Sober Herbalist

I am a 51 year old (cis female; pronouns she, her) located on occupied Coast Salish and S'Klallam tribal lands (Port Angeles, Washington)  and I advocate and teach "sober" herbalism. I am currently teaching herbalism in my community,  growing herbs on bartered land collaboratively and working on ways to amplify consciousness of sobriety, recovery and substance abuse in wellness spaces through writing a book, producing a podcast and appearing at schools and conferences. I am also a faculty member at the global online herb school, Land of Verse

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 I formally trained in herbalism at the California School of Herbal Studies (3 years of programs) and I have more than 17 years of continuous sobriety with an active recovery program. Before I left California, I was running a free community herbal clinic in my area where I worked with the elderly, the unhoused, and abused women. I have mostly worked in clinical environments my entire wellness career beginning as a practitioner of Ayurveda, a body worker, a yoga and meditation teacher; presently I am a self-employed herbalist exclusively. I do consulting work with farmers who grow plants like Lavender, as well. I currently focus on training folx because there aren't enough herbalists out there--especially ones who can support NA herbalism with proficiency. I do take individual clients for consultation support and can work remotely.

 

I am a guest teacher at the California School of Herbal Studies. You can purchase a June 2022 class recording titled,  "Alcohol-free Botanical Zeitgeist; what every herb enthusiast and herbalist should know about non-alcoholic herbal medicine and why they should make more of it" at their web site.

This class is the first ever class on "sober herbalism" and is a supportive resource for anyone who wants context on non-alcoholic herbal medicine and instructional skills on how to make it. The class comes with a sleek PDF handout of instructions on how to make strong NA medicine. I highly recommend that sober people entering the world of herbalism purchase and watch this class for support and guidance. 

 

I bring consciousness and awareness to the writings, teachings, attitudes and language used to colonize medicine making practices and herbalism and therefore perpetuate myths and practices of exclusion. I voice a non-alcoholic perspective on herbalist practices wherever I teach and participate in wellness. I fully support harm reduction and all people seeking sober lifestyles.

 

Contact me if you would like to know more about non-alcoholic herbalism, my classes, event appearances, conferences and symposiums.

 

I really want to write that book and produce a podcast but 2024 is the year of dirt, seeds, the wilds and the weeds. I am relinquishing regular social media posts and interactions, hours on a laptop and in a sound studio working on audio software for endless days so that I can just be in the medicine and get recharged after working my ass off for several years...  I do not pay for all that entrepreneurial stuff that many modern herbalists have bought into. I do all my own work, research and production. I don't pay for moody photographs of my medicine and I don't live on an idyllic rural property. I simply want to teach, make, grow, learn and share. My given plant name is "Burdock" and you better believe I'm a truth telling cleanser with spiky irresistible wordseeds that are hard to ignore, remove and are most definitely invasive!  

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 I believe that we all deserve wellness regardless of class, race, gender, size, etc. I disrupt the obsession with vanity, purity and perfection in wellness spaces. I educate myself and others to foster awareness and compassion. I hope that people get the support they need to fight substance abuse and empower themselves with plants, community and embodiment. ​

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Follow my life and work in the medicine at my instagram account @soberherbalist

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