A Scented Space

A Scented Space is a model of compassionate care that provides grief support through the sense of smell.  The program engages all of the senses to anchor feelings of safety to specific scents and was developed over time from my experiences of companioning those at end-of-life.   

Designed to offer emotional support for those in bereavement and/or those at end of life, this model of care is rooted in compassion and provides a gentle space for tender hearts to find comfort and care.   For those experiencing bereavement, the A Scented Space program offers support over the course of 4 weeks.  Each week, one of the four A Scented Space custom blends is used to facilitate the  process of Aromatic Anchoring to provide the foundation of calm and relaxation for the client.

For those at end of life, the A Scented Space model of care offers a simple, more personalized approach for both the client and the facilitator to help ease this sacred transition.  Facilitators are encouraged to combine the knowledge from their training with their own internal care compass about how best to support the person they are with.

This training has two parts: Bereavement Support and End-of-Life Care

In this training you will learn:

Bereavement Support:

• how our cultural beliefs can shape how we grieve and mourn.
• how emotions of grief are expressed at different times and stages.
• how to companion someone who is grieving.
• how grief affects our autonomic nervous system and compromises our physiology.
• how we are connected to plants and how the scented molecules they produce support us.
• how our sense of smell keeps us safe.
• how our sense of touch calms, soothes and supports our central nervous system.
• how the sound of an audio meditation can take us on a relaxing, visual journey.
• how we can create a tactile environment that nourishes our entire state of being.

* The bereavement training for the A Scented Space program allows the integration of the scented support to happen over the course of 4 weeks.  Clients are learning to become empowered to walk with their grief with self-compassion and self-love as their guide.

End-of-Life Care:

• how the sense of touch may differ at end-of-life.
• how the sense of hearing and smell is heightened at the end-of-life.
• how your connection to the oils is an important and relevant factor in providing support for those at end-of-life.
• how to vary the application of the essential oils as the person transitions.
• how to choose the appropriate essential oil for the person at end-of-life.

* The end-of-life training for the A Scented Space program addresses the very individualized needs of the dying and those supporting them.  In this section of the training, you will learn not only how to support those transitioning, but also the importance of supporting yourself as you do this important work.   You will learn, in more depth, about each of the 30 different essential oils for end of life care and the supportive qualities they bring to not only the dying process, but also to the supporting facilitator.

Included in the training: 

1 - A Scented Space Grief Kit containing 30 - 5ml essential oils for grief and end of life care

1  - A Scented Space pocket inhaler kit (contains 4 custom-scented pocket inhalers with knitted pouch)

1 - blank pocket inhaler for personal custom blend

Monthly ongoing support calls

Note:  Annual membership is required to maintain certification and to facilitate the A Scented Space model of care.  Your first year's membership fee of $125 is included with the training.

Companioning others through their grief journey is a privilege and requires the sensitivity and care of those who are in supportive roles.  It will be your compassion and the companioning skills you innately hold within you, along with what you will learn through this training, that will help you guide your clients in making the connections between what they are smelling and the support they are receiving.

If this training is calling you, then you will already have a deep sense of compassion and empathy.  In offering you this program and knowledge, I promise to guide you in the best way I know how so that you will be able to integrate your personal companioning skills with the knowledge of scented support.  

It is an honour for me to pass on this model of compassionate care and should you choose this path, I hope that you will find the experience of providing scented support to those seeking solace to be as rich and rewarding as I do.