We recently connected with Dana Aronson and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Dana thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We’d love to hear the backstory behind a risk you’ve taken – whether big or small, walk us through what it was like and how it ultimately turned out.

The risk that I am about to share was really the risk that set me on the path to clinical herbalism. I just had moved to Oakland, CA from my home town, I was going to school for American Sign Language, and working in a yoga studio. Two weeks into that job (the first job I obtained and had to keep to pay the bills), fired me. I was devastated. I was never fired from a job before and it broke my little 20-something year old heart. On a day that class got out early, I was walking around and checking out Berkeley. I walked into an herb shop and the sweetest woman greeted me. I was immediately drawn to all the herbs on the walls and it sparked my curiosity. The woman (who owned the business), said that she was hiring. I told her I knew nothing about medicinal plants. She assured me that it would not be a problem. That I could take time when it was quiet to study, she would help teach me and share her references. I came back a few days later and dropped off my resume, and that is where my first introduction into the herbal world.

Dana, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

My name is Dana and I was born and raised in a place where the ocean meets the redwoods. Growing up, I loved everything outdoors, camping being my favorite. My father instilled in me the great outdoors and I truly believe this is what set the stage for my career path down the line.

When I was going to school to be an American Sign Language interpreter, I found myself in an herb shop and eventually was hired there. I didn’t know anything about medicinal plants, but through the years of working there, I was opened up into a world of enchantment. At that point in my life I was dealing with some of my own health issues. A friend recommended this low cost herb clinic and that I should check it out. When I walked in I was captivated. The herbalist that I saw spent two hours with me. I had never experienced a health professional take so much time and offer so much care to understand what I was going through. After walking into the clinic, I knew that was what I wanted to do.

So eventually I found myself back at Berkeley Herbal Center and put myself through their clinical herbalism program. I interned at their clinic, and that is where I found my love for not only the plants, but clinical work. After my program, I kept seeing clients and I never looked back. Throughout the years I have found other passions in the herbal world like teaching, herbal first aid, mobile clinics, and disaster relief work.

The goal in my practice is always to help empower people in their health journeys. At the end of the day, you know your experience best. My practice is a collaborative effort between your bodily experience, and my education and understanding of herbal medicine. Most herbalists will practice more like allopathic medicine, which means symptom based care. Sometimes this will happen depending on the issue, but what sets me apart is that I am always looking at the root cause of a symptom and where the interconnectedness is. Symptom based care can offer fast relief but rarely takes care of the problem. We see it in modern medicine all the time.

One of the things that I am most proud of is that I make most all of my medicines. I have a long education in medicine making and as a practitioner, I can proudly say that I know what is going into every one of my clients formulas. It is all made by hand, sourced from small organic farms, grown by me, or ethically harvested by my hands. The beauty of being able to connect so deeply with these plants and the places they come from, then having that be held in the medicine that I offer. I want usher folks and communities to get back to the land. To remember that we are more powerful than we think. That we are nature, and nature is us. We must not forget.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

After pondering this question for a moment, I believe it all boils down to a few things: honesty, transparency, and not gate keeping information.

It is ok not to know everything about plants. I think our society is so focused on perfection that we loose our humanness. Our humanness is how we connect. Reminding people that I am human builds more trust between myself and a client.

In regards to information sharing, I want to give folks tools and information so they can carry that on with them to better their lives, whatever that looks like. There is balance here too, right? But in general, I do not mind sharing how to make a medicinal preparation, or offer a recipe, or give a simple protocol for a fever. That also shows people that I am truly here to be of service. I am not looking at everyone as a dollar sign. Some people might not agree with that statement, but it is how I choose to show up, and it does work for me.

Do you think you’d choose a different profession or specialty if you were starting now?

ABSOLUTELY! At the end of the day, herbalism is much more than a trendy wellness business. It is actual fuel for my health and soul. My career is not just a job, it is a lifestyle. It still offers daily curiosity, and there is an inner knowing that I will never know everything about a plant and how multifaceted it is…and that right there keeps it exciting.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.wildkinbotanicals.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_wildkin