Essential oils are powerful tools, but they’re also some of the most misunderstood substances in modern herbalism. Safety concerns, quality questions, and sustainability issues are real, and sorting through the marketing noise to find reliable information isn’t easy. This episode cuts through the confusion.

Hana Tisserand, internationally respected essential oil educator and author, joins me to talk about how herbalists can use essential oils confidently and responsibly. We cover safety guidelines that actually make sense, how to assess quality when you’re buying oils, what sustainability really means in the essential oil industry, and how to integrate aromatherapy into your herbal practice without overwhelm.

If you’ve been curious about essential oils but unsure where to start, this conversation offers a solid, grounded foundation.

You’ll learn:

• What essential oils are, and what they are not
• Why essential oil safety requires more nuance than most people realize
• How quality, sourcing, and sustainability impact both people and plants
• Common misconceptions herbalists should be cautious of
• When essential oils make sense in herbal practice, and when they don’t

If you’ve ever felt unsure about essential oils, overwhelmed by conflicting advice, or curious about how they fit into responsible herbalism, this episode brings clarity without fear or hype.

Connect with Hana at the Tisserand Institute:
https://tisserandinstitute.org/

For full show notes, resources, links, and to download the transcript:
https://www.theherbalistspath.com/blog/essential-oils-for-herbalists-hana-tisserand

Want to learn more from Hana as you deepen your herbal skills? She’ll be a guest educator inside the Community Herbalist Certification and Mentorship Program, where you’ll gain solid herbal education and learn how to actually think like an herbalist.
Learn more here:
https://www.theherbalistspath.com/community-herbalist-certification

Like the show? Got a Q? Shoot us a Text!

Wondering how you can use your herbal skills to help people when times are tough?

Grab Medicine For The People - An Herbalist's Guide To Showing Up For Your Community In Times of Need

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If you love the show and learned something new, please don't forget to leave us a bunch of ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐!
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Disclaimer:
*The information I’ve provided is for educational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for medical treatment. Please consult your medical care provider before using herbs.

Your liver is working every minute to filter toxins, balance hormones, metabolize fats, and support over 500 functions in your body. But here's what most people get wrong: your liver doesn't need a "cleanse" or punishing detox. What it needs is ongoing support through the right herbs at the right time.

In this episode, you'll discover how to think like an herbalist when choosing liver-supporting herbs. Learn why bitter herbs stimulate digestion, how cholagogues and choleretics improve bile flow, and which hepatic herbs protect and regenerate liver cells.

Whether you're dealing with skin issues, digestive struggles, hormonal imbalances, or simply want to support your hardest-working organ, this episode gives you the practical herbal wisdom to nourish your liver.

What you'll learn

• Why the liver works 24/7 and why "cleansing" language misses the point
• The liver's role in fat metabolism, hormones, bile, and blood sugar
• How bitter taste receptors kickstart digestion and bile flow
• The difference between cholagogues vs choleretics
• Key herbal actions for liver support: hepatoprotective and trophorestorative herbs
• Practical ways to use bitters and Milk Thistle seeds daily

If this episode helped you think about liver support differently, come say hi. Message me on Instagram or Facebook at The Herbalist's Path and share what your liver needs this season.

For full show notes, resources, links and transcript: https://www.theherbalistspath.com/blog/liver-health-herbs-natural-support

Ready to go beyond surface level herbalism, and learn to think like an herbalist?
Learn more about the Community Herbalist Certification & Mentorship Program here https://www.theherbalistspath.com/community-herbalist-certification

If you’re ready to learn more about the taking care of your liver, check out Beyond Detox - Herbs For Liver Support here https://www.theherbalistspath.com/beyond-detox-herbs-for-liver-support

Like the show? Got a Q? Shoot us a Text!

Wondering how you can use your herbal skills to help people when times are tough?

Grab Medicine For The People - An Herbalist's Guide To Showing Up For Your Community In Times of Need

It's loaded with ideas and resources to help you help others!💚 Click here to ge

Support the show

If you love the show and learned something new, please don't forget to leave us a bunch of ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐!
And, share it with your friends so that we can make herbalism #SpreadLikeWildFlowers

Join Me In These Places Too:

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instagram.com/theherbalistspath
facebook.com/TheHerbalistsPath
pinterest.com/TheHerbalistsPath
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Disclaimer:
*The information I’ve provided is for educational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for medical treatment. Please consult your medical care provider before using herbs.

