Speaker 1:
Here we go. Hi, this is Demetria Clark, the director of Heart of Herbs Herbal School, and today, on the Heart of Herbs Herbal School podcast, we are going to be speaking with Kaylee Tallman. Did I say that right? Yes, you did, all right. I am so excited because I have been watching you online and watching this incredible you online and watching this incredible I don't know. It's almost like an emotional business transformation where I feel like you're almost like stepping into that path of moonlight that's in the woods. You know, does that make sense? I'm so freaking corny but like and I I usually don't spend lots of time like checking people's stuff because I'm just so busy, but, like, whenever I see what you're doing, I'm always really excited because I think, like I don't know, I feel like almost like you're, you're like on a precipice of like, just really like walking into your achievement. Does that make sense?
Speaker 1:
And so I really want to hear about your journey, so please share.
Speaker 2:
Well, first of all, thank you so much for the acknowledgement because you know, when you're in it, you can't see the forest for the trees right, like you. Just you're so, yeah, just, you have your blinders on. You're like, how am I going to do this? How am I going to survive? So, first of all, thank you so much for your acknowledgement. That means so much to me. It really does, um. So my journey so I've been a massage therapist, um, for 15 years and I absolutely love that, and one of the biggest things for me of that journey is getting to know people, getting to the root cause of what's going on, and been in that world and I've always been interested in herbal medicine and natural healing and like, oh, what a a great pair. You know, what a great way to integrate all these things. So about a year and a half ago, I lost my mom, um, unexpectedly and that, of course, just thank you. It just blew up my world, but it also gave me perspective on life.
Speaker 2:
Death will do that yeah, yeah, unfortunately we get the reset sometimes right because of tragedy right and so just knowing how she raised us and how she was in life, it's like, okay, what is it that I really want to do with my life, especially my business? My business is my life. You know, people like, oh, you should separate the two is like nope, that doesn't exist. For me, it is an extension of myself. So figuring out what is it that I want to do and with some physical ailments I've had in this past few months, I just totally had to give up doing massage therapy. My body won't allow it anymore. I've tried. I was like, well, this is the only thing I really know how to do. So these past like two, three months, I've really had to step back and allow myself to be uncomfortable in going forward and figuring out what is it that I want to do.
Speaker 1:
So I want to just interrupt you for a second and say for all of the hardworking people on the planet who have careers and jobs that they find themselves struggling to be able to do because of changes in their life or whatever. I think when someone is really clear about I had to do this for me, it really lights a beacon for other people to say you know what? They're normal Like me, I can't do this anymore, right? Or this isn't, my body's not working this way, and I think that's like the greatest acknowledgement that we can give each other that like, hey, it's okay in healing spaces to say this is where my limit is and I'm comfortable with that and I'm working through that, or whatever you're doing, I'm not doing it, or whatever, and I think it's really good for people to hear that. So thank you so much for sharing.
Speaker 2:
Oh, of course so yeah, so yeah. Now I'm just on this, like you said, precipice of like, what is it that I want to do? I am wrapping up, trying to wrap up my master herbalist certification and it's, it's amazing, it's expansive, it's in depth and it really helps me think about what is it that I want to do with herbal medicine? I still quite don't know what I want to do, but I know it's, there's endless possibilities with it, where before I thought, oh, it's just this one path you have. It has to look a certain way, you have to be this out there, woo woo, like you know, and I can be that, but there's a harmony. I don't like the term balance, I like harmony. You have to create harmony with things.
Speaker 2:
And within yourself right, exactly, I'm not like I'm not like a Disney animated herbalist myself.
Speaker 1:
I'm really grounded down to earth, practical, you know, flick boogers into the wind. Like you know, I'm like just like a normal, kind of like weird person, and then people will be like, well, you don't look like an herbalist, or you don't sound like an herbalist, or you don't have the right vibe and I'm just like okay, but you're not my people.
Speaker 1:
So you know, you know it's so, it's good that, like you're, you're like saying, yeah, this is something that I mean there's literally like a thousand jobs you can do as an herbalist, right, but we all go into it like I'm going to do this. You know, we we don't always have to go there, but I think you know like I think I learned this lesson back in early, like 2000, I had a student who's like yeah, so like I'm a corporate aromatherapist. Now not, she was like I was like what she's like? Yeah, because she's like Prada, you know Jimmy Choo's. I didn't even know what those things were, because yeah, I did corporate aromatherapy.
