What are the opening hours?

Monday 09:00 - 17:00 Tuesday 09:00 - 17:00 Wednesday 09:00 - 17:00 Thursday 09:00 - 17:00 Friday 09:00 - 17:00 Saturday 09:00 - 13:00

Robyn Henderson - Reclaim Your Rhythm

Home
South Africa
Cape Town
Robyn Henderson - Reclaim Your Rhythm

I help quietly ambitious women reset their nervous systems and rebuild their routines - so they can stop coping and start living!

09/10/2025

A gentle reminder to slow down. Let this be your pause today.

08/09/2025

Bedtime can feel like a battlefield… but it doesn’t have to be.

As an Occupational Therapist, I often guide families to create sensory rituals that help kids feel safe and ready for sleep.

😴 One simple tool? Smell.

The sense of smell is powerful because it connects directly to the brain’s emotional centre (the limbic system).

When you diffuse calming essential oils like lavender or Serenity, the brain begins to associate that scent with slowing down, safety, and sleep.

Here is how to try it:
1. Choose a calming oil such as lavender or Serenity.
2. Add a few drops to a diffuser while reading a bedtime story.
3. Keep the routine consistent – the more you repeat it, the quicker your child’s body learns the cue to relax.

Bedtime is not just about sleep – it is about connection and calm.
With a little consistency, a diffuser can become a powerful part of your family’s evening rhythm.

04/09/2025

𝗙𝗲𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘂𝗻𝘀𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘆?
A little hint from nature can help us feel steady—just like trees with roots that keep them grounded.

𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗲-𝗯𝗮𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗶𝗹𝘀 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽 𝘂𝘀 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗹 𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗺:
• 𝗩𝗲𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗶𝗹, with its earthy scent, helps settle a busy mind and support focus—think of it as a calming hug for your brain.
• 𝗖𝗲𝗱𝗮𝗿𝘄𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗼𝗶𝗹 supports mental clarity—you breathe it in and feel grounded. It also showed positive effects on attention.
• 𝗖𝗲𝗱𝗮𝗿𝘄𝗼𝗼𝗱, 𝘃𝗲𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗹𝗮𝘃𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗼𝗴𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 can reduce stress by lowering cortisol (the stress hormone).

𝗜𝗻 𝗽𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲, 𝘁𝗿𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀:
Diffuse 𝟮 𝗱𝗿𝗼𝗽𝘀 𝘃𝗲𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿 + 𝟮 𝗱𝗿𝗼𝗽𝘀 𝗰𝗲𝗱𝗮𝗿𝘄𝗼𝗼𝗱 during quiet time—or mix them into a roll-on with a carrier oil.

𝗪𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗹 𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘆 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗮 𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗲? 🌳
Comment with which oil you would like to try—or share your own calming scent below!

02/09/2025

Struggling to focus?

As an OT, I see how concentration affects daily life.

That is where Peppermint essential oil shines. Just one deep inhale can increase alertness, sharpen focus, and boost oxygen flow to the brain. Research has shown peppermint stimulates the anterior cingulate cortex — the area involved in attention, motivation, and emotional regulation.

This makes peppermint especially helpful for:
🌿 Staying focused during study or work
🌿 Reducing brain fog and mental fatigue
🌿 Supporting attention in ADHD or high-demand tasks

Blends like InTune and Thinker build on this by combining oils traditionally used to promote concentration and memory recall. Keep them on your desk or in your bag for quick support when you need clarity most.

01/09/2025

As an OT, I often look at sensory strategies to calm the nervous system.

Did you know the sense of smell goes straight to the limbic system, the part of your brain that manages emotions and memory?

That is why lavender or citrus oils can help shift your state so quickly.

🪻Lavender
Lavender is well known for its calming effect on the nervous system. It helps quiet the “fight-or-flight” response, lowers stress hormones like cortisol, and supports the body in moving into a restful state. That is why lavender is often linked with better sleep, less anxiety, and a deeper sense of calm.

🍊 Citruses
Citrus oils like orange, lemon, and bergamot have the opposite yet complementary effect — they uplift and brighten. By supporting the release of mood-boosting chemicals in the brain, they bring energy, focus, and a lighter emotional state. Perfect for when you want to feel refreshed, balanced, and more positive.

21/08/2025

🌿 Scent Anchoring in Therapy 🌿

Scent anchors are consistent, intentional aromas that help the brain link a smell with emotional safety, grounding, and therapeutic connection.

Because the olfactory system connects directly to the limbic brain, aroma becomes a powerful nonverbal cue for presence and regulation.

