Ask an Herbalist…

Susan has been working with herbs for many years while operating her boutique studio, Unity Yoga Teahouse, from 2006 to 2020. Her interest in tea motivated her to explore herbal remedies and plant infusions, and her friends helped her design the tasty and unique signature blends that Unity Herbals is known for.  She is currently in her 5th year of clinical practice and works with her caseload of clientele out of her home office on Galiano Island, BC.

Her interest in medicinal plants started with infusions and decoctions, which she found to be not only refreshing but also encouraged a sense of deep well-being.   As her sensitivity to plants grew, so did her apothecary of plant material.  Most of the dried herbs you find in her teas are sourced carefully from different growers and distributors to seek out organic (where available), fair trade, and sometimes wild crafted plants from pristine wilderness areas in BC.  Susan hand crafts many of her tinctures by maceration, percolation and dual extraction to ensure a high quality standard, and spends time carefully preparing her topical skin salves and plant oil infusions.

Susan completed a 4-year clinical program in Herbal Therapy as well as the Chartered Herbalist program at Vancouver’s Dominion Herbal College, the oldest herbal medicine school in North America. Her training also includes Intermediate level Herbal Medicine with the Wild Seed School on Salt Spring Island and continuing one-on-one coaching and mentorship with expert herbalist Jasmyn Clift, as well as clinical hours with Maryann Abbs, Katolen Yardly and Christine Dennis.   She continues her studies through courses and professional training with scholars Chanchal Cabrera and Todd Caldecott here in British Columbia, as well as ongoing webinars through the American Herbalists Guild.  She is passionate about continuing to learn through study and mentorship, enriched by her own intuition and personal experience, and the teachings that arise from the plants themselves.

In addition to her studies in herbal medicine, Susan also counsels her clients through the lens of Classical Chinese Astrology and Feng Shui, prescribes yoga and medical Qi-gong forms and meditation exercises, and is a teacher and practitioner of Nuad Boran Thai-style bodywork.  Her interests support a well rounded and wholistic approach to wellbeing.

For more information on her consultations, rates and products, please book a consultation here.