Introducing Daniel Michaels; A Clinical Neuroscientist Joining Organic Aromas Team!

Organic Aromas is please to introduce to our readers a new and exciting partnership between our team and a clinical neuroscientist based in Montreal, Canada. Daniel Michaels holds an HBSc with High Distinction in Human Physiology and Psychology; he is currently a PhD Candidate in Neuroscience at at his university.

Daniels doctoral thesis uses post-mortem human brain samples to address the question of how adverse life experiences can alter the molecular biology of the brain and increase an individual’s risk of developing a mental illness. His specific focus is on investigating the neuroepigenetics of trauma and suicide.

Historically, scientists believed that we are born with a static genetic code that guides structural development of the brain and therefore its function and our behaviour. It was due to this perspective that the field of psychology often argued that our behaviour was determined by either nature or nurture.

We now know, due in part to the fields of epigenetics and neuroplasticity, that our environment can modify the way our genes are expressed and how our brain functions. Now a concept of the past, the question of nature versus nurture has been replaced by understanding how our environment (nurture) influences our biology (nature)?

Aromatherapy has Positive Effects on our Brain

While many scientists, including our own, have focused their research on how adverse life experiences can change the brain in a negative way, there is great interest in the effects of positive experiences on our brain and behaviour. Aromatherapy being an example of an active area of scientific investigation.

Where does Organic Aromas Fit in?

In extension to providing our customers with high quality diffusers whose design are based off of scientific principles, we want to educate our readers on empirically driven scientific evidence of the effects that aromatherapy can have on our body and mind. It was this vision that led us to supporting Daniel in becoming a Certified Aromatherapy Health Professional (CAHP) through the Canadian Federation of Aromatherapy. Daniel is currently completing his training through Joyessence Aromatherapy Centre under a well known Aromatherapist with over 30 years of experience; Joy Watson.

Daniel’s goal is to bring the aromatherapy literature to the public and medical community. Having a scientist advocate for its efficacy has the potential to reach many individuals who may be resilient to trying aromatherapy. He hopes to design freely accessible workshops that translate the findings neuroscience has gained from it’s investigation of the effects that aromatherapy has on the brain and behavior.

Our Partnership with Daniel Michaels

Daniel will be joining the Organic Aromas team as our resident clinical neuroscientist. While Daniel’s expertise will be used in many ways, his primary role will be to educate our readership on the science of aromatherapy. Daniel will be creating a freely accessible mini-blog course entitled “The Science of Aromatherapy: From Brain to Behaviour”, designed specifically with our readers in mind. Since he is also involved in community work, he’ll also update our readers on case studies where he’s using aromatherapy to have a positive impact on members of his community. We’d like to welcome him to the team and are very excited about the impact that he will have on our readers!