About Me
I came to herbalism well over a decade ago, through practical ways.
Living in an interdependent rural community with limited access to healthcare, I learned to support my neighbors with the herbs that grew around us. I learned from people in the community, the plants, trial and error, conferences, and any book I could get my hands on. Since then, I’ve started several educational programs, a free school and a free clinic, graduated from the multi-year intensive Clinical Herbalist program at the Vermont Center for Integrative Herbalism, and spent several years in private practice. I’m also an longtime street medic and spent over seven years doing acute herbal community care on a daily basis.
Born and raised in rural Orange County, North Carolina (Occaneechi-Saponi land), I came back to my hometown to be a supportive resource for all the people who brought me up.
My style is warm and approachable, merging bio-medical and traditional herbal knowledge. I ask questions, listen intently, and make connections, digging into and addressing the roots of the issue, to cultivate deep and lasting wellbeing rather than just masking the symptoms of ill health.
I work from a non judgemental, harm-reduction stance. I don't like to ask clients to do anything I wouldn't do myself, and I firmly believe that you know yourself and your body best. I love the challenge of finding unexpected ways to incorporate herbs into people's lives- as the most effective medicines are the ones you’ll *actually* take.
My clinical specialties include digestive issues, graceful aging, autoimmune conditions, acute care, pre + post surgery support, bone health, inflammatory conditions, chronic genitourinary infections, recovery from brain injury, and hormonal imbalance (from PCOS to regulating side effects of gender affirming hormone therapies). I see people of all ages, but have a particular affinity for seniors (55+).
From my location in the Triangle, I'm a convenient distance to Durham, Hillsborough, Chapel HIll and Carrboro.
What is Herbalism?
As a clinical western herbalist, I use a mixture of traditional, bio-medical and energetic ways of knowing to assess health issues from different angles and approach the root of the problem. Drawing on folk wisdom, evidence-based practice, and pulse observation, we’ll work to resolve not only the symptoms, but the underlying causes—strengthening and balancing body systems with herbs and lifestyle changes so that ultimately your body can regulate itself.
In practice, that means I ask a lot of questions that may not seem linked (like about sleep, relationship to heat and cold, digestion…) but help inform a holistic version of the body—as everything is connected. Our bodies are incredibly resilient, and herbs help support your body to rebalance itself.
Herbs are helpful for a myriad of conditions, and generally don't have harsh side effects like pharmaceuticals do. Many people don't realize all the ways plants can change how you feel in your body—from anxiety related digestion problems to general aches and pains from aging to complex autoimmune conditions and everything in-between. Often I hear from people who had no idea they could feel better, delighted that it doesn’t have to be this way.
Book a *free* 10 minute phone call to see if herbal medicine could be helpful for you.
TESTIMONIALS
"Three words—competent, caring, and organized."
EH, Retired Nurse
Herbs and Sourcing
I make almost all the tinctures I use in my practice. As much as possible, I make medicines from fresh, organic herbs that I have either grown or ethically wild harvested myself. I write their stories of people, places, snapshots in time on the bottles in my apothecary. Often I can tell you where they came from if you ask!
Tinctures cost $12 per oz, while tea is $5 per oz. Everyone’s needs are different, but to give a ballpark estimate, a standard blend consists of 8 oz of tincture and 10 oz of tea per month, or about $35 a week. A sliding scale is available for both herbs and consultations, with several slots available per month.
Most people prefer to purchase their herbal blends through me for ease and affordability but you are not required to. I will happily provide the recipes for individualized blends if you want to source your herbs elsewhere. Some people want to develop their own relationships with the herbs, growing or processing the medicine themselves.