Episode 284: Practicing the AromaTouch Technique

The AromaTouch Technique was developed to maximize the benefits of essential oils. And if you haven't heard about it, today we'll walk you through why it's so incredible. Welcome back to Essential Oil Solutions with doTERRA, the podcast where you'll hear exciting, useful, and simple everyday uses for essential oils from experts in the field. This episode is brought to you by some brand new products that are going to help you become your best self.

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doTERRA: Today we're excited to talk to Mindy Bowser about the AromaTouch Technique. Mindy, thank you so much for joining us today.

Mindy: You're welcome. Thanks for having me.

doTERRA: Oh, of course. I'm so excited to talk about Aroma Touch because I don't think it gets enough attention and it is so incredible. But to start off, I kind of want to take a step back. Can you tell us a little bit about your history with massage?

Mindy: Yeah, sure. I've been a massage therapist for over 18 years. I graduated from Florida College of Natural Health, and it wasn't something that I thought I would ever do, and I just fell in love with it. And I love doing it. I'm passionate about it. I love people, and no one ever gets off your table and doesn't absolutely love you. So that always feels really, really good.

doTERRA: Yes, from that perspective, from your history and your learning, what are some of the benefits that people see from massage?

Mindy: I started in treatment work, so I started doing medical massage work for a long time, and I worked my way through my bachelor's degree, like working hands on and that was really exciting. People would come in, they would be injured, and it was mostly insurance work, an accident at work or car accident. And so you could really see and feel and document the change. And people, you know, they felt healed. And so it was very gratifying in that regard. And then as I shifted throughout my career and started as a as a solo practitioner, I found that my focus and my passion really lies with working with women and working with moms, because I only have X amount of hours in the day. And I think, like a lot of us, we have trouble saying no. And really, you will burn yourself out both physically and mentally if you're doing eight massages a day, seven days a week. And so you have to find a boundary somewhere. And with moms, well, the moms coming to me are all just really stressed out. And so it really went from like changing someone who is literally broken from a car accident to the mental health side of it. And that is where I find that if I can really help a woman, but specifically a mom with her stress or in regards to massage and just body work, I can have an affect on the whole family. And so my reach is much farther with the same amount of time.

doTERRA: That sounds so incredible and so fulfilling.

Mindy: So fulfilling.

doTERRA: Yes, amazing. So, let's transition then into the AromaTouch Technique. Can you tell us a little bit about what it is, what makes it special and why it's something that you're passionate about.

Mindy: Absolutely. And I will tell you, I when I signed up for doTERRA, like I just heard about it, like signed up as a builder that same day and then, oh, you're a massage therapist? Well, you got to go get trained in the AromaTouch Technique. I'm like, what is the AromaTouch Technique? And I'm like, okay, I don't know what it is, but I'm going like literally the same week. And so I don't know that I even had my oils yet before I went and got trained to do AromaTouch Techniqu. I was a little confused about what was happening, and I think a lot of massage therapists are a little confused because it kind of looks like a massage. I strongly make the division that yes, you're on a massage table because that's the easiest way for someone to receive it. But really, the similarities stop there. And so then, as a body worker, I couldn't understand how really light strokes that were not affecting the muscle tissue could do anything. So I think a lot of people think that same thing. How does putting oils on, and doing whatever you're doing there, like how does that have any effect whatsoever?

And I actually kind of couched it for maybe 5 or 6 months until we had a need where there was someone that was really not feeling good in my family, and I didn't know what else to do. We tried everything. And I'm like, I don't know, maybe this AromaTouch Technique thing could work. I got my book back out, put him on the table, and once we did it, he got up and he felt so much better that he got dressed and went to work. And I was like, what is this? And I thought it was a fluke. And then it happened again. And then it happened again. And so then I really dove into what is happening here with just these really simple, like, I call it a clinical approach to essential oil application. And just the light strokes. It's really just the touch. But the order of the oils, it's something that anybody can learn how to do, which that's what I love about it. You don't have to be a practitioner to do it effectively. And the oils do the work. So as long as you get all eight of those oils on and you do them in the right order, with the technique, you get better and better at it. You can affect so many different things going on in the body. You don't even have to know what's going on. It's just an amazing thing to bring the body back into balance.

doTERRA: So what do you think it is and what does the course teach about combining those essential oils with the physical touch? What is it that makes that such a special thing?

Mindy: The training that Doctor Hill now has, it's new, and what a lot of people don't seem to know about that is that if you buy the kit, you get the online training for free. And I recently went through it because I had already been trained by him years ago. I didn't think I needed it, but I went through it and it is so well done. And he explains it really, really well. The most important thing I think people need to know is, is that he's grouped these eight oils into groups of two. So four groups of two different oils and two starting out with like promoting a restful atmosphere, you know, and we're working with light, light, light touch that affect the nervous system as opposed to the muscle tissue.