Speaker 1:
I have very high-end corporate clients and I go in and I do all this stuff in their offices and I was like oh cool, and you studied with me, All right. You know cause I had not like oh, this is you know, so like we really are writing our own destiny. So I'm glad that you said that. Thank you, oh you're welcome, yeah.
Speaker 2:
So again said that, thank you, oh, you're welcome, yeah. So again, just finding that, that harmony, because, um, being in the massage therapy world, a lot of like body and you know physical stuff and you know, um, and one thing I really appreciate about you like in the group, um, that we have on Facebook like somebody like has like a really physical ailment, you like go to the doctor, get that checked out and then support with the herbs where you know I like to find that harmony between both, right. So that's I think that's my journey is just finding you know both supporting the physical, like okay, there's an actual medical problem here, but how can we support that? Also, naturally, one thing I really truly like about the natural medicine is doing the research, doing the safety, the back end of it. One thing I like to tell my clients that we, just because it's natural, doesn't mean it's always safe. You know, like I say, I say arsenic is natural, right, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:
It's so wet.
Speaker 2:
We don't want it in your crayons, Right? So you know, I think what I've seen and what I've learned from you know especially, this whole program, and even aromatherapy program, is like safety has to be considered. You know, do your research to make sure that it is a match for you. So that's my one of the biggest things, biggest takeaways I have learned so far for my education.
Speaker 1:
Oh, that's really cool. Thank you so much for sharing that I appreciate it. It's interesting because I feel sometimes, you know, like, oh well, the students think I'm a cop out by telling them to go to the doctor. But if you're like I have this passing wound and it's full of like they're posting pictures and I'm like that looks like it's gangrenous, like you know, like I don't you know, I sometimes wonder if people are like oh, she's just, you know, because I always tell my clients wonder if people are like oh, she's just, you know cause I always tell my clients come to me with what your doctor said like what is your diagnosis Right?
Speaker 1:
Oh, you don't have one. Okay, well, how can we support you until you get one?
Speaker 1:
And then let's work with that. You know I always joke like um, and you probably do this too. So how many drugs are you on? You know, what are you taking Like in the car? Oh, you know, I only take this. And then you're like okay, so are you on any supplements? No, no, no, oh well, no, I do do this. And how's your sleep? Well, I take melatonin for sleep. I'm like okay, so you are, you're on melatonin. Yeah, you know, like you have to like because people, these things, become so much part of their lives right they forget that.
Speaker 1:
Yeah, maybe I should tell my herbalist that I'm on, like you know, stuff for depression and stuff for this and stuff for that, and I'm taking these supplements and I'm allergic to this right, I feel like you have to. We we don't is.
Speaker 1:
We don't look at word, we don't stuff out of people I'm probably saying the wrong word I know it's not funny, but um yeah, so I think it's good that you like brought that up too. Sometimes it's really important just to meet people where they're at right, in a way where they're not feeling shame, right, you know like, oh, I know I don't do everything you don't have to be perfect we're not here, you're not joining the perfect we're all trying to figure it out
Speaker 1:
so I think, that's really cool so what is? Your favorite, or actually what are your? What drew you to herbalism?
Speaker 2:
I've always, um, been fascinated by it. Like I said, growing up I had this friend and her mom was like that woo, woo, hippie.
Speaker 2:
Like I'm like, okay, you're a little weird, but you're kind of really cool too at the same time you smell really pretty and give good hugs, right, you know, um, so when I would go over to her house, like something happened, she would give me like, like echinacea was her big thing, like, um, I think at one point too she gave me arnica for something like the homeopathic pellets for under my tongue, and I've just kind of always been fascinated by natural medicine. You know, just even as a massage therapist, just learning about different even in the beginning, learning about different things that can help you, and then really now diving into it, like there is so much out there like I want more, I want to learn more more of it. Yeah, just from a young age I think, I've just always kind of been fascinated by it.
Speaker 1:
Well, I think you chose the right field. I think it's funny that we we forget until we start really thinking about things like people who are into herbs. I always feel like maybe 80% of them have had someone who passively, like, was sharing herbs with them or letting them in to see, like, what's on the other side of the of the glass or you know what's that for. And I feel like herbalists were probably kids who asked lots of questions, you know, because our job is just really our job, or 90% of our job, is asking the right question.
Speaker 1:
Right, you have to ask the right question in a way that people understand or respond to. So were you a kid who asked lots and lots of questions?
Speaker 2:
Yes, I have to understand how things work, how things go together. You know that's how I am with my clients Like what's going on, like I like to get to the root cause. So, yes, I, I've asked questions a lot, my brain, I'm just inquisitive brain.
