Standing inside an airy new shop on Washington Street, surrounded by jars of herbs and tinctures, Amanda Del Bene and Erin Wilkins sipped some freshly-brewed tea as they reflected on the high turnout for a recent workshop.
It was a trifecta for eastern therapeutics — a two-hour session on facial care that covered jade rolling, Gua Sha massaging and essential oils.
After just a few weeks of having a brick-and-mortar shop to house low cost holistic clinics and classes, the two Petaluma residents, co-directors of the nonprofit Herb Folk Community Medicine, felt gratified by the level of interest so far.
“People talk about self-care. But really getting into community care, people want to come out and be in community in real life, not just a webinar or social media,” said Wilkins, a local acupuncturist and trained herbalist. “We weren’t sure how that was going to be received, but it’s been a hit. People are really excited to come out.”
In the void where western medicine might fall short when treating nagging ailments of the mind, body and spirit, Herb Folk is hoping to become Petaluma’s alternative.
At least, that’s the goal. Del Bene and Wilkins envision a space that can serve as a community hub for gathering, learning and healing.
Each month they host workshops that consist of an hour of instruction and an hour of hands-on training. So far, the topics have included herbs for anxiety, a summer tea blending bar, and seasonal wellness.
The downtown Petaluma shop is the culmination of a decade-long journey, Wilkins said. Over the years, they’ve created their own super team, four women that specialize in herbalism, nutrition and wellness, offering a locally-sourced shelf of expanding products like tea, tonics and supplements.
Margie Pratt specializes in western herbs and cultivation, and Carrie Kane complements the group as a clinical nutritionist.
As new age as it sounds, these types of practices are being suggested by mainstream healthcare providers, Del Bene said, pointing to messages from Kaiser Permanente that have begun marrying eastern and western philosophies just like Herb Folk.
“Their most recent newsletter is talking about forest bathing, mindfulness and breathwork,” Del Bene said. “I think we’re starting to shift back a bit and think about whole body instead of just treating the symptom.”
The concept of Herb Folk began as a desire to make holistic medicine more readily available, Wilkins said. A self-described community health activist and social justice proponent, she was searching for a way to share her education and experience with people who don’t necessarily seek out treatments like acupuncture.
It’s the kind of philosophy that Del Bene said has made them a natural fit as business partners.
“We really want it to be accessible to everyone, rather than you can only get it when you go to a private acupuncture appointment,” she said. “That can be cost prohibitive for a lot of people. This is information that’s been around for centuries. No one owns it; we all do.”
Everything in the shop is organic or biodynamic, and is sourced from Sonoma County farms.
A typical customer experience would consist of someone coming in with some symptoms or an affliction they want to get treated, Wilkins said. Then, she would turn to on a series of inquisitive questions that help uncover lifestyle habits or characteristics that help her shape a more personalized remedy.
The goal is to go below the surface and connect on a much deeper level with clients, Del Bene said. Soon, they hope to roll out a membership program, a foundational offering to help create a pool of clients who turn to Herb Folk for all of their wellness needs.
“I keep saying it feels good, which sounds so silly, but it does,” she said. “It feels like we’re doing something good for our community and where we live, and it’s something that people are appreciating.”
(Contact News Editor Yousef Baig at yousef.baig@arguscourier.com or 776-8461, and on Twitter @YousefBaig.)