Hi! I’m Jessica, your Personal Aromatherapist.
“What is a Personal Aromatherapist?”
For starters, my main job is to customize blends of essential oils to accommodate your individual needs for relaxation therapy and aesthetic purposes. (I do not treat medical conditions or offer diagnoses.)
Why a “personal” aromatherapist? Because I want you to feel free to reach out to me with your specific aromatherapy questions. Aromatherapy is a vast and sometimes confusing field to navigate alone. I am just an email away. Reach out. I’m here to help!
After exploring the world of aromatherapy for more than 30 years, it has revealed many wonders to me. And the only natural reaction to discovering the wonders of nature’s plant medicine is to want to share it with you!
Not only are we connected through nature, we are nature. Understanding this fundamental truth is key to learning how to live a more balanced life.
When I share aromatherapy with people like you, they report things like…
Becoming more aware of sensory perception and feeling inspired to explore life at this more visceral, fundamental level.
A deep and comforting sense of well-being at the physical level as well as emotional.
Feeling cared for and nurtured, like having an inner mantra: “I am healing.”
Sensations of joy welling up from within and a sense of renewed confidence and optimism.
Feeling more centered and ready to engage with life on a spiritual level.
In short, people end up feeling happier, finding a deeper sense of well-being, feeling more connected to their own inner experience, and finding freedom from the incessant worrying that often accompanies our journey on this planet.
These are things we seek as humans, and seldom find because we often look in the wrong places.
My truth, from being an aromatherapist and yogini for so many years is that…
All paths eventually bring us back to energy. Einstein said it himself. "Everything is energy."
After years of study and practice, I founded TREE OF INDIA.
Our purpose is to educate on the philosophy, science, and practice of holistic aromatherapy, so if you stick around here’s what you can expect to receive from me if you're on our mailing list:
Educational articles and videos to enhance your understanding of aromatherapy and its practical applications.
Invitations to online events and classes where you can learn how to incorporate aromatherapy into your everyday.
Special product information as I release new creations from my lab into your hands so you can explore aromatherapy directly.
I want you to understand holistic aromatherapy, which naturally unfolds through direct experience.
People ask me how I found aromatherapy. I believe aromatherapy found me after I began to use and sell essential oils for their fragrance while working with my mother’s herb business back in the 1980’s.
I fell in love with the aroma of sandalwood oil and would secretly “borrow” it from her shop to wear as a perfume. From that time forward, I kept a stash of essential oils for my own personal use. I loved them, even though I knew nothing of their therapeutic benefits at that time.
Growing up in a rural area in southern Ohio with parents who took a “live off the land”
approach to life, I developed a strong bond with nature and the woods around our little log cabin. Although I saw the value and beauty in our lifestyle, I always felt like I was missing out on the perks of modern living. After all, it was the 1980’s and it seemed everyone else was living large!
I graduated high school early to attend college and try my hand at living in the "big city." I found much to explore and was quickly immersed in a busy new life filled with wonder and adventure. I moved from city to city for the next 30 years exploring the world of corporate America.
No matter where I lived, I always found places to hike and be alone outdoors. My relationship with nature kept me physically fit, emotionally grounded, and mentally stimulated.
In 2007, I found myself in Fort Lauderdale, FL working for a large corporation in the natural products industry with a side hustle as a yoga teacher. My marriage had been weakened by communication problems, differing schedules, and my obsession with yoga. I was always busy or exhausted, and couldn't find a way to slow down.
For the first time in my life, I could not find sufficiently wild green spaces where I could be truly alone in nature to recharge my batteries and reconnect.
I noticed that the acceptable pace of life keeps people disconnected -- not only from diverse activities, social interaction and healthy food, but also from themselves, emotional well-being and often physical well-being. I felt tired, sad, desperate and alone.
One day, desperate for contact with nature and trees, I pulled out every essential oil in my stash box that had come from a tree and mixed them together. I was AMAZED at how much better I felt after inhaling it! I began to share the blend in my yoga classes, and the students loved it. Soon yoga studios began to sell it, and Tree of India Aromatherapy was born!
So, I had a new business... and even though I had a goal in mind - sharing essential oils and aromatherapy - I had no idea how to reach the people who needed it most.
Within a few months, I opened the first Tree of India shop in a tiny space that I rented for $500/month next to my friend’s yoga studio. In almost no time, I outgrew that space. Over the next 10 years, Tree of India continued to evolve through Farmers' markets, wholesale accounts, private labeling, a webstore and 3 different retail locations. My fast-paced life did not slow down. If anything, it had become more frantic, more busy and more stressful now that I was a newly-divorced female entrepreneur with big passions and few resources. WTF?
I reached another “point of realization” in 2016, and I left Florida for the mountains of North Carolina. I spent the next 3 years exploring my relationships with Tree of India, yoga, nature, and my personal wellbeing. I dove deeper into my yoga studies, went on a pilgrimage to India, and offered nature/yoga retreats in the mountains.
I realized that Tree of India is about moving at Nature’s pace. It is about surrendering into the flow of life, letting go of worry, allowing things to evolve naturally, and accepting every outcome as it is.
