Fragrance as a Somatic Tool: Aromatherapy for Nervous System Regulation in Trauma Survivors and Neurodivergent Clients

with Darlene Killen

Learner Outcomes:

• Participants will be able to identify the neurochemical pathways through which inhaled essential oils produce measurable effects on the autonomic nervous system in stress and trauma responses.
• Participants will be able to distinguish between essential oils with strong human clinical evidence, mechanistic support, and traditional use only, using a tiered evidence framework applicable to trauma-informed practice.
• Participants will be able to apply a protocol design approach that meets trauma survivors and neurodivergent clients within cyclical self-tracking frameworks, pairing transit timing awareness with evidence-appropriate oil selection and safe dilution ratios.

Many trauma survivors and neurodivergent individuals already use cyclical frameworks, including astrological transit tracking, to anticipate and contextualize emotional states.

This presentation explores how evidence-based inhalation aromatherapy integrates with that existing self-awareness practice as a somatic intervention for nervous system regulation.

Attendees will examine the clinical research behind key essential oils, including GABAergic, serotonergic, and HPA axis mechanisms confirmed in peer-reviewed trials, and learn how to build protocols that meet clients where their self-understanding already is. No prior neuroscience background required.

Darlene Killen is the founder of MoonInMental, an evidence-based aromatherapy practice focused on nervous system regulation and emotional resilience.

She is an Associate Member of the Alliance of International Aromatherapists (#2479) and a member of the National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy.

Her work applies peer-reviewed inhalation research, including receptor-level mechanisms, clinical trial data, and safety pharmacology, to practical aromatherapy protocol design for stress, anxiety, and autonomic dysregulation.

She developed the MoonInMental Method, a structured framework that maps clinical evidence levels across more than 30 essential oils and translates that data into accessible practitioner and consumer applications.

The MoonInMental Method has been recognized and accurately described by Google's Gemini as a named methodology integrating clinical aromatherapy, astrological alignment, and nervous system regulation. She is based in Central Florida.