Speaker 1:
I'm just inquisitive. So do you feel that being a massage therapist for so long has allowed you to feel your clients differently, because you're so used to working with the human body and seeing how people sit differently or feel differently, and because I'm sure as a massage therapist you probably had instances when you're working with clients and you're like touching people, you have all these other senses around other people's bodies that you can still kind of have that vibe going on with them.
Speaker 2:
Oh, definitely, you know, just like you said, just getting to know bodies and people and how you know we, even though we're different, we're all the same we. There's so many cues that I can recognize, with people like, oh, this person must be feeling this way or that way. And even in public I want to go up to people like, oh, my gosh, you are not feeling well, are you?
Speaker 1:
Yeah Right, Like oh enough, I can see Right.
Speaker 2:
Right. So yeah, you know, just, it's really cool to be to develop that intuition, you know, of working on bodies for so long that you really get to understand what a body is and you know things like that is really awesome.
Speaker 1:
I think you probably probably know another language. That may be people that don't touch the human body.
Speaker 1:
I mean we already know that, like in our culture, touches like it's a hard thing. I mean people are saying they're spoiling their kids if they hold them too much or they don't hold them enough. I mean touch is like this weird thing. And then of course, obviously there's reasons why you know this happens, and so it's gotta be an interesting thing to see how people relate to each other and how their bodies relate to each other. You know, after having all this experience with touch, does that make sense at all?
Speaker 2:
Like I think it's like one of those cool skills like people have you know, to just kind of see how things work I know I'm like sitting here making all these moves, nobody's gonna be able to see them, like dancing my butt off over here, but I think that, oh, I was gonna say the real, the biggest thing I've learned is just how much people hold in their bodies and they don't realize it. You know, any sort of trauma, emotional, physical, whatever and when I work on people, I'm now through like I'm doing more Reiki and sound healing and things like that and trying to not trying to, but pairing plant medicine or herbal medicine with it is when people realize just what they're holding in their bodies and I we don't even have to put a name to it. It's allowing them to express that what they've been holding on to. It's allowing them to express that what they've been holding on to and then supporting them with herbal medicine in that way as well.
Speaker 1:
You know it's funny that you brought up Reiki and we're just kind of talking about people's energy and how they hold themselves. And I actually did a Reiki session with my sister and by the end of it we were both sobbing because we were both like just you know, just those shifts, you know what I mean? And she's not really wasn't at the time at least in into anything like that, and I was the weird older sister right.
Speaker 2:
So like right, you know.
Speaker 1:
But it's like funny sometimes, like sometimes, even though it's sound healing or energy healing or anything like that, you literally can lift and move and feel that block in almost a physical sense did yep, and so you're saying that you're working with people that way and then you're pairing it with herbalism. How are people liking that? I?
Speaker 2:
bet they love it. It's interesting, um, it's funny because even when I'm working on somebody, like intuitively, I can tell what they need, or it's kind of interesting. I've developed this psychic sense of smell and, like I'll get a, a hit of like, oh, they need this essential oil, or that, they need this, or or sometimes I'll even get a taste of my mouth oh, that could be weird, right, I'm like it's kind of, it's kind of lasagna, no, right, um, but it's. But it's cool because I'll pick up on like a certain smell, like okay, so I'm getting the smell of like orange or something I'm like okay, and then incorporating into that session or like you would really benefit from this, you know. So to me it just all works together and I've learned to really trust the information that I'm getting.
Speaker 2:
There's something happening energetically where I'm getting information from that person and what they need. So that's what I'm really working on, towards my business as well is that aspect of really incorporating the two together. And in fact I had the thought yesterday. I was like why do they have to be separate? Because I've've always done this thing where like nope, it's separate is like you can't pair the two together. But in actuality and I'm sure that's how it was, you know way back when is that they? Everything goes together?
Speaker 1:
right, why not? I mean, well, you know, it's like uh, you know, we always we're taught from a very young age to compartmentalize. This doesn't go with this. You know, even when you listen to people talk about, like, how you should eat food and oh, this starch, nothing, and they don't go together. And it's like, well, they go together when it's in an Indian dish amazingly so why would it go?
Speaker 1:
together, you know, or whatever right, and we, we get so used to that that we almost get to the point of thinking like the whole solution may just be the solution, not that every solution has to have like 50 different branches. We're just going to, we're going to give you one big beer hug and it's going to include all of this soup or whatever cosmic mix up.
