Living Magazine Winter Living Magazine 2015/2016 | Page 22
AromaTouch Technique Spotlight: Staci Bell
NO IS NOT AN
Anyone can do the AromaTouch
Technique, no matter what circum
stances they face. Staci Bell, a young
woman from Royal Palm Beach,
Florida, proves just that. Despite
the challenges she’s had from birth,
Staci doesn’t let anything stop her
from doing what she wants to do—
including learning the AromaTouch
Technique.
Could you tell us a little about you?
I’ve grown up being blessed with three
different disabilities. The main one I face
is a rare brittle bone disease, which
affected the growth of my long bones.
I am also legally blind and bilaterally
deaf but I am able to wear hearing aids.
Growing up, I never let my disabilities
stop me from doing what I wanted, and
my parents encouraged me to participate
in things that interested me. Doctors told
my parents that I would be in a wheel
chair in my teen years. But, by the time
I could walk at nine months old, I was
on the trampoline with my two older
brothers. I played on the swings, rode
bikes, skated, and even rode horses while
in elementary school. I’ve also been
kayaking, canoeing, and tubing. I did
experience some broken bones, but none
of that stopped me. All through school I
took regular classes with the help of aids
and I graduated in the top 5 percent of
my class.
Growing up, I never let my
disabilities stop me from doing
what I wanted, and my parents
encouraged me to participate in
things that interested me.
22 / WINTER 2015 LIVING MAGAZINE
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After I graduated high school, I got my
very first guide dog from Southeastern
Guide Dog School: a Yellow Lab named
Crawford. He has been with me through
surgeries and two semesters at Palm
Beach State College in Boca Raton.
What inspired you to learn the
AromaTouch Technique?
I took nutrition and health classes in
school because I have to fight to stay
healthy. I am very much into being
healthy and learning all I can about
being fit, so I was thrilled to learn about
essential oils. My mother, knowing that
I have always been interested in being a
massage therapist, thought I would be
able to do the AromaTouch Technique.
I have been massaging her neck and
back since I was 13 years old.
I was inspired to learn the AromaTouch. I
saw it as a great opportunity to be able to
better express to others how well these
oils really do work by showing instead of
just explaining. I was blessed with a nice
instructor, Linda Hussey, who was willing
to let me give it a try.
How were you able to perform
the technique with the obstacles
you face?
I have never let any of my disabilities
stop me in my life. Even though I am
legally blind, my other senses, such as
touch, still work just fine. My fingers
have always had to be sensitive all my
life. I know how to work with what I have
as far as my hands go. I was privileged to
be taught hands-on by Brooke Stalnaker,
an awesome helper when I needed it
during the instruction.
How will the AromaTouch affect
your life moving forward?
Knowing about the AromaTouch
Technique and also how to do it will make
it much easier for me to share just how
thes H