2015-2020
2015
New Culture Consultations was founded August 2015 in Montague, Massachusetts along the Sawmill River and on the world wide web via Skype consultations. Although the clinic space was along a beautiful riverside and quaint book mill that brought day visitors; Montague, MA was rural and the practice quickly became lonely without other practitioners to collaborate with. Meanwhile Skype consultations allowed New Culture to reach every region of the United States within the first year. Making the decision to move on from a physical office space much easier.
2016
New Culture sought collaboration and projects that empowered people. 2016 opened with a collaborative Winter Warmer with the two creators of a project called Simply Grace. The Winter Warmer was a spa day with nourishing food, restorative yoga and New Culture offered foot soaks and talks of winter wellness over tea. New Culture hosted adult lunch and learns and had consultations in collaboration with Simply Grace in Springfield, MA.
Apprenticeships also became possible this year when a Smith College Praxis student spent over 200 hours grasping a holistic glimpse of the naturopathic modalities through hands on experiences. The apprenticeship included an introduction to all of the modalities naturopaths are taught: philosophy, whole food nutrition, mind body wellness, herbalism, hydrotherapy, homeopathy, physical medicine, and environmental health/depuration. The student got a glimpse of practice management, made herbal remedies of their choice, and by the end of the 10 weeks learned what information both a conventional and naturopathic doctor inquire about in an initial interview. Time was spent practicing skills that enhance our sense of well being; including being out in the fresh air, touching the soil, and enjoying the benefits of local organic gardening.
One of the most fulfilling collaborations started the fall of 2016. New Culture had its hand it creating health and wellness after school enrichment programming for elementary aged students aged 7-11 with a non profit called Collaborative for Educational Services. My classes included Potions and Preservation which focused on home care and folk recipes and Body Functions which was elementary anatomy and physiology. These classes included much of the things I wish I knew about my own body, health and hygiene when I was that age.
2017
With a commitment to youth work, I continued as an after school enrichment educator of earth and health sciences. I coached another season of Girls on the Run, and I even taught yoga to the elementary school students. I enjoyed my second season in the great outdoors of Maine with horses (intro to equine therapy) at an all girl’s summer camp called The Main Idea.
Additionally, this year I spent time with an extremely talented Smith College special studies student creating the video you see on the homepage: Vitalism and the Naturopath and a DIY common herbal home remedy: Homemade Fire Cider.
2018
Highlights for 2018 included:
Starting the year off as a Professor, I made a dream of mine come true and taught a Smith College January Inter term class.
Inspired by doTerra essential oils I began The Self Care Club out of Amethyst Brook Wellness in Amherst, MA featuring scented make and takes.
I spent a six month season working in retreat at Omega Institute where I was able to practice self care and my teaching skills, and meet one of my favorite authors : Miguel Ruiz M.D. (The Mastery of Love and The Four Agreements).
Other exciting events in 2018 included:
Women’s Wellness For Modern Times @ Smith College
Environmental Detox - Self Marriage for Liberation - Death Cafe @ Omega Institute
2019
I returned again to youth work and I completed a season of positive youth development with Americorps at an after school program for teens. Although brief sessions were spent teaching the youth whole food snack making or do it yourself bath and body care, I learned as much as a service member as I offered. The youth especially tuned me in to the need for more adults to care about the socialization and character development of this age group. From the Americorps program I learned about what it takes to manage a non profit, classic skills in professional development and the impact trauma has on young minds and ultimately the development of the psyche.
“New Culture is no longer associated with The Better Life Whole Foods and does NOT recommend The Integrative Health Group. There are more episodes to come of Holistic Happenings which include naturopathic home care tips/tricks (episode 2: hydrotherapy home care) and a children friendly episode is currently in the works.”
NOW
Now New Culture is taking a reprieve from consultations and focusing on educational outreach. Currently I have been given the opportunity to complete Yoga Teacher Training with a trauma informed approach at the Adhikara Yoga School. If all goes according to plan, I will be able to lead Naturopathic inspired yoga classes as soon as July of this year!
In addition to enhancing my own life with fitness and mindfulness of yogic practices, I have returned to organic farming projects and nonprofit work. I am working at the Northampton Survival Center, a food pantry which has served thousands of people in Hampshire county for the past 40 years. This nonprofit is able to address the underlying cause of malnutrition and mental/emotional distress caused by being impoverished. Meeting the basic need of food security addresses a huge preliminary hurdle to cultivating a sense of well being for most.
The project also offers a remedy for a modern problem caused by capitalism that has become corrupted by reallocating resources to communities in need vs. wasting resources for lack of profits. It is very exciting to be working with a community who often are unable to access naturopathic information. I am finding great outlets: be it enhancing public health and hygiene with educational materials, or uniting with other communal forces such as the Abundance Farm, which invites all local people to come out on the land and see how food grows.
The last five years have been interesting to say the least. I have been honored to find many whole food and education based non profits on missions to bring disease prevention and public health education to the masses; especially the under served communities. Early this year I decided that I will no longer be taking clients so that I can make naturopathic educational materials accessible to more people and second nature for a new culture.