The Foundations of Vitalist Herbalism: Sleep, Stress & Gut Health with Heather Luna

Building an Herbal Garden from Scratch: Growing Food, Medicine and Beauty

Are you dreaming of building an herbal garden, or just curious what it actually looks like to begin? In this cozy solo episode, clinical herbalist, Elliott Brinkley shares the story of building a brand-new herbal garden on raw land- starting with compact clay soil, active deer, harsh sun, and a big dream. After years of focusing on building their home, Elliott and Aaron are finally in the process of creating a garden ecosystem filled with medicinal plants, food crops, flowers, and a future gathering space. This episode is part practical garden journal, part love letter to the plants. Elliott walks through the full process: observing the land, choosing the garden site, building raised beds, improving soil drainage, starting seeds indoors, setting up drip irrigation, planting food and medicinal herbs, and learning through plenty of trial and error along the way. In this episode: * Building raised beds and garden infrastructure from scratch on raw land * Working with compact clay soil, drainage issues, deer pressure, and dry climate gardening * Starting seeds indoors with wooden seed boxes, sheep’s wool, grow lights, and lots of patience spritzing * Growing both food and medicine, including squash, potatoes, greens, culinary herbs, calendula, nettle, valerian, elder, comfrey, violet, elecampane, echinacea, and milky oats * Why fresh milky oats are such powerful nervous system medicine, and why dried milky oats are not the same * The beauty of creating a garden as a place for nourishment, plant relationship, community gatherings, and future classes Links & Resources: * Medicinal Plant Sale at Dancing Willow Herbs June 5th, 6th, and 7th from 11am–4pm with Crystal from Growing Creations Herb Farm. Come early Friday for the best selection of medicinal plant starts. * Spring Garden Party Recipe Ebook [https://dancingwillowherbs.com/blogs/news/your-guide-to-a-spring-garden-party-a-dancing-willow-herbs-recipe-book] A seasonal recipe collection inspired by the Dancing Willow Herbs team garden dinner, with recipes like beet-pickled deviled eggs, spring salad, lemon balm cucumber lemonade, marinated olives, and lemon posset. * Milky Oats Tincture [https://dancingwillowherbs.com/products/milky-oat-tincture?_pos=1&_sid=aaf5fd379&_ss=r&variant=42263236378781] One of our favorite fresh plant nervines for replenishing the nervous system, especially during seasons of depletion, stress, and feeling stretched thin. * Summer Seasonal Herbal Collection [https://dancingwillowherbs.com/collections/summertime-herbal-collection] A collection of herbal allies for summer travels, outdoor adventures, sun-soaked days, bug bites, gardening, and seasonal wellness. * Crystal’s Previous Podcast Episode [https://open.spotify.com/episode/3TX6TH5TVSMmYHGB6ydg9m?si=dd13392038534ecf] Listen to Elliott’s conversation with Crystal of Growing Creations Herb Farm for more inspiration on growing medicinal plants and tending relationship with the herbs. Listen in for an honest, earthy, and inspiring look at what it really takes to build an herbal garden from the ground up- and why the process is just as nourishing as the harvest. Stay Connected If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe, leave a review, and share with others who would love it. Support the podcast by making a purchase with Dancing Willow Herbs! Website: www.dancingwillowherbs.com [https://dancingwillowherbs.com/] Instagram: @dancingwillowherbsco [https://www.instagram.com/dancingwillowherbsco/?hl=en]

When Life Unfolds For Us: Cosmic Herbalism with Emma Prescher

How do we find our way back into the body after trauma, pain, and the complete unraveling of the life we thought we were living? In this powerful episode of The Dancing Willow, Elliott Brinkley sits down with herbalist Emma Prescher to explore a healing journey that defies convention. After a near-fatal cycling accident left her with devastating injuries and an uncertain future, Emma turned not to rigid protocols but to intuition, plant medicine, and deep presence. Drawing from her background as a critical care nurse, Emma bridges the worlds of Western medicine, herbalism, and astrology. She shares how plants like nettle, kava, and calendula supported her recovery, how a near-death experience reshaped her understanding of life and death, and why curiosity may be one of the most powerful tools we have for healing. This conversation is a reminder that healing isn’t linear and that the body, the plants, and the cosmos are always in conversation. In This Episode: * Emma’s transition from ICU nurse to herbalist * Surviving and healing after a life-altering accident * A profound near-death experience and its message * Plant allies that supported her recovery * Intuitive and embodied approaches to healing * The connection between herbalism and astrology * Astrological connections to plants like Lemon Balm, Tulsi and Yarrow Links & Resources:  * Emma’s website, The Golden Fermata- https://www.thegoldenfermata.com/ [https://www.thegoldenfermata.com/] Stay Connected If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe, leave a review, and share with others who would love it. Support the podcast by making a purchase with Dancing Willow Herbs! Website: www.dancingwillowherbs.com [https://dancingwillowherbs.com/] Instagram: @dancingwillowherbsco [https://www.instagram.com/dancingwillowherbsco/?hl=en]