It was at this point in time when it became very clear to me that the teachings of yoga and the study of nature are really one and the same, if we're able to zoom out and see the whole picture. Nature is the outward expression of spirit! It's right there in the ancient yoga texts, but somehow I had not taken it to heart in such a literal way. And also, as a trained professional Naturalist -- that's what I studied in college -- I had failed to see the spiritual aspect of my work as it was hidden beneath the incredible science.
All of the work that I had been doing in my yoga practice to access the inherent energy that many call "spirit" or "soul" was available to me instantly when I was immersed in nature. And similarly, one inhalation of aromatherapy could also awaken this awareness if I held that as my intention. FINALLY, my life made sense. All I could think was, "People need to know about this!"
Today Tree of India is a simpler operation that allows me to share and serve more. I know the pain and isolation of the disconnected, artificial world in which most of us live. The pace of it is damaging and toxic. Nature is medicine.
I offer these beautiful plant-based creations as an invitation for you to connect. If you struggle with the symptoms of a fast-paced life, I invite you to explore our offerings. Settle into a few moments of stillness with yourself, with nature. Inhale and feel the nature that is already within you. Inhale and feel it as peace. Feel it as acceptance. Feel it as joy in simply being here now.
And remember that blend I made from tree oils? I renamed it Forest Therapy. You can learn more about it, and experience it for yourself by clicking here.
When I consider what most people want, it boils down to 3 things...
health - complete physical, mental and social well-being
freedom - to have the time and ability to do all the things they want to do in this lifetime
security - financial security, and inner confidence
Can aromatherapy help us achieve the things we want in life? And if so, how??
Let's start with the acknowledgement that aromatherapy works on a couple of different levels.
Essential oils are made up of small, volatile molecules that are able to penetrate into our bloodstream either via alveoli in the lungs or by crossing the blood-brain barrier. They can also have local effects on the tissues into which they are absorbed when applied topically.
These molecules then interact with the cells in the body to ease many problems including muscular pains, sinus congestion, improve circulation, and much more depending upon the oils and delivery method used. We call this the pharmacological effect.
The psychological effect of olfaction is immediate. When we inhale essential oils, signals are sent via the olfactory bulb to the most primitive part of the brain, the amygdala. The amygdala is responsible for our emotional processing.
In general, we feel great in the presence of odors that we perceive as pleasant or that are associated with pleasant memories. We are more relaxed, the tension in our body diminishes, we are more cooperative, and also our work performance is better.
Direct experience with mindful holistic aromatherapy practices can open the door to discovery of the essential or core self, which comes with a deeper understanding of our relationship with the world around us.
We see that we are earth-dwelling animals with a physical body and a subtle body. The subtle body is made up of thoughts and emotions as well as an energetic component (life force, spirit, soul) that animates the physical body.
With one inhalation, essential oils can change our experience. Instead of being worried and fearful, we can be brought out of our thoughts and right back into the sensory experience of NOW.
And right NOW, we are safe, complete and whole. Anything additional that we once thought we "needed" becomes less important in the now. This gain in awareness brings deep peace of mind.
Deep peace of mind unlocks contentment with our present moment reality.
Coming more into alignment with our true nature then leads to better mental, physical and emotional health...more clarity, more energy, aligned motivation, deeper connection and more engaged participation in all areas of our lives.
When we are more aligned, connected and engaged, we naturally create the life we most desire. Everything just seems to flow very naturally.
If you're interested in directly experiencing the effects of aromatherapy, I suggest starting with one of our Synergy Blends. Each one is formulated to help us with specific issues. Can't decide which one to try? Our Sample Sets are another great option!
Some of you have asked how the experience of aromatherapy helps everyday people who don't have a ton of experience or time to read all the information out there on the subject.
I realize how much hype, disinformation and confusion there is in the marketplace regarding the use of essential oils. Trust is everything.
Here's what a few people have said about Tree of India over the years that may help you see how Tree of India can be of benefit to you in your life.
I used to visit Jessica's lovely shop in Ft Lauderdale. I just received my mail order for essential oils; Lalita and Free Spirit -my favorites! She suggested I try Unfazed and she nailed it! Love it and right down my alley fragrance-wise. Always super pleased!
Tanya C.
This was my first time buying from Tree of India. First, the service was awesome. I received my purchase quickly. There was a written personal thank you note in the box. I was so impressed by that, especially these days! The products are exceptional. I will definitely be buying my future oils from this company. Also, so very nice on the website on the chat. Thank you.
Karen B.
Amazing oil blends! I ordered two oil Blend #5. Jessica is very quick to respond back to my questions, so overall this was a great experience! Thanks again.
Michael N.
Jessica made a custom blend for me for shingles. Not only did it relieve the pain on my face, but I came out of it without any scarring! I am very grateful she was able to help.
Bonnie L.
I remember the first time I stepped into Tree of India and at hello I knew I was standing in front of a true alchemist. I feel confident that everything I purchase from Jessica is in its purest form. I love my personalized body lotion. I tell everyone about Jessica Lohrey at Tree of India. I would not go anywhere else for my essential oils and gifts for loved ones.
Maria F.
I love the Sacral Chakra blend. It gives me confidence, and it's a magnet for men! People go crazy for the smell. It makes me feel sexy.
Lou J.
You may not be looking for a man, but there are many more ways that Tree of India can help you!
I look forward to hearing more about your experience with our products. Please feel free to message me and ALWAYS reach out with questions.
Cheers,
Jessica