Today we'll hear from herbalist Dana Aronson as she discusses ways to use a compassionate lens when working with people who use substances. She also chats about her experience helping open a wound clinic in west Oakland, the herbs they use and so much more.

"Addiction is not a choice anybody makes, it is a response to emotional pain." - Gabor Maté

A huge thanks to Dana for taking the time to record this and share all of her wisdom with us!

Trained as a clinical herbalist, Dana Aronson takes joy in community based, hands on learning. She focuses her studies on bio-regional plants from the Pacific Northwest and intertwines them into her small practice based in Southern Oregon. After finishing a 3-year clinical herbalism program at Ohlone Herbal Center in Berkeley, California, she found her curiosity leading her to traveling herbal pop up clinics. These pop up clinics provide herbal first aid and wellness to a wide range of areas from gatherings to places that have been hit with natural devastation. She teaches in the classroom, through community herb walks, and cultivates her product line, Wild Kin Botanicals. She would like to thank some of her mentors for guidance along the way - Pam Fischer, Dixie Pauline, Greta de la Montagne, Will Morris, Lisa SF, Tanya Stiller, and Francisca Santibanez. For more information on Dana, visit: www.wildkinbotanicals.com

Thanks for listening! HerbRally www.herbrally.com Breitenbush Herbal Conference www.herbalconference.net

156 | Substance Use and a Little Compassion with Dana Aronson