Strengthen Your Relationship to Plants through Traditional Aromatic Medicine Practices

Erika Galentin is a Clinical Herbalist, aromatherapist, distiller, grower, and medicine-maker, consulting from Sovereignty Herbs in Athens & Columbus, OH. She holds a degree in Herbal Medicine from the University of Wales, Cardiff, UK and Scottish School of Herbal Medicine, Glasgow, UK. She is a professional member of the National Institute of Medical Herbalists (UK) and the American Herbalists Guild (USA). Over a decade of clinical practice has provided a platform for witnessing the efficacy of medicinal plants and aromatics within a clinical environment. It is through this clinical practice that Erika seeks to encourage positive, learned relationships between plants and people and people and their bodies. She is a firm believer in celebrating the role that emotions and the psyche play in the ecology of our physical terrain. In addition to clinical practice, Erika is both a student and teacher of horticulture, native medicinal plant conservation and ecology, and the phenomenological and Goethean study of plants and their medicinal virtues. Erika participates as a member of the Education Committee of the American Herbalists Guild as well as the Stewardship Committee of Appalachia Ohio Alliance, a non-profit organization dedicated to the conservation of land and water in Southeast Ohio.

Over the last decade, Erika has dedicated her time to excelling in her clinical practice. She achieved a degree in herbal medicine from the University of Wales in Cardiff, UK, and the Scottish School of Herbal Medicine in Glasgow, UK. She continued on to become a professional member of the National Institute of Medical Herbalists (UK) and the American Herbalists Guild (U.S.).

Erika’s practice provides a clinical stage to observe the nature of plants and aromatics. Through this herbal journey, Erika seeks to encourage positive, learned relationships between plants and people and people and their bodies. She’s a firm believer in celebrating the role that emotions and the psyche play in the ecology of our physical terrain.

In addition to her clinical practice, Erika is both a student and teacher of horticulture, native medicinal plant conservation and ecology, and the phenomenological and Goethean study of plants and their medicinal virtues. Erika is a member of the Education Committee of the American Herbalists Guild and the Stewardship Committee of Appalachia Ohio Alliance, which is dedicated to the conservation of land and water in Southeast Ohio.

You can follow her on Instagram @themedicinegardener and @sovereigntyherbs.

JK DeLapp is an award winning natural perfumer and Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioner of 10 years. He has always been drawn to the elemental things of the natural world: woods, earth, flowers, and herbs. After studying Chinese/East Asian Medicine at the Pacific College of Oriental Medicine in San Diego and graduating in 2012, he was inspired to explore the realm of natural perfumery. His hobby and passion transformed into his thriving business, Rising Phoenix Perfumery, where he makes and sells top-shelf all-natural perfumes. As an esteemed importer and exporter, JK traverses continents in pursuit of the rarest essences and botanical treasures.

His journey has led him to the heart of perfumery in the Middle East, forging partnerships and sourcing the highest quality essential oils and perfumery products, ensuring that only the top 3% of quality is used in his artisanal creations. Renowned for his deep knowledge of Sandalwood and Oud, JK's perfumes are highly sought after in the aromatic world.

Jk's passion extends beyond the realm of fragrance; it intertwines with his love for culinary arts, where he finds inspiration in the symphony of flavors and aromas. Just as a chef crafts a masterpiece from a palette of ingredients, JK blends his perfumes, drawing parallels between food and fragrance, creating sensory experiences that transcend the ordinary.

JK lives in a cabin in the woods in the heart of Roswell, Georgia along with his wife, surrounded by the scents and materials from all over the world in his natural perfumery headquarters. In the pursuit of sharing his profound knowledge and passion for natural perfumery that spans over a decade, JK leads the Natural Perfume Course for the Northwest School of Aromatic Medicine.

Summer's herbal education began at the Self-Heal School of Herbal Studies in San Diego, CA. From there, she shifted her focus to bioregional herbalism of the Southwest U.S. in 2019 and completed a wild food and medicine apprenticeship with Daisy Jones of Daily Daisy Botanicals.