So when you're pushing hard enough to affect the muscle tissue, your brain says that's a massage. I know what's happening. When you are just lightly stroking and you're only really affecting the top layer of skin, and the nervous system is what reacts. And so it's like a massage for your nervous system. But the way that you do these really gentle strokes from the sacrum up to the occiput do them repeatedly over and over again. The brain gets in this like rhythm and it can anticipate what's happening next.

So when that happens, other parts of your body that are normally like “alert!” You know, it's constantly firing, they start to turn off or get subdued a little bit, and it allows you to get into this rhythm of one relaxation, but also this body balancing effect. And so you're affecting the dermis of the body from where you drop the oils on the spine out to the sides, where you come around to even the organs or the viscera, and then the energy zones, you're affecting those. And it's all with that very, very light stroke.

So I've had people describe it in many ways, but like one client said, it was like they were transported to a different place. And another one said, it feels like you just mothered me. And that's a high compliment, right? Yeah, because nobody rocks you or just kind of, you know, like a cat or like your child. Yeah. Nobody does that. And so that human touch, there's a little bit of heat, there's a little bit of energy exchange. We don't get that enough. And so whether it's massage and you're actually manipulating the muscle tissue or the AromaTouch Technique, which anybody can learn to do, it's really important, I think in this day and age where we just don't get enough touch, it's all of those things to give a really special gift to somebody.

But then also, as the giver, I get the effects of all those oils in the right sequence in my system as well. So I always feel rejuvenated and like I'm doing something super special for myself by giving an AromaTouch Technique. So I don't like to go a week without. If I have gone a week, then I'll just like offer it to somebody new. Someone who needs it. Somebody who needs to experience this.

doTERRA: That sounds so incredible and such a special experience to share with someone. With anyone. So I think some people hesitate knowing like, okay, it's in a certain order, it's at a certain time. How do you then adapt this AromaTouch Technique to people's individual needs?

Mindy: Well, that is an awesome question because you don't have to adapt it to individual needs, the way that the sequence that happens is perfect. And Doctor Hill, he says he has taken every step that was unnecessary out. And every step that is left in is for a very particular reason and necessary. And so besides adjusting the oils, you know, like if it was a smaller child like my two year old, I'm going to use less drops of oil compared to a 250 pound man that uses oils all day long. Like, you know that that we can adapt to different people. And also a lot of times I get the question, what if someone, just for whatever reason, does not want you to use this oil or can't use the oil, can I just use a different oil? And what we've been taught is that you can omit an oil if you have to, but you don't replace it with anything else. You can still do the strokes without the oil, but you don't substitute in anything. And also a big question that people ask is massage therapists ask like, can I do this in the middle of the massage? Or can I start the AromaTouch and then massage a little bit? And it's created to be done in its entirety from start to finish.

So either at the beginning, and that's how I like to start, especially with someone who has a highly active nervous system or they cannot slow their body or their mind. I just attract people like me who are hard charging and high energy. And when I start with the AromaTouch, everything gets calmed down. And in a 60 minute massage, we'll do like 30 minute AromaTouch and then 30 minute treatment work. And that treatment work goes so much farther because we've relaxed their whole system. And it allows their body to receive the work that I'm doing so much greater. Whereas, if I didn't do that first, sometimes people's bodies feel like they're rejecting your work because they're just not ready for it. So it's the perfect pairing. And for some people to start and do them together.

doTERRA: That is so interesting. Kind of the prep work before you get to the body itself.

Mindy: Yes. Right. Can you imagine, like if you were just all spun up? Yeah, yeah. It's beautiful.

doTERRA: I've been in that position where I go to lay down for a massage and my head will just not stop and my body can feel that at. And so you're right, it's just not the same experience.

Mindy: And I feel like I'm a better practitioner because I get in the mode too, right? Like all that rhythm, it grounds me and it grounds them. And then like, we just really do good work. Yeah.

doTERRA: Incredible. So can you talk a little bit about the oils that you use for AromaTouch and how they might be different from the oils you would just be using in a regular massage?

Mindy: Yeah. So these are the four groups of two that we were talking about. Like the first two we said were to create an atmosphere and a feeling of reducing stress or less stress. And then and then the next two oils are to really make sure that your immune system is as strong as it can be. And then there's two oils I really feel like encourage circulation and work for any kind of body pain that would be aroma tension, and Deep Blue. And then we have Wild Orange and Peppermint to bring the body back into homeostasis and to work on some of the reflexology points of the feet.

