Interview with Kylie Thompson, Author of Aromatherapy for the Emotions

Kylie Thompson is a 32 year old mother of four children, an Australian Citizen and a Beauty Therapist by trade, with additional certificates in Aromatherapy, Acrylic nails and Make-up artistry. She is the author of ‘Aromatherapy for the Emotions’ published by Lulu Press. Kylie has 12 years experience within the beauty industry, and is a former salon owner/operator. Kylie has also completed the first year of university study of a Bachelor of Education, majoring in Home Economics and minoring in Health Education. She currently lives in the beautiful Western Australian Chittering Valley amongst unspoiled natural bush land and native fauna. "Aromatherapy for the Emotions' is Kylie's first written text. Kylie’s web site is Aromaticamedica Her book can be purchased from Lulu Press.

WLNH: How did your interest in aromatherapy begin?

Kylie: My interest in aromatherapy began in when I was working part time in a Health food shop when I was 15. There was a small display box on the desk in the shop that had about 15-20 oils, and I would open each bottle and read the descriptions on each oil’s health giving benefits. As a young child, I was often picking the aromatic plants in my Mother’s garden (she wasn’t happy about this) and making all sorts of potions out of them, or lavender bags for the drawers, so I guess my interest in natural aroma’s began a lot earlier. I noticed when I was playing with the bottles of oils in the Health shop that the lavender oil smelled just like the lavender plant, so lavender was the first essential oil that I bought because of my early memories of the plant.

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WLNH: What formal aromatherapy training do you have?

Kylie: I am a Beauty Therapist (aesthetician in the US I think?) and from product knowledge courses I have an understanding of how the oils work on different skin types. I also have a Certificate in Aromatherapy, which is a basic course in aromatherapy oil profiles, history, blending, massage techniques, diagnosis and contraindications. (I was 36 weeks pregnant with my first child by the end of this course and I could never finish a full massage because of Braxton-Hicks contractions!).

Most of the knowledge and understanding I have on aromatherapy has been from books and practical experience with the oils both in my personal life and also my professional life as a Beauty Therapist. Aromatherapy has been a constant factor in my life for 17 years; I use the oils in some form or another everyday. I have some university education (first year of a Bachelor of Ed) and from this experience I know how to research which helped in gathering the information for writing my book.

WLNH: What are your favorite aromatherapy resources?

Kylie: My favorite aromatherapy reference book is “The Complete Illustrated Guide to Aromatherapy” by Julia Lawless. I also love Chrissie Wildwood’s “Erotic Aromatherapy’ (my copy smells like a beautiful blend of erotic oils, I have flicked through the book so many times whilst handling my oils so the book now just smells beautiful), and Philippe Mailhebiau’s book ‘Portraits in Oils.’ Aromatherapy Web sites that I frequent are: HiperNatural, Wavelengths Natural Health, The Guide to Aromatherapy, a Wiccan web site that has information on herbs, crystals and essential oils, AromaWeb, and goddess.com.au, a web site devoted to aromatherapy and the goddesses, and which describes various goddesses of various faith systems.

WLNH: What have been the most interesting and rewarding aspects of writing about aromatherapy?

Kylie: I would say learning more about a subject that I love. Just from researching and writing this book, I can see so many other topics on aromatherapy that can be addressed, and this first book is a good basis for more work for me. Also, I now have a reference of 51 essential oils to turn to when I am in a negative emotional state; I can find the oil that will best suit me (personality association) and my disposition and bring about a positive change. I tend to be an over-anxious worrier and over-thinker, and knowing which oils are going to help me calm down in a situation is extremely valuable for me. The help was always at hand (I have a large collection of oils) but unless you have the information to know which oils to use, the exercise of burning an oil may be pointless because the one you have chosen may not be the right one for either your emotional state or your personality.

I am hoping that my book will become a valuable reference for everyone who loves aromatherapy and Wholistic therapies, and let’s face it, we all find ourselves in negative emotional states throughout life-its part of being human. If we know how to help ourselves through it instead of letting it progress into something more serious than we have a valuable tool, and this is a major reason why I wrote this book-to be a valuable tool and resource not only for myself but for others.

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Another thing I would have to say that was rewarding about writing my book was the opportunity I received to be the regular aromatherapy columnist for Annym magazine. My first articles will be published in the Dec ’05 issue as well as a review of my book. Annym’s motto is to speak your truth from your heart, and share your truth, and I have taken that advice very seriously to find that it actually is one of the most valuable pieces of information ever disclosed to me.

Read part 2 of the interview with Kylie, in which she discusses aromatherapy misconceptions, a controversial part of aromatherapy she feels is often ignored, and how she personally uses essential oils. Go to Part 2 >>

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