This winter, celebrate and explore women's wellness through a holistic lens with this virtual workshop series.
When women take our health into our own hands, we have ourselves to rely on and can better persist in trying times. Join us for this engaging virtual Women’s Wellness Series where we’ll learn how to discover our own voices, nourish ourselves, and partner with herbal medicine to heal ourselves and those around us. Give yourself (or someone you love) the gift of knowledge and self-care this winter! All levels of experience are welcome.
We encourage you to explore all workshops as this series takes a holistic approach to women's health. However, classes can be taken individually. Each three-hour session will open with a few minutes of grounding meditation. Recordings are included in the registration price and will be sent following the conclusion of the series.
Workshops
All workshops in the In Our Own Hands Women's Wellness series are held virtually via Zoom and are three hours in length, happening every other Saturday beginning in January 2025.
Women’s Ritual & Rites of Passage; Menarche, Motherhood, and Croning with Kaitlin Ilya Wolf
Saturday, January 18, 2025 | 1pm-4pm Central Time
The life of a woman contains many initiations. By ritualizing these rites of passage, we embody our journey to wholeness and belonging. Experiencing and being witnessed in these initiations can be transformational. This introductory workshop will support you in bringing ritual into your life and the lives of the women around you. We'll dive into the many initiations of womanhood, focusing on menarche (first moon-cycle), motherhood (as a stage of life, whether one has given birth or not), and croning (elderhood). The class will cover ritual structure, ideas for rites of passage rituals, personal ritual, women's circle facilitation skills, and circle songs & chants.
Ageing Well with Isla Burgess
Saturday, February 1, 2025 | 1pm-4pm Central Time
Three hours to focus on keeping ourselves well as we age: To include recent research into ageing, Practical ways to put into weekly/daily practice, Taking care of ourselves, our senses, our bones, our blood, our brain, our skin
Nourishing our inner lives and more. Notes included.
Pagan Herbal Traditions of Europe with Max Dashu
Saturday, February 15, 2025 | 1pm-4pm Central Time
"Pluck will I the fairy-wort with expectation from the fairy bower to overcome every oppression… There is nothing the sun encircles but is to her a sure victory.” —Scottish incantation
We’ll go into the lore, chants, and rituals of sacred plants, including Mugwort, Hypericum, Mandrake, Rue, Vervain, Rowan-berry and the Daturas. The Nine Herbs Charm in Old English, the lybbestre (“medicine woman”) and wyrtgaelstre (“herb-chantress”) and other folk names for women healers. Herbs of the Midsummer garlands and bonfires; sitting under Hyldemoer, Mother of the Elderberry Tree, to watch the elven procession pass by on that Eve. Healing by chant, touch, passes, smoking, lustration, curing stones, tying herbs on with knotted yarn, and passing children through hoops or ""elf-bores” (natural openings in trees). Italian herbalists who healed with flower oils, Bulgarian vrachky healers, Scots and Irish “fairy doctors,” German “measurers,” and Slavic “whisperers.” Herbalists who sing praise songs to the plants in gathering, tell them why they are needed to cure, and sprinkle offerings into the Earth. The mermaid counseled, “If they wad drink nettles in March, and eat mugwort in May, sae many braw maidens woudna gang to the clay.”"
Mushrooms and Herbs for the Whole Woman with Gina Rivers
Saturday, March 1, 2025 | 1pm-4pm Central Time
As women, our hormonal tides ebb and flow throughout our lifetimes, and change is a guaranteed constant as we navigate a healthy and whole existence at any age. Discover how select medicinal mushrooms and herbal allies can help to holistically balance challenged hormonal tides, nurture our bone structure, calm our “fight or flight” response, and boost our brain and neurological systems!
Wild Nourishment: Exploring the Nutritional Potency of Wild Foods with Sunny Savage
Saturday, March 15, 2025 | 1pm-4pm Central Time
We intuitively know that wild foods are exceptionally nutritious, but what makes them nutritious? What does the science say? How can we potentize their effects through story, ritual, and kitchen magic? We'll be exploring tips and tricks to easefully fold wild foods into your diet, including a cooking demo with recipes included.
Case Management and Advocacy Skills for Herbalists with Linda Conroy, MSS, MLSP
Saturday, March 29, 2025 | 1pm-4pm Central Time
The healthcare system is struggling and many people are turning to herbalists as well as other health care practitioners to meet their needs. Clients presenting with complex issues can benefit from working with providers who have well-developed case management and advocacy skills. Developing the skills that support people in traversing a wide variety of community and medical resources will set you and your clients up for optimal results. Join veteran herbalist and social worker/case manager Linda Conroy, MSS, MLSP for this engaging and useful presentation. Everyone will leave with an understanding of the role of a case manager, an understanding of the practical skills necessary for effective support, and resources for continuing to develop case management/advocacy skills. This presentation will be rooted in the field of social work and will be client-centered.