Seasonal Sovereignty

Reclaim your Health & Wellness with Earth Spirit Medicine

Join Us for a Seasonal Portal of Community and Connection with the Plant Allies around us…

“Seasonal Sovereignty”  is an herbalism program rooted in the cycles of the Earth located in the heart of Philadelphia, designed to reconnect you with the land beneath your feet and the medicine that grows all around you. 

Whether you’re new to herbalism or returning to ancestral ways, “Seasonal 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.

Carly

“I met Brooke after receiving a frustrating 'there's nothing we can do' diagnosis from my doctor about my extremely painful cycles and mood swings.  Brooke approached my concerns with genuine care, empathy, and understanding, and after following her protocol for just a few weeks, I felt a HUGE difference in mood and mental clarity.  She continues to check in with me and provide guidance when it is needed, or remind me that my instincts are valid, which has been a truly empowering experience.  I'm so grateful for Brooke's patience and skill set and look forward to continuing to work with her!"

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 & gathering to letting go. 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  the 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, 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 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 sleep, dream work, 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 Portal of Spring

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 fresh remedies, infused vinegars, 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 St. John’s Wort  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 to our energy, and stay rooted in community as we bloom alongside the plants.


Your Community Tenders

  • Brooke Johnson is the guiding light of Heart to Heart Herbology. Brooke has many feathers in her hat — a culmination of the myriad facets of her Spirit. She is currently focusing on the roles of  community folk herbalist, educator, postpartum doula, community weaver & most importantly Mother. Her guiding ethos are rooted in the belief that Plant Medicine is the People’s Medicine. She leads with the intention to guide community to health sovereignty & empowerment. You may have crossed paths with Brooke during her time at Transcending Roots Apothecary & The Sacred Path Collective located in Fishtown.  

    By moving through various health imbalances such as Epstein- Barr Virus & severe Post-Partum depression – Brooke has embodied the path of self-healing by working deeply with the plants to find a balance point of wellness.  She wholeheartedly believes the plants have been and continue to be non-judgmental companions of support along her journey.  

    Brooke’s ancestral thread of folk herbalism stems from Italian, Celtic and Polish roots blended with Appalachian wisdom.  She consciously walks the path of remembrance – opening herself to work as a vessel of ancestral guidance.  Her work supports helping others remember that they too come from an ancestry of plant medicine – the through line that connects all humans.    

    Peace & Green Blessings!

  • Jenna Faccenda is an herbalist, Italian American folk practitioner, and devoted teacher of plant medicine. Her work is rooted in ancestral tradition and deepened by years of study and practice in both Philadelphia, PA and Asheville, NC.

    Jenna's path has been guided by the plants themselves, alongside the many teachers and mentors who have shared their wisdom. She offers deep gratitude to all who have walked with her on this journey—human, plant, and spirit.

    Her journey with herbalism is also deeply shaped by the folk healing traditions of her southern Italian ancestry from Sicily and Campania. Through this diasporic weaving of Italian American folk herbalism and magic, she honors the land, her lineage, and the resilience of ancestral ways.

    Jenna is the creatrix of Widow Apothecary, where she crafts small-batch herbal remedies and traditional Italian folk tools, available online and in stores local to Philadelphia. She teaches herbalism and Italian folk magic at Prana House in West Chester, PA, sharing the rituals, histories, and practices of her path.

    Previously, Jenna was a founding member of Sacred Path Collective, an apothecary and healing arts space in the Fishtown, where she practiced and taught in community.

    Currently, Jenna is the Community Coordinator at Twin Star Tribe.

Reciprocity

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 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 navigating 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.

Mary

"Jenna has a gift for making folk traditions feel both sacred and accessible. Her teaching style is compassionate, engaging, and rooted in lived experience. I’ve never felt more connected to the land, or to myself.”

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 in person for a 3–4 hour hands-on gathering in the Philadelphia area & once online for a one-hour class. 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

We offer tiered pricing to support both accessibility for our community and sustainability for our work. You can join us for a season (three months) or the entire Wheel of the Year (all four seasons).  A “pay in full” option is available with a 10% gratitude discount or opt for a monthly payment plan—whichever works best for you.

Tier One

Investment & Accessibility

$444.00

or 3 payments of $163

Tier Two

$555.00

or 3 payments of $203

Tier Three

$777.00

or 3 payments of $284

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, 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.

Want to Join Us for All Four Seasons?

A “pay in full” option is available with a 10% gratitude discount or opt for a monthly payment plan—whichever works best for you. Students who register for the full year will also receive 1 free herbal consultation.

Tier One

$1,599

or 12 payments of $146

Tier Two

$1,998

or 12 payments of $183

Tier Three

$2,797

or 12 payments of $233

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 widowshop@outlook.com with a few sentences about yourself and your interest in the program, and we’ll be in touch with next steps.