Hello all,

It is in the back of this brick-and-mortar shop that I began my professional herbal journey 6 years ago. I started as an intern and quickly fell into the culture of the herbal apothecary- giddy about being surrounded by plants and people who shared a passion for them. After a few months interning, I soon became a regular medicine maker in the lab based in the back of the shop. A few years after that, I found myself the head medicine maker/lab manager. All products with our Dancing Willow Herbs label (teas, tinctures, salves, sprays, oils, and more) were made by my hands, with utmost love and tender care. Managing the lab allowed me to develop a catalog of knowledge and personal relationships with the herbs I worked with daily. 

Working at Dancing Willow Herbs allowed me to attend classes led by Debra Swanson as well as work with her directly, which helped me tremendously in fine-tuning my understanding of conditions and herbs. Last year, I made the decision to leave my comfortable nest in the back of Dancing Willow Herbs to complete my long-held dream of attending herb school. I chose to go to the Colorado School of Clinical Herbalism, which was exactly the education I had dreamed of. This rigorous curriculum gave me in-depth knowledge of the body, the phytochemistry of plants, and the mechanism of action of many of the beloved herbal allies that I had already had extensive experience with. 

With the focus on clinical vitalist herbalism, I have completed the program feeling equipped to work with people in ways that target the body’s natural processes and support its innate gravitation toward healing. I have been teaching classes for the past few years that focus on conveying the emotional and spiritual wisdom of plants and which allow others to develop their own relationships with the botanical beings. I intend to continue working toward this purpose of bridging plants and people, however I can.

As the new owner of Dancing Willow Herbs, I seek to honor the traditions and the wisdom that has been laid out before me, while providing the shop and community with the freshness and inspiration of spring. Like buds unraveling on the willow’s tip, one of my first major focuses is to bring more education into the space of Dancing Willow Herbs. By providing herbal education to the Durango community and beyond, I seek to empower others to engage with their health and the plants. We already have some classes on the calendar for the next couple of months and would love to see you there!

When you step underneath a Willow tree, the branches surround you like a blanket, a hug, a safe haven. This is the feeling that I seek to further cultivate within our brick-and-mortar herb shop. Dancing Willow Herbs is a space where people can convene in healing, wellness, and connection to the Earth. Through impeccably high-quality handmade herbal products, genuine customer service, herbal and wellness education, and engagement with the community, the branches of Dancing Willow Herbs feel like a warm hug- from us to you.

I am overflowing with gratitude to all of you who make up the Dancing Willow Herbs community and am so excited for all that we get to continue to create together. We look forward to continuing to support you and your families for another 30 more years to come!

BIG LOVE FROM DANCING WILLOW HERBS!

Elliott and the Crew