2013 Teachers
Nancy Anderson
Canis Major Herbals
Nancy was certified as an herbalist in 2005 by Misty Meadows Herbal Center in Lee, NH, after studying herbs and other holistic modalities on her own for many years. Going into her training, she knew that her focus was in treating dogs, and worked to translate health conditions and herbal applications from human to canine. She has worked at the New Hampshire-based Herbal Path shops, where she worked with natural pharmacists and gained a better understanding of vitamins, minerals, enzymes, amino acids, and other nutritional building blocks. Based in Somerville, Nancy offers consults for pets, as well as trail hikes for dogs and herb walks along the bike path.
Kristin Avonti
Tree of Dreams Sanctuary
Kristen Avonti is a homesteading mama, herbalist, Reiki Master-Teacher and Shamanic practitioner based in the hills of Western Mass. She owns and operates Tree of Dreams Sanctuary, a holistic healing educational center and private practice. She teaches a variety of workshops and apprenticeship programs both through her educational center, the University of Massachusetts and other local organizations. Kristen is thrilled to be joining Herbstalk this year and looks forward to sharing her wisdom, knowledge and healing with our community.
Del Bachand
Generations
Since her youth Del has had an affinity with the natural world and spent years expanding her knowledge of North American and European herbs, with an emphasis on working with plants native to New England. She has been fortunate to have learned much about indigenous herbs from her husband’s family who are of Native American descent, as well as from other local Native Americans. Del has taught herbal workshops for the past 10 years at Generations Healing Center and for many groups throughout the northeast. In addition to teaching she is a consultant, speaker at holistic venues, and writes herbal columns for several publications. She believes that we have been gifted with wondrous healing plants from mother nature and that “knowledge kept to ones self is wasted – it is meant to be shared.”
Michael Blackmore
Mad Crow Herbalism
Michael recently came to finding his path in life as an herbalist and healer. He loves learning what it is to truly be an herbalist and healer, and exploring how to listen to the wisdom that nature shares with us when we pause and connect to her. Mad Crow Herbalism approaches herbalism from a different perspective, where you always step back and channel the fun, quirky willingness to just experiment and play!
Mary Blue
Farmacy Herbs
Mary Blue facilitates the Farmacy’s Herbal Education and Training Program and has been teaching about herbs for 10 years. She has taught classes on herbalism at local hospitals, colleges, high schools, nursing homes and to special interest groups and non profits. She teaches herbalism to children through the Farmacy Li’Sprouts program and with interns from local schools working at Farmacy. She is the Founder, Director and Practicing Herbalist of Farmacy Herbs. Mary works to support the Northeast herbal community by organizing The Northeast Community Herbalist convergence and the Radherb Network. She recently directed and edited the herbal documentary Herbal Aide.
Debra Bluth
Seed and Legend Herbs
Debra Bluth is a flower essence practitioner and herbalist practicing in Brighton, Massachusetts and Yarmouth, Maine. Certified to work with flower essences by David Dalton, she also completed his advanced practitioners’ clinic, and now apprentices more closely with him at Delta Gardens. Her eyes first opened to the plants 18 years ago while in a shiatsu certification program, and years later she continued training through The Boston School for Herbal Studies, Bevin Clare, Katja Swift, Mischa Schuler, and Kate Gilday, among others. Debra holds a B.S. in psychology from Tufts University, an MFA in dance from California Institute of the Arts, is certified as a yoga therapist and currently teaches classes in yoga, movement, and experiential anatomy, as well as a nine-month online chakra apprenticeship.
Larken Bunce
Vermont Center for Integrative Herbalism
Larken Bunce is a clinical herbalist, educator, writer, gardener and photographer. She is founding co-director of Vermont Center for Integrative Herbalism in Montpelier, Vermont, a non-profit which offers 1-year Family Herbalist and 3-year Clinical Herbalist training programs, integrative community health worker education, and a full time sliding-scale community clinic. She serves as faculty in Goddard College’s Health Arts and Sciences program and holds a Master of Science in Herbal Medicine from the Tai Sophia Institute. Larken believes that the heart of healing work lies in reminding us all that we belong to each other and to the land. www.larkenbunce.com
Aidan Clowes
Herbalist Aidan Clowes first studied herbalism under the mentorship of Rosemary Gladstar and then further with Sage Mauer. She continued her clinical study with Margi Flint in her practice in Marblehead, MA. Over the years Aidan has worked in various clinics and regularly teaches classes in the Brattelboro, VT area with a passion to enhance the health and overall well being of her clients. She recieved her undergraduate degree from Prescott College in Prescott, AZ where she focused on a dual degree in cultural studies and photography. Aidan firmly believes in empowering people to take charge of their health through learning about the medicines that grow in their surroundings. Currently, Aidan practices herbalism in southern Vermont while living off the grid in an oak grove.