What if healing isn't something you rush toward, but something you remember?

In this episode, herbalist Jo Sesay shares how her grandmother, mother, and Aunt Jo created their own healing network long before the internet existed.

You'll discover why cultural connection matters deeply in both food and plant medicine, how ancestral wisdom shapes modern herbal practice, and why slowing down is the most radical thing you can do as a budding herbalist.

Jo brings together psychology, addiction counseling, perinatal mental health expertise, and a PhD candidacy in integrative health.

She shares honest truths about the pressure to perform on social media, why herbalism thrives on collaboration not competition, and how to build a genuine relationship with plants one cup of tea at a time.

Here's what you'll learn:

• Jo's family healing network across generations
• Why cultural foods matter in healing
• Mental health, trauma, and cultural processing
• Reconnecting to land
• Black Americans returning to herbalism
• Creating herbal rituals with children
• Oat straw as ally
• Creating your own blueprint
• Reclaiming the sacred in practice

Connect with Jo here as RealRootedJo on Threads and Substack for science-informed reflections on herbalism, mental health, and ancestral healing.

Ready to deepen your practice? This is the kind of thinking we cultivate inside the Community Herbalist Certification & Mentorship. Learn more at https://www.theherbalistspath.com/community-herbalist-certification

Get full show notes here.

Like the show? Got a Q? Shoot us a Text!

Wondering how you can use your herbal skills to help people when times are tough?

Grab Medicine For The People - An Herbalist's Guide To Showing Up For Your Community In Times of Need

It's loaded with ideas and resources to help you help others!💚 Click here to ge

Support the show

If you love the show and learned something new, please don't forget to leave us a bunch of ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐!
And, share it with your friends so that we can make herbalism #SpreadLikeWildFlowers

Join Me In These Places Too:

tiktok.com/@herbalistspath
instagram.com/theherbalistspath
facebook.com/TheHerbalistsPath
pinterest.com/TheHerbalistsPath
youtube.com/c/TheHerbalistsPath

Disclaimer:
*The information I’ve provided is for educational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for medical treatment. Please consult your medical care provider before using herbs.

There’s a moment in most herbalist’s journey when working with plants stops feeling like a fun curiosity and starts feeling more like responsibility.

Your remedies work. People notice. And suddenly, friends, family, and community members are asking you for deeper help. Not just a salve or a tea, but real support for chronic issues, complex patterns, and long-standing health concerns.

In this episode of The Herbalist’s Path, Mel talks about that pivotal shift. The moment when integrity matters more than confidence, and when memorizing more herbs no longer feels like enough.

You’ll hear why true herbal confidence doesn’t come from stacking more books or collecting more plant facts, but from learning how the body actually works, how to assess what’s really going on beneath the surface, and how to think critically about which herbs, preparations, and lifestyle shifts are truly supportive for the person in front of you.

This episode is for herbalists who care deeply about doing this work well. For those who feel the weight of responsibility when people trust them with their health, and who want to meet that responsibility with skill, compassion, and integrity.

If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by internet herbalism, conflicting advice, or the pressure to sound confident before you feel ready, this show will feel grounding and reassuring for you.

What you'll hear in this episode:

• The emotional shift from hobbyist to responsible herbalist
• Why memorizing herbs doesn’t build real confidence
• How understanding the body changes everything about herbal recommendations
• What it actually means to think like an herbalist
• Why mentorship and guidance matter when the stakes are real

If this resonates, you’re feeling the call to go deeper, you can learn more about the Community Herbalist Certification & Mentorship here. And if not, trust that your path will unfold in the right timing. The plants will always be here for you.

Like the show? Got a Q? Shoot us a Text!

Wondering how you can use your herbal skills to help people when times are tough?