An Herbalist’s Journey Rafting 280 Miles Through the Grand Canyon

This one is part adventure story, part herbal deep dive, and part reflection on what it means to come back to your most natural, human state. In this solo episode, clinical herbalist Elliott Brinkley returns from a once-in-a-lifetime rafting journey through the Grand Canyon- 280 miles of raw beauty, challenge, connection, medicinal plants and profound transformation. From navigating powerful rapids to sleeping under endless stars, Elliott shares what it really looks like to live on the river for three weeks and how that immersion in nature became one of the most healing and perspective-shifting experiences of her life.  In This Episode, You’ll Hear: * What a 22-day rafting trip through the Grand Canyon actually looks like day-to-day * The magic (and logistics) of living fully off-grid with a group in the wilderness * Lessons in surrender, simplicity, and letting go of control * How nature immersion can reset your nervous system and circadian rhythm * The powerful group dynamics that form when distractions disappear * Beauty as a nervous system state and the process of receiving * Desert herbal medicine allies, such as medicinal & energetic qualities of Ocotillo & Chaparral * Herbal formulas that were the most supportive on the long journey Links & Resources:  * Michael Moore’s Medicinal Plants of the Desert and Canyon West [https://www.amazon.com/Medicinal-Plants-Desert-Canyon-West/dp/0890131821] * Kristin Huisinga’s River and Desert Plants of the Grand Canyon [https://www.amazon.com/River-Desert-Plants-Grand-Canyon/dp/0878425233/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2NOUPLF531J96&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.6Ah4EBEV3XkXDFtFu0u1RGvTFQ1c46kMR0MSJok9jSRTUwqNYJAg7JJlnKihCP_a7KaVs_i7ONpbBO-Sj1RlzK23OmhiqlLWcW1hOzeyxo8TY3NbrivfY9GZD23d6jgvmalip06vnKVx1vahBVo9Liim57Ja8lrW4QM-tUTC0GlRe5qzUWc6Ayl4vpYKKMdRCAsDg7e2E-s5GNQ6lUYRAndiFI7q36iIfx0FpPvc81E.gwfvVnz9YM-4OWjD2JwtBasamPmeS7IL3PX69_Jc2oI&dib_tag=se&keywords=grand+canyon+plants&qid=1776785033&s=books&sprefix=grand+canyon+plant%2Cstripbooks%2C218&sr=1-1] * Ocotillo Products: Fresh Plant Ocotillo Tincture [https://dancingwillowherbs.com/products/ocotillo-bark-tincture?_pos=1&_sid=904369984&_ss=r&variant=42263272718493], PMS Tincture [https://dancingwillowherbs.com/products/pms?_pos=2&_sid=904369984&_ss=r&variant=12467088259] * Chaparral Products: Antifungal Salve [https://dancingwillowherbs.com/products/anti-fungal-salve?_pos=3&_sid=305cadc44&_ss=r&variant=12739024515], Antifungal Nail Oil [https://dancingwillowherbs.com/products/anti-fungal-nail-oil?_pos=1&_sid=305cadc44&_ss=r&variant=12727719299], Herbal Aid Salve [https://dancingwillowherbs.com/products/herbal-aid-salve-1oz?_pos=2&_sid=305cadc44&_ss=r&variant=12739999299] * Elliott’s Grand Canyon Favorites: Healing Soothing Salve, [https://dancingwillowherbs.com/products/healing-soothing-salve-1oz?_pos=3&_sid=6eddd4ea9&_ss=r&variant=12739852739] Rooted Heart Elixir, [https://dancingwillowherbs.com/products/rooted-heart-elixir?_pos=1&_sid=4658643d6&_ss=r&variant=43111924269213] Simple Bitters, [https://dancingwillowherbs.com/products/simple-bitters?_pos=1&_sid=61ccbf1c0&_ss=r&variant=11707159619] Neutralizing Cordial [https://dancingwillowherbs.com/products/neutralizing-cordial?_pos=1&_sid=86c902e8e&_ss=r&variant=11707218307]& Tummy Calm [https://dancingwillowherbs.com/products/tummy-calm?_pos=1&_sid=afde28461&_ss=r&variant=13757343363] This episode is an invitation to step outside, to slow down, and to reconnect with the natural world in whatever way is accessible to you. Wh Stay Connected If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe, leave a review, and share with others who would love it. Support the podcast by making a purchase with Dancing Willow Herbs! Website: www.dancingwillowherbs.com [https://dancingwillowherbs.com/] Instagram: @dancingwillowherbsco [https://www.instagram.com/dancingwillowherbsco/?hl=en]

The Foundations of Vitalist Herbalism: Sleep, Stress & Gut Health with Heather Luna