Su Cousineau
Taproot Healing
Su Cousineau, ABT, is a local shiatsu practitioner of 14 years and a community herbalist of 5 years. She has studied at Heart Song Farm, completed Rosemary Gladstar’s home study course and has finished the Apprenticeship and Advanced Level Programs at the Boston School of Herbal Studies. Su is also a long time Jamaica Plain resident, educator, gardener, forager, and medicine maker. She’s thrilled to be part of HERBSTALK 2013!
Sheilagh Cruikshank
Green Witch School of Herbal Studies
Sheilagh Cruickshank is an herbalist, teacher, gardener and mom. Sheilagh has been learning from and working with plant medicine for more than 10 years. She has spent the last 5 years as a teacher at The Green Witch School of Herbal Studies in Salem, MA and holds workshops at the New England Women’s Herbal Conference and the International Herb Symposium. Her formal herbal education was with Rosemary Gladstar, completing both the Apprenticeship and Advanced Herbal Training Programs at the Sage Mountain Retreat Center and Botanical Sanctuary in Vermont. A lover of history and folklore, Sheilagh enjoys weaving the perennial tales of our herbal allies with their significance in our present day lives.
Krystina Friedlander
Baraka Birth
Krystina Friedlander is a certified HypnoBirthing instructor, ToLabor trained professional childbirth doula, Fertility Awareness Method counselor and community herbalist. After being inspired to become a doula while living abroad in Doha, Qatar, she plunged into the world of women’s health and supports women and families around birth, fertility, cycles, contraception, diet, and more. She has an M.A. in Cultural Anthropology from Tulane University in New Orleans, and a deep interest in childbirth practices around the world. Her guiding intention is to support women as they make the empowered decisions necessary for their health and well-being, with a belief that women’s empowerment radiates outward into all areas of our wider shared community.
Cindy Hebbard
Wisdom of Healing
Cindy Hebbard, Certified Herbalist and Wellness Educator, has practiced herbalism and food as medicine for nearly four decades. She teaches about healing herbs and plant medicine in Brattleboro, VT and in Woburn, MA at the Herbal Academy of New England. She provides Herbal Wellness Consultations for people with chronic pain, poor health conditions and auto-immune issues, helping them to heal themselves.
Madelon Hope
The Boston School of Herbal Studies
Madelon Hope is a Clinical Herbalist and Licensed Psychotherapist who directs the Boston School of Herbal Studies. She teaches Herbal Apprenticeship programs, Advanced Training, and offers herbal classes throughout the year, including monthly Medicinal Plant Walks during the spring and summer. She integrates herbs, nutrition, flower essences, and psychotherapy into her work with clients. Her practice is informed by diagnostic approaches of Chinese medicine.
Rachel Eliza Hope
Rachel studied clinical herbalism at The Boston School of Herbal Studies, both beginning and advanced level apprenticeships. She is also a certified Holistic Health Coach through The Institute of Integrative Nutrition. She worked as a massage therapist for over a decade, offering Shiatsu among other healing modalities and received a B.A. in Psychology from the University of Massachusetts. She has been among the teaching staff at the Boston School of Herbal Studies. Learning and drawing upon the wisdom of natural health has played a vital and empowering role in Rachel’s life and she is excited to share from her experience.
Abigail Jean
Abigail is a native of Cambridge and has recently returned to the area in hopes of incorporating her herbal knowledge into the community. She has pursued many avenues of study including the management of gardens, apprenticing with Susun Weed, and completing a three year Clinical Herbalist Program at VCIH. You can often find her in the kitchen formulating Red Clover Breast Balm and other herbal products.
