As we ebb closer to Mother’s Day, those who celebrate start to think of gifts that help show love and appreciation around the occasion. 

And so, Methods of Care has gathered a (non-exhaustive) list of potential ideas that not only delight — but also offer the sentiment of support. These are not just meant to be ‘just’ presents — most of them experiential in nature and supporting amazing local establishments; they are also gestures of understanding, designed to offer comfort, enjoyment, and a soothing pause in the day-to-day challenges that come with navigating chronic pain, fatigue, stress, and burnout. 

As a bonus, these items are also of benefit to those not navigating such symptoms, so please also feel free to use these Best Mother’s Day Gifts for those with Chronic Pain, Fatigue, Stress, and Burnout Guides as a reference to help ease the mental load of gift picking if you yourself are feeling absolutely zapped for energy and ideas 🤗

And with that, here are some of our picks for Something to Spark — experiences or items that can help spark and support a new interest, hobby, or joy!

Learn the “Basics of Aromatherapy” with The Aromatherapist

Spark an interest in the art of aromatherapy and its role in helping support aspects of well-being this Mother’s Day with The Aromatherapist and one of their popular online courses — “Basics of Aromatherapy” — or a hands-on DIY workshop to create your own raw skincare, bodycare, or custom perfume!

Ideal for those new to the approach, The Aromatherapist offers a “Basics of Aromatherapy” online course — a ‘101’ of sorts that helps lay the foundation for understanding and using essential oils effectively. Online attendees will learn what essential oils are, how to verify their purity and quality, and the best practices for using them safely. The self-paced course includes detailed chapter summaries and even a final quiz to reinforce your knowledge, helping make your newly-minted knowledge easy to integrate into any routine. Whether looking to support well-being, create a soothing home environment, or explore the world of natural fragrances, this course provides all the essentials (🤭 😉) to get started. 

For those up for being out and about, The Aromatherapist offers a series of hands-on DIY Workshops for both private experiences or group gatherings of up to eight participants — depending on the course.

If looking at private or small two-person experiences for a gift, options include The Aromatherapist’s DIY Raw Skincare, where you learn what botanicals are best for your personal skin type, and result in you taking home your own custom-blended facial toner, cleanser and exfoliant, mask, eye cream, and serum or day cream. There’s also a DIY Perfume Making Experience, which includes a one-hour perfumery consultation to help discover your preferred custom scent, as well as a 5 mL take-home in roll-on or spritzer, a 1 mL pure essential oil blend, and the recipe so you can recreate your signature scent on repeat!

Supplying their line of certified organic and wildcrafted botanicals since 1993, the Guelph, Ontario-based family-run business offers an extensive collection of essential oils, natural perfumes, skincare options, and more. Beyond their insightful courses, The Aromatherapist also hosts larger group workshops to craft custom body care products, as well as their highly popular seasonal Alchemy: Simple Herbalism sessions — all to help deepen connection and understanding around natural products and their potential. Their website is a trove of information, including a recipe encyclopedia, offering a quick-start guide to craft your own after-bite, multi-purpose cleaner, yoga mat spray, and more.

The Aromatherapist’s “Basics of Aromatherapy” online course is $40 — or free with the purchase of any three pure essential oils or essential oil synergies! The DIY Experiences vary, but 1:1 private sessions for Raw Skincare are $85, and Perfume Making are $95. For more information, please visit TheAromatherapist.com

The Aromatherapy Companion with Jade Shutes & Amy Galper

Along such lines, The Aromatherapy Companion by Jade Shutes and Amy Galper makes for an endlessly reach-worthy complement to help spark interest in the creation and understanding of natural products. 

Presented as “A Portable Guide to Blending Essential Oils and Crafting Remedies for Body, Mind, and Spirit,” this compact, easy-to-navigate, and beautifully illustrated book offers practical tips and handy recipes for custom blending and creating your own natural products. Small in size, but teeming with tips, recipes, and ideas for application, this is a wildly user-friendly go-to resource for any personal library shelf or coffee table. 

The Aromatherapy Companion: A Portable Guide to Blending Essential Oils & Crafting Remedies for Body, Mind, and Spirit (Fair Winds / The Quarto Group, 2022) is $26 and available here.

Learn to ‘Nourish Your Nervous System’ with Andrea Soos Yoga Studio’s Online Workshop

Spark an interest and understanding towards nervous system regulation with Andrea Soos Yoga Studio’s Nourish Your Nervous System Online Workshop. This engaging and deeply informative on-demand workshop, lands as an accessible go-to guide for learning the inner workings of the nervous system, how it dysregulates, and effective and helpful strategies to support re-regulating. 

First, you explore the fascinating world of the vagus nerve — the largest of the autonomic nervous system and a crucially supportive player in your body’s stress response, ability to relax, and overall well-being due to its connection to nearly every organ of the body. Then, with Andrea’s gentle guidance, learn practical techniques to increase your vagal tone, balance your mood, and help ease stress and tension within the body, mind, and emotions. 

