Why the Scent of Pine Feels So Comforting: The Neuroscience Behind Nature, Memory, and Holiday Mood

Feeling stressed or low during the holidays? Learn why the scent of pine boosts mood, how smell connects to memory and emotion, and how the nervous system finds comfort through association.

When the Holidays Feel Heavy Instead of Joyful

For many people, the holiday season brings more than celebration. It can bring overwhelm, grief, loneliness, family tension, or a quiet sadness that's hard to explain.

You might find yourself asking:

Why do I feel emotionally overloaded this time of year?
Why do certain memories feel stronger during the holidays?
Why does something as simple as a scent suddenly shift my mood?

Then you walk past a pine tree, open a box of ornaments, or light a candle that smells like evergreen, and something softens. Your breath deepens. Your body relaxes just a little.

This response is not accidental. It is rooted in neuroscience.

The Unique Power of Smell on the Brain

Smell is the only sense that travels directly to the brain's emotional and memory centers without first being filtered through the thalamus. When you inhale a scent, it moves straight to the amygdala and hippocampus, structures involved in emotional processing, threat detection, and memory storage.

This area is sometimes referred to as the amygdala hippocampal complex or the primary olfactory cortex. It is why scent can evoke emotional responses faster than conscious thought.

Unlike sights or sounds, smell bypasses logic and goes straight to feeling.

Why Pine Smells Especially Comforting

The scent of pine itself is not inherently calming in the same way a sedative might be. What matters most is association.

For many people, pine is linked to:

     — Holiday traditions
    — Family gatherings
    — Warmth and ritual
    — Childhood memories
    — Feelings of safety and togetherness

Over time, the brain learns to associate the aroma of pine with these emotional states. When the scent appears, the nervous system responds as if the associated experience is happening again.

Your body remembers before your mind does.

Memory, Emotion, and the Nervous System

The hippocampus plays a central role in linking sensory input to autobiographical memory. When a scent like pine activates the hippocampus, it often brings emotional context with it.

At the same time, the amygdala evaluates whether an experience feels safe or threatening. If pine has been paired with positive experiences, the amygdala sends a signal of safety rather than alarm.

This combination can reduce stress responses, lower physiological arousal, and promote a sense of calm.

Why This Matters During the Holidays

The holiday season is a time when emotional memory networks are already highly activated. For individuals with trauma histories, family stress, or unresolved grief, the nervous system may feel overloaded.

This can show up as:

     — Irritability or emotional numbness
    — Increased anxiety
    — Depressive symptoms
    — Exhaustion or withdrawal
    — Difficulty sleeping

Scent-based associations offer a gentle way to support nervous system regulation when words or logic feel insufficient.

Scent as a Grounding Tool for Stress and Depression

Because scent engages the nervous system directly, it can be a powerful grounding tool during moments of overwhelm.

The smell of pine can help:

     — Anchor attention in the present moment
    — Interrupt rumination
    — Evoke feelings of familiarity and comfort
    — Support parasympathetic nervous system activation

This does not mean pine will resolve deeper emotional pain. It can, however, create a brief internal pause where the body feels slightly more resourced.

The Role of Association in Emotional Regulation

Our brains are meaning-making organs. Emotional responses are shaped by learned associations rather than objective reality.

This is why one person might feel comforted by pine while another feels neutral toward it. It is not the scent itself. It is the story the nervous system has attached to it.

Therapy often works by helping individuals identify, understand, and reshape these internal associations.

When Scent Brings Up Mixed Emotions

It is important to acknowledge that pine does not feel comforting for everyone. For some, holiday scents can activate grief, loss, or painful family memories.

This, too, is a nervous system response rooted in association. There is nothing wrong with your reaction if a scent brings sadness rather than calm.

In therapy, these reactions are explored with compassion rather than judgment.

Using Scent Intentionally for Nervous System Care

At Embodied Wellness and Recovery, we often encourage clients to work with the nervous system intentionally rather than cognitively forcing themselves to feel better.

Scent can be part of this approach.

You might experiment with:

     — Placing fresh pine branches in your home
    — Using pine or evergreen essential oils mindfully
    — Taking walks in nature where conifers are present
    — Pairing scent with grounding practices like slow breathing

Over time, these pairings can strengthen associations of safety and presence.

Scent, Trauma, and the Body

Trauma is stored not only as memory but as sensation. Smell can access these layers without requiring verbal processing.

For individuals who feel emotionally flooded or disconnected during the holidays, scent-based grounding can offer an entry point to regulation that feels gentle and accessible.

This does not replace trauma therapy. It complements it.

