A Gentle Space for Healing: Our Aromaball Workshop @SA Survivors

6 hours ago
3 min read

We recently had the privilege of hosting a nurturing Aromaball workshop at a charity supporting survivors of rape and sexual assault. It was a deeply meaningful experience, centred around softness, choice, and creating a safe, sensory space for grounding and self-connection.

Work like this matters. Survivors often carry trauma not only in the mind,but in the body and nervous system. Healing is not linear, and it isn’t always found in words. Sometimes, it begins with something as simple as a scent — a moment of calm, a breath, a return to the present.

Why Aromatherapy?

Our sense of smell is directly linked to the limbic system — the part of the brain that processes emotions and memory. This makes scent a powerful tool for regulation and healing. Essential oils can support the nervous system in subtle but profound ways:

Lavender is known for its calming, soothing qualities, helping to reduce anxiety and promote rest.
Bergamot can uplift mood and ease feelings of heaviness.
Frankincense encourages deeper breathing and a sense of grounding.
Rose carries gentle, heart-opening properties, often associated with emotional healing.
Chamomile supports relaxation and can help soften feelings of stress or overwhelm.
Ylang Ylang promotes emotional balance and can ease tension held in the body.
Clary Sage is often used to reduce anxiety and support hormonal and emotional regulation.
Sweet Orange offers a bright, uplifting scent that can bring lightness and comfort.
Sandalwood is deeply grounding, helping to calm a busy mind and support presence.
Patchouli can be centering and stabilising, often used for grounding during moments of dissociation.
Eucalyptus supports clearer breathing and can create a refreshing sense of space.
Peppermint can gently stimulate focus while also relieving mental fatigue.
Geranium helps balance mood and is often associated with emotional steadiness.
Neroli is known for its soothing, anti-anxiety properties and can support feelings of safety and calm.

For survivors, having access to these sensory anchors can offer moments of safety in the body — something that can feel unfamiliar after trauma.

What We Created Together

During the workshop, participants were invited to explore scents & their healing properties to blend their own aromatherapy oil aroma balls, I guided an informal session offering insights into the properties & powers of certain scents (ie: orange to uplift and ground, neroli to stimulate or bring you back into the room etc) & the opportunity to sample the oils, the community was then invited to intuitively choosing scents that resonated with them.

Using these blends, each person crafted their own aromaball — a wearable, natural diffuser that can be kept close throughout the day. This gives ongoing access to calming scents, whether at home, out in the world, or during moments of overwhelm.

The session was intentionally slow-paced and choice-led. Participants could engage as much or as little as they felt comfortable. Conversation flowed gently, but silence was equally welcomed. Everything in our sessions is an invitation, never an expectation.

Why This Matters

Workshops like this offer more than just a creative activity — they provide:

A sense of agency: choosing scents, creating something personal, and reclaiming control.
Tools for regulation: portable, accessible grounding aids that can be used anytime.
Community connection: being in a shared space with others who understand, without needing to explain.
Moments of softness: a break from hypervigilance, into something gentle and sensory.

Healing does not need to be loud or dramatic. Sometimes it looks like sitting quietly, blending oils, and remembering — even briefly — what it feels like to be safe.

We are deeply grateful to have held this space and to continue offering workshops that centre care, creativity, and community.

If you are interested in bringing a similar workshop into your organisation or community, we would love to connect.