Interview with colleen thompson By Gergely Hollódi
- Aromatika Magazine
- Jun 24
- 3 min read
Pg. 28-37 9-minute read
Aromatika editor-in-chief Gergely Hollódi interviewed Chilean-born German aromatherapist Eliane Zimmermann, who spent 35 years in the aromatherapy world, wrote 10 books in German, and plays a seminal role in the German-speaking aromatherapy community. Eliane lives in Southern Ireland and keeps on teaching with passion.
How did you initially get involved with aromatherapy, and what made you start working with essential oils?
In 1987, while living in Wiesbaden near Frankfurt, I often visited a large organic store where I first discovered essential oils—something completely new to me at the time. I was already passionate about perfumes and incense, though I disliked the smoke they produced. One day, I opened a bottle of cinnamon essential oil and was amazed by its pure, natural scent—it felt like a revelation. Around the same time, I started helping out at a small bookshop focused on natural health, where I was paid in books and spiritual items. During slow hours, I explored the shop’s offerings and stumbled upon Robert Tisserand’s newly translated book Aromatherapy, which opened my eyes to the healing powers of essential oils. That book, along with others, sparked a deep fascination with scent, its history, and its medicinal uses.
What inspired you to start an aromatherapy school?
I have been an adult educator for most of my adult life, and even when I was pretty new to aromatherapy, I offered courses and workshops. I just needed to wait for the right time to start an aromatherapy school. In 2008, I started writing the course, which took four years.
What inspired you to start teaching?
Some of my clients began noticing how much essential oils helped their well-being and wanted to learn more. One of them, a massage therapist, suggested we create a full training program together. She handled the massage techniques, while I planned weekend sessions focused on essential oils and healing plants. We even included visits to a nearby apothecary garden, which became a favorite part of the training. With my deep love for nature, I enjoyed teaching not just the facts about each plant, but also their unique character, behavior, and chemistry.
What was the biggest challenge in your aromatherapy career?
Being well known in my field brings challenges, including being publicly targeted by those who envy my knowledge. But my bigger concern is the growing misinformation about essential oil use—especially with children. The wellness industry has been flooded with unsafe advice shared on social media, often for fame or profit. In early 2025, a young mother asked me if it was safe to give her three small children multiple drops of oregano essential oil, which someone had recommended. One child had already started vomiting. I couldn’t ignore it. I gently explained the potency of essential oils, using the example that just four drops of oregano oil equaled the strength of a giant bowl of fresh herbs, and asked if she would ever feed her kids that much oregano for days in a row.
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