Speaker 1:
And hopefully you know, I think that would be something like I don't know. I think I would love to go to someone who is, like you know, addressing me from head to toe and really at a deeper, more profound and prolific level. Listening to that aspect of my, of my needs, I think that's fabulous. I think you should definitely roll with that.
Speaker 2:
Thank you. Yeah, that's yeah, I feel you know. A question in my final that I'm working on is like what are your future plans?
Speaker 1:
that was my next question, so right yeah, what are you? I mean, are you thinking, okay, so I see that you're. You're doing farmers markets, or yeah, applying to more of them, or sorry, my little, my hair is like just driving me crazy today um it's like at the temperature where it's a little bit too hot, but not hot enough, but it's not cold enough. Um, I apologize to everyone who's listening to me doing the mamba, but um, so what, where? Where do you plan so?
Speaker 2:
yes, I apply to the applied to the farmer's market for where I live. I live in Utah and I live near Ogden and their farmer's market is great.
Speaker 1:
Were you there last year.
Speaker 2:
Yes, I was, and I was well received, oh good.
Speaker 1:
So they've got to let you in again. Yes, so they did, oh, okay so they've got to let you in again. Yes, so they did. Oh, okay. So everyone go to the Ogden's farmer's market and check out grounded soul wellness is that what you're there under, because I know sometimes people have different business right all right. And then you can say I heard you about you on your podcast and you were amazing and and I want to buy everything you've got. All right, people, that's a directive, that's awesome.
Speaker 2:
Yeah.
Speaker 1:
Really beautiful farmer's market too.
Speaker 2:
Yes, it's awesome. The one really cool thing about Ogden is that they really support local businesses. You know, in Utah, ogden has a reputation for being this kind of like go there, you do this or that. It's like no. Ogden is beautiful, it's historic and it really truly has. The community is at its heart, supporting local, supporting local people, and it's just an amazing experience. I love being at the farmer's market because you get to interact with all these people near and far and you just really get to know people and that's at the heart of who I am, you know, oh that's pretty obvious.
Speaker 1:
You definitely want to connect with people, so I can see that.
Speaker 2:
Thank you. So, yeah, I love selling my products. I do wellness products, stuff that you can put on the skin. I don't do anything internally, but a lot of products I. So I love connecting with people, getting feedback, you know, and and putting myself out there and being vulnerable.
Speaker 2:
Like, oh, that's hard, it is hard and I was like even this year, going my second year, I'm still kind of like, okay, what am I going to do? Figure out what was popular from last year, you know, and kind of really take stock of like what is it? How is it that I want to present myself again this year? What did I learn from last year? And do that and incorporate that and present myself with more confidence, because last year I was still kind of it was choppy. Like, yeah, I'm kind of doing this thing, you know, like these are some really cool products I have, but this year's like no, this is who I am representing my myself, my business and my office where I work. Like no, this is who we are, this is what is at our heart of our business is the holistic healing and then with the herbs and you know all those things. So that's, that's what I'm tuning into these next few weeks before the market that's awesome.
Speaker 1:
Oh, I bet it's great. I bet you know it is amazing when people just and I, you know this word's been flying around the path authentic, but like when people authentically share their, their, their skills, their mission, their abilities, I think clients and customers are really drawn to people that they feel will listen to them. And so, even though the first bits of feedback that we get that aren't always like perfect, like oh, I thought the scent was too strong, or you're in your head.
Speaker 1:
You're like yeah, you obviously can't smell or whatever Don't say anything out loud and you're like this is not how I am, you know, know, and you take stock and then you, you know, you adjust, or whatever.
Speaker 1:
Those things prove to clients and to customers that you're really willing to listen if someone says I need more of this, and the next time they see you, wow, like you know that that's creating someone who can trust you, and I think it's beautiful that your business is really focusing on people trusting you and having you as a trusted resource, and I think that's something that you can see when you even like look at any of the comments on any of your stuff on social. I think that's. I think that's amazing because you know, even trying to buy pots and pans nowadays, where are they made, right? Oh well, they're engineered in Utah, for example, made in China. That's not what I asked.
Speaker 1:
Like you know like we, we have a hard time trusting our service providers and people who sell stuff to us and so when someone can authentically connect with you, they're they're going to trust you and they're going to follow you wherever you go, and I think that's a really good relationship to cultivate. I don't necessarily think like um, I don't think it's a bad thing, like a lot of people will be like. Oh well, you know, I don't want people. No, I want my customers to feel safe with me.
Speaker 1:
You know I want them to be like. Yeah, I'll try that because you suggest it, because that's that old school level of trust that herbalist had, you know, 500 years ago, right, and I think it's cool that you're building that.
