Herbal clinic, apothecary and school focused on holistic, plant-centered wellness.
02/20/2026
Making do!
I'm waiting for a tincture delivery to arrive and missing some of my favourite herbs.
I've been making substitutions in client formulas, and in so doing I have discovered that I have greater herbal capacity than I realize.
I have about 90 single tinctures in my apothecary, and I have favourites that I use repeatedly. I have an assortment of less-used herbs that rarely are opened, yet when I look closely, they provide an abundance of therapeutic options.
For instance -
Horehound - Marrubium vulgare, I usually reserve this for annoying, unproductive cough. I'm now calling on its aromatic bitter properties.
Yarrow - Achillea millefolium, a polypharmacy unto itself! I'm missing motherwort to pair with hawthorn for hypertension; yarrow makes a great sub in many cases.
Wood betony - Stachys betonica, I've been using this in place of skullcap as a bitter nervine for nerve tension and headaches.
I'm discovering new favourites that have been hiding on the back shelf of my tincture cabinet.
This removes the anxiety of running out of the usual front shelf options.
I'm thrown back 25 years ago when I started my tincture collection from scratch. I didn't have the budget for 90 tinctures back then, so I started with 30. They met all my needs at the time, and remain as my "front shelf" tinctures. Hawthorn, astragalus and burdock are among them.
What are your "front shelf" herbs?
Join me for my year-long herbal programs, Holistic Herbal Wellness, and discover your top 30 herbs for a home or clinic apothecary.
Programs start each year in September.
02/18/2026
There's a spot for you in the student-lead clinic this week -
Thursday 4:20
Friday 2:40
$25
In person or online.
Register via my website.
02/16/2026
This workshop combines the power of myth and herbal wisdom, as tools for navigating loss, grief and tragedy.
We'll learn from Persephone, Queen of the Underworld, how to keep balance between light/dark, joy/sorrow.
We'll explore the use of herbs as remedies and rituals during difficult times.
Like Persephone's cycle between the wintery underworld and the rebirth of spring, we can emerge from the dark seasons of the soul.
Live, online, 2 parts
February 23 & March 2 $45
Sessions will be recorded.
Register via the workshop page of my website.
Space is limited
02/16/2026
The in-person event is now full, there is still space in the online version. Space is limited and is filling up, so book ASAP if you wish to join.
Two-part series, Feb. 23 & March 2, 6:30-8:30 pm
$45, register on the Bloom website event page.
Live, online, the sessions will be recorded and shared.
Persephone shows us how to balance light & dark, joy & sorrow.
Herbs nurture this balance.
02/10/2026
🌿 Work / Herb Trade Opportunity 🌿
Are you interested in gaining hands-on experience in a herbal apothecary?
Are you seeking herbal mentorship and practical skills?
I am looking for someone to work with me at Bloom two Wednesdays per month, from 11 am – 3 pm, during public drop-in hours.
You would assist with:
- dispensing herbal remedies
- making herbal preparations
- filling herb jars & stocking shelves
- inventory & light admin
- greeting and supporting customers
In exchange, I offer herbal products (tinctures, dry herbs, oils — anything from the apothecary), and this trade can also include access to my workshops and year-long courses. I’m open to discovering what would best support your learning and needs.
This opportunity would be well suited to a herbal student or someone dedicated to the plant path who would benefit from hands-on experience and personalized mentorship.
Past volunteers remain part of the Bloom family, some became employees - Thank you Andrea, Melinda, Taylor, Rae, Jacquie, Lisa, Tamara!
02/08/2026
The soup pot is an awesome way to practice herbal medicine.
Today's chicken soup is loaded with super foods such as shiitake mushrooms, parsley, kelp, and celeriac.
02/07/2026
Persephone’s Apothecary
Herbal wisdom for the darker seasons of the soul.
Join me for this two-part workshop, in person at Bloom Halifax or online.
We'll explore grief, loss, and inner winter through myth and herbal allyship, inspired by Persephone, Queen of the Underworld, reimagined as an herbalist.