Grab Medicine For The People - An Herbalist's Guide To Showing Up For Your Community In Times of Need

It's loaded with ideas and resources to help you help others!💚 Click here to ge

Support the show

If you love the show and learned something new, please don't forget to leave us a bunch of ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐!
And, share it with your friends so that we can make herbalism #SpreadLikeWildFlowers

Join Me In These Places Too:

tiktok.com/@herbalistspath
instagram.com/theherbalistspath
facebook.com/TheHerbalistsPath
pinterest.com/TheHerbalistsPath
youtube.com/c/TheHerbalistsPath

Disclaimer:
*The information I’ve provided is for educational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for medical treatment. Please consult your medical care provider before using herbs.

You can study herbs for years, read all the books, memorize the properties… but none of it replaces working with real people. None of it builds your intuition the way practice does, and it definitely doesn't come from AI.

If you've ever wondered whether herbs really work or doubted your abilities as an herbalist, this conversation with clinical herbalist Brittany Williams of Eudemonia Herbs is going to feel like a deep exhale. Brittany shares her 25-plus year journey and gets real about what it takes to grow as an herbalist, why nuance matters, and how experience shapes confidence in ways no algorithm ever could.

What's in this episode:

• Brittany's magical apothecary discovery at Smile Herb Shop
• The "friends, family, and fools" phase of building confidence
• Why herbs work (and when they don't): quality, dosage, and matching
• Meeting people where they are vs. gatekeeping herbalism
• How herbal education creates a ripple effect in communities
• Starting somewhere is better than starting nowhere

For full show notes and transcript: https://www.theherbalistspath.com/blog/brittany-williams-eudemonia-herbs-work

Ready to deepen your herbal skills with mentorship from Brittany & Mel? Learn more about the Community Herbalist Certification & Mentorship Program at https://www.theherbalistspath.com/community-herbalist-certification

Like the show? Got a Q? Shoot us a Text!

Wondering how you can use your herbal skills to help people when times are tough?

Grab Medicine For The People - An Herbalist's Guide To Showing Up For Your Community In Times of Need

It's loaded with ideas and resources to help you help others!💚 Click here to ge

Support the show

If you love the show and learned something new, please don't forget to leave us a bunch of ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐!
And, share it with your friends so that we can make herbalism #SpreadLikeWildFlowers

Join Me In These Places Too:

tiktok.com/@herbalistspath
instagram.com/theherbalistspath
facebook.com/TheHerbalistsPath
pinterest.com/TheHerbalistsPath
youtube.com/c/TheHerbalistsPath

Disclaimer:
*The information I’ve provided is for educational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for medical treatment. Please consult your medical care provider before using herbs.

Have you ever felt like you're not quite herbalist enough? If so, you're not alone, and neither am I. In this episode, we're talking about imposter syndrome in the herbal world and sharing the very human side of growing as an herbalist. And yes, even after 25 years of studying, teaching, formulating, running a product line, and guiding thousands of people with plant medicine, that nasty imposter syndrome still gets me.

You'll hear some beautiful moments from my students, the lessons my teachers passed down to me, and what it truly looks like to own your role as a healer in your community.

If you've ever wondered whether you "know enough" to call yourself an herbalist… this episode is for you.

For full show notes, resources, links and to download the transcript:
https://theherbalistspath.com/am-i-herbalist-enough-imposter-syndrome

If you're feeling the nudge to step more fully into your role as an herbalist and community healer, I'd love to welcome you into the Community Herbalist Certification & Mentorship program. You can start your studies now and join our next live cohort when it begins. Learn more: https://www.theherbalistspath.com/community-herbalist-certification

Like the show? Got a Q? Shoot us a Text!

Support the show

If you love the show and learned something new, please don't forget to leave us a bunch of ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐!
And, share it with your friends so that we can make herbalism #SpreadLikeWildFlowers

Join Me In These Places Too:

tiktok.com/@herbalistspath
instagram.com/theherbalistspath
facebook.com/TheHerbalistsPath
pinterest.com/TheHerbalistsPath
youtube.com/c/TheHerbalistsPath

Disclaimer:
*The information I’ve provided is for educational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for medical treatment. Please consult your medical care provider before using herbs.

