Interview with Sandi Thompson, Registered Aromatherapist
Sandra (Sandi) Thompson is a Registered Aromatherapist, certified in integrative aromatherapy. She established Force of Nature Aromatherapy in early 2003 after a life-long love affair with aromatics. Her introduction to aromatherapy came from Ixchel Susan Leigh and she has had the privilege of associating with Alexandra Avery, Valerie Cooksley, John Steele, Eva-Marie Lind, and many others who have graciously given of their time and knowledge. It is with deep gratitude and caring that she strives to further the understanding of aromatherapy to all who are interested.
WLNH: How did your interest in aromatherapy begin?
Sandi: I was always interested in scent. Fragrance has always been very integral in my life, since I was very young. I even used to love the smell of hot water. My parents thought I was a bit ‘off’. I met Ixchel Susan Leigh in the mid-90s when she lived in Eugene. She is a vibrational aromatherapist. She had a big influence on me pursuing aromatherapy.
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WLNH: What kind of aromatherapy training or education did you receive?
Sandi: I trained with Valerie Cooksley at the Institute of Integrative Aromatherapy in 2003. She was a very hard tasksetter. I was very grateful for that. It made me work hard at my passion.
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WLNH: How did you go about establishing and developing your consultancy?
Sandi: I started by talking with people who were already using essential oils. Many of them were involved in MLM businesses, like Young Living. I was concerned about the information they were given when I compared it to what my training had taught me. Basically, I chose to re-educate an already interested population. I also established a website and began selling essential oils from reputable companies and doing blends for simple ailments and psycho-spiritual concerns and challenges.
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WLNH: What is a typical client session like?
Sandi: A typical session lasts an hour. I generally like to have clients fill out a questionnaire before I meet with them, as it saves them money and helps us focus on their concern. Sometimes a session ends with me recommending an essential oil or a blend. Often it requires additional research on my part before I get to the point of giving them a blend for their particular challenge. Of course, some things are very obvious, like stress reduction, or mood swings. But I think it is important to get as much information as possible before going ahead with a blend. For example, I am very cautious about using grapefruit without first asking if the client takes statin drugs because that could lead to liver problems later. Or if they have allergies, there may be certain essential oils I’d choose to avoid when formulating their blend.
WLNH: What are the common types of health or other issues that clients bring to you?
Sandi: I have dealt with everything from pre-natal, post partum, childhood scarring, depression, addiction, weight loss, insomnia, and chakra balancing. Everyone is different and so their needs are treated individually. During our conversation/consultation, more of their unique needs or desires come to the surface and so I may deal with a variety of issues simultaneously.
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WLNH: For what types of health or other issues do you believe aromatherapy is most useful?
Sandi: Topical uses such as bruising, scarring, insect bites, scrapes, etc. I also think it is very effective for balancing the emotions, energetic uses such as chakra and aura clearing, meditation, and my favorite is helping people with long term insomnia.
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WLNH: What have been the most rewarding aspects of being an aromatherapist? The most challenging?
Sandi: Well, it feeds my life-long love of aromas. That is the single best thing about it. But besides that truly self-indulgent part, I love helping people. Here’s an example: I have a friend with a very young child who had surgery to correct a disfigurement on her face. I made her a blend to use on the child nightly and it was something both of them looked forward to and it helped keep both mother and child calm. And it helped to reduce the scarring, which impressed the pediatrician enormously. My biggest challenge was working with an elderly woman who had been referred to me by her internist. She was very drug sensitive and was nervous and had insomnia. I made several formulations for her, but none of them helped. She finally told me that she had no faith in aromatherapy and she was sure it couldn’t help her. I do think that aromatherapy is more effective when someone is open to it than if they are totally against it. She was determined that this would not help her, and of course, it didn’t.
WLNH: What do you think are the most widespread misconceptions about aromatherapy?
Sandi: I think people think scented candles mean aromatherapy. It doesn’t even occur to them that using pure, unadulterated essential oils is the basis for aromatherapy, not just a pleasant scent. The other side of that is over use of essential oils. I’m thinking now of people who use bottles and bottles of peppermint oil or tea tree or lavender in the course of a month. Or even a year. My biggest challenge is educating people to dilute, dilute, dilute. In this culture, where more is considered better, this is truly challenging. But the message slowly gets across. And then they enjoy saving money.
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WLNH: What are some of your favorite essential oils, and how do you use them?
Sandi: I love Frankincense, which I use for inhalation, meditation and skin care. I also like Rose Otto, which I find very mood elevating and of course wonderful for skin care too. However, I am a scent-junkie, so I can’t really stop with just 2 favorites. I have a favorite essential oil for every occasion, challenge, mood, etc. Lavender (Lavendula angustifolia) is indispensable. But it’s not one of my favorite scents, at least not neat or unblended. But how could I not rank it as one of my top 5 most useful essential oils?
WLNH: What advice would you give to someone who is interested in becoming an aromatherapist?
Sandi: Study, study, study. And never stop. Don’t believe everything you read and be sure to invest in the best education you can. Learn good, reputable suppliers and make personal relationships with them whenever possible. Surround yourself with aromatherapists that know WAY MORE than you do and learn, learn, learn as much as you can. Whew!
