Short Professional Bio

Kay’aleya is an herbalist and integrative health educator specializing in menstrual, hormonal, sexual and reproductive health. She holds a Masters of Science degree in Therapeutic Herbalism from the Maryland University of Integrative Health, is certified as both a Women's Herbal Educator with Aviva Romm, MD, and a Women's Health Coach with a focus on nutrition through the Integrative Women's Health Institute.

As a trained yoga teacher and an experienced massage therapist with a background as a doula and student midwife, she brings a uniquely integrative lens to her work as an herbalist. She draws on her diverse tapestry of experience to share truly integrative approaches to everything from menstrual cycle support, to breast/chest health, to postpartum care, to navigating the menopausal transition and beyond. She teaches through her weekly podcast, Herbal Womb Wisdom, and her forthcoming online courses, where you can experience her practice of embodied herbalism first-hand.

Her greatest wish is for others to know the healing potential and kinship with the earth and the plants like she does.

Want to read an in-depth version of my bio? Click here.

Philosophy of healing

My deepest belief is that nature heals. Just look outside and watch the earth regenerate after a fire or a clear-cut. Think about how our skin or bones heal after being broken. Life begets life. Nature is always seeking more life, and adjusts or re-arranges itself to make way for that vital energy to emerge. 

We are nature. Our bodies are not separate from nature, so when we are on a health journey of any kind, our bodies have the capacity to heal. An imbalance may be present, acutely or chronically, but the body's capacity to regenerate is always there.

Herbal medicine, nutrition, mindfulness practices, movement, breath work, massage or bodywork, spiritual or energetic practice, or other therapeutic modalities are essentially nudging our bodies to respond differently, to shift the current pattern from dysfunctional to functional again. And ideally find their way into dynamic restoration of total wellness. This process can sometimes be quick, but is often a healing journey that involves multiple systems (even if it seems like just a menstrual issue) and can take weeks, months or even years to accomplish.

In some folks, a chronic, debilitating challenge or illness may be present, and while even the best therapies may not be able to completely resolve the issue, the healing force of nature is always present. We can always encourage a more optimal state of wellness individualized to each person.

And health is multi-layered. True integrative health includes wellness not limited to the interconnected ecosystem of our physical bodies, but our emotional bodies, our mental bodies, and our connection to something greater beyond us (which you could call spirit/nature/universe/divine/God). Healing can take many forms and can happen on any layer of our beings.  

Optimal integrative health specific to each person is the goal. And nature is ultimately always the healer. 

Herbal Therapeutic Approach

As an integrative herbalist, I bring together my in-depth knowledge of "western" herbal materia medica (which truly combines European, Middle Eastern, North American and African lineages) with my background in Ayurveda and some basic training in Traditional Chinese Medicine.  I incorporate traditional wisdom from each lineage into my love of scientific research, physiology, phytochemistry, herbal safety, and evidence-informed practice. Energetics and constitution are a part of how I view each person and plant. And I also bring some experience with more subtle relationships with plants that I've cultivated over time.

Overall, my herbal approach is what I call 'embodied herbalism,' coming from a place of relationship with the plants beyond books and theories and instead really exploring the many ways of working with people and plants. While Petri dishes can sometimes tell us fascinating things about how a plant constituent impacts a cell, our embodied experience is what really matters. 

Commitment to Inclusivity

As an imperfect human, I commit to doing my best to be inclusive of anyone who would benefit from my offerings.

My intention is to make the spaces I create safe for anyone on the gender spectrum who's interested in my work, to use gender neutral language where I can, and to continue to learn how I can support non-binary or trans folks who menstruate in addition to cis women who are drawn to my work.

I also intend to create a safe and accessible space space for folks of all sexual orientations, cultural backgrounds, financial situations, physical abilities, and black, indigenous or person of color backgrounds.  

I don't claim to be an expert, but as someone who deeply cares about social justice (and who has personally experienced extreme financial instability, a range of sexual orientation and debilitating physical dis-ability at times in my life), I can say I'm committed to continuing to learn to be the best ally I can be.

Indebted to my teachers

Over the past 15 years, I've had the great honor and privilege to sit at the feet of and work alongside many skilled and wise teachers. I would not be who I am without them. The depth of my gratitude is immense.

Most influential herbal & nutrition teachers: Aviva Romm, MD; Sajah Popham; Camille Freeman; Bevin Clare; David Winston; Candis Cantin; Jillian Bar-av; Dr. Jessica Drummond; Juliet Blankespoor; Tony(a) Lemos; Larken Bunce; Rosemary Gladstar (and so, so many more)

Most influential midwifery/womb-centered teachers: Whapio; Institute of Holistic Midwifery; Elizabeth Davis, CPM; Michelle L'esperance, CPM; my own body and the bodies of my clients

Influential natural therapies trainings: Natural Therapeutics Specialist and Massage Therapist certification at New Mexico School of Natural Therapeutics; Ayurveda Health Educator and Ayurveda Bodywork certification at California College of Ayurveda; Ayurveda for Women's Health with Terra Rafael

Most influential earth and spirit teachers: Rowen White; Acharya Shunya; Joe Hollis; Brooke Sullivan; Jillian Twisla; Daniel Foor; Asia Suler; the good folks at Sandhill Farm and in Auroville; and beyond measure, the plants and the earth themselves

Special honor to the indigenous peoples, historical slaves and many unnamed cultures whose teachings are often unacknowledged but inextricably woven into all that I've learned and practiced over these years.