My heart goes out to all affected by the hurricanes that have ravaged the Southeast. I am still processing the unprecedented devastation Helene caused to the Asheville area, where we lived for over a decade. As I check in with friends, I have been inspired by the stories of resilience and neighbors pulling together in the midst of this disaster. In order to support people and causes that are important to me, I am offering an online class for your benefit.

My class, Lessons in Resilience, will explore emerging stress research and teach you how to keep stress from getting the best of you. So many people suffer from chronic “everyday” stress that saps their health and energy. Learning to keep your nervous system in balance is an important skill in today’s world!

To gain access to the class, please donate at least $25 to one of these great recovery efforts and then email your receipt to me ([email protected]). I will send you a link to access the video on-demand.

1. Pucker Up Berry Farm – a large landslide covered the organic farm, community gathering place, and education center my Brevard friends Eric and Wendy lovingly built over the last 7 years, yet they still find patches of beauty to appreciate and many things to be grateful for.

2. Earthaven Ecovillage – the infrastructure, roads, and many homes in this off-grid community suffered catastrophic damage. My naturopathic colleague Dr. Monique Mazza set up a free clinic to support everyone through grief, stress, injuries, and illnesses as they clean up and rebuild. 

3. Herbal Relief Fund – Juliet Blankespoor, founder of Chestnut School of Herbal Medicine, lost most of her personal possessions and herbal apothecary in the flooding. She generously set up this fund to help other struggling herbal businesses in the region and collect supplies that will be used to provide healing and comfort to those in need. 

Please note: The GoFundMe sites default to a 17% “tip” for their service, however this amount is easily adjustable to a lesser amount or even zero. 

Thank you for investing in yourself while also helping others with recovery efforts.  These people and businesses are all deeply connected to the land and the seasons and cycles of nature. Nature is not always gentle, but I truly believe that following nature’s wisdom and using the healing gifts she provides is the best path to health and wholeness.