Carol Joyce
White Buffalo Herbs
Carol Joyce is a Community Herbalist, organic farmer, social worker, and positive behavior consultant who weaves her love of herbalism and healing into every facet of her personal and professional life. Carol is a life-long student of the Green World and has been enlightening people about the mystery of plants for the past 17 years. She brings a lively, humorous style to the herbal classes she teaches at colleges, herb conferences, local farms and garden clubs throughout our New England community. Carol also teaches at her Still WIllin’ Organic Farm & Botanical Sanctuary in Warwick, MA.
Teri Kalgren
Artemisia Botanicals
Teri Kalgren has been working with herbs at various levels for over 25 years. Her advanced training has been with such herbal grandmothers as Rosemary Gladstar, Tieraona Low Dog, and Margi Flint as well as many gifted teachers over the years. She has her Aromatherapy certification with Jade Shutes, trained in Flower Essences with David Dalton and is also a licensed Esthetician. Teri has been teaching and showing the way of herbs for over 16 years. She is the owner of Artemisia Botanicals and in Salem, MA and the director of The Green Witch School of Herbalism for 11 years.
Kathi Langelier
Herbal Revolution
Katheryn Langelier has been studying herbal medicine for the past 19 years, but her love and fascination for the natural world and plants started as a young child. She is the founder of Herbal Revolution which was inspired by the resilience and tenaciousness of plants. The tender green sprouts of the dandelion plants that rise up, breaking through the asphalt of the side walk, is where the heart of Herbal Revolution lies. The goal of Herbal Revolution is to bring light to these amazing plants, that not so long ago were the staple food and medicine of the people. We would like to see more people have access to these plants and the education to grow and use them safely and respectfully. Katheryn lives in mid-coast Maine where she enjoys building with stones, gardening, swimming, hiking, and is a Licensed Massage Therapist.
Felix Lufkin
Help Yourself!
Felix works with K-12 and college students at a number of schools in western MA, teaching nature awareness, gardening, and wild edible plants. He’s involved with the Help Yourself initiative to plant fruit trees and medicine herb gardens in public places around the Pioneer Valley.
Jade Alicandro Mace
Milk & Honey Herbs
Jade Alicandro Mace is a Community Herbalist grounded in the Wise Woman Tradition of Herbalism and greatly influenced by the ancient herbal traditions of Ayurveda and Traditional Chinese Medicine. She believes that herbal medicine is the people’s medicine, and that this knowledge belongs to everyone. Her focus is on self and community empowerment through the sharing and spreading of herbal knowledge. Jade is a practicing herbalist, educator, medicine-maker, and grower, and runs a medicinal plant nursery in the Pioneer Valley of Western Massachusetts. She is also a staff herbalist at Blue Dragon Community Herbal Clinic in Amherst, MA, a low-cost walk-in clinic
Sage Maurer
The Gaia School of Healing
Sage L. Maurer is an independent practitioner and teacher of herbal healing, plant spirit medicine, shamanism, deep ecology, and ethnobotany. In 2001 she founded The Gaia School of Healing, where she has trained hundreds of apprentices in sacred plant medicine around New England over the past 12 years. Sage holds a degree in anthropology and ethnobotany, and has studied many folk traditions of healing around the world. Sage is devoted to reawakening the earth-honoring traditions of the past and sacred ways of working with plants in healing practice.
Heath McAllister, ND
Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine
Dr. Heath McAllister is a Naturopathic Physician and herbalist practicing in Tempe, Arizona. Dr. McAllister graduated from the Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine after which he completed a 1-year residency in general medicine. He became interested in herbal medicines while growing up in the woodlands of Maine. Dr. McAllister also has extensive botanical knowledge after having worked as a botanist for both the Natural Resources Conservation Service and Bureau of Land Management. He currently teaches at the Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine and the Southwest Institute of Healing Arts and maintains an active private practice.
Cherylann McFetridge
Cherylann McFetridge is an herbalist, Certified Medical Assistant, avid gardener, artist, and mom. Through her life, Cherylann has had a deep connection to the plant world. She shares her knowledge of herbal lore at the International Herb Symposium and is teaching at the 2013 New England Women’s Herbal Conference. Her formal herbal education was at the Sage Mountain Retreat Center and Botanical Sanctuary with Rosemary Gladstar, completing the Herbal Apprenticeship, Advanced Herbal Training and Herbal Educator course. Fascinated by the histories, myths and legends of the herbal realm, Cherylann is delighted to re-tell their intriguing folklore, traditions and modern uses.