Why Simple Sensory Experiences Matter

In a culture that often prioritizes cognitive solutions, sensory regulation is frequently overlooked. Yet the nervous system responds to sensory input before conscious thought.

Simple experiences like scent, warmth, and rhythm can have meaningful effects on emotional well-being.

The scent of pine reminds us that healing and comfort do not always come from insight alone. Sometimes they come from felt experience.

How Therapy Helps Deepen These Processes

While scent can provide momentary relief, therapy helps address the underlying patterns that contribute to seasonal stress and depression.

At Embodied Wellness and Recovery, we integrate neuroscience-informed, trauma-focused, and somatic approaches to support lasting nervous system change.

This work helps individuals understand why certain times of year feel heavier and how to care for themselves with greater compassion and intention.

Moments of Safety and Connection Matter

The mood boosting power of pine is not magic. It is memory, association, and nervous system learning working together.

When the scent of pine brings comfort, your brain recognizes a familiar pattern of safety and connection. During seasons of stress or emotional complexity, these moments matter.

By understanding how sensory experiences shape emotional states, we gain tools to support ourselves more gently and effectively.

Reach out to schedule a complimentary 20-minute consultation with our team of therapists, trauma specialists, somatic practitioners,  relationship experts, or parenting coaches and start helping your teen work towards integrative, embodied healing today. 

📞 Call us at (310) 651-8458

📱 Text us at (310) 210-7934

📩 Email us at admin@embodiedwellnessandrecovery.com

🔗 Visit us at www.embodiedwellnessandrecovery.com

👉 Check us out on Instagram @embodied_wellness_and_recovery

🌍 Explore our offerings at Linktr.ee: https://linktr.ee/laurendummit

References

Herz, R. S. (2004). A naturalistic analysis of autobiographical memories triggered by olfactory, visual, and auditory stimuli. Chemical Senses, 29(3), 217–224.

Porges, S. W. (2011). The polyvagal theory: Neurophysiological foundations of emotions, attachment, communication, and self-regulation. W. W. Norton.

van der Kolk, B. A. (2014). The body keeps the score: Brain, mind, and body in the healing of trauma. Viking.

Soudry, Y., Lemogne, C., Malinvaud, D., Consoli, S. M., & Bonfils, P. (2011). Olfactory system and emotion: Common substrates. European Annals of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Diseases, 128(1), 18–23.

From Overwhelmed to Insightful: 15 Therapeutic Journaling Prompts to Support Depression Recovery

Struggling with depression and feeling emotionally stuck? Explore neuroscience-informed journaling prompts designed to support therapy, regulate your nervous system, and cultivate self-awareness. Learn how writing can be a powerful tool in depression treatment with expert insight from Embodied Wellness and Recovery.

When you're living with depression, even basic tasks can feel insurmountable. The weight of persistent sadness, low motivation, irritability, or hopelessness can cloud your sense of identity and purpose. You might ask yourself: Why do I feel this way? Will anything ever change?

Therapy offers a crucial space to process and heal, but what happens between sessions matters too. One accessible, evidence-based tool that can support your healing journey is therapeutic journaling.

Journaling may sound simple, but when guided intentionally, it becomes a profound method of self-exploration, emotional processing, and nervous system regulation. At Embodied Wellness and Recovery, we often integrate writing prompts into our treatment plans for clients experiencing depression, trauma, or relational distress. When used regularly, journaling can bridge the gap between your internal experience and your conscious awareness, helping you gain clarity, insight, and connection.

How Does Journaling Help with Depression?

Research shows that expressive writing can significantly reduce symptoms of depression, improve cognitive processing, and enhance mood regulation (Smyth et al., 2018). From a neuroscience perspective, the act of journaling engages both hemispheres of the brain, activating the prefrontal cortex (responsible for self-awareness and regulation) and helping to shift emotional experiences out of the limbic system, where unprocessed feelings often linger.

Journaling also supports neuroplasticity, the brain's ability to rewire its pathways in response to new experiences. Over time, intentional self-reflection can help you form new mental habits that shift depressive thought loops toward more adaptive, compassionate perspectives.

Common Barriers to Journaling When You're Depressed

Despite its benefits, many people with depression struggle to journal consistently. You may feel:

     — Too numb to know what to write
    — Afraid to face your emotions
     — Convinced it won’t help
    — Judged by your inner critic

If this sounds familiar, you're not alone in the experience. That’s why structured, trauma-informed journaling prompts, especially those rooted in somatic awareness, emotional processing, and relational repair, can help bypass resistance and make the practice more inviting.

