About Aleksa
(she/they)
I came from an alternative household, taking lots of vitamins, doing cleanses and visiting wellness practitioners weekly. Thanks, mum! You could find me outside for much of my childhood, scrapes everywhere, muddied and maybe eating a flower. I would get sick often and end up at my Serbian Baba's house, to be spoonfed soups and given folk medicine. I found out later that herbs were the reason my parents got pregnant with me, so it makes sense they're at the heart of my work/life now!
As an athletic but clumsy teen, I ended up with two concussions and developed depression from the brain injuries. I remained in that mental state for years. It embarrassed me to ask for help, so I began practicing classical Hatha yoga and meditation to manage my symptoms and elevate my spirit. Together with supplements and dietary changes, I carried on -- until I became chronically sick in 2016.
It took three tick bites to destroy my health and leave me disabled for long periods. After being tossed from specialist to specialist, I reclaimed my disabled body by learning to advocate for myself and studying holistic health. Thanks to my mentors, Tamara Segal, Rosemary Gladstar and Dr. Edward Bach, I started working with herbal medicine and flower essences. I nurtured this kernel and it grew into Hale & Hart in 2020. Now, I'm working through Wild Rose College's Master Herbalist Program as I complete a master's degree in public health at Brown University.
I am a second-generation Canadian immigrant of Serbian-Dutch descent. My heritage is made up of healers, educators, refugees, farmers, scientists, midwives, activists and even a judge. Practicing as a community herbalist and gardener is like slipping my hand into the perfectly sized glove, because I know it's in my blood. That's why H&H iis a homecoming.
The H&H Vision
Hale & Hart bridges biomedical and holistic approaches to mental health care. As there are strengths and limitations to both, I work towards creating an integrative mental health model that values human diversity, creativity and autonomy.
One day, I hope every household can reclaim herbal wisdom and use 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
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 should be playful and validating. In fact, I believe safety, autonomy and respect are the foundation of health, which is reflected in H&H's origins. I'm here to support you, mentally and emotionally, on the path towards collective healing and liberation.
The inspo behind H&H
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 our logo. Salt represents the essence of matter and is renowned for its purifying qualities. The expression "salt of the Earth" refers to honest, simple and hardworking people. This reflects my character, even though I cannot push my body as much as I once did. It also reflects the folks I enjoy working with: the ones who live with integrity, and who contribute to a more loving, just and fair world. Hale & Hart is here to sustain you!
