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Natalie Milton is bridging the gap between pharmaceutical and herbal medicine. She graduated BHC’s Foundations, Therapeutics, and Clinical programs in 2023, and has since started a consultation practice as an herbalist and functional medicine practitioner. You can find more information about her practice here.
Capricorn sun, gemini moon, virgo rising.
I stumbled upon Berkeley Herbal Center after a quick google search, not even knowing that “herbal school” existed! My time at Berkeley Herbal Center was so transformative to my understanding of the plants, myself, and our ever-evolving connection with the natural world.
As a pharmacist and expert in the allopathic medicine model, it has been quite the journey of unlearning and relearning what it means to be healthy and reevaluating the pathways to achieving true healing. BHC has given me the ability to bridge my understanding of the allopathic world with the natural medicine world.
Learning at BHC really nourished my curiosity for the plants, their power and their wisdom. I really loved getting to return to the community of my classmates each week and share space with other plant lovers. The hands-on experience with medicine making and the camping trips really brought these teachings to life and were some of my favorite parts of the program.
After graduating from pharmacy school in 2017 and working in a community pharmacy, I began to realize how sick my patients continued to be despite being managed on multiple medications. Returning for refills month after month, I noticed a disconnect between the promises of “xyz” medication versus what the reality of their health experience was. What a blessing it is to have access to life-saving medications and they do hold a valuable place in our healthcare, but what I have come to observe is that for chronic conditions most of these medications suppress our symptoms which then lead to bigger problems. Symptoms are like the threads to our health, and if we follow these threads we can figure out how to reach balance again.
Once I discovered herbal medicine, I realized that my journey through modern medicine has led me here, and I am so grateful for the opportunity to support, empower, and witness my clients achieve health and balance.
Since graduating I have started a virtual consultation practice that you can read more about on my website www.soulsunblooms.love.
There is always so much to learn, so I have recently become certified as a Functional Medicine Practitioner through Functional Medicine University.
My journey has led to so many great things this year. I had the opportunity to be a part of the first-aid wellness team at the Northern California Women’s Herbal Symposium 2024. I am also so excited to share that I will be writing herbal supplement monographs for WebMD and Medscape.
I got really excited to expand my container garden this spring and am growing white sage, lemon balm, arnica, St. John’s wort, yerba mansa, yarrow, mugwort, self-heal, catnip, chamomile, marshmallow and rue!
What is one of your favorite plant allies?
Chamomile has been showing up for me a lot lately. It has been supportive for me with both digestive and emotional discomforts. The smell of the flowers is intoxicatingly wonderful, and I’ve been able to witness the power it has for colicky babies in the homeopathic preparation.
Women, mothers and childbearers who plant the seed in their wombs for the growth of future generations. All of the wombyn who struggle to see the power that exists within them despite their reflection in the mirror. I am also inspired by those who take a stand in their communities against social, political and global injustices.
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Berkeley Herbal Center is a 501(c)(3) organization, so all donations are tax deductible. Tax ID #14-1975183
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Berkeley Herbal Center
1250 Addison St., #G
Berkeley, CA 94702