Learn how herbs can be used as remedies, and in ceremony, to support emotional states and nervous system regulation.
We'll engage with Persephone’s story as a psychological map for navigating sadness, transition, and life's challenges.
Rather than treating difficult emotions as problems to eliminate, this workshop frames them as meaningful responses to life experience and seasonal rhythms.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I have been engaged with the myth of Persephone for a long while and am very excited to share this offering. It will be held in small, intimate settings to allow space for dynamic process with plants.
I look forward to meeting you in the underworld.
Details and registration are on my website.
02/06/2026
Hot off the press!
Blog post by one of my most respected herbal practitioners, Donnie Yance. He has four decades of clinic and research experience under his belt.
If this article resonantes, consider booking a consultation with me to receive personalized herbal care and other strategies for both recovery and prevention.
I offer consultations in Halifax, at Blue Forest (Head of Jeddore) and online. You can book in via my website, posted in the comments.
Proactive, preventative, holistic health care is no longer just an option, it is essential. I am happy to offer sliding scale pricing to reduce financial barriers to herbal care.
Wishing you well, dear friends. đź’š
The COVID-19 pandemic has raised important questions about the relationship between viral infections, immune system function, and cancer risk. My research
02/06/2026
Now we wait, two weeks then I'll strain the tincture and get some to my neighbour dealing with a back injury, and the rest on my apothecary shelf.
Learn how to make tinctures and other herbal preparations by joining me for Holistic Herbal Wellness, my year-long program that begins each year in September. In person, online or a mix of both.
Details are on the Bloom Institute website.
02/01/2026
My neighbour has an old back injury that's flared up, so I'm inspired to make Solomon's seal tincture for him and my apothecary.
It's a super healer for tissue strain and damage.
I thank American herbalist, Jim McDonald, for inspiring me to get to know this plant.
01/31/2026
I have a confession to make…
I don’t always practice what I teach.
I’m very good at coaching and supporting others with their health — and not always so good at doing the same for myself.
I’ve been quietly telling myself that my digestion will just sort itself out.
For years I’ve prided myself on being an omnivore — “aren’t I so strong, I can eat anything.” But I’m officially putting myself on notice: you may have food sensitivities, and it’s time to pay attention.
This became impossible to ignore this week when I hosted three friends for a potluck dinner. They all follow specific diets, so we planned carefully. Our dinner conversation revolved around gut health and food — their stories of resolving IBS, SIBO and other digestive distress through diet and herbs.
Meanwhile, I sat there with cramps, gas, bloating and discomfort I’d been carrying for days.
I’ve suspected this for years. I’m just very good at ignoring it. I have a high tolerance for discomfort.
And here’s the irony: I know exactly what happens when we ignore our health. I’ve seen it repeatedly over 25 years of clinical practice. I also know how much healing can come from self-care and holistic strategies.
The root of success is the ability to change — easy in theory, harder in practice.
For me, that starts with mindset. I need to change my relationship with food. Then comes the work: adjusting my diet, identifying sensitivities, letting go of some well-loved foods, and actually sticking with it. Along the way, I’ll be addressing the underlying gut issues, using herbs to support healing, and tending to that elusive microbiome.
I have deep respect for my clients, for my three dinner friends, and for anyone who chooses to take responsibility for their health. It doesn’t come from a pill — or even a herb alone. The real healing comes from making lasting changes in lifestyle, mindset, and diet.
January’s theme in my year-long Holistic Herbal Wellness program was digestion and nutrition. The homework? Create a personal food plan and incorporate bitters and other digestive herbs.
Guess who’s also doing the homework…
01/27/2026
Meet Carissa Cromwell, whom I miss greatly now that she is happily rooted in her home in New Brunswick. She was in my first cohort of clinic practicum students in 2018.
"Time spent at the Bloom supervised student clinic, under the guidance of medical herbalist Savayda Jarone, was foundational to my development as a clinical herbalist. My experience there was profound and deeply valuable.
The clinic environment was collaborative and respectful -- a place where learning felt alive, meaningful, and grounded in real-world care.
