Episode Summary
Have you ever walked into a room and instantly felt calmer? Or caught a scent that made you feel safe for the first time in weeks? In this episode, Dr. Stacey Denise sits down with Amy Anthony—one of New York City's top certified clinical aromatherapists and founder of NYC Aromatica—to explore how scent can be medicine for women whose nervous systems have forgotten how to rest.
For late-diagnosed autistic women navigating perimenopause and menopause, aromatherapy offers something talk therapy alone cannot: a pathway back to your body that doesn't require language. Learn how inhalation of essential oils activates your parasympathetic nervous system, reduces cortisol, increases vagal tone, and directly modulates emotional states—especially for women struggling with alexithymia, brain fog, hot flashes, and the exhaustion of decades of masking.
Amy blends scientific literacy with poetic connection, teaching evidence-based protocols for nervous system repair, emotional regulation, and sensory attunement through private practice, corporate wellness, and public workshops at the New York Botanical Gardens.
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Podcast: The Nervous System Eats First
Host: Dr. Stacey Denise | The Neuroaesthetic MD
Guest: Amy Anthony | Aromatherapist
Episode: 15