Speaker 2:
Thank you and if you're like, no.
Speaker 1:
I'm not building that at all. You're wackadoodle. Don't tell me. No For about 20 seconds.
Speaker 2:
No, you're good. No, that's exactly because that's how I built my reputation as a massage therapist, you know. So that's been the hard part for me with my business transition as well is because I've built that trust for 15 years with massage.
Speaker 2:
Yes, you don't want to let them go right right, and so it's been a little bit of a gut punch to see some clients go. But I do have, luckily, I have a great massage therapist that I brought in. That's helping with that transition, that I trust. But when I see a client of mine that I've known for 10 years go to this other side, right, it was a little bit of a gut punch. I'm like I've got to trust this. I'm supporting, I'm still supporting that client. Oh yeah, but here's what I'm offering and here's how I can support you and trusting that. And honestly, my confidence is wavering still because I'm like this is a brand new thing for me and you know I I am attached to my reputation as a massage therapist but I know I have the foundation there and I've seen clients come in that I've known forever trusting me with this new, these new offerings, these new services, this new thing, and I have that support. So I'm learning and really allowing myself to trust in that that new stuff.
Speaker 1:
You've got to trust them now.
Speaker 2:
The way, they've trusted you, right yeah.
Speaker 1:
I mean, it sounds really scary. On so many levels, I think you're incredibly brave oh, thank you. I think that, um, you know anytime like. So for me this is a I'm not comfortable, this kind of stuff I'm not very good, like being. It's really weird, but I've been online since 96 but I'm not online you know what I mean like. I'm not. I'm not like I always quote. I'm not good with that kind of stuff, so this was my thing.
Speaker 1:
Well, I'm going to try to be more connected and stuff like that and it's scary, and it's not even the same kind of thing, it's not anything that's like totally shifts a lot of my bearings. It's just like adding something else and it scares me so I couldn't imagine. You know, the shift that you're doing and I think you should be really proud of yourself oh, thank you.
Speaker 2:
I truly appreciate hearing that. It's like I said when you're in the middle of it, you you don't see the outside of it right, you are yeah, I'm just so. There are days where I'm even like this I'm just like just don't start running when you're like that.
Speaker 1:
It doesn't trust me just focused.
Speaker 2:
You know, I'm just so like oh how, how's this gonna go, how's this gonna go?
Speaker 2:
you know, how do I put myself out there? How do I do this? How, how do I do that Like, do I know what I'm doing? You know, but I've seen the evidence outside evidence of people trusting me, of seeing my growth, seeing things happen, or even like being here with you and doing this and putting myself out there's like, okay, I do know what I'm doing. I have to trust myself that I'm doing the right thing, on the right path. And to hear you know someone, especially of your caliber, that I truly respect and truly look up to, oh, thank you. Say those kind words.
Speaker 2:
You wouldn't if you knew what a goober I was. You know I truly appreciate your support in everything, Not only with the education piece. Like I said, it's just been phenomenal. You know, I just you personally telling me that because it's like I said, it's been a tough journey for me. So I truly appreciate you, demetria.
Speaker 1:
Oh, thank you Thank you. I appreciate seeing I don't know like. At least the perspective that I have of your work is only from the time that I've been in your orbit, right.
Speaker 2:
Right.
Speaker 1:
And I'm just like bliss blown away at the pictures that you're posting of how you're changing your space and taking on new offerings, always educating yourself. I mean, if your community doesn't know, like, everything that you're willing to do for them, then they need to. You need to put up a billboard because, like even you know, people are like oh yeah, I just saw stuff at the farmer's market or whatever. Like, people say those kind of things, that's a lot of work, that's a lot of intention.
Speaker 1:
It's really, you know, we we tend to sometimes, and I don't know if it's because, um, it's healing work or it's work associated with agriculture or farming, like farmer, farmers, markets and stuff like that. I think that people don't understand the okay. First of all, you're committing yourself to like every Saturday right six months or three months depending on how long your summer season is right.
Speaker 1:
Right, I mean, I'm in Virginia, so our farmers markets like nine months out of the year, making this massive commitment to your community to be there for them every time they come, and I don't know if people always understand that and put it in the same caliber as opening your shop every Saturday.
Speaker 1:
Right and so I think that's like I wish that we I don't know like as Americans or as you know, just as human beings walking this earth, in this country, like if we really, we really, you know, we we always want, like Walmart accessible to us, right, but we don't seem to appreciate the people that are making themselves accessible to us in the same level. And so I really applaud you for going out there. You know you have a storefront that's open for people. You're going out and meeting people where they're at. That's hard work. You've got to be tired Come Saturday.
