Folk Herbalism for Wellness

Folk herbalist Kristina Napoles will share her approach to herbal support for whole health. Using a holistic approach, Kristina will explain how herbs support health and vitality, connecting the practical use of plants with the more spiritual aspects of accessing their life force and energy to enhance our connection to the natural world and achieve a more balanced emotional state.

Kristina practices herbalism based on traditional and empirical methods. As a child, she began training in the Afro-Cuban practices of the curanderas (traditional folk herbalists in Spanish-speaking countries) by her grandmother and aunt, whose own knowledge of folk herbalism was passed down from one generation to the next. These practices helped support the health of the family and the community at large. Kristina continued her studies and practice into adulthood, incorporating other cultures’ herbal healing folklore as well as more recent scientific findings supporting the use of herbs and mindful rituals to achieve a greater sense of well being.

This workshop is open to everyone. Participants will receive custom recipes created by Kristina, lists of recommended herb retailers, and books that can be used for further study, and a free copy of the official Big Read 2023 selection, Catalog of Unabashed Gratitude by Ross Gay.

Kristina Napoles is a folk herbalist, women’s health advocate, medicine maker, and teacher dedicated to promoting whole health, environmental responsibility, and emotional equilibrium through herbalism. A third-generation plant lady, she first learned the healing power of plants through her Cuban grandmother’s cosimientos. Her passion for plants and holistic healing grew over the years and became a way of life.

After years of studying holistic healing methodologies, and a lifetime of pursuing her own healing, Kristina is convinced of the body’s innate ability to heal itself. She believes in a holistic body, mind, and spirit, and that an imbalance of these causes stress to the entire system. She believes that in order to heal an imbalance, it is imperative to find the source of the problem. Once the source is identified, healing can be encouraged and supported through nutrition, supplementation, plant medicinals, lifestyle changes, and much more.

Kristina helps people connect with their plant allies through teas, tinctures, and other herbal preparations. She also offers nutritional and lifestyle recommendations to encourage overall vitality.

Kristina is the owner of Woodwise Botanicals offering hand-crafted, small batch, botanical preparations.

Kristina is also the founder of @punkmenopause, helping guide women with a DIY approach to navigating peri-menopause and the menopausal transition.