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.
Key Topics & Timestamps
- Cold Open: When Scent Becomes Medicine
- Introduction: Meet Amy Anthony, Clinical Aromatherapist
- The Science: How Aromatherapy Activates Your Nervous System
- Aromatherapy for Menopause Symptoms (Hot Flashes, Brain Fog, Night Sweats)
- Scent for Alexithymia: Healing Below the Level of Language
- Essential Oils for Sensory Overwhelm and Burnout
- Creating Boundaries with Aromatherapy
- Morning and Evening Aromatic Rituals
- Which Essential Oils Work for YOUR Nervous System
- Gentle Invitations: Two-Minute Scent Check-In
- Resources, Connect with Amy, and Closing
Resources & References
Connect with Amy Anthony:
- Website: https://nycaromatica.com/
- Instagram: @NYC_Aromatica
- Email: info@nycaromatica.com
- Services: Private aromatherapy consultations, corporate wellness programs, public workshops at NYC Botanical Gardens
Connect & Community
Podcast: The Nervous System Eats First
Host: Dr. Stacey Denise | The Neuroaesthetic MD
Guest: Amy Anthony | Aromatherapist
Episode: 15
What is The Nervous System Eats First: Autism Spectrum, Menopause & Beyond?
The Nervous System Eats First is a podcast about the midlife body—when masking stops working, menopause hits hard, and your nervous system demands more than just supplements and willpower.
Hosted by Dr. Stacey Denise, a board-certified physician and founder of the Neuroaesthetic MD™ method, this show invites listeners into a new kind of recovery: one where healing begins through the senses.
Each episode blends science, sensory ritual, and somatic insight to help women reclaim regulation—not as a reward, but as a requirement.
This is not “self-care.” This is nervous system nutrition for:
Autistic and ADHD women unmasking in midlife
Black women and women of color navigating medical gaslighting
Women in menopause who feel invisible, exhausted, and emotionally unmoored
Highly sensitive women trying to feel something without getting overwhelmed
If you’ve ever asked, “What is happening to my body?”—this podcast is your permission slip to find out, slowly and with grace.
🎧 The Nervous System Eats First
Where your body is the expert, and your senses are the medicine.