Health Sovereignty
Reclaim Your Health with Earth Spirit Medicine
Join Us for a Seasonal Portal of Community and Connection with the plant allies around us
Health Sovereignty is a seasonal herbalism program rooted in the heart of Philadelphia, designed to reconnect you with the land beneath your feet and the medicine that grows all around you. Grounded in the rhythms of the seasons and the spirit of place, this program offers a hands-on, earth-centered approach to herbal learning. Our focus is community, to gather together and honor the plants as teachers and allies, inviting you to deepen your relationship with them for personal healing, empowerment, and community resilience. Whether you’re new to herbalism or returning to ancestral ways, Health Sovereignty is a space to reclaim your connection to the earth, your body, and the wisdom of collective care.
This Program is for You if…
You’re longing to connect with the plants that grow around you and build a relationship with the land you live on.
You want to learn hands-on, seasonal herbalism rooted in place, rhythm, and deep listening.
You’re ready to take a more empowered role in your health and wellness through herbal knowledge and earth-based practices.
You value community learning and want to grow alongside others in a supportive, heart-centered space.
You feel called to remember ancestral ways of healing, tending, and being in right relationship with the natural world.
Quote Source
“It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.”
What You Will Learn
We follow the seasons like a spiral—returning again and again with deeper understanding each time. In this journey, you'll learn to work with the plants of our bioregion, building relationships through direct experience and seasonal connection. Each class offers practical skills in identifying, harvesting, and preparing herbal remedies, along with rituals and earth-based practices that align with the energy of the time of year. From spring’s fresh beginnings to winter’s inward stillness, you'll come to know the cycles of nature as allies in both healing and empowerment.
The Portal of Fall
The Season of Descent and Integration
In the fall, we turn inward with the earth, honoring the shift from growth to gathering. This season teaches us how to tend our boundaries, build immunity, and prepare for the darker months ahead. You’ll learn to work with herbs that support the lungs, digestion, and nervous system—systems that help us process grief, release what’s no longer needed, and root into ourselves. We’ll craft warming remedies like oxymels, fire cider, and protective teas, and explore rituals for letting go, ancestral connection, and seasonal transition. Fall invites us to integrate all we’ve learned and carry it with intention into the quiet of winter.
The Portal of Spring
The Portal of Winter
The Season of Stillness and Deep Listening
Winter calls us to slow down, rest, and listen—both to ourselves and the quiet wisdom of the earth. In this season, we focus on nourishment, restoration, and tending the inner flame. You'll learn about herbs that support the nervous system, sleep, and emotional resilience, as well as remedies for winter ailments and deep immune care. We'll explore teas, tinctures, and broths that ground and fortify, and engage in rituals for dreaming, reflection, and visioning the year ahead. Winter is a time to deepen your relationship with the unseen, connect with your intuition, and honor the medicine that comes through stillness.
The Season of Awakening and Renewal
Spring is a time of emergence—when the earth stirs, and new life begins to unfurl. In this season, we focus on awakening the body, supporting detoxification, and aligning with the energy of growth and possibility. You'll learn to identify and work with early spring plants like nettle, chickweed, and violet—herbs that nourish, cleanse, and invigorate. We’ll craft bitters, infused vinegars, and mineral-rich teas, and explore rituals for setting intentions, planting seeds, and connecting with the rising energy of the land. Spring invites us to shed the old and step into the new with clarity, vitality, and purpose.
The Portal of Summer
The Season of Full Bloom and Vitality
Summer is a time of brightness, expression, and connection—when the plants are in full bloom and energy is at its peak. In this season, we focus on the heart, joy, and the expansive power of herbal medicine. You’ll learn to work with sun-loving herbs like lemon balm, calendula, and tulsi to support mood, digestion, and radiant health. We’ll create cooling remedies, flower essences, and solar-infused preparations, and engage in rituals for celebration, protection, and honoring the abundance of the season. Summer teaches us how to hold our joy, tend our energy, and stay rooted in community as we bloom alongside the plants.
Your Community Tenders
Brooke Anna Johnson is
Jenna Faccenda is
Brooke and Jenna are both Philadelphia-born herbalists who have spent years cultivating relationships with the land, plants, and cycles of this region. Their teachings are deeply informed by their shared Southern Italian and Sicilian ancestry, drawing from earth-based traditions, folk healing, and ancestral reverence that continue to shape their practice.
They recognize that this work takes place on stolen Lenape land and strive to honor the original stewards of this region. As white-facing practitioners with white privilege, they are committed to acknowledging the complex history of this land—including the legacy of African Americans and enslaved people who not only survived here but brought with them rich plant knowledge and healing traditions that have profoundly influenced herbalism in this country.
With humility and respect, Brooke and Jenna approach this work as an ongoing practice of being in right relationship—with the land, the plants, the ancestors, and the communities they serve.
When Do We Meet
You’re invited to join us for a single season (3 months) or commit to the full yearlong journey—each path offers something unique. This program is rooted in learning through the seasons, with a focus on the plants that grow right here in our bioregion. We meet twice a month: once online for a one-hour class and once in person for a 2–3 hour hands-on gathering in the Philadelphia area. This rhythm allows us to build relationships with the land and the plants in real time, as they shift and change throughout the year. Exact dates and times will be finalized after registration, with our first season beginning in September 2025.
The Fall Portal: September 2025 - November 2025
The Winter Portal: December 2025 - February 2026
The Spring Portal: March 2026 - May 2026
The Summer Portal: June 2026 - August 2026
Quote Source
“It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.”
Investment & Accesibility
We offer tiered pricing to support both accessibility for our community and sustainability for our work. You can join us for a full season (three months) or opt for a monthly payment plan—whichever works best for you.
Tier One
$444.00
or 3 payments of $148
Tier Two
$555.00
or 3 payments of $185
Tier Three
$777.00
or 3 payments of $259
We invite you to choose the tier that best reflects your current financial reality. Those who are able to contribute at a higher tier help create space for others to join at a lower one, making this work more equitable and expansive for all.
To keep our circle grounded, connected, and spacious for learning, we are welcoming a maximum of 15 participants each season. In order to bring this offering to life, we’ll need 15 folks to commit across all tiers. Thank you for supporting this model as we work on being rooted in community care, reciprocity, and right relationship.
If you would like to join us for all 4 seasons ______.
We believe that herbal education should be accessible to all, and we’re committed to creating pathways for those who may need financial support. A limited number of scholarships are available each season, and we especially encourage LGBTQ+ folks, BIPOC, single parents, and anyone navigating financial hardship to apply.
If you feel called to this program but cost is a barrier, please reach out. We’re happy to work with you. Email us at [your email] with a few sentences about yourself and your interest in the program, and we’ll be in touch with next steps.