From Nature to Nurture

What happens when a plant or mushroom seems to find you before you ever go looking for it? In this episode, I’m joined by Dr. Michelle Rigling for a winding conversation about Amanita muscaria, Baba Yaga, folklore, intuition, and the ways we come to know plants and mushrooms through story and lived experience. Michelle and I share some of our own experiences with Amanita, how this unmistakable mus...

Learning herbalism can feel like a LOT. There are hundreds of plants to learn, preparations to understand, new terminology everywhere, and no shortage of opinions about what you should know before you can call yourself an herbalist. In this episode, I’m sharing some of the most common mistakes I see beginner herbalists make, including quite a few I made myself. We’re talking about trying to learn...

August is usually one of the busiest times in an herbalist’s year. The garden is overflowing, wild plants are ready to harvest, medicine is being made, and the apothecary shelves are slowly filling for the seasons ahead. Except… that hasn’t really been my experience this year. An unusually hot, wet summer has meant harvesting far less than I expected, and it’s forced me to rethink some of the ways...

What if the greatest barrier to foraging isn't a lack of edible plants, but a lack of confidence? In this episode, I sit down with wild food educator, creator of Feral Foraging , and founder of Gather: The Foraging App , Jesse, to explore what it really takes to begin building a relationship with wild food. Together, we discuss why so many people feel intimidated by foraging, how toxicity myths ha...

Have you ever noticed that certain plants seem to find their way back into your life? Sometimes it's a plant you've worked with for years but suddenly see through new eyes. Other times it's a plant you never paid much attention to until, seemingly out of nowhere, you can't stop thinking about it. In this episode, I'm sharing two plants that have been asking for my attention this season: mountain m...

What does it take to actually stay well when summer turns up the heat, not just survive it, but work with the season instead of against it? In this episode, I'm sharing my herbalist's summer toolkit: the plants and preparations getting me through a proper Tennessee heatwave. We talk about why water alone doesn't actually hydrate you, how my first aid kit shifts once I'm spending more time barefoot...

What if your cycle wasn't something to fight against, but something to learn from? In this episode, I sit down with clinical herbalist, fertility awareness educator, and founder of Eclipsic Herbs, Denise Rodriguez , to explore the intersection of herbalism, body literacy, and cycle health. Together, we discuss why our menstrual cycles are more than just a reproductive function, how cycle tracking...

Summer offers a different rhythm. The plants are abundant, the days are longer, and many of us feel the pull to spend more time outdoors, move more slowly, and engage with our herbal practices in ways that feel nourishing rather than productive. In this episode, I share some of my favorite ways to live with the plants during the summer months, including herbal drinks, infused body oils, plant medi...

What does it mean to move beyond consuming herbal information and into true relationship with the plants? In this episode, we explore the philosophy of reciprocal herbalism, a slower, more relational approach to learning plants rooted in stewardship, attentiveness, observation, and coexistence. Together, we’ll discuss information overload in modern herbalism, ethical relationship with the land, an...

In this episode, I’m joined by fellow herbalist Amelia Andrade for a conversation rooted in the wild edges of spring. We explore the role of bitters in herbal practice, not just as a category of taste or action, but as something that invites us back into relationship with our bodies. Together, we talk about wild weeds, especially Dandelion, and the quiet, persistent ways these plants support diges...

Nettle has long been woven into folklore as a plant of protection, resilience, and quiet strength. In this episode, we step beyond the physical medicine and into the stories and spirit of Nettle. I share traditional folklore, including the Nine Herbs Charm, along with reflections on the energetic qualities of this plant and the messages it carries. Join me and listen more closely to what Nettle ca...

In this episode, we explore Nettle (Urtica dioica) , a deeply nourishing, mineral-rich plant that I often return to again and again. It’s also one of the most beginner-friendly herbs to grow and work with, making it a beautiful place to start your herbal journey. We’ll walk through how Nettle supports the body, from its role as a nutritive tonic to its affinity for the kidneys and its overall impa...

In this follow-up conversation with spagyricist Mo Judith, we shift from alchemical history into the substance of the work itself. We explore what defines a true spagyric preparation, how it differs from a conventional herbal extract, and what distinguishes the spagyric process on a chemical level. From mineral salts to extraction techniques, we discuss what is happening in the process, not just i...