Ryn Midura
The CommonWealth Center For Herbal Medicine
Ryn is one of those herbalists who didn’t spend enough time in the forest as a child and is making up for lost time. He co-founded the CommonWealth Center for Herbal Medicine with his partner Katja Swift. His favorite herbs are sage, solomon’s seal, ginger, and kava.
Jes Morgan
Good4You Herbals
Jes is the creator behind good4you herbals on Etsy and Blogger. The plants have been guiding her to share their gifts for almost a decade.
Brittany Wood Nickerson
Thyme Herbal
Brittany Wood Nickerson is a practicing community herbalist, health educator and cook. She combines knowledge of nutrition and a passion for using food as medicine with her training in Western, Ayurvedic and Chinese herbal medicine. Her treatment and teaching approach emphasize personal empowerment, preventative home healthcare and whole body wellness. She believes health and healing is a process that connects mind, body and spirit with the cycles of life and the patterns of the earth. Brittany runs Thyme Herbal Healing Center in Amherst Massachusetts where she teaches The Art of Home Herbalism as well as courses in herbal cooking and homesteading. She teaches women’s health at the University of Massachusetts and is the organizer of the Northampton/Amherst Herbal Meet-up group.
Linda Patterson
The Eclectic Institute of Aromatherapy and Herbal Studies
Linda Patterson, founder and director of the Eclectic Institute of Aromatherapy and Herbal Studies has taught in France and throughout the Northeast for over 20 years. Her love for the plants has inspired her to become a Master Gardener and a flower essence practitioner.
Jenn Pipp
Synchronicity Station
Jenn Pipp is a artist-shaman-ceremonialist. She brings this work together in her project Synchronicity Station, an organization dedicated to synchronizing yourself and fully connecting to the world with a focus on group ceremony and skill-sharing. She is also in the service of supporting the sharing of Ancient Mi’kmaq teachings and the way of kindness through the group Lonebear’s Words. Both endeavors weave together in service of expanding consciousness on a large scale. Jenn holds a Certification in Luminous Healing & Energy Medicine from the Four Winds Healing the Light Body Program and is also a Reiki practitioner. Jenn holds mythic healings for individuals on request. She has a degree in multimedia art (BFA 2001) from the School of the Museum of Fine Arts and has performed at many locations including Mobius. Community Sidewalk Chalk is her main medium of expression these days.
Tommy Priester
Bear Medicine Herbs
Tommy Priester, a practicing herbalist since 1998, combines extensive knowledge of Western herbalism, nutrition, flower essences, homeopathy, shamanism, energy healing forms with ancient wisdom traditions from Native American and other cultures. Tommy has studied with renowned herbalists Gail Ulrich, Margi Flint, Matthew Wood, William LeSassier, Phillis Light, Donald Yance, and Stephen Harrod Buhner, and with master flower essence practitioner David Dalton of Delta Gardens. Tommy has been privileged to learn from Abanaki, Cherokee, Ojibwa, Cree and Lakota Elders. In October 2009 Tommy was initiated into the Braveheart lineage of the Lakota tradition. Tommy studied core shamanism with Michael Harner, and other shamanic schools of thought with John Ford, and Dana Robins, and Tibetan shamanism with Larry Peters. Tommy is a practitioner of Pan Gu Shen Gong healing form and also an instructor of the basic technique. Along with this Tommy is also certified as a Tong Ren and Reiki practitioner.
Jessyloo Rodrigues
Herbaloo
Jessyloo began her lifework as an herbalist in high school when she learned the medicinal benefits of Echinacea purpurea, a flower she had loved for its aesthetic beauty in her mother’s garden. She has since completed her B.A. in Agroecology, worked on 9+ farms, had the pleasure of working for Herb Pharm and Urban Moonshine, and attended numerous herbal seminars and conferences to develop her wisdom of the plants. In 2009 she began studying as Herbaloo, Earth Apprentice which focuses on creating a source of free information and resources on Plant Spirit Medicine for budding herbalists. She comes bearing smile and laughter to her classes, providing hands-on engagement for all the senses!
