touching approaches; how to deal with aggression and meltdowns
  • ADHD: focusing aromatically; self-tools for home, school, university, and workplace
  • Highly sensitive people: recognizing calmly triggering aromas; olfactory training to cope with diverse stimuli
  • Gender differences, sleeping issues
Lesson 4: MEMORY AND COGNITIVE DISORDERS
  • Practical uses of aromas for the memory processes of encoding, consolidation and recall for stress reduction and enhanced quality of life
  • Creating aromatic anchors related to positive emotions, situations, and spaces
  • Multisensory strategies for mild cognitive impairment and dementia
  • Touch techniques and cognition
  • Practical uses of a memory box
Lesson 5: MOOD DISORDERS
  • Customize an individual aromatherapy journey that acknowledges the subjective nature of scent preferences, enhancing the therapeutic experience.
  • Aromatic mood management protocols.
  • The interaction of essential oils with neurotransmitters in the context of multisensory interventions .
  • Different types of depression such as major depressive disorder, seasonal disorder, post-natal depression, and male depression.
  • Data, evaluation and rapport
Lesson 6: PRACTICAL CONSIDERATIONS
  • What to say when you don’t know what to say or how to say it.
  • Learn to create an empathetic, safe, accepting, and non-judgmental environment.
  • Practice the counseling micro skills that we learned
  • Revisit the importance of assessment and defining therapeutic goals, revising them and following up.
  • Safety protocols. Contraindications for serious mental diseases.
  • Setting up expectations, scope of practice limits

What previous students say about our courses:

I would just like to thank Robert and Hana for making EO training available to all. ~ Jo Tyrer
Great support throughout the course, excellent teachers. ~ Nadine
Extremely informative and well presented. Would love to take more classes from you. ~ Petie Maguire
I liked the way the courses built on each other – safety and healthy skin. I appreciated the way Robert was able to make the science understandable and interesting.
Learned SO MUCH about skin and essential oils. Robert Tisserand is not only an expert, a researcher, but also a superb, enthusiastic teacher! ~ Karen

When You Complete the Course

CERTIFICATION
A signed Certificate of Completion issued by the Tisserand Institute for each course.

WEALTH OF PRINTABLE MATERIALS
From your course materials to extra reading on anatomy, physiology and essential oils, you’ll leave with a rich library to go back to whenever you need a refresher.

UNIQUE KNOWLEDGE
The program will empower you with thorough, evidence-based chemistry information.

The AromaPsychology program is a one-of-a-kind exploration of using aromas for mental well-being as it provides both the most comprehensive overview of current scientific evidence AND a practical insight backed by decades of practice. Don’t miss the opportunity to gain unique knowledge from our team! 

Ready to get started?

FAQs

Will there be notes for me to review?
Yes. Each lesson comes with printable handouts of the slides used in the lesson, and additional lesson notes. These are sent to you before each lesson and are for you to keep and refer to at any time.
I am a certified aromatherapist. Will I learn anything new?
Many of our students have commented that our courses helped them grasp what they learned elsewhere in more detail, or complemented their previous education. Some of our students are lifelong learners, and some are teachers.
I am new to essential oils. Is this course for me?
We will let one of our previous students answer this one:

“The information presented is appropriate for all levels, and although I am just beginning my aromatherapy journey it all makes sense.”

Will there be assessments or exams? What kind?

Each weekly lesson is followed by a multiple choice quiz, and there is a summary test at the end of each course. Passing both the weekly quizzes and the final tests is a requirement for certification.

You will be given enough time to prepare for the test as well as three attempts to pass. 

Will I be able to ask questions?

Absolutely! In addition to the live Q&A sessions, you can post your questions in the dedicated student forums where the tutor and the TI team will address them. 

What if I cannot participate on a live session?

All of our live sessions are recorded and are posted on the learning platform within 24 hours so you can watch them, or rewatch as needed during the course. 

How long will I have access to the recordings?

You will have access to all the videos for at least four weeks after the last lesson (see course description for clarification as this changes for individual courses). All the printable materials (notes, handouts, charts, etc.) are of course yours to keep for reference forever.

Do you offer continuing education credits?

Because we have students from all over the world and of many professions we are not able to offer credits for specific organizations – there are simply too many. However, we issue a confirmation of CE hours gained on the course that you can apply with your professional organization and will be happy to assist with any additional documentation.

At the moment, we are an Approved Continuing Education Provider with NAHA. 

What if I fall behind or cannot attend classes?
We have found that running classes on specific dates works best to help you finish a program. You join a class of students, and learn along with them. Many students help each other with queries, and of course our tutors are there too. That said, if you miss a few classes you should be still able to comfortably jump right back in and if you do fall behind you can request extra time. Of course this cannot be indefinite, but we do our best to help you get your certificate.