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| Moved by St. Francis's life, I became a member of the secular Franciscan order in 1983. This lay group of men and women is dedicated to serving God and humanity without striving for material wealth or power but as brothers and sisters to all people. As I go about my daily work, it is the example of St. Francis that inspires me to be a compassionate, focused, and attentive listener so I can truly understand my clients and be present to their needs. |
| My first exposure to the world of natural healing began in the late 1970s while working in a small health food store in Stamford, Connecticut. Here I quickly became fascinated by natural foods, nutritional supplements, and the healing power of herbs. Around this time I was still seeking my life's pathone that would nourish my soulwhen my cousin sent me the classic herbal book Back to Eden by Jethro Kloss. I read the book from cover to cover several times, thus beginning my herbal studies. I was impressed by several references to the Bible that helped me to see herbs in a spiritual light, and it was then that I undertook what has become a lifelong investigation into the world of natural healing. |
| Subsequently, I graduated from the National Institute of Nutritional Education and the Sequoya College of Herbology. Along with a friend, I eventually owned and operated a large health food store in Westport, Connecticut, that focused on organic foods and herbal medicines as well as nutritional supplements. This is where I began a private practice that offered people guidance in the areas of nutrition and herbal medicine. |
| Today, as a master clinical herbalist, certified nutritionist, aromatherapist, and secular Franciscan, I continue that work with a deep sense of mission to help people afflicted with chronic illnesses such as cancer. I offer my clients guidelines and support in the areas of diet, nutritional supplements, herbs, and lifestyle at a clinic and wellness center I opened in 1994. Located in Fairfield, Connecticut, it is called WellSprings Center for Natural Healing (WellSprings East). It includes an apothecary and herbal dispensary and is now staffed by three full-time and three part-time clinicians besides myself. |
| Thanks to the efforts and contributions of many, a second center, WellSprings West, has recently opened in Ashland, Oregon, and plans for a larger retreat center in Ashland are underway. My mission in founding WellSprings (a nonprofit corporation) was to create a healing retreat center that would offer a holistic approach to health by utilizing herbal medicines, nutrition, and other healing modalities for disease prevention and treatment and for wellness promotion. This planned center, with its hot water artesian |
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