Mischa Schuler
Wild Carrot Herbs
Mischa Schuler is a Community Herbalist soon to be living in Portland, Maine who empowers community members to trust their own ability to nurture and support themselves and their families. She specializes in women’s and children’s health and building community gardens.
Cassandra Sears
Little Bear Apothecary
Cassandra grew up in Maine playing outside and wondering at the marvels of the natural world. Many wonderful experiences and mentors have led her to pursue a holistic lifestyle and find her passion in the dirt. She is a wild-foods enthusiast as well as a farmer growing medicinal herbs and food. She is partnering with another herbalist to offer an herbal CSA to their local community.
Wendy Simard
Green Dot Garden
Wendy Simard, CHHC, AADP, is a holistic health coach who uses the garden and whole foods as a catalyst to help clients make lasting lifestyle changes. She is a Master Urban Gardener who grows in Dorchester and Mattapan. Wendy has studied nutrient-dense crop production and is doing an herbal medicine apprenticeship this season at Goldthread Farm in Western Mass. Her dream is to open a wellness center with a hands-on gardening and herbal healing component. Wendy has recently developed an obsession with nettles and rarely wears garden gloves — she likes to get her hands dirty!
Hannah Sparks
Hannah’s Herbals
Hannah has been studying the healing ways of plants for over two decades and has used herbs as her first choice for health since she was a child. She would like to share what she has learned and to help empower others to take responsibility for their health and well-being. Herbs have been used throughout history to remedy an extensive variety of ailments and conditions and for her that is a testimonial too great to ignore.
Katie Stage, ND
Rockwood Natural Medicine Clinic, Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine
Dr. Katie Stage is a licensed Naturopathic Physician and Registered Herbalist who practices general family medicine, with a particular interest in women’s health and pediatrics. Dr. Stage has a passion for treating gastrointestinal disorders, pelvic pain, hormone imbalances, infertility, menstrual disorders, menopause-related symptoms, hypertension, and metabolic syndrome. While treatments are tailored to her patient’s needs, she primarily uses homeopathy, botanical medicine, clinical nutrition, acupuncture, hydrotherapy, and CranioSacral as treatment modalities. Dr. Stage graduated with high honors from the Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine (SCNM) in Tempe, Arizona. She then completed a one-year residency in general family practice medicine at the Southwest Naturopathic Medical Center. She continues to teach hydrotherapy, botanical medicine, GYN lab, and clinical skills at SCNM, and maintains a private practice at Rockwood Natural Medicine Clinic.
Corrina Steward
Earth Hive
Corrina is a multi-dimensional healer, alchemist, and environmental educator. She embodies the many paths she has walked from a Masters in Environmental Science from Yale University to mastery in Angelic Reiki. In her work, she empowers people to become co-creators in harmony with Mother Earth and the Cosmos. Earth Hive Essences are multi-dimensional flower and gem elixirs that awaken the heart as the new “brain” based on love, soul expression and divine wisdom. Corrina teaches Environmental Studies at Greenfield Community College and leads a global biodiversity products project for the United Nations.
Katja Swift
The CommonWealth Center for Herbal Medicine
Katja is an herbalist and teacher working to help adults, children, and families rebuild their relationships with their bodies and with their own ability to heal. By teaching people how to eat real food and use plants as medicine, she helps them to reestablish their connectivity to the earth, to themselves, and to one another. Katja is the Director of the CommonWealth Center for Herbal Medicine and teaches public and private classes in and around Boston, as well as for Mass College of Pharmacy and Northeastern University.
Stephen Rye Switzer
Third Root Community Health Center
Stephen Rye is an herbalist and massage therapist practicing in Brooklyn. He helps to facilitate the Third Root herbal program and teaches classes and workshops throughout New York. Stephen’s herbal practice focuses on helping folks come out of deep, dark places to find the light within. www.stephenswitzer.com
Iris Weaver
Soul Gardens
Shamanic Herbalist Iris Weaver works with people and plants, practicing sustainable, heart-centered herbalism and working with affordable, locally available plants for healing and wellness. She works with individuals and groups and teaches classes in the Greater Boston and North Shore areas.