Welcome to
Among the Maples Herbals

Curious about herbal medicine? Let’s talk about it.

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I’ve always loved plants.

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Growing up in rural Alberta, plants were simply part of everyday life. For better or worse whether it was pulling weeds in the garden, searching for the wild flowers or just the crops in the fields. I think that early connection with plants is a big part of what eventually led me to herbal medicine.

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Over the past six years, I’ve spent more than 3,000 hours studying herbal medicine. I’m now completing my final apprenticeship hours toward becoming a Registered Herbalist with the Alberta Herbalists Association.

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And honestly, I’m still fascinated by it.

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There is so much to learn about plants, how they have traditionally been used, and how we can thoughtfully incorporate them into our lives today.

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So, what exactly is Herbalism?

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Herbalism is the use of plants and plant preparations as part of supporting health and wellbeing.

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Herbalists in Canada have the current right to compound and dispense preparations. That is to make and give herbal preparations to those that use our services.  

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But for me, herbalism is about more than just knowing which herb is traditionally used for which thing.

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It’s about looking at the whole person.

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When I work with someone, I want to understand more than what brought them to make an appointment. We may talk about their health history, medications and supplements, food, sleep, stress, movement, lifestyle and all of the other little pieces that make up everyday life.

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Then we can start asking questions:

What might be helpful?

What herbs might be worth exploring?

How might they fit into your life?

And just as importantly, are there things we need to consider before using them?

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Herbal medicine doesn't have to be an either/or

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This is something that is rather important to me. I don't believe that choosing herbal medicine means choosing against modern medicine. It's not about telling someone to stop taking their medication or replacing their doctor's care with herbs. (Also this is wildly unethical and dangerous!)

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It's about adding another piece to the picture - 

Food matters.
Sleep matters.
Movement matters.
Stress matters.
Modern medicine matters.
And plants can matter too.

I like to think of it as AND, not NO.

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There is room for different kinds of knowledge and different kinds of care.

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What can herbalism be used for?

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There are lots of reasons people become interested in herbal medicine.

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Maybe you want to:

• Learn more about the plants you’re already using

• Explore herbs as part of your everyday self-care

• Better understand how herbal medicine works

• Have a conversation about herbs and your current lifestyle

• Learn how herbs may fit alongside your existing healthcare

• Explore nutrition, lifestyle and herbal medicine together

• Simply satisfy your curiosity about plants!

 

You don't have to know anything about herbal medicine before you start. You don't need to have a particular problem to solve. Sometimes, being curious is reason enough.

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My approach:

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My goal is to make herbal medicine practical and understandable.

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I want you to know what we're talking about and why a particular herb might be recommended. I don't want you to walk away with a list of herbs and no idea what they're for.

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We'll talk about the uses of the herbs, what we know about them from both a scientific approach and more traditional methodology, and how they might fit into your individual circumstances.

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We'll also talk about the things that matter when using herbs — including medications, supplements and other health considerations. Herbs are medicines and aren't automatically safe just because they're natural. Most importantly, this is a conversation.

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There is no pressure to buy herbs or follow a recommendation simply because I've suggested it. You get to ask questions, think about your options and decide what feels right for you.