Redefine your embodiment with care practices that help you regain agency, creativity and vitality.
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. I am now 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. My Serbian-Dutch 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 it's in my blood. That's why H&H is like a homecoming.
Studies & Training
2022
2021
2020
2018
2017
2016
2014
Where are you from?
Tkaronto/Toronto.
What are your favourite plantmates?
Burdock at the moment, along with blue vervain to build my nervous system.
How do you spend free time?
I do yoga, qigong, meditate and contemplate my existence for a few hrs each day...You'll also find me in the garden or in the woods foraging. I read. I crochet and longboard. I also think up lots of ideas, some which see the sun and most which burn out.
What are your big three?
I am a Capricorn Sun, Virgo Moon and Libra Rising.
What is your Bach remedy constitutional type?
My personality types are part Oak and Water Violet, which means I'm strong and introverted!
And your human design?
Sacral generator 3:5!
Who would you want to be stuck in an elevator with?
Probably Hildegard von Bingen, the 12th century German mystic, poetess, musician and physician.
Any fur babies?
Harold, my Norfolk terrier; Rafa, the Havanese; and Luna the tabby cat. You'll see them on the gram when they are too cute or silly.
Tell us a secret.
I read the dictionary while housebound because I only had the bandwidth for bite-sized information (and I'm a nerd).
What's the weather forecast?
Don't even go there!
hi@
613.848.7552
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H&H is for humans of all ages, races, genders, sexual orientations, abilities and spiritual/religious paths.
Located on Mississauga, Haudenosaunee and Wendake-Nionwentsïo unceded, occupied lands.
© 2019