Maia Toll, holistic herbalist

After many years of home-study, Maia began her formal herbal and aromatherapy training in Mullingar, Ireland under the tutelage of herbalist Gina McGarry. She learned the process of herbal medicine-making, from growing and gathering, to tincturing, to client care. Irish clients included humans of all ages as well as the cows and chickens on a neighboring organic farm.

In Ireland, all of the plants' many medicines were joyfully used, from flower essences to teas, from tinctures to essential oils.  Maia continues this broad use of the plant and flower kingdom in her practice today.  

On returning to the States, Maia attended advanced herbal training at Sage Mountain in Vermont.  The following year, she rounded out her knowledge of nutrition with a year at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition in New York City. 

While studying at Sage Mountain, Maia met herbalist David Winston.  After a bit of hemming and hawing and a few persuasive dreams, she embarked on three years of studies with David, focusing on the clinical aspects of herbalism as well as broadening her knowledge of herbal use in Traditional Chinese Medicine and Ayurvedic practices. 

Throughout her herbal studies she has continued to be fascinated by essential oils.  She has studied with Jeannie Rose and with the wonderful teachers at Wisdom of the Earth in Arizona. 

She has taught herbal workshops at The University of Pennsylvania, Montgomery County Community College, Pennypack Farms, and The Springside School.  She is currently adjunct faculty at West Chester University teaching Botanical Medicine to both graduate and undergraduate students.

Jill Hoffman, ND

Jill Hoffman, N.D., is a licensed naturopathic doctor. She graduated with honors from the Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine in Arizona. Naturopathic medicine is tailored to the individual and creates wellness for the whole person by delivering evidence-based, safe, and effective natural therapies that support the body's capacity to heal. Jill has taught pathophysiology and clinical nutrition at the university level. Currently she has a naturopathic practice and teaches nutrition and wellness classes at venues in and around Philadelphia. Jill can be reached through her website www.centercitynaturopathic.com.

Lynn Roberts, Ayurvedic practioner

Lynn Roberts is an intuitive healer that has been studying and utilizing different holistic health modalities for many years. Right now, her toolbox contains: movement, nutrition, lifestyle, herbs, touch, energy & birthing/ motherhood techniques. She is a yoga teacher, Ayurvedic practitioner, community herbalist, {soon to be} massage therapist, Reiki master teacher, shaman, and birth/postpartum doula. But, she simply calls herself a healer.

Lynn leads a multifaceted life and her experience in healing has many dimensions. Lynn’s yoga career stemmed from her background in martial arts. After receiving 200 hours of training in yoga, she attended Kripalu School of Ayurveda and became an Ayurvedic Yoga Therapist and Lifestyle Consultant.  In 2010 she opened a holistic healing studio, Banyan Yoga and Ayurveda, in Elkins Park, PA.

Lynn integrates all her tools into holistic health consultations. Her consultations often include an introspective look at lifestyle and diet, herbal remedies, mantra meditation, movement and breathwork.

Denise Straiges, CCH, RSHom(NA)

Denise is homeopathic practitioner, professional chef, writer, teacher and consultant. She is the author of the popular blog, LifeStyle Revolution... Creating a sustainable life, from the inside out, and the founder of “well4good” a multi-disciplinary approach to sustainable healthcare.

For more than twenty years, Denise Straiges has been honing her understanding of wellness and the benefits of a healthy lifestyle. Her integrative practice model utilizes a multi-leveled approach that is centered on Classical Homeopathy, with food, movement, meditation and purposeful life pursuits to support the transformation and healing. Denise works with clients to establish healthy living patterns that are both practical and enjoyable.

Denise has received national certification in Classical Homeopathy by the Council for Homeopathic Certification (CCH). She is a registered member of the North American Society of Homeopaths and served as the Executive Director of the Minnesota Homeopathic Association.

Denise has studied in the US and abroad with the world’s most respected homeopathic teachers. Her insatiable appetite for learning has led her deep into the philosophies of yoga, meditation, Buddhism, and the myriad ways in which our lifestyle choices affect our mind, body and spirit.

In addition to her extensive private practice, Denise teaches and mentors homeopathic students, leads well4good retreats and workshops, and writes and lectures on food, cooking, sustainable healthcare and all aspects of health and well-being.

Her main offices are in NYC and Philadelphia, and she works with adults, teens and children throughout the world.

Anna Wik, Landscape Architect

Anna Wik is a Landscape Architect, a gardener, and an educator, who has spent countless hours in the woods, swamps, formal gardens and wild lands up and down the eastern seaboard and across the country and can’t remember a time when the plants didn’t speak to her.

She was pursuing the dream of being a poet when she began to dabble in botanical and herbal studies at the University of Iowa, and went on to work as a gardener at the historic Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina.  

While living in the Blue Ridge Mountains she began her Herbal training at the North Carolina School of Holistic Herbalism. In 2004, Anna moved north to study Landscape Architecture at the Rhode Island School of Design and achieved her Masters of Landscape Architecture degree in 2007.

She taught field ecology at RISD as well as in the Horticulture department in the School of Environmental Design at Temple University.  Anna currently is a Landscape Architect at the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, lovingly manages the Mermaids Heart Herban Garden, and continues to deepen her knowledge of plant medicine and spiritual connection with plant energies every day.