What if better sleep, balanced energy, and a calmer nervous system all started with one simple shift, how you begin your day? In this episode of The Dancing Willow, Elliott Brinkley sits down with clinical herbalist and Acorn Herb School founder Heather Luna to explore the real roots of chronic imbalance and the everyday practices that truly support healing. From gut health and sleep to nervous system regulation, Heather shares what she’s seen work time and time again in the clinic. They dive into why a high-protein breakfast can transform your sleep, how stress builds from both internal and external sources, and why herbs are most effective when paired with foundational lifestyle habits. The conversation also unpacks misunderstood herbal topics like black cohosh as a powerful nervine (not just a hormone herb) and the potential downsides of overusing adaptogens, while highlighting the importance of nourishing, moistening herbs for burnout and depletion. In This Episode: * Why digestion is the foundation of overall health * The link between protein at breakfast and better sleep * How blood sugar and stress impact energy + mood * Simple ways to support deep, restorative sleep * The role of movement, sunlight, and daily rhythm * How gut inflammation contributes to stress * Why adaptogens aren’t always the answer * A new perspective on black cohosh * The power of nourishing, moistening herbs for the nervous system Links & Resources:  * Join Acorn School of Herbal Medicine: https://www.acornherbschool.com/ * Follow Heather on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/acornherbschool/ * Dancing Willow Herbs Digestive Formulas: Tummy Tea [https://dancingwillowherbs.com/products/tummy-tea?_pos=1&_sid=7de0c09ab&_ss=r&variant=13639799811] & Digestive Repair Powder [https://dancingwillowherbs.com/products/digestive-repair?_pos=1&_sid=eb67aaf3f&_ss=r&variant=13639128771] * Dancing Willow Herbs Sleep & Nervous System Formulas: Sleep Deep [https://dancingwillowherbs.com/products/sleep-deep?_pos=1&_sid=a4212bfba&_ss=r&variant=20057774979] & Peaceful Heart [https://dancingwillowherbs.com/products/peaceful-heart?_pos=1&_sid=f7f594ae9&_ss=r&variant=12471891907] * Dancing Willow Herbs percolated Black Cohosh Tincture [https://dancingwillowherbs.com/products/black-cohosh?_pos=1&_sid=a36a78465&_ss=r&variant=13281098755] A grounded, practical conversation that brings healing back to the basics, real food, daily rhythm, and herbal support that meets you where you are. Stay Connected If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe, leave a review, and share with others who would love it. Support the podcast by making a purchase with Dancing Willow Herbs! Website: www.dancingwillowherbs.com [https://dancingwillowherbs.com/] Instagram: @dancingwillowherbsco [https://www.instagram.com/dancingwillowherbsco/?hl=en]

Why Seasonal Allergies Happen: Histamine & Herbal Support

Struggling with seasonal allergies, histamine intolerance, or chronic spring congestion? In this solo episode, clinical herbalist, Elliott Brinkley explores the root causes of spring allergies through a holistic and herbal lens. Rather than focusing only on pollen or quick-fix antihistamines, she breaks down the deeper terrain that shapes histamine overload- including mast cell activation, liver detoxification, gut health, food sensitivities, hormone balance, and nervous system regulation. You’ll learn why histamine isn’t inherently “bad,” what drives allergic inflammation in the body, and how to approach natural allergy relief in a more sustainable way using herbs and lifestyle support. If you’re looking for a root-cause approach to seasonal allergies so you can actually enjoy the spring season, this episode offers both education and practical tools. In This Episode • Histamine intolerance + mast cell activation explained • Why seasonal allergies flare in spring • The “histamine bucket” overload concept • Liver detoxification & histamine clearance • Estrogen–histamine connection • Gut health, dysbiosis & food sensitivities • Herbal strategies for natural allergy relief Links & Resources Mentioned Herbal Allies for Spring Allergies (free ebook) when you sign up for our newsletter here: https://dancingwillowherbs.com/ [https://dancingwillowherbs.com/] • Herbs for Springtime Online Class: https://dancingwillowherbs.com/collections/classes/products/herbs-for-springtime-in-person [https://dancingwillowherbs.com/collections/classes/products/herbs-for-springtime-in-person] • Elliott’s episode with Paul Bergner (food allergies & vitalist herbalism): https://open.spotify.com/episode/35evpNunqMVCdQ8Z0Bd4TT?si=fe8fea0dd4c446e8 [https://open.spotify.com/episode/35evpNunqMVCdQ8Z0Bd4TT?si=fe8fea0dd4c446e8] • Springtime Herbal Formula Collection at Dancing Willow Herbs: https://dancingwillowherbs.com/collections/seasonal-springtime-herbs [https://dancingwillowherbs.com/collections/seasonal-springtime-herbs] • Herbal consultations with Elliott: https://dancingwillowherbs.com/collections/herbal-consultations/products/complete-herbal-consultation?variant=50483045335329 [https://dancingwillowherbs.com/collections/herbal-consultations/products/complete-herbal-consultation?variant=50483045335329] Stay Connected If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe, leave a review, and share with others who would love it. Support the podcast by making a purchase with Dancing Willow Herbs! Website: www.dancingwillowherbs.com [https://dancingwillowherbs.com/] Instagram: @dancingwillowherbsco [https://www.instagram.com/dancingwillowherbsco/?hl=en]