My path with plants began in York, PA, where as a child, I had the good fortune of being encouraged to, “go out and play” in the woods surrounding my house. I learned to love nature and had the opportunity to learn about many plants, whose medicinal uses I am inspired to now be learning.

I grew up, and had some ambivalence about my “career”, so I did some traveling and hiking. Soon after, I met my husband and we decided to start a family. I am now a stay-at-home mom to two lovely daughters, and am currently expecting a third (don’t know if it’s a boy or girl) in late December. I have always loved the outdoors and the magical world of plants; however, it wasn’t until I became a parent that my path as an herbalist became clear. I found it frightening and disempowering to rely solely on doctors to take care of my children when they started to have health issues such as food sensitivities, eczema, and the flu. Doctors constantly wanted to prescribe medications that I knew, even as a young mom, were not going to be healthy for my kids. It was at that point that I realized I had to take responsibility for my health and my family’s health. I have learned so much in the past three years, since starting my journey at East West. I have found a deep sense of empowerment through my studies.

In the future, I intend to have a little house with a big garden to grow my own herbs. I would also like to have my own small community clinic where I can collaborate with other herbalists in a collective manner. I may even consider midwifery somewhere down the road. My overall goal is to help people empower themselves through their own healing, and to encourage people to reconnect with the Earth. It has been such a blessing to be a part of this school and to have the chance to meet and know the other wonderful students and teachers.