*I sent this email out to friends on September 19th, 2019.
Hi all,
I’m writing to you all on my 30th birthday with exciting news - I am officially launching the start of my herbal practice, Red Autumn Apothecary! It's also the eve of an exciting week of climate strikes and I am feeling a mixture of hope, optimism, and deep sadness. The world needs deep healing right now and stepping in to my practice is one small way I show my love for the earth and for you all, my community.
When I first started taking herbal classes and workshops five years ago, I had no intention of starting a practice. Even after I enrolled in Cecemmana, a three year clinical herbalism program at Ancestral Apothecary, I wasn’t sure where that path would lead - I just knew I wanted to keep learning about the plant world. As I continued learning and spending time with plants, I saw how working with herbal medicine can really support lasting and meaningful changes in people’s lives for the better. Now that I have graduated from my program, it’s important for me to step into the role of a community herbalist to help facilitate the deep healing I know is possible. I’ll be doing this through teaching classes and workshops, offering herbal remedies, and as of today, I’m launching my practice where I’ll support people through one-on-one herbal consultations.
I’m grateful for the synchronistic timing of launching my practice as I enter my third decade. This shift is only possible because of the path I walked in my twenties - with the support and care of many of you. I believe healing is circular and while I have more to walk on my own journey, I am emotionally available and ready to take on this role because of the healing I have sought and found in my own life, particularly in the past decade - through the blood, sweat, tears and joy of it all.
As I walk this path, I also want to ask for your support. As I support others and will be reminding them to reach out to their communities, I remind myself to reach out to you all and to ask for the abundance I know exists within our communities in many forms. I also want to share my gratitude with you all - many of you have shared kind words, gifts, beautiful letters and more that have lifted up my spirits these past few months of transition. The following are other ways you can support me as I launch my business.
Ways to support me:
Know anyone looking for health and/or herbal support? Please share about my private practice in your community. Are you personally interested in seeing me as an herbalist? I would be honored! Learn more.
I love to teach! If you know of opportunities to provide herbal/health workshops in your workplace, schools, and other communities, please get in touch! I already have plans to offer free community workshops, so I am particularly looking for paid gigs. :)
Sign up for my mailing list if you haven’t already! I’m going to transition from email blasting all my friends to sending herbal love notes through my email newsletter. I’ll share upcoming events, info about plants, and local happenings.
Thank you for being a part of my life, reading this far, and for celebrating with me. If there is any way I can support you, please let me know.
With gratitude,
Bekah