Herbal Services: Consultations and Herbal Support
What is your first memory of nature?
Mine is a hot summer day in Southern Maine the smell of salty sea air and beach roses. Or maybe it's a field of dandelions blooming behind my elementary school. These days, we hear so much about how humans are wired for connection. The U.S. Surgeon General has named loneliness one of our greatest public health crises. But it isn't only other humans we're wired to connect with. We evolved within complex ecosystems; plants, birds, animals, rivers, and oceans. Returning to those connections can be part of how we return to ourselves.
What is an herbal consultation?
Much like a visit with any practitioner, an herbal consultation starts with your own personal story. Your health history, your family health history, and what's bringing you to seek help. From there, we talk about what you're hoping herbs might support. Herbs can be a wonderful ally for a wide range of body systems and chronic health concerns. Together, we'll build a protocol typically built from herbal teas, tinctures, or other preparations tailored to help you move toward your wellness goals.
*Note: Herbal consultations are offered as a complementary wellness practice and are not a substitute for medical diagnosis or treatment. Please consult your physician before starting any new herbal regimen, particularly if you are pregnant, nursing, managing a chronic illness, or taking prescription medication.
What can I expect?
Initial herbal consultations can take between 90 minutes and 2 hours. These can be offered in person or virtually. After your protocol is established, you will have 4-6 weeks to work with the herbs and see how they affect you, at which point, follow up appointments may make sense. These follow up appointments are usually 30-45 minutes.
How this fits with my work as a therapist and a note on licensure.
I offer herbal consultations as a separate practice from my work as a Licensed Mental Health Counselor. While both draw on the same belief that healing is relational and whole-person, an herbal consultation is not psychotherapy, and it isn't a substitute for it. If you're already working with me in therapy, we can talk about whether adding herbal support makes sense as a complement to that work, however, the two are offered, documented, and billed separately. If you're coming to me only for herbal consultation, know that this is not a clinical mental health service, and I'm not acting in my capacity as your therapist during our time together.