Speaker 1:
You know I just I just really, you know I've done festivals, I've done markets. Just I just really, you know I've done festivals, I've done markets. Um, you know I've done those kind of things and I know how much work they are. But even now, more so, like I mean, these are sophisticated setups you know, we were just a table and a tablecloth there wasn't an easy up and everybody got t-shirts on with their logo samples.
Speaker 1:
You know I mean this is, like you know, going to like the world's funnest outdoor mall every Saturday you know like, or my kind of mall with veggies and you know, dude, when a truck selling pad tie, you know like. You know, I just really applaud you for doing all that. I think it's, I think it's really just like a fabulous thing that you can offer people in your community and it's a way for them to learn to trust and respect you outside of a situation where they're paying you. You know like, sometimes I think people automatically respect people more if they're giving them money, right, but this is like a respect that they get because there's a personal touch involved.
Speaker 1:
So I think it's awesome what you're doing.
Speaker 2:
Oh, thank you. I love doing it again with the connection, one of my favorite parts about setting up early because we have to set up early, we have to be dark 30. Yeah, exactly about setting up early. Because we have to set up um early, we have to be dark. 30, yeah, exactly. And but one of my favorite things is I, I will get there early before.
Speaker 2:
A lot of the vendors fill the street, get everything set up or mostly set up and sit there before just as the sun rises up and it's just beautiful and I'm just. I love that few moments of just quiet and peace and it's just like I could exist here. This is what I want. This is what I want people to you know. Experience with me is so. It just brings me back into myself, brings me back into what I'm doing and why I'm doing it. I also do another market up in. It's called Ogden Valley. It's a little town called Eden and there's a reservoir and it looks um where we're set up.
Speaker 2:
It looks right over the lake and in the morning it's quiet and you can see that sounds so rough, I know, but I'm sitting in this field, right outdoors, the mountains are, the one side, lake is in front of me and just see the sun come up. I'm like this is magic, this is, you know, who I am. This is what I want people to feel when they're with me, and again it's just that moment of just like, yeah, I'm doing the right thing. I could exist here forever and this is what I want to do. It's that confirmation of like this is who I am, this is what I'm doing and this is the right thing.
Speaker 1:
That's awesome. I mean I look, I mean anytime you can get me with a, a sun, a sunrise or a sunset and to start or end my day. I'm like a happy person, so I totally understand that, and there's something about the sun over water.
Speaker 1:
I swim every day, so even in the winter time, even when it's cold out, I try to swim. I don't know, that's probably nothing, something I'm probably never told anybody before outside of, like my family, but I even swim in the winter time when it's really cold and uh, um, there's just something about the water and sunshine, and so I could totally, I could you know you may see me if I ever go to Utah. I'm going to that market.
Speaker 2:
I'll be there really early. I'll be fighting with him.
Speaker 1:
Let me in early. I'm here to have a vendor. I want to see the sunrise.
Speaker 2:
Oh awesome.
Speaker 1:
So I have a question what is your favorite part of being an herbalist?
Speaker 2:
I know that's a fair question because there's a lot of things, but there's so many. I think my favorite part is the power of herbs. Like there's, like you can take one herb and it has so many possibilities. You know it can do so many things. And being able to help people and support people with the power of herbs, um I love that yeah, I what. One of my favorite herbs is echinacea like, that is my go-to herb and people are like why I'm like?
Speaker 2:
because it can do so much, it's so good for you, even like I tease my sister, even like I tease myself, like I started to feel that burnout.
Speaker 1:
I don't even have to be sick, but I started to feel that yeah, apparently you know something's coming feeling right, right.
Speaker 2:
I was like oh, and then you know, I'll take my tinctures. Or even before, I had my hysterectomy and and I'm not ashamed to talk about it but I bled really bad. I would hemorrhage every time with my period Goodness gracious.
Speaker 1:
You must have been exhausted.
Speaker 2:
I was, I was, and there's not a lot of support for women for that at all. No, so my, my three herbs that I went to was red raspberry leaf tea for the cramps, the icky feeling. But because I was hemorrhaging I took yarrow and shepherd's purse, like it was. I mean, of course it was safe with it, right, but I was like it was going out of stock I was like, come on now, but it was like every day, a couple of times a day while I was hemorrhaging.
Speaker 2:
That's the only thing that that saved me. And yeah, because I did my research and all that and I was like the reason why midwives use those for Right? Right. So you know the power of something very natural can have such a huge impact on the body you know, yeah, so that's that. I think that's one of my favorite parts of being in.