Why It Works
🌿 Recreates familiar sensory experiences
🌿 Helps clients enter their therapy state more quickly
🌿 Builds continuity and trust across sessions
🌿 Supports nervous system regulation before, during, and after therapy

How to Use It
🔹 Before Sessions – Invite clients to choose a grounding oil (Lavender, Frankincense, Bergamot). A single inhale at the start of each session signals safety—just like walking into your office.
🔹 During Sessions – Use a shared scent to co-regulate. “Let’s both take a breath with Lavender and settle into this moment.”
🔹 Between Sessions – Encourage clients to use the same oil when journaling, meditating, or reflecting to reinforce therapeutic gains. Encourage parents to carry over at home.

Scent anchoring creates continuity, safety, and regulation—helping clients feel more anchored and emotionally prepared no matter where they are.

20/08/2025

As therapists, we know the nervous system often decides how a session begins. When a client arrives feeling anxious, shut down, or overstimulated, it can be difficult for them to access safety, insight, or connection during the session.

One gentle way to support regulation before the session even starts is through aromatherapy.

Because the olfactory system links directly to the limbic brain, scent can shift emotional state, breathing, and heart rate within seconds. This makes it a powerful, non-verbal tool to help the body feel safe and present.

How aromatherapy can support pre-session regulation:
🌿 Ease anticipatory anxiety
🌿 Slow racing thoughts and over-arousal
🌿 Create a sense of grounding and openness
🌿 Soften the waiting period with calm rather than tension

Ways to integrate it into practice:
🌿 In person: diffuse calming oils such as lavender, bergamot, or frankincense in the waiting space. Invite clients to choose a scent that resonates.
🌿 Virtual: encourage clients to use a favourite oil before logging in, or mirror their choice for a shared sense of regulation.
🌿 Sensory kits: suggest a small set – a roller bottle, a drop on a tissue, or a diffuser bracelet – that clients can keep nearby.

Supporting the nervous system before therapy begins often creates the foundation for deeper work. Sometimes the simplest interventions – like scent – offer the greatest shift.

18/08/2025

Most of us did not choose this work just to manage symptoms.

We stepped into it to support healing, vitality, and wholeness – to remind people of who they are beneath the layers of stress and pain.

Yet so often, the spaces we practise in are stripped of the very things that help the brain and body restore:
☀️ Natural light
💜 Connection to the senses
🌿 A grounded sense of presence

Nature is not a luxury. It is regulating for the nervous system – and we can bring elements of it into the therapy room.

What happens in the brain when nature-based inputs are introduced:
💎 Stress hormones begin to settle
💎 Cortisol finds balance
💎 The parasympathetic nervous system activates
💎 Mood and resilience lift
💎 Cognitive clarity improves

You do not need a forest to create this. Small intentional cues are powerful.

3 Nature-based aromas to invite the outside in:

1️⃣ Frankincense – The Deep Integrator
- Calms the nervous system and deepens the breath
- ⁠Enhances focus and clarity while reducing anxious thoughts
- ⁠Useful for clients who need to drop into presence or integrate after intense processing

2️⃣ Bergamot – The Uplifting Soother
- Balances mood and reduces stress
- ⁠Opens space for lightness, optimism, and emotional release
- ⁠Lovely for those who carry heaviness or are working through self-criticism
- Brings safety and structure

3️⃣ Vetiver – The Nervous System Settler
- Profoundly grounding, especially for hyperarousal or restlessness
- ⁠Supports regulation when the body feels unsafe or on high alert
- ⁠Helpful for children and adults alike who struggle with overstimulation

Reflection:
What if your practice space felt more like a sanctuary than four walls?

Nature shifts the brain – and so can you.

05/08/2025

I am passionate about helping occupational therapists and health professionals bring the power of essential oils into everyday practice.

Over the past few weeks, I have received messages from therapists and facilitators asking “Where do I start?”

Let’s connect and discuss the practical ways oils support therapy sessions and family carryover.

Because essential oils are not just about a ‘nice smell’ – they can be powerful tools for:
• emotional regulation
• communication and connection
• supporting parents and home routines
• creating safe, supportive therapy environments

If you are an occupational therapist or health professional and want to integrate oils into your work (ethically, safely, and simply), comment YES or DM me – let’s explore how this can support your clients and practice.

Address

Cape Town

Opening Hours

Monday	09:00 - 17:00
Tuesday	09:00 - 17:00
Wednesday	09:00 - 17:00
Thursday	09:00 - 17:00
Friday	09:00 - 17:00
Saturday	09:00 - 13:00

Website

Https://robynhenderson.co.za/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Robyn Henderson - Reclaim Your Rhythm posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Want your practice to be the top-listed Clinic in Cape Town?