Why the Crimson Wolf?
In The Book of Herbal Wisdom, herbalist Matthew Wood once stated that “On a psychological level, wolf relates to the conscious ego, which dominates, organizes, rules, and sets boundaries. Yet, wolf also represents the ability to cross the boundaries, transform and move into something completely outside of the known experience.” I hope to empower others to take charge and be the leaders of their own wellness, to remain wild and free from anything that impedes optimum wellness.
Following my passions to help support myself and those around me, I completed my Master’s in Therapeutic Herbalism at the Maryland University of Integrative Health (MUIH). Prior, obtaining my Bachelor of Arts in Sociology at the University of Maryland: College Park expanded my worldview such that I not only have a love and appreciation for herbs and herbalism but also a desire to utilize herbalism in the way that it is meant to be utilized, as the medicine of the people. 1 in 8 people live in poverty, and healthcare is an increasing concern with those floating around the poverty line who are struggling for proper housing, as I had witnessed in my service to Habitat for Humanity. I look forward to consulting and empowering clientele in addition to eventually setting up sliding-scale income consultations and other projects for those who require assistance. It is my hope to help others regardless of their backgrounds, to ensure that we all have an equal opportunity at wellness.
My personal journey has been a tumultuous one but one that gave me much strength and ambitions. In the year of 2014, I worked in a warehouse, transporting nearly eleven thousand cases of liquor on a conveyor belt far into the evening. It was during this time that I began utilizing natural supplements for myself alongside someone I entered into a relationship with, a strong woman who later passed away. In her final hospital term, a nurse discussed the herb, milk thistle, with me and pointed me in the direction of the Smile Herb Shop, located in College Park Maryland. I was pleased to enter into a positive and healing discourse of herbalism with this nurse practitioner, a type of discourse that started to resurface many years later when I was helping those at Knowles Apothecary throughout the pandemic for 2 years. I educated and became educated by those who practiced conventional biomedicine. I retained resources that help to bridge the gap between traditional and current practices, or in other words, I use an integrative approach like a wolf would. It was through the Smile Herb Shop that I learned about the American Herbalists Guild (AHG), MUIH, and Knowles Apothecary. It is through this journey that I am now a clinical herbalist possessing a Master of Science in Therapeutic Herbalism.
My hobbies include boxing, music making, yoga, Reiki, meditation, roller skating, story writing, bartending, deep conversations, and helping those in need.