We all have a unique story and fond memories of how our herbal journeys began. For many of us, it was a forest walk, an empowering mentor, or a treasured book that piqued our curiosity. 

Community is at the heart of our herbalism at Harmonic Arts. On National Herbalist Day (April 17th), we want to say a huge thank you to the amazing teachers who've shaped us! They've given us roots and shaped our relationship with plant medicine.

To celebrate, we sat down with Angela Willard to hear her personal experience as an herbalist.

Angela Willard is a Clinical Herbalist and Co-Founder of Harmonic Arts. She enjoys wild-crafting, herbal consulting and sharing her love of plants with others. Angela finds balance in nurturing Harmonic Arts’ vision while raising a young family.

Harmonic Arts: When did you first become interested in holistic healing and herbalism? 

Angela: While traveling extensively in my twenties, I became very ill and allopathic medicine did not help me get better. Once I began working with traditional herbs from the local people, I saw a deep shift in my health and realized I had experienced the pure potential plants have as a medicine. 

Harmonic Arts: How would you describe herbalism to someone unfamiliar with the field?

Angela: Herbalism skillfully promotes a state of balance and wholeness. It is comprehensive because it recognizes an individual’s unique health patterns. Herbalism encourages health through natural lifestyle practices and plant medicine, on both therapeutic and nutritional levels.

Harmonic Arts: What is one misconception people have about herbalism? 

Angela: A common misconception is that herbalism is limited to home remedies. It stretches far beyond the basics of home remedies and can truly heal lives. 

Harmonic Arts: What change would you like to see in the medical healing world? 

Angela: Shifting our current modern medical model to include functional modalities would bridge the gap between traditional and allopathic medicine. This would achieve the best-case scenario for each individual’s unique health needs. 

Harmonic Arts: What advice would you give to people wanting to pursue your profession?  

Angela: Apply herbal principles that you learn to your own life - as much as possible.

Harmonic Arts: What is something unexpected that you have learned along your journey? 

Angela: There is no end to the learning, making for a very compelling lifelong journey!

Harmonic Arts: Thank you, Angela - for inspiring and motivating our community and team at Harmonic Arts! We’re grateful for your wisdom and warmth!

Photo by: Karen Hantke