Throughout her apprenticeship with Daisy, Summer nurtured a deeper understanding of plant wisdom and traditional uses in food & medicine. During her journey with herbs, Summer decided to incorporate the fragrant world of aromatic botanicals into her path by taking the Traditional Incense Crafting course at the NW School of Aromatic Medicine. Her adoration for this perfumed practice grew, adding another beautiful layer to her work with plants and enhancing her experience in ways beyond imagination. The influence of fragrant arts led her to quickly jump on the opportunity to work with Evan and other aromatic experts in 2020.

Summer is a mother to two adult sons and loves to cook in her downtime. She and her husband live in Western North Carolina where Summer finds deep purpose in serving as an end-of-life doula and leading medicine-making circles and workshops in her local community.

After completing her degree in Sustainability and Sustainable Ecosystems, Melissa’s natural values led her to study herbalism at the Elderberry School of Botanical Medicine where she completed her clinical herbalist certificate. Inspired to share her wealth of herbal knowledge, Melissa founded her own herbal business, Blossom & Thorn, where she crafts small-batch products that are sourced with respect and care and handmade with love. She weaves all of her passions and her vast connection with local herbs into her plant practice.

Along with Melissa’s mission to provide sustainable, effective herbal offerings, she finds great joy in leading Plant Spirit Meditation circles and herbalism workshops at the Elderberry School and other various herb shops. Apart from her herbal path, she received Trauma-Informed yoga teacher training through Living Yoga and is an E-RYT 200 yoga teacher. Melissa’s aromatic journey began with the collection and ritualistic burning of incense made from local evergreens, like cedar and douglas fir. She was excited to join the fragrant community after her herbal endeavors caught the eyes of The Northwest School of Aromatic Medicine.

When not working on one of her healing-inspired projects, you can find Melissa gardening, rock climbing, volunteering, crafting herbal medicine, camping, or spending time in nature with her dog, Rudy. Her dream is to continue sharing plant medicine and empower others with accessible education.

You can follow her on Instagram @blossomandthornbotanicals.

Over the years, Dawn has nourished her partnership with the botanical world by studying herbalism, the aromatic arts, and the ancient practice of Ayurveda. Dawn is currently in her second year at the Ayurvedic Institute in Asheville, North Carolina, where she completed the Ayurvedic Health Counselor program in June 2022 and has continued on to the Ayurvedic Practitioner Program.

Dawn is deeply inspired by her teacher, Dr. Vasant Lad, whose teachings have allowed her to understand how divinely connected we are to the world around us. Over the course of two years, her studies have included Ayurvedic principles and therapeutics, herbal medicine, Sanskrit, yoga, pranayama, nutrition, meditation, dinacharya, Vedic astrology, marma, pulse examination, Eastern philosophy, pathophysiology, and anatomy. Her deep love for herbalism and Ayurveda led her to the perfumed world of aromatic arts where she has learned to incorporate fragrant botanicals into a clinical and therapeutic setting. She welcomes the healing aromas of plants into her practice through medicinal preparations, incense, and aromatherapeutic essential oils.

Dawn’s educational background also includes courses in Western herbal medicine, a 200-hour yoga teacher training, and a diploma in photojournalism. Over the last six years, she has been writing professionally. In her free time, Dawn finds great joy in traveling, practicing yoga, cooking, and gardening, and has a fervent love for forever learning and creating.

You can follow her on Instagram @_thebreakofdawn.

Sam’s love for the natural world began with a degree in Environmental Sciences, which deepened his connection to the outdoors and the cycles of nature. That foundation naturally expanded into adventure sports — skiing, climbing, biking, and kayaking — ways he continues to engage directly with the living world. 

At the Northwest School of Aromatic Medicine, Sam designs and manages the automated systems that power the student experience. By weaving together his environmental background, love of exploration, and systems expertise, he helps create a seamless learning journey for students around the globe.