Hello, I'm Mary. I am a wife, mama, teacher, artist and clinical herbalist. I have been in awe of the beauty and wonder of nature all my life. "Sage Essence" is a nod to the wisdom, vitality, and abundance innately present in the natural world. My mission is to help you deepen your relationship to plants and, through nature, tap into the awesome potential to improve your health and well-being and bring joy to your life. In addition to my line of handcrafted natural body care items, as a clinical herbalist, I now offer personalized Herbal Health Consultations as well as in person classes covering topics related to herbalism, holistic living and other practical ways to welcome the wonders of plants into your life to better your mind, body, and spirit.

I love people and plants!

I began my formal study of herbalism in 2018 with Herbal Academy with the goal of learning how to safely use plants to nourish and heal myself, my family and my community. I have since completed their Introductory, Intermediate, and Advanced Clinical Herbalism courses. Prior to this I was highly engaged in self-study of herbs, herbal medicine making, and medicinal herb cultivation. I have studied with herbalists Kami McBride and Erika Galentin and have participated in many workshops and classes on foraging, medicinal mushrooms, botanical skincare, and vibrational medicine. I am an associate member of the American Herbalists Guild, United Plant Savers and I regularly attend herbal conferences including the International Herb Symposium. I have been under mentorship with Erika Galentin RH(AHG) MNIMH, a highly experienced clinical herbalist, since 2023. I am currently in the process of seeking to become a Registered Herbalist through the American Herbalists Guild. The American Herbalists Guild is a professional organization for herbalists and has established the status of “Registered Herbalist” (RH) to be indicative of an individual who has completed at least 800 hours of study plus 400 clinical hours with clients and undergone a peer reviewed process deeming them worthy of the designation of RH. It is a highly respected credential reflecting a practitioners level of experience, rigorous course of study and commitment to the ethics of the AHG. I am also a Level 1 Usui Reiki Practitioner.

Before I embarked on the “green path” of herbalism, I walked the paths of both artist and educator. I have degrees in both art and education including a Masters degree in early childhood education and over a decade of experience teaching students of all ages. I chose teaching as a profession because I love people and have a deep desire to nurture and guide others toward living up to their full potential. My career in teaching has brought me to an intimate understanding of the suffering and struggles that people face everyday regardless of their socio-economic status. While there are numerous causes of human suffering, it is very apparent that so many of them are the result of living out of sync with the natural order of how we have evolved to function best living life on planet Earth. My goal is to help others along on their journey towards reaching their highest potential because I believe that all lives are connected and when any one of us improves we all get that much better.

You're busy and I get it!

I am a real life mom with a busy life, a messy house, and piles of laundry. I am not an expert but I am a citizen of planet Earth. I have always had a DIY approach to life because I have always aspired to live a healthy, natural lifestyle, on my own terms, within the confines of a budget. I have read a lot of books, done a lot of research, and made a lot of mistakes along the journey of asking "why?" and "how?" I know this path is not always the easiest to walk. Most of the time it seems like the alternatives are always cheaper, faster, and easier. The truth is that the earth puts forth everything we need to live abundant, fulfilling lives. The earth has the power to nourish us, heal us, and protect us. We don't need a special license or permit to partake of it, it is accessible to everyone. All we need is the knowledge and confidence to use these gifts to the fullest extent. I hope to inspire you to seek this wise path to wellness for yourself!