Ideal for those curious about the topic of nervous system regulation, but not sure where to start, we love how Andrea delivers the in-depth information in an easily digestible and effortlessly actionable way; it is so helpful to be able to watch and listen when learning these techniques. The workshop aligns with her overarching focus; Andrea Soos Yoga Studio also offers 1:1 private therapeutic yoga in Hamilton, Ontario, as well as an array of online classes, using her 28+ years of experience to support people of all ages and abilities ease their pain, move better, stay strong, and live well. 

Also, when you purchase the course, gain lifelong access to the recording and accompanying slideshow to revisit and refresh understanding at any time!

Andrea Soos Yoga Studio’s Nourish Your Nervous System Online Workshop is $45 and available from her website AndreaSoosYoga.com

Healing Through the Vagus Nerve with Amanda Armstrong

Amanda Armstrong’s book Healing Through the Vagus Nerve delves into the functions of the vagus nerve, providing one of the clearest and most accessible explanations currently around for improving the body’s response to stress, anxiety, depression, and trauma through nervous system regulation. 

Endlessly practical, and appropriate for both beginners and those more familiar with the practice, Armstrong’s approach not only makes complex physiological concepts refreshingly graspable, but also directly applicable. Formatted with an easy-to-follow layout and helpful (not to mention gorgeous) illustrations, Amanda Armstrong is also offering a guided book course, over 15 guided practices, and access to her signature Release Class by way of her women’s mental and physical holistic health hub, Rise as We — where she is the Founder and CEO. 

We were appreciative to receive digital Advanced Reader Copy via NetGalley as this book is still on pre-order, and not officially out until May 7th (still in time for Mother’s Day, though!). This also won’t be the last and only time we chat about it, with a more in-depth review coming soon! However, it’s too ideal and lovely of a gift for those who have expressed interest in distilling what they’re hearing about nervous system regulation and would like an incredible, all-encompassing book to get started with. 

Healing Through the Vagus Nerve (Fair Winds / Quarto Publishing Group, 2024) is currently available for pre-order for $29 here, and is set to publish May 7th, 2024.

A Guided Forest Bathing Experience

As a way of sparking immersive connection with oneself and the natural world that surrounds — not to mention improve stress reduction, boost mood, and a host of additionally studied benefits — the gift of a guided Forest Bathing experience is one for consideration. 

Long-lauded by those who may feel overwhelmed by daily pressures, Forest Bathing is different than a “walk in the woods.” First developed in the 1980s, the practice emerged as a pivotal response to tech burnout and the stresses of modern life, acknowledging and advocating for nature’s therapeutic benefits as counterbalancing support. Known as shinrin-yoku, with its origins rooted within the tranquil forests of Japan, the science-backed and widely-studied practice offers a unique experience of rejuvenation and rest. 

Unlike a typical hike, Forest Bathing is a gentle practice that encourages participants to engage with the environment through their senses — slowly absorbing the forest, park, or outdoor atmosphere, focusing on the subtle textures, sounds, and smells rather than physical exertion, distance covered, or destination.

As a gift, whether as a guided group or a private 1:1 experience, Forest Bathing can offer a supportive and meaningful way to help reconnect with nature’s ever-presence. Group guided Forest Bathing experiences often range between $25 – $50 per person, and can vary to accommodate abilities and access. Certified facilitators can be found by way of the Association of Nature & Forest Therapy Guides & Programs’ Directory — including ANFT-certified and Toronto-based Forest Bathing Club.

52 Ways to Walk with Annabel Abbs-Streets

Author Annabel Abbs-Streets’ book, 52 Ways to Walk: The Surprising Science of Walking for Wellness and Joy, One Week at a Time is nothing short of delightful and insightful —transforming the simplicity of walking into a deeply beneficial practice for overall well-being. 

You may be wondering, wait — so, Forest Bathing is different to a walk or hike, and now we’re going to consider not just walking, but 52 ways to do so?

Yes. And it couldn’t be more thoughtful as a unique and darling Mother’s Day gift to spark a bit of a side quest from a typical sidewalk stroll. 

This isn’t just a book about putting one foot in front of the other; Streets weaves fascinating scientific studies with compelling stories and useful tips to illustrate how each unique approach — such as in muddy conditions, or using a Ley Line, or for 12 minutes, specifically — can help move measurable markers on well-being, from helping to reduce anxiety to supporting improved sleep, or even boosting creativity or enhance longevity.

Each chapter of 52 Ways to Walk introduces a different approach, staying mindful of varying seasons and physical abilities or access to ensure its applicability for many — including those coping with chronic pain, fatigue, stress, or burnout. What makes 52 Ways to Walk a particularly neat gift is its gentle encouragement for readers to reconnect with themselves, their routines, and the natural world in a compelling and curiosity-inspiring way. Moreso, the book can be re-visited and enjoyed year after year. 

52 Ways to Walk: The Surprising Science of Walking for Wellness and Joy, One Week at a Time (G.P. Putnam’s Sons / Penguin Random House, 2022) is $30 and available here.

The content shared here is for informational purposes only, and not intended as medical advice. Please always consult with your doctor before making any changes to your care plan.