When healthcare becomes unaffordable, food insecurity rises, and communities are struggling, herbalists have a unique power to help. But how do you actually show up without burning out or giving everything away?

In this episode, you'll discover simple, accessible ways to share plant medicine in your community—from free herb walks and sliding-scale care to medicine gardens and mutual aid kits. Whether you're a clinical herbalist or just getting started, you'll find practical ideas to make herbalism spread like wildflowers right where you live.

What's in this episode:

• 01:00 — Why community care matters now more than ever
• 03:00 — The lineage of healers we're part of today
• 05:00 — Teaching herbalism through workshops and herb walks
• 10:00 — Offering sliding-scale community care days
• 11:00 — Herbal first aid at protests and community events
• 12:00 — Tea tables, care kits, and mutual aid ideas
• 14:00 — Building community medicine gardens
• 16:00 — Sustainable harvesting and foraging ethics
• 18:00 — Seed libraries and medicine swaps
• 19:00 — Setting boundaries while staying generous

For full show notes, resources, links and to download the transcript: https://www.theherbalistspath.com/blog/community-herbalism-in-action

Ready to deepen your skills and serve with confidence? Explore the Community Herbalist Certification Program at https://www.theherbalistspath.com/community-herbalist-certification

Like the show? Got a Q? Shoot us a Text!

Support the show

If you love the show and learned something new, please don't forget to leave us a bunch of ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐!
And, share it with your friends so that we can make herbalism #SpreadLikeWildFlowers

Join Me In These Places Too:

tiktok.com/@herbalistspath
instagram.com/theherbalistspath
facebook.com/TheHerbalistsPath
pinterest.com/TheHerbalistsPath
youtube.com/c/TheHerbalistsPath

Disclaimer:
*The information I’ve provided is for educational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for medical treatment. Please consult your medical care provider before using herbs.

If your nervous system has been feeling fried lately — you’re not alone.
In this episode of The Herbalist’s Path, I’m sharing the herbal allies that have truly carried me through this season of uncertainty and overwhelm.

We’ll chat about my favorite adaptogens and nervines for calming anxiety, easing tension, rebuilding resilience, and supporting the immune system when stress takes over — including Linden, Tulsi, Milky Oats, and Ashwagandha.

You’ll also hear a little peek into my summer in Oregon — from camping and rafting adventures to teaching in-person herbal classes — and how these plants helped me stay grounded, centered, and strong through it all.

Whether you’re new to herbal medicine or just need a reminder that nature’s got your back, this episode is full of practical herbal wisdom to help you calm your nerves and care for your family — naturally.

🌿 Listen in to learn about:

00:42 – Life lately & why I pressed pause this summer
04:15 – Herbal highlights from rafting trips and campouts
07:20 – My go-to herbs for wound care and outdoor adventures
10:45 – Linden, Tulsi & Milky Oats: top nervines for a frazzled nervous system
16:30 – Adaptogens: Ashwagandha & Tulsi for long-term stress & immune balance
20:15 – How to know if your nerves need nourishment vs. stimulation
23:30 – Finding calm, connection, and purpose through herbal practice

Now more than ever, we need a healer in every community. If you’re feeling called to step into that role, now’s the time to check out the Community Herbalist Certification Program — a deep dive into herbal wisdom, science, and healing for yourself and others. www.theherbalistspath.com/community-herbalist-certification

Like the show? Got a Q? Shoot us a Text!

Wondering how you can use your herbal skills to help people when times are tough?

Grab Medicine For The People - An Herbalist's Guide To Showing Up For Your Community In Times of Need

It's loaded with ideas and resources to help you help others!💚 Click here to ge

Support the show

If you love the show and learned something new, please don't forget to leave us a bunch of ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐!
And, share it with your friends so that we can make herbalism #SpreadLikeWildFlowers

Join Me In These Places Too:

tiktok.com/@herbalistspath
instagram.com/theherbalistspath
facebook.com/TheHerbalistsPath
pinterest.com/TheHerbalistsPath
youtube.com/c/TheHerbalistsPath

Disclaimer:
*The information I’ve provided is for educational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for medical treatment. Please consult your medical care provider before using herbs.