“For years and years in classes, people ask me which book on aromatherapy I recommend. One of the big issues for me has always been that I see a lot of books about “essential oils” written by people who are not herbalists, and who don’t understand the relationship between the essential (volatile) oil and the whole plant it comes from.

I feel rather strongly that aromatherapy is a part of herbalism, and not something that in and of itself is a complete modality. Therefore, we want to learn aromatherapy from ~herbalists~, and specifically herbalists who know their plants intimately.

This being the criteria, how awesome that Erika Galentin’s has offered us The Family Guide to Aromatherapy, because Erika just rocks.

Get this book, whether your experience is with whole herbs or mostly with essential oils (and especially if your education about essential oils is from people only educated in essential oils) . If you’re one of those herbalists who think essential oils are evil and should never be used, get this book, because Erika understands where you’re coming from and why you think that.

Or maybe just: get this book, because we need to value and support awesome herbalists writing awesome books.”

“One of the things I like most about this book is the way it is organized into sections that reflect stages in life - from pregnant women to seniors. Each section is then broken down into the benefits and VERY specific safety guidelines of essential oil use for those specific stages/ages, followed by some fantastic recipes and EO blends that specifically pertain to each age group. There’s a very nice, approachable materia medica at the end of the book that gives a nice overview of 30 “family friendly” essential oils.

This book comes at a time when I, personally am feeling frustrated by the amount of misinformation and claims made by essential oil companies and independent distributors referencing the use of essential oils without regard for the safety aspects. I am so happy to see such in-depth descriptions, safety tips and best practices of essential oils in a family-friendly, easy to read reference book from a trusted source - a clinical herbalist and certified aromatherapist with experience working with these products.”