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Hale & HArt

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Hale & HArt

  • Home
  • About
  • Services 
    • Consultations
    • Golden Scars
    • Accessibility
  • Learn 
    • Courses
    • Writing
    • Resources
    • Workshops
  • Connect
  • …  
    • Home
    • About
    • Services 
      • Consultations
      • Golden Scars
      • Accessibility
    • Learn 
      • Courses
      • Writing
      • Resources
      • Workshops
    • Connect
herb match quiz
  • Get rich in bodily wisdom

    Redefine your embodied experience with simple care practices designed by yours truly.

    meet aleksa
  • Consider h&h a haven to gently explore your bodymind. Expect to be nurtured and validated as you reconnect with parts of yourself you may have lost touch with, after traumatic experiences, stress or just the ebbs and flows of living.

  • About Aleksa

    (she/they/he)

    An image of Aleksa, a long haired person wearing a blue and white dress, smiling while preparing a herbal tea in a kitchen. There is a bundle of goldenrod and aster in front of her and a teapot to her right.

    I came from a holistic household, taking lots of vitamins, doing cleanses and visiting wellness practitioners regularly. Thanks, mum! You could find me outside much of my childhood, scraped everywhere, muddied and maybe eating a flower. I would get sick often and end up at my Serbian Baba's house, to be spoonfed soup and given herbal medicine. I found out later that herbs were the reason my parents were able to bring me into the world, so it makes sense that my work centers them now!

     

    As an athletic yet clumsy teen, I ended up with two concussions and developed post-concussion syndromes. Although I experienced physical and cognitive symptoms for years, I did not rehabilitate my bodymind properly because of internalized ableism. Fortunately, classical Hatha yoga and meditation later helped me to restore cognitive functioning, along with supplements and dietary changes. I thought I was hale and hearty again—until I became chronically sick.

     

    It took three tick bites to destroy my health in 2016 and render me disabled. After spiralling from specialist to specialist, I reclaimed my sick body by learning to advocate for myself and studying herbal medicine. Thanks to my mentors, Tamara Segal, Rosemary Gladstar and Dr. Edward Bach, I nurtured this kernel and my passion grew from a hobby into a vocation. While herbalism is a lifelong learning process, at this stage, I'm taking Wild Rose College's Master Herbalist Program alongside a master's degree in public health at Brown University.

     

    As for my heritage, I'm a second-generation Canadian of Serbian-Dutch descent. Some of my ancestors were healers, educators, refugees, farmers, scientists, midwives, activists and lawyers. I see my roles as a community herbalist and gardener as a homecoming; it's as though I've slipped my hand into the perfectly sized (gardening) glove to carry on time-old traditions.

  •  

     

    "Aleksa has an evident calm, warm and attentive presence that makes her a real joy to be around."

     

    Mark, Psychotherapist, U.K.

     

     

     

    let's work together
  • The H&H Vision

    A graphic image with three blue painted flowers around a quote which says "I am worthy of the time it takes to do the things that heal my heart" by MHN.

    Hale & Hart bridges biomedical and holistic approaches to mental health care. I do this using my integrative mental health model that centers human diversity, creativity and autonomy.

     

    One day, I hope every household can reclaim herbal wisdom and apply it to regenerate their communities and the Earth. In the quest to transition away from destructive and exploitative ways of life, I know that plant allies can help us care for ourselves and others, better.

  • Values

    A photo of a branch of common sage leaves with their dark, furry leaves pointing downwards and dark foliage in the background.

     

    Everyone's experience of health is unique. Here, it's not about conforming to wellness standards or comparing your body to someone else's. Exploring our bodyminds can be playful and affirming. I'm here to support you, mentally and emotionally, on the path towards personal and collective healing.

  • Position & clinical focus

    Get to know my positionality before deciding to work together.

    ​I am:

    • gender fluid

    • chronically ill 

    • a second-generation Canadian immigrant

    • of Serbian-Dutch descent

    • from a high socioeconomic status

    • spiritually-oriented

    • a survivor of trauma 

    I support folks with these experiences:

    • depression, anxiety, insecurities and grief
    • physical, psychological, iatrogenic and sexual trauma
    • chronic illness and pain management
    • neurodiversity
    • climate grief
    • stress and burnout
  • Studies & Training

    2022

    • Master of Public Health (2022-2024) at Brown University 
    • Master Herbalism Diploma (2022-) with Wild Rose College of Natural Healing
    • Professional Training in Healing Sexual Trauma with The Breathe Network
    • Bach Foundation Level III Training with The Bach Centre
    • 12-Month Herbalists' Circle with Healer's Harvest

    2021

    • Master Gardener Certification with University of Guelph and Master Gardeners of Ontario Inc. (2020-2021)
    • Practical Herbalism Diploma with Wild Rose College of Natural Healing  
    • Experiential Herbalism: Practitioner Program with Registered Herbalist Tamara Segal 
    • Bach Level II Practitioner Training with BFRP Sarah Brune 
    • Herbs, Health, the Elements & the Moon Series with Registered Herbalist Tamara Segal

    2020

    • The Science and Art of Herbalism with Registered Herbalist Rosemary Gladstar
    • Bach Level I Practitioner Training with BFRP Sarah Brune 

    2018

    • Corporate Yoga & Meditation Facilitator Training with Isha Foundation

    2017

    • Green Roof Professional Training with Green Roofs for Healthy Cities

    2016

    • Biodynamic Farming & Horticultural Apprenticeship with Tom Petherick (2015-2016)
    • Horticultural Therapy Assistant with Thrive UK (2015-2016)

    2014

    • BBA (Hons) in Social Entrepreneurship at Hult International Business School (2011-2014)
  • The inspo behind H&H

    An image of the Hale & Hart logo. It is an asymmetrical circle with a brass outline, filled with royal blue in the top half of the circle, which blends into teal in the bottom half.

    Do you recognize the saying, "to be hale and hearty"? Hale comes from "whole" or "safe" in Old English, while hearty means to be in a state of vibrant health. Hart is a portmanteau of "hearty" and my maiden name, "Hartog".

     

    The alchemical symbol for salt inspired this logo. Salt represents the essence of matter and is renowned for its purifying qualities. Even the expression, "salt of the Earth", refers to the qualities of being honest, simple and hardworking. This reflects who I am (even though I cannot push my disabled body as I once did) as well as the folks I enjoy working with, who live with integrity, and make the world a more kind, safe and just place to be. H&H is here for you!

hi@halehart.com

@haleandhart

h&h is for humans of all ages, races, genders, sexual orientations, disaabilities, and spiritual/religious paths.

Located on Wampanoag, Nipmuk and Pokanoket unceded, occupied lands.

© 2019

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