So using those four in that sequence right there, the body already has all of that on it before we start the massage. And those are beautiful. And even if I'm not doing the AromaTouch, I will still use the Wild Orange and Peppermint on people's feet. And I'll still use the AromaTouch and the Deep Blue. But outside of that, a lot of massage therapists ask me—I'll use some Lavender to help relax them, but, like, what else would you possibly use oils for? And I'm like, oh my goodness, some of my favorites. I mean if there was just one outside of the AromaTouch, I think all body work can be enhanced by Deep Blue Rub. Like that's the simplest, hands down. If there's only one hero oil, it would be the Deep Blue Rub. The feet, the neck, the everything. And then PastTense is one that I use a lot, and Siberian Fir is one that I don't use too much outside. It's really great for helping with occasional body pain. That's a good one. And then Lemongrass and Copaiba would be the next two.

doTERRA: Well, I feel like past Tense is an unsung hero that you don't hear a lot about.

Mindy: Oh my gosh, that is one that I probably have a ton of open ones, because if I can't find it, I'll just open another one.

doTERRA: Incredible.

Mandy: Yes I know. Yes. If you ever forget your deodorant and all you have is PastTense, I've tried it and it scares you. At first it feels like you've just done something you're going to regret, but it's perfect and it lasts all day. Like you're just in a nice freezer, in a freezing chest. And it keeps everything nice and cool.

doTERRA: That is definitely one I'll have to keep in mind.

Mindy: You'll get nervous for about 10 seconds and then you'll go, oh, okay, okay, okay. This is okay. This is okay.

doTERRA: Amazing. Now, you mentioned earlier that you did a course in person, and that you redid the course online. Can you tell people a little bit more about what that experience is like, the time commitment, and how they go about finding that course?

Mindy: Yeah, that's a great question. So now if you purchase the AromaTouch Kit as either an enrollment kit or just you can purchase at any time. And by the way, it's the only way you can get 15 milliliter bottle of Deep Blue. So all of them are 15 milliliters which is awesome. And you get all eight of those oils, which even if you weren't doing the AromaTouch, those are, like I just mentioned, the groupings, like you can use those for your whole family. It's an amazing kit, but they've included the AromaTouch training, that by itself online would be, I believe, $97. It's included in that kit. So that's awesome. Right now, they send you a code within about a week of you ordering that kit, you get a code emailed to you, and that access code is so that you can go into your back office, your doTERRA back office, and you can go under your training courses. And if you didn't have the code, you would pay for it. And then if you have the code, you just type it in and then you have access to the whole training. It's very comprehensive and you do not just speed through it.

It is really, really good. So it talks about the philosophy behind all of the strokes and all of the techniques, and then how they all fit together, and then specifically why they chose the oils, and then all of the really hands on part where they demonstrate how to do each one of the strokes. And it has a workbook that you can download, or you can just kind of follow along with it. I always download and print that, so I have to take my notes on, and then you have your reference page so that when you are practicing and I believe you used to have to do ten, you have to do a certain number in order to get aroma touch certified.

But you can have your cheat sheet there and then I recommend doing them kind of as quickly as you can in sequence so that it's not like relearning it each time. And then, at corporate events they often have AromaTouch availability. Like I know that you can sign up to get an AromaTouch or you can find an AromaTouch certified person if you wanted to go and experience one yourself, which I think is really helpful now that we don't do them during person in classes, I really miss that part, and I think that's really important to me and to my students and past students.

So we actually gather quarterly and if people are more interested, we'll do it more. But people in their teams could have AromaTouch Training nights, AromaTouch night or spa night where they offer that so people can experience giving and receiving. And then maybe if someone had been Doctor Hill trained, just giving other advice because it is nice to have someone watch and make sure you're doing it right.

doTERRA: Well, that all sounds incredible and so accessible. Like you said, if you purchase the kit, you get the course, you're ready to go and you have it forever.

Mindy: So you can just go back and, you know, play, play those certain videos while you're doing it, while you're practicing. It's really, really good. I was impressed at how good it was.

doTERRA: Well, we're glad that it's been so successful. Mindy, thank you so much for being here with us today, for teaching us so much about AromaTouch and the benefits of combining, like we said, those oils with physical touch and the change that it can have for people.

Mindy: It's my favorite thing to do.

doTERRA: Thanks for joining us and congratulations on living a healthier lifestyle with essential oils. If you want to try any of the products you learned about, click on the link in the episode description or find a Wellness Advocate near you to place an order today. And remember, if you liked what you heard today, rate, review, and subscribe wherever you listen.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.