15 Journaling Prompts to Support Depression Therapy

These prompts are organized around three healing themes: Emotional Expression, Embodiment & Regulation, and Connection & Meaning. You can write freely, list bullet points, or even doodle responses, whatever feels most accessible.

Emotional Expression

1. What emotion feels strongest in my body today? Where do I feel it most physically?
Tip: Let your body guide the words.

2. If my sadness could speak, what would it say to me? What would it need?
This helps separate from depressive thoughts and builds self-compassion.

3. What feels unspoken or unfinished in me right now?
Processing unresolved thoughts can reduce rumination.

4. What story am I telling myself today—and how true is it, really?
Challenge cognitive distortions gently and without judgment.

5. If I could be completely honest with someone today, what would I say?
Writing it down first can make future communication easier.

Embodiment & Regulation

6. What is my nervous system telling me today: am I in fight, flight, freeze, or rest?
This fosters interoception and supports nervous system regulation.

7. Describe a moment from the past week when I felt even 5% calmer, safe, or grounded.
Track glimmers, not just triggers.

8. When did I feel most disconnected from myself or others this week—and what helped me cope?
Bring awareness to patterns of disconnection and resilience.

9. What small ritual or sensory comfort helped me feel more in control today?
Building micro-moments of regulation creates sustainable change.

10. If I treated myself the way I would a hurting child, what would I say or do right now?
This prompt integrates inner child work and self-compassion.

Connection & Meaning

11. What kinds of people, environments, or activities make me feel more alive or understood?
Clarify values and sources of connection.

12. How have I changed or grown—even in subtle ways—since beginning this healing process?
Recognize post-traumatic growth and progress.

13. What part of my story am I reclaiming today?
Empowerment emerges through narrative agency.

14. If my future self wrote me a letter from one year ahead, what would they want me to know right now?
Visualize forward momentum and emotional support.

15. What does “wholeness” mean to me—and what is one step I could take toward it this week?
Bridge present experience with long-term vision.

Journaling as a Tool for Trauma-Informed Depression Care

At Embodied Wellness and Recovery, we use journaling as a complementary practice to somatic therapy, EMDR, IFS, and attachment-focused interventions. It helps our clients:

     — Externalize distressing thoughts and reduce cognitive overload
     — Increase emotional awareness and vocabulary
     — Build self-trust by witnessing their inner world
     — Prepare for or reflect on therapy sessions
    — Cultivate hope, clarity, and direction

Journaling also allows survivors of trauma to reconnect with the parts of themselves they may have disowned, particularly around identity, sexuality, and self-worth. In our work with depression, especially when it’s linked to relational trauma, journaling becomes a safe space to begin rewriting the inner narrative.

Tips to Make Journaling More Effective

     — Write consistently, not perfectly: Even 5 minutes counts.
    — Create a ritual: Light a candle, play calming music, or sit in the same space.
    — Don’t judge your words: Let yourself be raw, fragmented, or messy.
     — Revisit entries with compassion: Notice growth over time.
     — Use journaling to communicate with your therapist: Bring entries into sessions.

Reconnecting Through Writing

Depression often convinces us that we are stuck, broken, or unworthy of joy. Journaling offers a gentle yet powerful counterpoint; it reminds us that we are thinkers, feelers, storytellers, and survivors. Every time you put pen to page, you honor the part of you that is curious enough to understand, brave enough to face the fog, and wise enough to know that insight often begins with a single sentence.

At Embodied Wellness and Recovery, we understand the complexity of depression. Our integrative, neuroscience-informed approach includes tools like therapeutic writing, somatic regulation, and relational repair to support sustainable healing.

Reach out to schedule a free 20-minute consultation with a trauma-informed therapist or somatic practitioner and begin the process of reconnecting to joy and to your body today.

📞 Call us at (310) 651-8458

📱 Text us at (310) 210-7934

📩 Email us at admin@embodiedwellnessandrecovery.com

🔗 Visit us at www.embodiedwellnessandrecovery.com

👉 Check us out on Instagram @embodied_wellness_and_recovery

🌍 Explore our offerings at Linktr.ee: https://linktr.ee/laurendummit

References:

1. Pennebaker, J. W., & Smyth, J. M. (2016). Opening up by writing it down: How expressive writing improves health and eases emotional pain (2nd ed.). New York, NY: The Guilford Press.

2. Smyth, J. M., Nazarian, D., & Arigo, D. (2018). Expressive writing in the science of recovery. Advances in Psychosomatic Medicine, 38, 45–53. 

3. Van der Kolk, B. (2015). The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma. Viking.