About Charlotte
I am a clinical and community herbalist based in West Philadelphia and Morrisville, PA. I create herbal remedies and products using organic herbs that have been either organically grown or consciously wildcrafted. As an herbalist, my goal is to work with you on your health from a perspective of where you are right now, and where you'd like to be. I take the vitalist approach of the whole person, which aims to connect and establish a unity between all parts of the being - connecting surfaced symptoms with potential root causes of ailment.
Read below for more on my backstory.
Education
Some of my formal herbal education has been:
- David Winston's Center for Herbal Studies - 2 year intensive clinical program (2020-2022, Covid Friendly Virtual)
- The Northeast School of Botanical Medicine - intensive program, under 7song (2018, Ithaca, NY)
- Heartstone Center for Earth Essentials under Tammi Sweet & Kris Miller (2018, Van Etten, NY)
- Grassroots Herbalism Intensive under Kenton Cobb (2019, Philadelphia, PA)
- Wildflower School of Botanical Medicine - Home and Family Program, under Meg Houston and Nicole Telks (2017, Austin, TX)
Backstory
At the age of 24, I was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes (T1D). Suddenly, I found myself deeply dependent on Western Medicine (insulin) and trapped in a medical system that was designed to address only one part of me. Doctors told me that T1D was manageable, that I could still live the same way as before, but that I now needed to take insulin to counter carb intake. While all of this was true, it also lacked a vision of the whole picture, the whole being. Where was the connection to my mental health, to my digestive system, to my un-diagnosed food allergies? I began looking into other things that were "good" for managing blood sugars. What I found was a love of herbs, that not only supported me at a time of great unrest, but the more I learned, the more I connected various herbs to people I loved - garlic for my mom's high cholesterol, brain and memory supporting herbs for my father's fear of memory loss, anxiety relief and sleep aids - on and on I connected the ones I loved with the herbs I was getting to know.
After a long journey of various herbal programs, ranging from science-based clinical work, to folk and spirit-based herbal practices, I have compiled all of the teachings, and started an herbal company Heart of the Moon Herbs. This name combines two family names - Hart, after my paternal great-grandmother's maiden name, and Moon, after my maternal great-grandmother's maiden name.
You may notice that many of the names of the products feature the concept of "Light." My heritage is rooted in Quakerism, a spirituality that draws heavily on the concept of Light. For me, Light has meant the higher being, be it a God or Goddess, Light is the spiritual aspect of connection, and trust. While I don't identify as being particularity religious, I do hold my identity as a Quaker close, as it is a huge part of my identity, to "see that of [Light] in everyone." The names of my products are meant to reflect the interconnection and value of each of us. Just like the sentiment, "nobody's home until everybody's home," I believe strongly in the sense that we are all connected. That nobody is well until all of us are well, cared for, and safe.
Heart of the Moon Herbs offers sliding scale consultations and herbal remedies and products. With a strong value on community, I host classes and garden tours to those who are interested in learning more about herbal medicine.
Vision Statement
The vision of Heart of the Moon Herbs is a world in which we take care of each other. A community of kindness and mutual growth, for not just me and my loved ones, but for all of us that are a part of community.
It is my hope that you feel confident to speak with me about your needs, hopes, and desires to learn... that we move through a space of working together, from a framework of abundance (as opposed to against each other from a framework of competition) to create a healthy, abundant community.
If you feel drawn to work with Heart of the Moon Herbs in some capacity, please reach out, and let's see what we can bring to life.
The Herbs We Grow & Use
In 2018, Heart of the Moon Herbs Medicine Garden was created with the helping hands of my father, Tom, and community members. In 10 garden beds, we are able to grow the majority of the herbs that are used in the products we make. All herbs that are grown in the garden are 100% organic and sun-grown. The herbs that are not able to be grown in the garden are consciously wildcrafted from spaces free of pesticides and sprays. The garden is located on Snipes Farm, on historically Leni Lenape land, in Morrisville, PA.
Garden in full bloom, Summer 2018 Pictured here are a series of mint family plants; Catnip, Lemon Balm, Motherwort, Tulsi (Holy Basil), Anise Hyssop, Wood Betony, as well as Yarrow, Valerian, & Marshmallow.