The spring equinox marks a moment of balance, equal light and dark, and the subtle but undeniable return of the sun’s strength. Across cultures and centuries, this turning point has been honored with fire festivals, fertility rites, cleansing rituals, and the tending of early green medicines. In this episode, we explore the folklore and traditions surrounding the spring equinox, from the Persian N...

In this episode, we explore the many ways humans communicate with plants, from asking permission before harvest to sensing subtle shifts in the body, to dreams and intuitive knowing. Plant communication is often dismissed as mystical or “woo,” but relationship with the living world is something our ancestors understood deeply. Today, emerging research on plant signaling, bioelectricity, and enviro...

In this episode, I sit down with ecoherbalist and High Garden Tea cofounder Leah Larabell for a conversation that feels like a walk through the woods: grounded, honest, and quietly revolutionary. We talk about what it means to be in right relationship with the land, how plants communicate when we slow down enough to listen, and how herbalism becomes regenerative when it’s rooted in reciprocity, no...

In this episode of From Nature to Nurture , we journey into the timeless lore, rituals, and symbolic beauty of Rose, a plant cherished across cultures as an emblem of love, sacredness, and sovereign boundaries. You’ll hear stories of Rose as a guide through grief and rebirth, explore her energetic role as a heart protector and softener, and discover how she can be invoked to build boundaries and r...

In this episode of From Nature to Nurture , we turn our attention to Rose ( Rosa spp.) through a medicinal lens, exploring the physical ways this beloved plant supports the body. We’ll walk through the herbal actions of rose, including its role as a gentle astringent, anti-inflammatory, and nervous system ally, and discuss how different parts of the plant are traditionally used. From heart and cir...

Welcome to the first episode of 2026 This isn't your typical New Year’s push. Instead of resolutions and rigid goals, I’m inviting you into a softer, slower start, one that honors the depth of winter and your natural rhythms. In this episode, we explore: Why winter isn’t the season to rush into productivity The power of rooted rituals over resolutions How tending to your future self can be gentle...

In this grounding conversation, I sit down with Jennifer Maklan , a massage therapist and Ayurvedic practitioner, to explore the beautiful tradition of Ayurveda as a sacred path of wisdom and healing. Together, we talk about the rhythms of Ayurveda, seasonal care, and how tuning into the body’s natural cycles can help us live with more balance, awareness, and ease. Jennifer shares how her work int...

In this episode of From Nature to Nurture , we sink into the grounding world of root medicine, the slow, earthy, deeply nourishing herbs that hold us through the coldest and quietest months of the year. Together, we explore the energetics of roots: what it means for plants to store their strength underground, how this medicine translates into grounding and resilience for our own bodies, and the su...

In this episode of From Nature to Nurture, we explore the quiet wisdom of winter. As the days shorten and the light softens, nature invites us to move differently. We will explore how to build a rhythm that honors the quiet power of winter, a season meant not for hustling, but for reassessing, rooting, and restoring. You’ll hear reflections on following the natural cycles, creating daily rhythms t...

In this heart-opening conversation, I sit down with Nico Lebreux , a community herbalist and owner of Wild Heart Herb House , to explore the soul of inclusive herbalism and community care. Together, we dive into the magic of creating spaces where everyone is welcome to learn, grow, and heal, without expectation or judgment.  Nico shares how their apothecary bloomed into a sanctuary for self-c...

In this episode of From Nature to Nurture , we journey into the rich folklore, rituals, and symbolic magic of Tulsi, also known as Holy Basil, a plant revered across generations as a living goddess, a purifier of space and spirit, and a guardian of the sacred. You’ll hear origin stories of transformation and devotion, explore the energetic essence of Tulsi as heart medicine, and discover the ways...

In this episode of From Nature to Nurture , we're diving into the practical, grounded medicine of Holy Basil, also known as Tulsi. Widely used in herbal traditions around the world, Tulsi is an accessible adaptogen known for supporting stress resilience, digestion, and overall vitality. I’ll walk you through what makes Holy Basil unique, its most common uses in modern herbalism, and how to easily...