As a clinical herbalist and a practitioner rooted in the wise woman tradition, I want to say something clearly and from the heart: I don’t know more than your body. No matter how many years I’ve studied plants, physiology, or energetics, your body is the one living your life. It speaks in sensations, cravings, emotions, and symptoms—languages we’ve often been taught to ignore or mistrust.
Listening as Medicine:
In a world that trains us to look outward for answers, one of the most radical things we can do is listen inward. My work isn’t about fixing or diagnosing; it’s about remembering. I support you in listening to your body, learning its signals, and reclaiming your inner authority. Herbs don’t override your body’s wisdom—they collaborate with it.
Honoring Lived Experience:
Your lived experience, your story, your ancestry, your daily rhythms—these matter more than a textbook protocol. My job is not to impose a solution but to co-create a path forward that honors you as the expert of your own body. Healing is not one-size-fits-all. It’s personal, relational, and cyclical.
Doses as Conversations
Some people need five drops. Some need five dropperfuls. And some need no tincture at all that day—just rest, tears, or a walk barefoot in the garden. The “right dose” is not about numbers alone. It’s about the conversation your body is having with the plant. Some bodies whisper. Some bodies shout. Some are asking for gentleness; some want a firm nudge. This is why I always ask: How is this feeling in your body? What is it saying now?
Tuning into dosage is part of tuning into yourself. It’s not a test—it’s an invitation.
The Role of the Herbalist
I’m not here to be the boss of your healing. I’m here to walk beside you. I might offer insight, reflection, or a formula that whispers to your nervous system. But even then, I’ll ask: What are you noticing? Your feedback is sacred data. Together, we listen.
Why Ongoing Conversation Matters
This is why I feel so strongly about follow-up appointments. Healing is not linear. It’s a dance, a dialogue. Your needs shift, your body evolves, the seasons change—and so should your support. What worked beautifully last month might feel off this month. Or maybe our initial protocol needs adjustment in the beginning. That’s not failure. That’s wisdom. When we keep the conversation going, we can stay in right relationship with your body and the herbs. We can adjust, listen again, and let the process breathe.
Returning to the Wise Woman Ways
The wise woman tradition reminds us that healing doesn’t always look like curing. It looks like connection. It looks like trust. It looks like remembering that our bodies are not machines to be fixed, but ecosystems to be tended. You are whole—even in your unraveling. Even in discomfort. You are not broken.
Tune In: A Simple Listening Practice
You might want to try this before taking herbs, making a decision, or simply as a way to reconnect:
- Find a quiet moment. You don’t need to be sitting perfectly—just be somewhere you feel safe.
- Close your eyes if it feels good. Let your shoulders drop. Exhale slowly.
- Place a hand on your heart or your belly—wherever your attention is drawn.
- Ask gently: What are you feeling right now? Not what you think you should feel. Just… what is.
- Let the answers arise without judgment. Maybe it’s tiredness. Maybe it’s pressure. Maybe it’s peace.
- Ask: What does my body need right now?
- Listen. Even if the answer is silence. Even if it surprises you.
- When you’re ready, open your eyes. Take one small action to honor what you heard—even if it’s just a deep breath.
