Me in the August herb garden.
I’m Clare (she/her), a clinical herbalist, flower essence practitioner, herbal educator, and gardener. I’ve devoted nearly a decade of my life to the study and practice of herbal medicine. In addition to my clinical work and small-batch herbal product line, I now own and operate a small herbal apothecary just west of Madison, Wisconsin.
As an herbalist, my role is to facilitate a creative collaboration between you, me, and the plants themselves. Using medicinal herbs and foods, nutritional recommendations, self-care practices, and palliative strategies, my priority is for you to feel supported and resourced in whatever way feels the most helpful for you. I value nuance and complexity—the both and—and I approach herbalism from a place of intersectionality, non-judgment, and nonlinearity.
I practice Vitalism, which simply means that the work we do together will gently address the roots of imbalance while leveraging the natural intelligence of the body. While my work centers and relies upon the integration of healing plants, I trust in the profound benefits of rest, nourishment, and connection above all else.
In addition to rigorous and ongoing study, my work as an herbalist is grounded in a foundational faith in the body’s wisdom, deep reverence for the living world, and a regular practice of listening to the land.
My partner and I live in the Driftless Region of Wisconsin with our border collie, Smoky. We’re located just west of Madison in the Blue Mounds Creek watershed and on the traditional land of the Ho-Chunk people, surrounded by hollow hills, marshes, tall-grass prairie, and what used to be Oak savannah.
MY BACKGROUND & HERBAL TRAINING
My relationship to herbal medicine reflects the seasons, trees, and lakes of my Wisconsin childhood, and my love of the expansive mountain, desert, and coastal ecosystems of the American West—where I first began to learn about plants in earnest. It has evolved out of my own journey with holistic healing, and from growing up in a home strongly impacted by chronic illness. It is rooted in my passion for social justice and human rights, and the folk healing practices of Old Europe. I have a degree in sociology and prior to becoming an herbalist, I was working at an international women’s foundation that provides general support funding to grassroots feminist groups, seeding social justice movements around the world.
In 2017, I completed three years of full-time herbal training and have been continuing to learn and practice ever since. I hold a certificate in Community Herbalism from the Berkeley Herbal Center (9 months of full-time study), and certificates in Advanced Herbalism, Clinical Herbalism, Nutrition, and Flower Essences from the Colorado School of Clinical Herbalism (18 months of full-time study, during which I worked in a supervised student clinic under the direction of Lisa Ganora and Paul Bergner). I officially launched my business in the fall of 2018. Since then I have completed numerous classes on various topics, including ancestral herbalism and European herbal folk practices, the microbiome and immunity, anxiety, depression, and PTSD, somatic practices, and more. In 2020, I completed the 10-month Catalyst Leadership Immersion program, a justice-oriented facilitation and creative space-holding mentorship under the guidance of Anya Hankin. In 2023, I participated in Flowering Round with Liz Migliorelli (a long-time teacher of mine), an eight month flower essence practitioner course. I am a member of the American Herbalist Guild and United Plant Savers, and currently serve as Membership Director for the Madison Herb Society.
“Clare is an incredible guide and mentor - very willing to cooperate with my own learning and understanding of myself as a means to guide me towards healing. I am so grateful for Clare! Her capacity to offer nonjudgemental care in a time of need is really a precious resource. Thank you Clare for your thoughtfulness, your commitment to accessibility, and your wisdom!” - Lucinda
Please note: I am a complementary and/or alternative health care practitioner, and am not licensed, certified or registered by the state of Wisconsin. My services do not replace those of a licensed physician or other licensed healthcare provider. I am not trained in the diagnosis or treatment of disease according to the standards of medical science. My consultations are designed to educate the client on the beneficial effects of herbal medicine, nutrition, diet, supplements, and lifestyle changes. Clients are encouraged to take responsibility for their own health, and to be in active relationship with a licensed healthcare professional.