ABOUT EMILY SANDERS
Founder & Director

Certified Clinical Herbalist,

Certified Clinical Nutritionist,

Certified Massage Therapist (CAMTC #46037)

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Emily is a certified plant geek & anatomy freak who loves connecting people with their own personal plant allies and their healer within. Born and raised in Santa Barbara, California, she has been studying holistic health for over 10 years, from farming apprenticeships in Hawaii and at the Herb Pharm, in Williams, Oregon, to pursuing a more formal education in Boulder, Colorado.  Emily studied clinical herbalism & nutrition through a 2 year clinical program at the North American Institute of Medical Herbalism (now called the Colorado School of Clinical Herbalism).  Under Paul Bergner, she learned the importance of teaching from a vitalist perspective, that every body has the ability to heal itself with supportive diet, herbs, and lifestyle practices.  

Emily studied massage therapy & medical qigong at the Santa Barbara Body Therapy Institute, where she began her career as an educator.  She has taught a variety of subjects there, from Anatomy, Physiology, Pathology, Nutrition, Business, Swedish & Lymphatic Massage.  At the Santa Barbara Botanic Gardens, Emily has instructed numerous herb walk on native plants, and herbal workshops for the general public.  She currently runs a private practice, Active Alchemy, where she teaches transformative self-care through massage, nutrition & herbal remedies.

Through her journey of becoming an herbalist and massage therapist, she learned that there is very little support for health practitioners to learn how to run their businesses.  Emily has taken numerous classes and business training workshops, including Women's Economic Ventures Self Employment Training.  Her hope is to pass on the knowledge of sustainable living with practical entrepreneurial skills, so that herbalists can create thriving practices that fully support themselves, their land, and their community.