The Psychology of Smell: Dr. Rachel Herz on Memory, Emotion & Human Flourishing Through Scent

In this episode of the Free Yourself Podcast, Jeff Miller sits down with Dr. Rachel Herz, one of the world’s leading experts on the psychology and neuroscience of smell. A celebrated TED speaker and author of The Scent of Desire, Dr. Herz unpacks the extraordinary ways scent shapes our memories, emotions, and well-being.

Jeff opens the conversation by sharing how Dr. Herz’s research was central to his graduate capstone on “fragrance for good.” Together, they explore why scent is the most emotionally potent of all our senses, tied directly to the amygdala and hippocampus, and how it influences everything from personal narratives to cognitive health.

They also examine the broader implications of smell loss, the power of scent training to restore emotional regulation, and the role of scent in storytelling, culture, and multi-generational connection. With insights ranging from COVID-related anosmia to the future of scent in virtual reality, this episode is a masterclass in the unseen but deeply felt power of fragrance.

Topics covered:

• The neurobiology of scent, memory, and emotion
• How smell loss impacts identity, mood, and cognition
• Scent training and its potential to improve mental health
• Why storytelling and fragrance are deeply intertwined
• The future of scent in virtual reality and wellness

Subscribe and follow Jeff Miller’s journey as he explores the people, practices, and stories behind human flourishing through scent, creativity, and connection.

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