My Practice
My clinical practice is rooted in Western Herbalism, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), and medical research, and draws from my training in holistic nutrition, physiology, and phytochemistry.
Anchored in the principles of harm reduction, my approach is client-centered and affirming — never prescriptive. I recognize that you are the expert on your body and your experience, and that healing is a nonlinear, ever unfolding process. I partner with you to address the root causes of imbalance so that you can peel back the layers contributing to dis-ease, and bolster your innate sense of resilience.
I am dedicated to providing care that is accessible, trauma-informed, and trans-allied. My work bridges education, allyship, and matchmaking, introducing people to the plant medicines that best support their individual needs. Though I still have much to learn, an ongoing commitment to dismantling systems of oppression informs my work.
Photo by Cristina Cugliandro
Fostering Body Literacy
When I was first learning about plants, what once looked like a sea of green slowly came into greater focus, took on new form; nuance that was previously hidden in plain sight began to pop out as I learned to recognize and interact with the landscape in new ways. It felt like learning a new language; meaning began to click, access to the world around me increased.
In my one-on-one work with clients, I get to witness a similar process unfold. Navigating chronic illness can be stressful and confusing. Yet as we learn more about ourselves, our patterns, and the way that nature is reflected in us, we develop new tools for reading our inner landscape. In essence, we deepen our sense of body literacy.
Fostering body literacy helps us to discern what our bodies require, and empowers us to advocate for the healthcare that we as individuals and communities need. A way forward starts to emerge, reminding us of our resilience, and increasing access to a greater sense of well-being and vitality.
My Training
Clinical Herbalism:
Vermont Center for Integrative Herbalism, Montpelier, VT, USA - 2019 - 2020 - 1340 hours
Family Herbalism:
Vermont Center for Integrative Herbalism, Montpelier, VT, USA - 2018 - 320 hours
Medicinal Plants Internship:
City Farm School, Montreal, QC - 2013
My journey with plant medicine combines years of formal education, self-study, and many seasons in the garden or the woods, learning directly from the plants. Herbalists live at the intersection of a number of disciplines. As such my training includes phytochemistry, holistic nutrition, physiology and pathophysiology, botany, and materia medica, as well as several healing systems, including Western Herbal Traditions, Traditional Chinese Medicine, and Ayurveda.
My three-year training at the Vermont Center for Integrative Herbalism (VCIH) culminated in a year-long clinical internship at VCIH’s sliding scale community clinic, serving clients in Montpelier, VT, and surrounding areas. This experience gave me the opportunity to work with clients experiencing a wide variety of conditions and concerns, and to develop both my skills as a practitioner and to deepen my relationship with the plants, all under the guidance of a talented and dedicated group of faculty.
My work is informed by a cross-disciplinary background. I also hold a DEC from Dawson College in Fine Arts, a Bachelor of Arts degree from Concordia University in Studio Arts, Human Rights, and Political Science, a Certificate in Permaculture Design, and have been trained in nonviolent communication.
A lifelong learner, I am perpetually expanding my knowledge to provide the best possible care.
My Story
My love affair with plants began at an early age, one dandelion crown at a time. As an artist, avid gardener, medicine maker, permaculture designer, and science nerd, I believe that beauty is an important part of the healing journey. In my spare time I find rejuvenation in moments stolen in nature, with my hands in the dirt of gardens during the precious growing months, and in woodlands beyond the bridges that link my island city to open spaces. My nervous system finds rest in the process of making, creating with thread, paint, or pen. And my resilience is bolstered by community, a strand in a larger web spun by many hands. As a person learning to live and thrive with chronic illness, I am excited to share the knowledge I’ve gathered.
Photo by Heather Waldron