About | The Gutsy Herbalist

Allow me to introduce myself....

I'm Hannah, founder of The Gutsy Herbalist.

I went from practitioner to practitioner with stomach issues, chronic pain, debilitating exhaustion, anxiety, and depression to living a full life with peace, vitality, and love.

If you keep saying "why am I like this" and you're ready for clarity, then you are in the right place.

I'm a herbalist, functional nutritionist, and yoga teacher.

But I didn't start there.

My healthcare journey started as a Registered Nurse specializing in NICU and Pediatric Emergency, GI and a travel assignment on Navajo Reservation.

When I worked in hospitals I saw a lot of medicine and almost no healing. I saw people stabilize and go home, only to come right back in with the same complaints. There seemed to be no answers, just more medications, that caused more side effects.

I could see the defeat as people put all of their trust into the system only never to figure out how to feel better.

I kept asking questions like WHY are patients getting these chronic diagnosis and instead of accepting that these were lifetime diagnosis with lifelong medications, I was curious about cures, spontaneous remissions, and alternative healing practices.

at the same time, my personal life was falling apart.

I was big stressed. I was working 60+ hours on night shift due to being a single mom, anxious, depressed, and always felt like something was off.

I kept thinking "what is the point of life", "why are we here as humans" it can't be to feel like this, but I didn't know how to "be happy" or find peace.

I was too tired to cook, I would shuffle out of bed into the kitchen and feel like my body couldn't hold itself up. I would pick up a book and immediately put it down because I couldn't retain the words. I would wake up for hours during the night and be "tired and wired" but unable to go to sleep.

for years I struggled with stomach problems and reflux, and what I wanted most out of life was to have enough energy to be a good mom.

whenever I brought my concern up to a doctor, I ended up with another prescription for an antidepressant or stomach medication but I was in my 20's and that didn't feel right.

I knew there was another way.

so I got curious and took a deep dive

I started watching Netflix health documentaries, tried all sorts of diets + fasting, watched hours of biochemistry and pathophysiology videos on disease states and simultaneously began to look into ancestral healing practices to see how people were managing these diseases before modern medicine.

I started with small walks in nature, grounding barefoot, made green smoothies, started a yoga practice, meditation, and listening to folks like Brene Brown, Ram Dass, and holistic health podcasts on my walks.

the lights were coming back on.

and eventually took a leap of faith

In 2020, I ended up leaving the conventional nursing model and enrolled in a 1,200 hour herbal immersion course through Chestnut School of Herbal Medicine, a 200 hour yoga teacher training, 14-month Functional Nutrition Program through FNA, and lots of conferences

I now see clients one-on-one through my holistic consultation practice, teach yoga locally, run a podcast and teach workshops on herbal medicine and how folks can be the healer in their home.

most importantly, I have the energy and vitality I was longing for in my 20's and can say I am finally at peace and have joy in my life.

Like most, we all have our journeys to walk and I am eternally grateful for mine. It allows me to have compassion for my clients and fellow human beings because I too have felt broken or there was no way forward.

I now know that is not the truth and if you are committed to something deeply enough, it is possible for you.

I now feel called to do this work

and luckily I love it with my whole heart. For a fellow human have the lights come back on and have peace in their body brings me the greatest joy.

when I'm not running a business, you can find me flowing on the mat, eating good tacos, making bone broth and sourdough, dancing to live music, reading nerdy herb and nutrition books, hiking, foraging, tinkering with plant medicine, homeschooling my daughter, walking barefoot in the woods, listening to records while cooking with my hubby, or cocooned up with a cup of tea.

may we all find our peace in this lifetime, live in our purpose, and have love in our hearts.

XOXO,

Hannah