Olfactory Sensory Testing™: A tried & true system to improve emotional health
Let’s talk about why you should be doing Olfactory Sensory Testing for emotional health.
Did you know that you can uncover the root of emotional or physical imbalance simply by smelling a scent?
It’s true! And it works faster than you can snap your fingers.
Olfactory Sensory Testing taps into your subconscious to reveal real-time emotional insights (blocks from trapped emotions) that even your conscious mind might not be aware of. It’s one of the most accurate and intuitive ways to assess internal disharmony, and it doesn’t require invasive tools or guesswork. When used correctly, this method becomes a powerful healing tool for both personal use and professional holistic practice.
Your clients will be saying…”Wow, are you psychic? How did you know where to find the hidden emotions causing me so much pain? I feel so much better now!”
What is Olfactory Sensory Testing?
Olfactory Sensory Testing is the practice of using scent, specifically essential oils and their energetics, as a discovery tool to assess emotional, mental, and physical states (past, present, and future). Through the simple act of smelling essential oils and/or connecting to their energetics and noticing your body’s reaction, you gain immediate insight into imbalances within your emotional terrain.
This method allows you to:
- Observe emotional triggers through scent aversion or attraction.
- Recognize subconscious patterns of stress, trauma, or burnout.
- Match your responses to specific oil personality signatures for targeted healing.
- Identify which essential oils support you right now, not just theoretically.
It’s a gentle yet profoundly revealing technique that opens a window into your inner world without requiring verbal explanation.
Why does Olfactory Sensory Testing Work So Well?
Your sense of smell is directly wired to the limbic system – the part of your brain responsible for memory, mood, emotion, and instinct. When you inhale an aroma, it doesn’t pass through a “logic filter” like sight or hearing. It instantly triggers and accesses feelings, sensations, and memories stored deep within your nervous system.
This makes scent one of the fastest and most reliable ways to assess:
- Emotional distress or trauma stored in the body
- Mental fog, anxiety, depression, or fatigue
- The body’s need for grounding, clarity, or comfort
Scent bypasses resistance and judgment. It’s non-verbal, non-invasive, and instantly illuminates areas of distress without fear or angst.
How does Olfactory Sensory Testing work?
Olfactory Sensory Testing activates the limbic system – a part of your brain that processes memory, emotions, and survival responses (like fear and anger). This is why certain scents can instantly make you feel nostalgic, peaceful, or overwhelmed.
Here’s how it works practically:
- Present yourself (or a client) with a variety of essential oils. Choose them intuitively or intentionally.
- One by one, inhale each scent and rate your response from 1 (gross, no way) to 10 (I absolutely love it).
- Pay attention to body sensations, emotions, memories, or resistance that surfaces.
- Use this feedback to identify emotional needs, areas of imbalance, and therapeutic direction.
This method is especially effective when paired with intuitive coaching, somatic awareness, or energetic healing modalities.
The JennScents Olfactory Sensory Testing Method
I developed the JennScents® Olfactory Sensory Testing™ Method in 2002 as a way to deeply connect with clients during discovery and assessment sessions. I realized that by simply listening to their responses to specific oils, especially the ones they were drawn to or repelled by, I could access layers of their emotional landscape faster than through questioning alone.
This method became a cornerstone of my clinical aromatherapy practice. Through scent-triggered memory recall and emotional reactions, I’ve helped clients:
- Pinpoint unresolved grief or trauma (known and unknown)
- Recognize burnout or adrenal fatigue
- Reconnect with their joy, purpose, and passion in life and career
- Identify the culprits causing physical ailments related to suppressed emotion
The body never lies – and the nose always knows. With Olfactory Sensory Testing, you gain access to the story beneath the symptoms. Here I am explaining in more detail
Blending Tips Using Olfactory Sensory Testing
Once you’ve assessed emotional and physical responses through scent, blending becomes both a science and an intuitive art. Here are practical blending tips that align with your olfactory discoveries:
1. The 3-2-1 Blending Rule
- 3 drops of oils you or your client rated a 10
- 2 drops of oils rated a 9
- 1 drop of oils rated an 8
This layering helps you create a blend that resonates energetically and emotionally.
2. Terrain Assessment
Match your client’s internal landscape (cold, hot, dry, damp, tense, or lax) with oils that balance these states.
- Tense & hot: Chamomile, Lavender
- Cold & dry: Ginger, Myrrh
- Wet & heavy: Eucalyptus, Cypress
3. Muscle Testing (Kinesiology)
After selecting potential oils, use muscle testing to determine the ideal quantity and combination. This ensures the blend aligns with the client’s energetic field.
4. Emotional Anchor Blends
Once the ideal oils are selected, use them to create a personalized blend that your client can apply regularly to anchor new habits, beliefs, and emotional resilience. Also, to “bring them home” to themselves when they feel lost, overwhelmed, or insecure.
Bonus Tip: Keep a blending journal to track scent responses over time. You’ll notice patterns, cycles, and emotional growth unfold.
Ready to Master This Transformative Technique?
Olfactory Sensory Testing is a bridge between intuition and clinical practice. It helps you become more effective, more intuitive, and more impactful as a healer, coach, therapist, and holistic practitioner.
Want to learn how to use this system with confidence in your own practice?
👉 Join our NAHA-approved, mentored Aromatherapy Certification Programs at JennScents Aromaversity
We’ll teach you:
- How to confidently use scent to assess client needs
- How to blend with purpose, precision, and power using our valuable system
- How to build a heart-led business that transforms lives – starting with your own
