Welcome to Part one of our Herbalism Series! I am so excited to be collaborating with my friend, Lindsey from Mother Bear Herbs on this fascinating and informative series! Lindsey is a clinical herbalist who is not only super smart, she’s also one of the most fun people I know (and has the CUTEST product names for her teas). I’m sure you all will love what she has to say.

Without further ado…. Here is Lindsey!

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I first want to thank Modernly Old Fashioned for inviting me to share a bit about herbalism. I was ecstatic when Melissa asked me to share my knowledge about herbal medicine.

WHAT IS AN HERBALIST

So what does an herbalist do anyway? The technical term is, the study or practice of the medicinal and therapeutic use of plants. To me, herbalism is so much more. An herbalist has a wide knowledge of plants and their medicinal uses, but also understands the energetics of the plants.

Plants can be cooling, warming, drying, moistening, or neutral. Knowing how these energetics work with a person’s constitution can play a large role in how well a plant works for someone. An herbalist looks at the big picture. We don’t just try to “fix the symptom”. We look at the underlying cause, what you’re eating and your lifestyle choices. We try to put the puzzle pieces together to create a personalized support plan.

My favorite part about being an herbalist is using the Wise Woman tradition to help support your needs. The Wise Woman tradition stems back as far as women have been on this planet and has been passed down through generations. It is healing, nurturing, supportive and protective. It is family-centered, earth-centered, and heart-centered. The Wise Woman way helps lift you up and make your own choices about your health.

DIFFERENT PRACTICES

I just want to take a minute to discuss the difference between herbalism and some other alternative medicine practices out there because I feel there is much confusion surrounding this. An herbalist deals with WHOLE PLANT preparations to help you on your healing journey. Herbalism is different from aromatherapy, which uses the essential oil of the plant to heal through diffusing said oils. If you choose to use essential oils, please consult a trained aromatherapist!

Naturopaths are also different from herbalists. Naturopathy uses different natural healing methods to help you on your health journey. Some naturopaths have the ability to use laboratory procedures to help diagnose your conditions. Many naturopaths use supplements to help you achieve your desired results. Some alternative practitioners may combine herbalism, aromatherapy, acupuncture, massage and other alternative treatments in their practice.

My recommendation would be to consult with any health care practitioner about their practice before your first visit. What methods do they use to understand what your health concerns are? What kinds of healing tools do they use? How long have they been practicing? Where did they receive their education? Will they get mad at you if you don’t take their recommendations? (Yes, I’ve had this happen to me!)

HERBALISM AT HOME

There are many ways you can introduce herbalism into your own home. Start by reading! And then read some more! Some of my favorite herbalist authors are Susun Weed, Matthew Wood, Aviva Romm, Rosemary Gladstar, and David Hoffmann. Take an herbalism class! There are herbalists all over the country who hold classes. Some classes last just a couple hours and some are full apprenticeships. I personally did a three-year apprenticeship at Wildwood Institute in Madison, Wisconsin with the amazing Kathleen Wildwood. The program included not only herbal lessons, but information on body systems, energetics, herb walks, plant identification, intuitive journeys, and so much more. It helped me create a bond with other herbalists and gave me a strong foundation on herbal medicine.

Once you’ve gotten a grasp on herbalism 101, start making your own products and experimenting on yourself and willing participants. I can’t tell you how many times I came home from class and told my husband I was going to try out an herb on him. The more you learn, the more you’ll want to make and have on hand. Be forewarned, making herbal medicines can get addicting. You’ll soon be making your own teas, tinctures, salves, vinegars, and syrups, which you will happily try out on your entire family and friends. Heck, you’ll probably even try making some things you hadn’t heard of before like a liniment or an oxymel.

Stay tuned until next time when we dive deeper into how to make some of beneficial preparations.

About the Author

Lindsey Snopek is a clinical herbalist practicing in Southeast Wisconsin. She is the founder of Mother Bear Herbs. She also has a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology and is a certified placenta encapsulation specialist. When she’s not mixing up herbal potions and consulting with clients, she enjoys spending time with her husband and two children. Her other interests include singing in the car, reading the first half of a book and then getting too busy to finish it, cleaning up after her kids, and browsing multiple dog rescue sites daily wishing she could save all the dogs!

Links

www.motherbearherbs.com
www.wildwoodinstitute.com