Speaker 1:
Our bliss is just realizing the power of herbs and how they can support support the body in a very easy way yeah, I always liken them to like that missing puzzle piece you know like, because I feel like the body does 90 of the work. Right, but you need to. Sometimes, you know, you have to put some you know gas in the chainsaw, right you?
Speaker 1:
have to put gas oil mix right or not, your engine's not going right right and I think, sometimes, you know, I even think sometimes, just sometimes even just a few drops can kick someone into there or it's a longer term protocol, but I do, I, I agree, I think there's we get so stuck on this herb for one reason that we forget that they do a lot.
Speaker 1:
You know, each herb has a lot of different functions and I think, uh, you know, obviously, if you were using this regularly when your cycle was really heavy, you knew that you could trust that this was going to work for you, and I think there's that part of it too, like right, you know, and your side effects weren't going to be all over the place and it wasn't going to necessarily affect your hormones the same way that other drugs would have.
Speaker 1:
So that sounds like a really nice smart solution. Yeah, I mean like you know, sometimes you have to then have the surgery to help with the problem. Right and really great that you, you know, speak about that.
Speaker 2:
Right, and I did. I went to the doctor, the gynecologist, and say, hey, this is what's happening. You know I'm okay with you with a hysterectomy Cause. At that time I was going to be 38. I didn't. I don't want kids because of some experiences I've had, like my body with the influx of hormones, like pregnancy really scared me. And you know, 38, there's all those complications with that. And so I went to him and say I'm totally okay. And he's like, well, you're still young. And I'm like okay, sure.
Speaker 1:
Thank you for dealing me the woman card again. I am not able to make decisions for my body, but okay.
Speaker 2:
So no, so I had to have an endometrial biopsy and I had complications with that and my cervix was scarred over and he's like, oh yeah, you need a hysterectomy. And it's a good thing he did, because after the surgery was done and I went in for my follow-up he's like, yeah, well, we got all the cancer. I was like I didn't even know I had cancer and so I had no clue, but I had all the symptoms of endometrial cancer. It was stage zero, so it was still just in the tissue. Nothing that here you know.
Speaker 1:
And even what you want to hear.
Speaker 2:
Right. I was like wait what? Like, yeah, we got all the cancer, You're all clear. And I was like well, OK, well, so I knew, intuitively, I knew it had to be removed you know, and that's the funny thing is, um, you know, even when I posted online I was going to have a hysterectomy, there was a lot of women, you know, for and against it and I was like you know, it's just my body and you know I this is the right thing to do.
Speaker 1:
Yeah, know and so that's the thing we have to remember.
Speaker 2:
Right.
Speaker 1:
You know you don't always get to have a say over my body.
Speaker 2:
Right.
Speaker 1:
You know, and so I'm sorry that you had that experience that people were second guessing your decision or whatever. You know.
Speaker 2:
But you know the the cool thing is, now that it's gone I feel so much better. I'm like, so I know it was the right choice.
Speaker 2:
You know I still have my ovaries, which is good. But sometimes I'm like I wish you would have taken them out because I still have cramps and you know. But then I can remember that I can still support myself with those herbs not necessarily bleeding, obviously, because luckily I don't have that anymore, but you know, with the cramps and stuff I was like, oh yeah, I can still take the red raspberry leaf tea, and so there's still ways to support myself through those moments. Or even if I go the other way, like it's too much pain, the Tylenol. Give you the me, the Tylenol, the heat.
Speaker 1:
Yeah, yeah. Sometimes you just have to.
Speaker 2:
I know. So that's another thing. Again, kind of tying everything back is like sometimes you do need that Western medicine, like I need it fixed now.
Speaker 1:
Well, I mean, but that's what it's there for right the unfortunate thing is, we use it for everything right instead of when we really need it like babies don't need tylenol to go to bed at night, right that's wrong.
Speaker 2:
I'm sorry.
Speaker 1:
If you do it, you're listening I've said this before we do not drug our children to get them to be quiet like you know. But I mean, like this is a good thing, I don't, nobody cares, so I won't have to worry about people hating on me. But you know, like you know, but, we, we, we have to. I think good herbalists acknowledge that everything has a process and sometimes no matter how many herbs you, you know, take, you still need extra help.
