Clinical Herbal Practice
Earthwise Healing Traditions
Connecting Plants & Humans
We Belong Together
Reconnect with Nature and her Healing Gifts.
Revitalize & Restore Integrated Wellbeing for Self, Community, and Planet.
Personalized Herbal Wellbeing Support With Skill, Experience & Care:
Menopause
Second Half of Life
Family Health
Modern Science meets Traditional Herbalism and Ancient Healing Wisdom
Kay Sidahmed, PhD, MS
Clinical Herbalist
In partnership with our plant kin and their medicinal gifts, I offer support, guidance, and empowerment for fellow humans to bring sustainable change, healing & wellbeing into their lives.
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Being a clinical herbalist in the 21st century gifts me the invaluable opportunity to simultaneously draw from the traditional herbal healing knowledge and wisdom of our human ancestors around the world as well as the findings and tools that modern science has in store for us. Informed by this unique intersection of tradition and science, my practice offers fellow humans a space to reconnect with the healing gifts of plants in a way most suitable for the challenges of our modern-day life. I am passionate about bringing people together and creating communal and inclusive spaces of learning and exploration.
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I hold a Master of Science degree (MS) in Clinical Herbal Medicine from Maryland University of Integrative Health (MUIH) and a MS and PhD in Agricultural Sciences from Justus-Liebig University Giessen, Germany.
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My professional memberships include associate member of the American Herbalist Guild (AHG), academic member at the American Botanical Council, and general member at United Plant Savers. I participate in the supportive and enriching mentoring communities of Camille Freeman, RH (AHG) and Erika Galentin, RH (AHG). My involvement and work with these organizations and mentors reflects my commitment to continuing education as well as professional and ethical responsibility towards people, plants, and planet.
I am guest contributor at Pausitive Health, an online platform supporting women+ on their menopause journey.
Additionally, I am a certified Forest Therapy Guide, registered Yoga Teacher with 500 hours of teacher training, and Death Doula. In my herbal practice I draw from all of these faculties and experiences as they may reveal themselves helpful or meaningful in my work with individual clients.
Practice Philosophy
Core Values at Cura Viriditas
Collaboration
Our client-practitioner relationship is rooted in partnership and collaboration, and active client participation is key. Together we craft an herbal and wellness support protocol that is customized to your individual circumstances and needs. My role is to walk alongside you, guide, educate, and empower you as you navigate your unique holistic well-being and healing journey. I encourage full transparency with your health care providers about your herbal protocol and your work with me and invite their collaborative spirit.
Nature Connection
Re-connecting and fostering our kinship with nature as beings of nature is a central tenet at Cura Viriditas. The ever growing disconnect of humans from nature in our modern way of life is a root cause for many states of dis-ease and imbalance. Rekindling and strengthening the human-nature connection is key for individual and planetary sustained balance and well-being.
Ethical Herb Sourcing
I am dedicated to providing herbs for clients from trusted farmers and herb companies who not only provide high quality herbs, but are also mindful of ethical sourcing and farming with particular attention to just and respectful treatment of land, plants, and people. I am committed to educating my clients about at-risk plants, suitable abundant alternatives as well as ethical wildcrafting.
Pillars of Wellbeing
In our work together we will always address the core pillars of wellbeing and their interconnection:
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Nature Connection
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Sleep
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Nutrition
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Movement
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Stress Balance
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Social, Emotional & Spiritual Wellbeing
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Environmental Wellness
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The Earth's apothecary gifts us an abundance of plant allies that support our striving for balance within and between each of these pillars. This work requires commitment, patience, and an open mind and heart for active change from my clients.
Match Making
Working as a clinical herbalist is as much an art and a craft as it is a science. A key part of my work is matching humans with plants as their allies, where I go far beyond the this-herb-for-that approach. While our medicinal plants have affinities for certain organ systems and areas in the human body, they also work on a much more holistic level. In addition to phytochemicals with medicinal properties and mechanisms of action on the cellular level, plants have energetic characteristics, meaning they can be warming or cooling, drying or moistening. One aspect of my work as clinical herbalist is to match these plant aspects with the energetics of a person's overall constitution (e.g. do you often feel cold or warm?) as well as the energetics of their individual imbalances (e.g. inflammation = heat).
As my client you will receive a support formula of herbs, which is unique to you and your current circumstances. As things begin to change and shift for you over time, we will adapt your protocol and formula accordingly.
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Safety
Crafting a safe protocol of recommendations for my clients is an important part for my work. While many of our medicinal plants are foods, we regard them on a safety continuum and certain groups of humans (e.g. pregnant people, children, older people) require specific attention regarding herbal safety. Additionally, potential interactions between herbs and medication is always taken into account. For my herbal safety research I draw from a variety of conservative sources from the clinical herbal, medical, and pharmaceutical realm, as well as the latest scientific findings where available. Always check in with your licensed healthcare provider regarding the herbs you intend to work with.
Testimonials
Virtual 1:1 consultations via a secure online platform.In-person options available.
90-minute Initial Consultation; 30-minute Follow-Up Consultations.
Group Consultations for 5-10 people.
In-person options for Alexandria, VA locals.
Free Clinic offering.
1:1 Appointment Hours:
Tuesday & Thursday 9:30am - 3:30pm; Friday 12-4pm.
Offerings Overview