Savayda provided steady, thorough supervision, guiding case analysis, protocol development, and formulation with patience, clarity, and ethical discernment.
While being held to a high clinical standard, Savayda met me exactly where I was in my training. She created a space where I felt supported, trusted, and genuinely valued as a developing practitioner.
Through her supervision, I gained the confidence, skill, and sound clinical judgment that led me to become the practitioner I am today. She remains one of my greatest teachers.
I highly recommend Bloom's supervised student clinic to anyone seeking meaningful, high-quality practicum hours."
Carissa moved to Nova Scotia to pursue her herbal studies. She now lives in New Brunswick where she's established her clinical practice. Her work centers on client care, herbal education, and the cultivation of medicinal plants with an emphasis on sustainability. She is a professional member of the Herbalist Association of New Brunswick and serves on the provincial Herbal Education Standards Committee. She is one of only two registered herbalists in the province.
Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Bloom Institute of Holistic Living & Learning posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.
Contact The Practice
Send a message to Bloom Institute of Holistic Living & Learning:
I can remember my first herb walk as a young herbal student, we gathered under a hawthorn tree loaded with red fruit in a park at Jericho beach in Vancouver before heading off on a path of discovery that changed my life forever. My teacher, Don Ollsin, drew my attention to multiple common weeds such as dandelion, plantain and yarrow, that I had passed a thousand times before but didn’t recognize as medicine. I was filled with awe as I met each plant and learned it’s many virtues. I was enchanted and have been since.
My greatest delight as a herbalist comes from helping to create that moment of awakening to the plant world in others. I have been enjoying my role as a herbal educator here in the Maritimes for sixteen years. The common goal in each of the hundreds of classes and herb walks I’ve lead has been to open the gateway of learning nature’s remedies to bring health and vitality to body, mind and spirit. This remains true now as I expand in new directions as a herbal educator.
The Bloom Institute for Herbal Studies grew out of my previous Mayflower Herbal Studies. The recently launched Bloom Institute for Holistic Living and Learning Inc. is the culmination of twenty five years on the herbal path as a student, clinical herbalist, educator and plant mentor. Bloom is an officially registered private career college operating the Bloom Herbal Practitioner Program. The Bloom vision is to help place a herbal practitioner in every sizable town in the Atlantic region. Our communities need access to traditional and herbal healing practices.
The Herbal Practitioner Program opens a career path for those with a strong calling to become a voice for the plants and to establish a clinical practice, helping others with their healing potential. Graduates will receive a diploma in herbal medicine and will be qualified to register as a professional herbalist with the various herbal associations within Canada and abroad. As the profession of herbal medicine gains increasing recognition by the public, government and the integrative medicine community, herbal colleges such as Bloom are seizing the opportunity to guarantee the highest quality education, comprised of core herbal skills, medical science, traditional and modern healing technologies, research and clinical expertise. A distinguishing feature of the Bloom Institute is the plant centered learning; at least 2/3 of the herbal instruction will come from direct, hands-on experience with plants. Another unique feature of Bloom is the inclusion of Mi k’maq and indigenous healing traditions of Canada.
The Bloom Institute will continue to offer the popular year-long introduction to herbal medicine program, along with the children’s programs and a multitude of workshops and seminars on herbalism and holistic health practices.
The Bloom Institute is a growing community of individuals awakening to the power of plants for healing and the many inspired living strategies emerging from traditional wisdom combined with new innovations. I must express much gratitude to the Bloom team of advisers, instructors and collaborators who form the foundation of Atlantic Canada’s new herbal college - Yaro Darmos, Hal Richman, Gaelle McNeil, Chanchal Cabrera, Ember Peters, Daniel Wiseman, Maryna Cassar, Dr. Zenovia Ursuliak, Dr. Elizabeth Gold, Robbie Gueli , Jayme Melrose, Joel Denny, Lynn-Marie Mattie, James Christian, Michael Vertolli, Bev Maya and many others.
Thank you for taking the time to visit this page. Like plants, the Bloom community is growing daily, we welcome you to join us in building the herbal movement.