Speaker 2:
Right, that's what that full profession is there for Right, exactly so I do have autoimmune disease. I have ankylosing spondylitis, which is can be a really bad autoimmune disease, and I was untreated and undiagnosed for 20 years. So I'm getting infusions. Treated and undiagnosed for 20 years, so I'm getting infusions. You know I sit every six weeks I sit in a recliner and I have this infusion, you know, for three hours oh wow, right.
Speaker 1:
What do you do if you have to go pee?
Speaker 2:
uh, they unhook me from the ivy knowing me, I get my nervous pain right and um. I do unfortunately have the side effects from the infusion which require tylenol, benadryl and all the steroid oh yeah you know I'm like, but I'd rather have that than have the tight chest, which panics, makes me panic, because that's how my mom died. Oh, yeah, yeah, I could see related you know so when I get that, so chest which panics makes me panic, because that's how my mom died.
Speaker 1:
Oh yeah, yeah, I can see that.
Speaker 2:
You know. So when I get that so I'm like no, I am choosing to do this medicine because it's going to eliminate these symptoms. So I've accepted that right. But then when I'm not doing my infusions, I'm supporting myself as best as I can with movement, with diet, you know, lots of water. So I'm creating that harmony in my body where I'm not completely reliant on, you know, the infusion which has helped and it's given me quality of life.
Speaker 1:
Mm, hmm.
Speaker 2:
You know, and so I'm doing both, both I'm creating that, that harmony in my body, so that I love that I love that.
Speaker 1:
I'm really like. I think that is just. I think it's amazing that you were willing to share that with everyone, um, and I think it's great that because I think clients are, you know, are gonna feel safe. You know, I think some of it when clients come to us, they don't always want to say the medicine they're on because they like, they feel like, oh, I don't want you like thinking that we have any kind of judgment and good herbalist doesn't have any you know, we don't.
Speaker 1:
I don't care what you do. You know I'm here to help you, it's. I'm not here. I don't have time for that. Let's do some work together. But we don't need to judge each other. I mean we, we. We get that all the time right. We can do that to ourselves, looking in the mirror.
Speaker 2:
Like no one, can tell me everything that's wrong more than me than me.
Speaker 1:
You know what I mean. So I just don't have room for that for other people. And I think it's when you share stuff like that it normalizes that we can do these kinds of practices together. And as a professional, you're like, yeah, this is what I need for this, but this is what I need for that, and it can be really harmonious and fluid, and so I just love that. I love that you're willing to share that with us.
Speaker 2:
Oh, of course. Yeah, you know. And as a massage therapist, two people like coming like, oh, I don't want to be seen. You know, like the taking out the, the judgment, there's no judgment for me. Yeah, you know, when I you come in it's like what is going on. You know, like with their body, like oh, I don't like people seeing me. You know naked or I mean I don't see you naked, but you know, like certain parts they're like oh, I don't let anybody see me this way. I'm like I'm not seeing me, I'm seeing.
Speaker 1:
Yeah, I'm not seeing you but I'm not seeing the you that you're right. I'm seeing my client right.
Speaker 2:
I see a body and you know all bodies are beautiful, you know, and I just there's. So there's the. There's no judgment there, even like you know in my herbalist work, like what are you's? So there's the. There's no judgment there, even like you know in my herbalist work, like what are you on? So I understand the whole picture. You know there's no judgment because I too myself have medical issues. I've had medical issues my entire life. So and I have my sister has really severe medical issues her entire life. My sister has really severe medical issues her entire life, so I've been in that world. She's on life-saving medication. She can't be without it. But there's, you know there's. So I get it Like you have to do what you feel is right for you. And how can I support you in that? Absolutely? Oh, I love that so much.
Speaker 1:
I love that. Thank you for sharing that.
Speaker 2:
Well, we're coming to the end.
Speaker 1:
Absolutely. Oh, I love that so much. I love that. Thank you for sharing that we're coming to the end. So tell us where people can find you online and in Utah, and make an appointment. Give us all the bennies on all your goods.
Speaker 2:
So the best way to reach me is through my website, grounded soul wellnesscom, and through there you can find the booking link. And the biggest thing for me is I love sharing on social media. So on Instagram, follow me at grounded soul wellness. On Instagram, I love sharing. It gives you an inside look into myself and what I'm up to. Yeah, so that's where they can find me. Yeah.
Speaker 1:
Thank you. Thank you so much for taking time out of your day to do this with us. I really appreciate it and, um, I will be getting with you to make sure we have all your links for your bio and everything, but just thank you so much for spending time with us today and hopefully we'll be talking to you again soon. So thank you. Thank you so much, demetria. I sure appreciate you. Thanks, okay, bye-bye, bye.
